The players battle for possession in midfield.

The players battle for possession in midfield.

Galway 0-16

London 1-9

Tony Tighe reports from Ruislip

GALWAY ENDURED AN uncomfortable afternoon in the English capital as a gutsy London made the Connacht champions work hard for their victory.

Level at the break, a flurry of points at the beginning of the second half swung the game in the Tribesmen’s favour as they booked a Connacht semi-final date with Sligo on May 19.

After a low-key first quarter, Galway looked to be on their way to a comfortable win when they hit five points in 11 minutes to move 0-8 to 0-3 in front.

But they were rocked on 25 minutes when English-born forward Kilian Butler took Fearghal McMahon’s inside pass, turned his marker and rattled the top corner of Ruairi Lavelle’s net.

Two late points from Conor Doran sent London in level at half-time, 1-6 to 0-9, but a poor start to the second period saw Galway pull clear for a second time.

Shane Walsh switched to midfield and began to pull the strings, which yielded four points in five minutes.

Galway failed to kick on though and managed just three points from frees in the final half hour.

Just three points separated the sides late on and Butler should have drawn level on 67 minutes when a London counter presented him with a goal chance, but he dragged his shot wide.

Scorers for Galway: S Walsh 0-7 (5f, 1 ’45), I Burke 0-2, J Heaney, T Flynn, M Daly, L Silke, A O Laoi, P Cunningham, G O’Donnell 0-1 each.

Scorers for London: C Doran 0-6 (3f), K Butler 1-1, L Gavaghan, F McMahon 0-1 each.

Galway

R Lavelle

E Kerin

SA O’Ceallaigh

D Wynne

L Silke

J Daly

G O’Donnell

T Flynn

M Daly

Be part

of the team Access exclusive podcasts, interviews and analysis with a monthly or annual membership. Become a Member

A O’Laoi

P Cunningham

J Heaney

I Burke

S Walsh

D Cummins.

Subs:

R Finnerty for Cummins (48)

F O Curraoin for Cunningham (52)

G Bradshaw for O’Donnell (61)

E Brannigan for Daly (70).

London

G McEvoy

P Butler

M Moynihan

C O’Neill

D Carrabine

M Clarke

E Flanagan

A McDermott

L Feerick

M Gottsche

L Gavaghan

B Tully

C Doran

F McMahon

K Butler.

Subs:

A McGarvey for Tully (64)

S Hickey for Doran (64)

J Hynes for McMahon (64)

D Dunne for Carrabine (64)

P McGirr for O’Neill (70).

Referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh).

Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here: