Inside Track: Galway footballers may be timing run perfectly
THE Galway football camp wouldn't have thought it at the time, but was losing the Connacht Final to Roscommon at Hyde Park the best thing that could have happened to them in the context of trying to win that elusive All-Ireland title?
Certainly, based on the evidence of their convincing win over an admittedly modest Kildare outfit at Pearse Stadium on Saturday, the Tribesmen have quickly put that defeat behind them. There was a welcome vibrancy to their play while the injuries which have been stalking Galway this season and beyond are clearing up.
It didn't take long in Salthill to realise Kildare were in over their heads. They did pick off a couple of quality two-pointers when assisted by the elements in the opening half, but the manner in which Galway broke the Lilywhites open for a brace of goals left few in the attendance in any doubt about the outcome.
The hosts' first goal came after only five minutes. The returning Matthew Tierney making no mistake after being set up by Paul Conroy, who was very effective even if his normally accurate shooting deserted him on this occasion. A second arrived just after the midway juncture of the half. Dylan McHugh put Cien D'Arcy in the clear and he galloped away without a glove being laid on him before planting the ball in the net.
With Rob Finnerty on fire in the last line of attack, popping over points for sport, Galway were in their comfort zone even if only leading by 2-8 to 0-12 at the break. The second half proved one-way traffic with a third goal arriving in the 53rd minute. This time Finnerty was the finisher at the far posts after Shane Walsh and Conroy created the opening.
Having Walsh, Cillian McDaid and Damien Comer on the field at the same time is a significant boost for Galway in the All-Ireland series and with expectations lowered in wake of losing their stranglehold on Connacht, Padraic Joyce's team could just be getting into the groove at the right time.
With Rob Finnerty on fire in the last line of attack, popping over points for sport, Galway were in their comfort zone even if only leading by 2-8 to 0-12 at the break
On Saturday evening, both Cian Hernon and Jack Glynn were outstanding in defence and though there's a long way to go, Galway could take beating in the weeks ahead. Sure, Donegal were very clinical in dismantling Kerry in Killarney and Armagh will be liberated by finally winning an Ulster title, but outside of those teams, the Tribesmen look better than all the rest.
Their Connacht Final conquerors Roscommon had their momentum stalled by bogey team Tyrone in a cracking contest on Sunday. When Enda Smith found the net in the second half, it appeared as though the Rossies were about to carry the day, but a short kick-out malfunction from Conor Carroll rocked them and they ended up losing by a point. It may not derail their season, however, even if there is no margin for error from here on in.
Hurlers
NEUTRALS keep wondering how good Galway hurlers are and though obviously better than last year, we still aren't sure what lies in store for them over the rest of the campaign. Ten points behind Kildare at half-time and 3-9 to 0-5 down against Wexford last Sunday is not the form of potential All-Ireland champions even if they impressively dug themselves out of both holes.
Even without Cathal Mannion, Rory Burke and Aaron Niland up front, Galway shouldn't have found themselves in such a predicament at Wexford Park. Goodness knows only for Tom Monaghan's sniping of points and Cian Daniels' ability to create scores with timely offloads, the game could have got away from Galway altogether.
Conor Cooney's introduction at the break was important to their comeback which had already gathered some momentum on the approach to half-time. A well-taken goal from Jason Rabbitte help to break Wexford's resistance on an evening players like Gavin Lee, Tiernan Killeen and Darragh Neary did some good things without being overly consistent.
Again, the Galway defence had some rocky periods, notably early on when Wexford opened it up far too easily. All over field, there was no great urgency and some of their play was sloppy and pedestrian. At least, Galway woke up in time and to go from 13 points behind to winning by eight is no mean achievement, but you wouldn't get away with that kind of carry on against Cork or Limerickk, or even resurgent Dublin.
I'm afraid the Tipperary man is coming out in me when taking some satisfaction from Kilkenny's current woes
I'm afraid the Tipperary man is coming out in me when taking some satisfaction from Kilkenny's current woes. Not coming out of the province for the first since in 30 years is a reflection of the Cats' ongoing decline. Without an All-Ireland title since 2015 and their production line of emerging talent well and truly stalled, Kilkenny are experiencing the worst crisis in their proud hurling history.
Under Brian Cody, they repeatedly laid waste to all challengers in capturing a staggering 11 All-Ireland titles over a 16-year period, but that dominance was never going to last forever. Still, nobody could have envisaged the extent of the county's present problems. Being hammered by Galway, only drawing with Offaly and falling to Dublin for only the second time in 81 years sums up a summer to forget for Kilkenny.
They knew what was at stake at Parnell Park last Sunday and though giving their all, Kilkenny still came up well short. Offaly's expected victory over Kildare was enough to clinch the third qualiftying spot from Leinster, with Dublin and Galway clashing in the provincial final on Saturday evening week.
Their exit from the title race completed a wretched few days for Kilkenny. Losing a 12 point lead to Galway in the Leinster minor final started the rot before their U-20s came up well short against the same opposition in their provincial decider. It's hardly a time to gloat, however, given that Tipperary hurling is no great shakes at the the moment either. What a fall back to earth in the space of a few months!