Galway vs Down: Football Thriller Recap | GAA News
- Newry, Northern Ireland - In a game marked by nine goals and a frenetic finish, Galway secured their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals with a 2-26 to 3-21...
- Shane Walsh, Rob Finnerty, and Matthew thompson spearheaded the Galway attack, overcoming a resilient Down team.
- Down initially matched Galway's intensity, with Odhran Murdock and Danny Magill making significant contributions.
Galway secured a thrilling victory against Down in a high-scoring All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final,securing their spot in the next round of the championship. Shane Walsh’s stellar performance, with a score of 1-7, spearheaded Galway’s attack, outmaneuvering a resilient Down team that refused to surrender. The match, marked by nine goals, saw Galway edge out Down with a final score of 2-26 to 3-21 at Páirc Esler. Catch up on all the action, including key moments like Walsh’s crucial first goal and Down’s spirited comeback in this exhilarating GAA Football recap. News Directory 3 has the analysis, results, and fixtures. Discover what’s next for Galway as they advance to the quarter-finals!
galway Edges Down in All-Ireland Quarterfinal Thriller
Updated June 22, 2025
Newry, Northern Ireland – In a game marked by nine goals and a frenetic finish, Galway secured their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals with a 2-26 to 3-21 victory over Down at Páirc Esler. The attendance exceeded 14,000.
Shane Walsh, Rob Finnerty, and Matthew thompson spearheaded the Galway attack, overcoming a resilient Down team. The victory keeps Galway’s All-Ireland hopes alive.
Down initially matched Galway’s intensity, with Odhran Murdock and Danny Magill making significant contributions. Murdock set up John McGeough for Down’s first goal in the 14th minute. However, Galway soon found their stride, led by Walsh, Finnerty and Thompson, key players in the All-Ireland championship.
A pivotal moment came in the 22nd minute when Walsh scored Galway’s first goal, assisted by Thompson. This ignited a dominant spell for Galway, as they scored 1-9 without response, establishing a 1-16 to 1-6 lead by halftime. Cillian McDaid also contributed with two points during this surge.
Down mounted a spirited comeback after the break. Daniel Guinness and Miceal Rooney quickly scored points, and Pat Havern converted a free, narrowing the deficit to five. Goalkeeper Conor Flaherty made a crucial save to deny Adam Crimmins a goal.
Galway responded with points from Thompson, Finnerty, and Matthew Tierney, but down continued to press. guinness, Crimmins, Ceilum Doherty, and substitute Caolan Mooney contributed scores, reducing Galway’s lead to just two points. This forced Galway to adjust their strategy under pressure.
Late in the game, substitutes Peter cooke and Daniel O’Flaherty made vital plays. Walsh, before leaving the game due to injury, converted a free to extend Galway’s lead to 1-24 to 1-19. Cooke was later denied a goal by Down goalkeeper Ronan burns.Murdock then scored Down’s second goal in the 65th minute, cutting the lead to two. However, Galway’s Tomo Culhane responded with a goal of his own. Ryan Magill scored another goal for Down, but a point from Céin D’Arcy and a score from Ryan McEvoy sealed the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final victory for Galway.
Shane Walsh led all scorers with 1-7. Rob Finnerty added 0-6, and Matthew Thompson contributed 0-5.
“It was a tough battle, but our lads showed great character,” said a Galway team spokesperson. “We knew Down wouldn’t give up easily.”
What’s next
Galway advances to the All-Ireland quarter-finals to face either Meath, Monaghan, or Tyrone. Down’s season concludes after a promising run under manager Conor Laverty.