Hurlers get job done Ð but only just

Galway 4-17Westmeath 2-14

Stephen Glennon in Mullingar

In years to come, the GAA annals will show Galway won this Leinster senior hurling quarter-final against the Lake County by nine points; they maybe even indicate that it was an impressive tally of 3-1 from Pearses’ Cyril Donnellan that – at least in scoring terms – made the difference. That, though, will not even come close to telling the full story. 

In truth, the Galway supporters in the 3,000 plus crowd who made the journey to Cusack Park didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after this one. An air of bemusement reigned, with the more positive fans assuring themselves that this sub-standard Galway performance was just an opening day glitch, while, at the other extreme, others were foreboding a summer of hurling discontent.

In any event, the fact remains that three-quarters of the way through this contest, the Tribesmen had surrendered a six-point lead to their ‘inferior’ opposition and looked to be hanging on by a thread as a the scoreboard read Galway 3-9, Westmeath 2-12. 

Yes, Westmeath had found the target 14 times to Galway’s 12 – the home side also hit 10 first half wides in addition to another six in the second period – and where it not for the incisiveness and power of Donnellan’s contribution, John McIntyre’s outfit could have been in real trouble.

Indeed, the fact that Eanna Ryan, Shane Kavanagh, Tony Óg Regan and the iconic Joe Canning – all starters in the 2010 championship – had to be introduced to wipe the egg from Galway faces said as much about the Galway display and as it did about Westmeath’s heroics. The favourites came to Mullingar simply to play a game but it was a fiery Westmeath who were up for the game.

As it was, Galway can thank their full-back line of captain Damien Joyce, David Collins and Fergal Moore for their contribution, along with the workmanlike David Burke at midfield, and Donnellan and the ever-reliable Damien Hayes – who pointed four from play – in attack. 

Other than that, there were only cameos from the remainder around the park – just here and there. If this was down to the arrogance that the Galway jersey was better than that worn by the Westmeath players, or, perhaps even, a certain apathy, who can tell. Whatever the reason, the majority of Galway players did not cover themselves in glory from this one.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.