Murphy takes centre stage as Galway coast to victory

SUNDAY’S Connacht quarter-final felt like a season-defining contest for both Galway and Mayo. All or nothing, almost.
Come through and the winner would be favourites to play football up to the August Bank Holiday weekend and maybe even beyond. Lose, however, and not only would the year come to an abrupt halt but it would mark the end of an era as the last minor football that county play as an U-18 competition.
In the end it was Galway who found the key to unlock the season as first half goals from Martin Kerrigan and Daniel Kenny (two) into a stiff breeze helped them emerge surprisingly comfortable winners and advance to a home Connacht semi-final against Roscommon in late June.
It also meant that Galway came out on top for the third successive season and while it wasn’t quite as emphatic as their 20-point landslide of two years ago, the game was up for Mayo by half-time.

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