Dose of reality for hurlers

A RIGHT dose of reality, this, after the back-to-back wins over Limerick and Waterford, as the Galway hurlers squandered a chance to win an Allianz NHL Division One game that was there for the taking against a Tipperary side who looked to be far from world-beaters at Pearse Stadium on Sunday afternoon.While a grandstand finish, in which the Galway forwards had two goal chances in stoppage time, at least gave the supporters something to shout about this was a strange tussle which never really caught fire despite a couple of minor skirmishes in the ideal conditions.Too much of it was played out at a pedestrian pace and, ultimately, short-comings in the Galway attack resulted in a demoralising two point defeat which has left the Tribesmen with little but pride to play for in their final game against Clare on Sunday week.For their part, Tipp will hardly trouble overwhelming favourites Kilkenny – who have already given them a hiding – in the League final on the basis of this performance, but they could take far more positives from the dominance of their half-back line and the sharpness up front of half-forwards Lar Corbett and Seamus Callanan.There was a...