High flying hurlers make short work of Offaly

Date Published: {J}

Galway 1-24Offaly 1-10

NOTHING to get too excited about here. Galway, for the second weekend in a row, doled out a hiding to inept opposition – they remain top of the National Hurling League Division One table with a massive plus 35 points difference, after comfortably overcoming Offaly in O’Connor Park, Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.

Galway won by 14 points – it could have been more – and did so pulling up, without breaking much sweat. A woefully disjointed Offaly side, shorn of several of their championship regulars, nabbed a fortuitous goal and a point late in the match – the scores hardly put respectability on the scoreboard, but they just about took the humiliating look off it. But only just.

The trouncing won’t do the Galway camp much harm – they’re surely not complacent or naive enough to allow this cakewalk go to their heads – but in the greater scheme of things didn’t benefit the Tribesmen a huge amount either, aside from the league points which surely ensure their place in the top flight next season.

It came at a cost though as three more players were added to the already lengthy injury list. The Galway management quartet, the three Johns (McIntyre, Hardiman and Moylan) and Joe (Connolly), hardly learned anything new from this lopsided affair although there was much to be satisfied by – their charges can only play what’s in front of them and in that respect Galway, who were also without several frontline players, executed their duties ruthlessly and with style.

Full-forward Iarla Tannian, with one of his best displays in a maroon jersey in a long time, got Galway off the mark with a point from the throw-in after just 30 seconds and they were never headed thereafter. Despite playing into a stiff wind, the Tribesmen coasted to a 0-9 to 0-5 interval lead as Tannion tormented his markers, first David Kenny and then Peter Healion, to split the posts twice more before the break; Ger Farragher landed five frees from five in the opening half; while young David Burke raised a white flag from midfield.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.