It’s Kerry now for footballers after taming Tipperary

Tipperary 4-12

GALWAY’S midsummer safari through the Midlands landed its prey early on but the final kill didn’t happen before Tipperary inflicted a number of unexpected late wounds on them at Tullamore on Saturday evening, in a match that asked as many questions as it answered.

The scoreline could well have been from a hurling match of times past and as the goal tally mounted through the second half, the contest frequently had that back garden feel to it, although Galway can say, with some justification, that the outcome of this tie was decided early in the second half.

In a match of 37 scores that delivered a cumulative total of 53 points, there was a tinge of the bizarre to the second half shenanigans as Tipperary – after finding themselves 14 points in arrears shortly after the interval – then proceeded to fire in goals for fun in the final quarter.

Galway secured their primary aim of winning an All-Ireland quarter-final slot against Kerry in Croke Park on Sunday and when they moved the ball at pace, especially in attack, there was a refreshing dash and vitality to their play. When they were good they were very good.

This week, as the championship swirls with increasing velocity towards its September climax, there is no time for Galway to bask in any glory halo – before they left the O’Connor Park dressingrooms, the very clear focus was already on a clash with old rivals Kerry.

The positive spin for Galway is undoubtedly their attacking play but the concession of 4-12 against a lively, if slightly naive Tipperary side, has to be a massive concern given the weekend task that lies ahead.

As the match ticked into its second quarter, there was little indication of the scoring rampage that was to follow. Tipp had edged the early midfield exchanges leading by 0-6 to 0-4, an advantage that should have been greater had their forwards been a little cooler in front of goal – at that juncture, the game had all the signs of a long, tight and hard slog.

It was by no means a vintage first quarter – too often, both sets of players had lost possession rather cheaply with a notable lack of compactness in holding onto the ball in the tackle, while easy chances were spurned by both sides.

Tipperary had played with the first half breeze and apart from their eight wides in that period they looked like going in at the break in a reasonably strong position of at least parity when their season crash-landed unexpectedly.

A fast moving Galway attack in the 32nd minute ended with Michael Martin and Paul Conroy setting up Fiontán Ó Curraoin for a goal strike that went under the legs of advancing Tipp goalkeeper, Paul Fitzgerald.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.