MAROON FOUR

Joyce's Tribe seal historic title after rip-roaring Castlebar clash

- MIKE FINNERTY

GALWAY footballers celebrated an historic success after they secured a four-in-a-row of Connacht titles for the first time since the famous 1963-1966 era after a dramatic final at a sun-splashed Castlebar.

The raging hot favourites looked set to power to an expected victory when they led by eight points at half-time, but wind-assisted Mayo came roaring back in the second half to draw level with 20 minutes remaining.

However, Kevin McStay's side missed a string of opportunities to go ahead, including long-range efforts from Paul Towey and Jordan Flynn.

Enda Hession also saw his goalbound effort saved by Connor Gleeson.

Those misses meant that the sides were still level with ten minutes remaining, and the team that Padraic Joyce his built found their groove down the home stretch to get the job done.

The scales were tipped by scores from man of the match Paul Conroy and substitute Liam Ó Conghaile to spark great celebrations among supporters in the crowd of 27,137.

Mayo did engineer one chance to kick an equalising two-pointer after the hooter had sounded, but Matthew Ruane's effort drifted wide.