The sides were level ten times in a gripping All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park in front of 67,002 this afternoon but it was the nerve shown by Pádraic Joyce’s men when the game was there to be won that edged them over the line.
Jim McGuinness’ Donegal were left to rue an off-colour second half in front of the posts with just 0-5 added to their half-time tally and a feeling that they had left a golden opportunity behind.
As for Galway, they now have a chance to avenge their only defeat of this year’s championship – and end a 23-year wait for Sam Maguire – against an Armagh side that narrowly beat them out in the group stages after an exciting draw.
Galway had much the better of things in the early exchanges and were quickly into their groove with Dylan McHugh and Rob Finnerty on the mark as the Tribesmen raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.
Donegal, who really struggled to deal with Galway’s aerial prowess in the middle of the park in the opening half, fired back with the next three points, though, through Ciarán Thompson, Michael Langan and Oisín Gallen.
It was tit-for-tat midway through the half as the sides shared the first ten points but Galway got a serious shot in the arm in the 24th minute when Paul Conroy’s point attempt went all the way to the net.
That had a lot to do with Matthew Tierney as the Galway forward made an important run across the eye-line of Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton and did enough to take his attention off the ball as it hopped into the net at the Davin End, 1-5 to 0-5.
Donegal skipper Paddy McBrearty responded with a savage point at the other end and it wasn’t long before McGuinness’ men were back level with Thompson, Gallen and Langan in superb scoring form as the sides went in level at the break, 0-10 to 1-7.
The sides traded the first eight points of the new half, 0-14 to 1-11, and things started to get tense as the game entered the fourth quarter with a quartet of Donegal efforts dropping short in the third quarter.
John Maher ended a 13-minute barren spell for his side with a crucial Galway score in the 59th minute but it was quickly cancelled out by an outrageous effort from Langan two minutes later, his fourth of the day.
Amazingly, that 61st minute point would be their last contribution on the scoreboard as they left a series of chances behind them with Galway holding firm at the other end through points by Finnerty and Liam Silke, who had a thundering second-half.
It was Galway’s day as they deservedly set up a final date against an Armagh side, managed by Kieran McGeeney, who themselves are trying to bridge a 22-year gap to All-Ireland SFC glory.
SCORERS – Galway: P Conroy 1-1, R Finnerty 0-4 (2f), S Walsh 0-3 (2f), D McHugh, L Silke 0-2 each, J Maher, C McDaid 0-1 each.
Donegal: M Langan 0-4, O Gallen, P McBrearty (1f) 0-3 each, C Thompson (1 mark), S O’Donnell 0-2 each, C McGonagle 0-1.
Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, L Silke, S Mulkerrin; P Conroy, C Darcy; M Tierney, J Maher, C McDaid; R Finnerty, D Comer, S Walsh.
Subs: J Heaney for Darcy (57), D O’Flaherty for Walsh (63), J Daly for Fitzgerald (66), K Molloy for Comer and T Culhane for McDaid (both 72).
Donegal: S Patton; EB Gallagher, B McCole, P Mogan; R McHugh, C McGonagle, C Moore; J McGee, C Thompson; M Langan, S O’Donnell, A Doherty; P McBrearty, O Gallen, C McColgan.
Subs: D Ó Baoill for McColgan (30), J Mac Ceallbhuí for Gallagher inj (48), H McFadden for McGee and N O’Donnell for McBrearty (both 60), O Doherty for A Doherty (63).
REF – B Cawley (Kildare)