Galway 2-14
Leitrim 1-13

Despite being pleased with his side's progression to another provincial final, Galway boss Liam Sammon was the first to admit that his side will have to improve significantly if they are to lift the Connacht title next month.

Galway were put under severe pressure by a determined Leitrim side at Pearse Stadium on Sunday before a couple of crucial scores decided the outcome and set up a Connacht final date with either Mayo or Sligo.

Leitrim's perfectly-timed second-half rally looked set to produce a shock result before Cormac Bane decided the issue with a well-taken goal that killed off the challenge of Dessie Dolan's men. "We knew it would be tough but thankfully we were able to get scores at vital stages," said Sammon afterwards.

"But we will need to improve dramatically if we want to win the Connacht title. We gave away too many soft scores and struggled for long periods.

"They really put us under the hammer but we knew they would do that. We did not win enough primary possession and that is something we will have to work on," he added.

Leitrim boss Dessie Dolan was bitterly disappointed with the outcome especially as his side had come within a point of Galway with fifteen minutes left only to find themselves six adrift just four minutes later and heading out of the championship and into the Tommy Murphy Cup.

"There were a couple of scores we could have got and playing against the likes of Galway we needed to take all our chances.

"But I was very proud of our lads, they never dropped their heads. Leitrim players are very proud footballers and that is why we are disappointed. The chance was there but once more we didn't take it," said Dolan.

The interval introduction of Barry Cullinane at midfield and Cormac Bane in attack proved crucial for Galway and it was Bane who broke Leitrim's hearts when he finished a move involving Padraic Joyce and Michael Meehan to the back of the net to put them 2-11 to 1-10 in front.

Meehan and man-of-the-match Joyce quickly added points and the crowd of 7,962 knew there was only going to be one outcome.