No shadow boxing expected as Galway host Waterford in league quarter-final
GALWAY’s hearts may have lifted when they won the toss to host Sunday’s National Hurling League quarter-final at Pearse Stadium (4pm), but a word of warning . . . opponents Waterford haven’t suffered from travel sickness in their campaign to date.
For in a sequence of results which went against the grain, the Deise men won all their Division 1A away fixtures against Kilkenny, Dublin and Clare, but endured no home comforts in their clashes with Tipperary and Cork.
In those circumstances, Waterford will hardly by fazed by having to travel west nor at the prospect of facing a team which has never beaten them in championship hurling despite meeting on ten occasions down through the decades.
League champions in 2015 and beaten finalists last year, this Waterford team under Derek McGrath don’t tend to indulge in shadow boxing when in sight of silverware, especially given the paucity of titles amassed in their hurling history . . . just two All-Irelands and three leagues.
They will arrive in Galway with a spring in their step after last Sunday’s rousing victory over Clare in Ennis. Waterford made a great start, but then lost their way before a late goal from substitute Tom Devine saw them squeeze home by two points.
Their line-up hasn’t altered a great deal since last year and they will be looking to Tadgh de Burca, Austin Gleeson, the in-form Bennett brothers, Stephan and Shane, Padraic O’Mahony, the admirable Kevin Moran and Patrick Curran to spearhead their challenge on Sunday.
For both teams, this quarter-final should provide a solid indicator of where they are at. Galway have little reason for not giving it their best shot either, though injury concerns about St Thomas’ duo Conor Cooney and David Burke aren’t ideal
Cooney (ankle) was a late withdrawal from last weekend’s encouraging win over Limerick, but team manager Micheál Donoghue admitted on Tuesday night that it would be ‘touch and go’ if the injury-prone attacker would be recovered in time. Burke, who was magnificent at the Gaelic Grounds, sustained a thumb injury in that game and his progress is being closely monitored.
At least, the management’s options will be increased by the inclusion of Daithí Burke and Conor Whelan in the match-day squad. Neither featured in the panel for the Limerick game as Donoghue and his mentors shook things up last week.
For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.