Cunningham under pressure after Galway implode in Walsh Park
ANOTHER one of those days that left you with more questions than answers as the Tribesmen’s eight-point defeat to Waterford in the National Hurling League quarter-finals, once again, underlined the ongoing problems of Galway hurling at this level.
Some of these questions in the aftermath of this loss were of the most basic. Having won the toss, why did Galway elect to play into a storm in the opening period? Here they were facing a team that has consistently caused them trouble over the years – in the Déise’s backyard – and yet still gifted them the initiative.
By half-time, Waterford led 0-14 to 0-5 but when asked about the reasoning behind this decision afterwards, manager Anthony Cunningham maintained this was not why they lost the contest. “I wouldn’t say so,” began Cunningham.
“We know if we played with the wind what would have happened. Waterford would have set up the way they did. That wasn’t a factor. The factor was that our play wasn’t good enough and we just didn’t want that battle there in the first half.”
He was right about one thing, Galway didn’t play well. So, we move onto the why? Was it team selection, team tactics or team play? Or was it all three? In truth, all three were a factor but to get to the root of the conundrum, team structure could be the over-riding issue.
In this respect, what was the reasoning behind throwing corner back Padraig Mannion, who only made his debut at this level earlier in the league, into the pivotal centre-half back position in a game of some consequence? Given Galway’s early exit from the championship last year, there was a great deal riding on this fixture.
If the management wanted to take that big a gamble – and this is no reflection on Mannion who, overall, had a sound league campaign – then why not just throw 2014 centre-half back Daithí Burke into the action? His hurling might not have been up to speed after his successful drive for All-Ireland club glory with Corofin but, at least, he knew the position and he would be up and running.
Other alternatives were Gort’s Greg Lally – who had played the previous three games and, despite a couple of errors, has the potential to grow into the role – and Liam Mellows’ David Collins, who held this position in the opening sequence of fixtures. Would they have been more viable options?
Then again, off the top of your head, you can count eight players – Collins, Burke, Lally, Fergal Moore, Iarla Tannian, Tony Óg Regan, Shane Kavanagh and Joseph Cooney – who have all played in the No. 6 shirt under Cunningham and Galway have still not nailed their colours to the mask on this.
No doubt, it has been a troublesome position – Liam Mellows John Lee, Mullagh’s Conor Dervan, Kilconieron’s Martin Ryan and Kinvara’s Ger Mahon – have also seen time in this berth in the years preceding Cunningham’s tenure but it’s now getting ridiculous.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.