The Ruddy Report – 27/09/01

Tribesmen triumph over Royals
Galway are 2001 All-Ireland champions after a stunning second-half display that stripped Meath of their favourites tag. They romped home to win by a nine-point margin, 0-17 to 0-8.
It was Meath who settled the quicker, going in front through a Ray Magee free in the second minute but Galway largely took control of the half, in terms of possession at least, once Michael Donnellan kicked over an equaliser three minutes later.
A snap shot along the ground from Fallon cleared the bar after five minutes, before McDermott lobbed a Meath point from a tight angle at the other end.
After ten minutes, the score was level at 0-3 to 0-3, with both sides tackling ferociously and closing down the space. Fallon’s point on eight minutes was the highlight.
Galway had taken an iron grip on the game, but failed to turn their possession into scores, with Donnellan, Savage, Fallon and Padraig Joyce kicking a succession of wides.
Paul Clancy, however, seemed to steady the Connacht side a little, on 24 minutes, with a lovely point from distance to even things out at 0-4 to 0-4, after Crawford had pointed in the 17th minute.
Galway continued to dominate and their high-tempo, industrious approach was rewarded with a score on the burst from Bergin, his second of the afternoon.
Joyce then tapped over a free but Meath, more economical all through the half, kicked over two more scores before the break, to leave the sides level at 0-6 to 0-6.
However, for accuracy, the second half belonged to Galway and Joyce. And accurate is truly the right word.
Despite a shaky opening half, and a glaring miss on goal upon the resumption, the Killererin man ultimately proved the difference between the sides. Somehow, he found his scoring touch again and, fed by a dominant defence and midfield, he shot an amazing 0-9 (0-5 from play).
Meath, shell-shocked and ragged, had no response, although the issue was still in doubt when John McDermott won a penalty on 58 minutes, with the Royals trailing by a mere five points.
The chance to close the gap, however, was scorned when Giles fluffed his shot and, with Nigel Nestor having been sent off for a second yellow on 50 minutes and Ollie Murphy off injured since shortly after half time, it was beginning to look like Galway’s day.
And so it proved. As the half wore on, Galway did to Meath what the Royals had done to Kerry. In fact, it was a mystery it took the Tribesmen so long to pull clear and finish the game off.
Joyce had missed a sitter immediately after the resumption, before Sullivan was forced to save from point-blank range ten minutes later.
Meath were in free-fall. They scored just twice in the half, Evan Kelly’s point on 38 minutes followed 20 minutes later by substitute, John Cullinane’s effort.
After Giles’ missed penalty, Galway cut loose once again and extended their lead with scores from Joyce (2), Paul Clancy and Declan Meehan. Meehan’s score showed just how comfortable Galway were. He opted to tap over a point when a goal was beckoning.
It was a deserving win for Galway and day to remember for Padraig Joyce. Meath however, will do well to forget it.