BLUE MOON IS RISING

Dublin back in the ball game as Galway feel the heat in Salthill

- KARL O'KANE

PADRAIC Joyce warned his Galway side about what was coming with Dublin arriving in Salthill, a wounded animal.

And Dessie Farrell's side duly launched into this All-Ireland Round 1 qualifier tie like a side with something to prove after their shock Leinster semi-final defeat by Meath.

They controlled the game for long spells against a below par Galway who still hung in there well, before Dublin finished it out with Tom Lahiff's after-the-hooter winner.

"Look, people talk about Dublin being beat and out of it," said Joyce. "They've seven or eight of the best footballers in the country you've ever seen.

"So we knew that. People are doing podcasts and all sorts of stuff.

"Unfortunately, some mud on the walls will stick sometimes. We said it to the lads before the game.

"It came down to the kick of the ball. We said it before. It was going to come down to that and it did. They came out the right side of it and we didn't."

The defeat puts last year's All-Ireland finalists under pressure heading to Celtic Park to face Derry in two weeks' time.

"I'm sure they'll have a big crowd there for us coming and a lot will depend on the result next week (against Armagh) — how they'll approach that game.

"It's going to be a belter again for us. We'll be ready for it. We'll be a bit sore for an hour or two but we'll get over it.