Goals on Galway's menu as Connacht champions look set to retain crown

Galway v Roscommon: Connacht SFC final
RTE2, 2pm Sunday

Galway have done the hard part, now it is time to finish off the job and the advice is to play it simple in their Connacht final against Roscommon as the hot favourites are fancied to defy a three-point handicap.

Having dominated Connacht from 2011 to 2015, Mayo have found Galway too hot to handle for the last two years on the trot. Kevin Walsh's magic wand has done some remarkable tricks and he can pull another rabbit out of the hat at Pearse Stadium.

Galway are going in one direction, Roscommon are going in another. That might sound stupid to some, given that Kevin McStay's charges obliterated Leitrim in the provincial semi-final by 2-23 to 1-9 and could have even won by more.

McStay has said over and over again that July 9 is the date that he has been drilling into his troops all year and that it is their date with destiny. But Roscommon lack the firepower to take down the Tribesmen and it is hard to envisage an upset.

Galway are a formidable force on home soil and their attacking unit has blossomed over the last few months. They scored 12-99 in their seven group games in Division 2 of the league. Their lowest tally in any competitive outing this year has been 0-14.

They got 5-15 in their win over Derry, 3-15 against Down and 3-13 against Clare. They are clinical when they get into dangerous positions and Roscommon's rearguard unit is there for the taking, especially if Michael Daly, Damien Comer and Sean Armstrong are on song.

Roscommon allowed a limp Leitrim attack to find the net early in their Connacht semi-final and they have a habit of conceding majors on the big stage.

Galway got three goals in last year's Connacht final replay, while Sligo and Clare nipped in for two goals during last year's championship.

Monaghan and Dublin each netted twice against Roscommon during Division 1 of the league and Galway can do likewise. There is some 11-8 available with Paddy Power about over 1.5 Galway goals and that is worth taking.

The new mark rule has been a boost to Galway. High-fielding sits at the top of both Paul Conroy and Fiontán Ó Curraoin's list of attributes and it is hard to envisage anything other than Galway dominance of the midfield battlezone.

It might be boring but the advice is to keep things simple and back Galway to win comfortably. The handicap spread is three points and they ought to have enough class to prevail by more than that.

Recommendations
Galway -3
2pts Evs Hills
Galway over 1.5 goals
2pts 11-8 Paddy Power