The Leitrim minor footballers pictured before their Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Football Championship victory over Sligo.
Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Football Championship Round 5
Galway 3-14 Mayo 3-12
Leitrim 4-11 Sligo 2-12
By Billy Coss
Second half goals from Barry Keating and Tim Madden helped Galway eke out a hard-earned victory over an understrength Mayo in this evening's Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Football Championship clash at Tuam Stadium.
Both teams were defeated by table toppers Roscommon - who were already through to the provincial final - but by virtue of wins over Sligo and Leitrim had already qualified for a standalone semi-final in a fortnight's time.
Playing their fourth game in 21 days, Mayo joint-managers David Heaney and Tom Reilly understandably opted for wholesale changes with only 'keeper Thomas Williams retained from their previous outing. Coming off a bye week, Galway boss Neil McHugh opted for continuity with 13 of the same starting XV selected from their most recent tie.
A topsy turvy dress rehearsal served up no end of entertainment on a cold, wet evening in north Galway and it was goals from Patrick Garvey and Oisín McCann, plus three points from Tony Carey that sent Mayo into a 2-5 to 1-7 interval lead after shooting into the elements.
Galway's first half green flag came courtesy of Adam Healy and when Keating, who finished the evening with 1-6, grabbed their second, the home side held a 2-10 to 2-7 advantage.
Jack Comer tapped in an equalising goal for Mayo on the three-quarter mark and though they edged in front soon after, Madden's opportunistic finish on 53 minutes and a crucial two-point free from Cian Hynes turned the tide and sent Galway four in front.
They needed to withstand a late rally from Mayo with Fiacra Ó Cinnseala on target from outside of the 40-metre arc before late attempts at an equaliser proved unsuccessful.
The sides will resume rivalries in Castlebar on May 2 with qualification for both the Connacht final and the All-Ireland quarter-finals on the line.
Elsewhere, team captain Conor Reynolds emerged the hero as Leitrim ran out 4-11 to 2-12 victors over Sligo at Kilcoyne Park in Tubbercurry.
Winless from their opening three fixtures, both sides were out of contention ahead of a meeting which doubled up as the competition's Shield final.
Reynolds netted twice in the first half and with Senan McGowan kicking a two-pointer, Leitrim went in 2-6 to 1-2 to the good after Diarmuid Cully goaled for Sligo.
Daniel Beck and Ciaran Kennedy's side picked up where they left off after the resumption. Kennedy completed his hat-trick on 39 minutes and the scoreline stood at 4-9 to 1-3 when Daire McCabe struck the winners' fourth goal on 44 minutes. Jack Moolick also chipped with a couple of two pointers.
Sligo's Ryan Lang struck a 51st minute goal and though they chipped away at the deficit and closed to within five, Leitrim weren't for catching.
