Galway minor hurlers secure spot in semis
Dublin 3-15Galway 1-21THE word on the ground is that this year's Galway minor hurling team is nothing special, but Kenneth Burke's young charges are now preparing for Saturday's Leinster semi-final against Wexford with an unbeaten record.
Despite conceding three goals to Dublin in their final group game at Parnell Park last Saturday, Galway showed no shortage of pluck in leaving Donnycarney with a share of the spoils against their physically stronger hosts.
It was the least the boys in maroon deserved. Undaunted by a match total of 12 wides, an unconverted penalty and the retirement of one of their top players, Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh with a hamstring injury in the 41st minute, Galway were slightly unlucky not to win.
In the final moments, Dublin's equaliser from a Richie Hession free came after Galway reserve Conor O'Neill was harshly penalised for what appeared a legitimate shoulder on raiding defender Tommy Dillon.
At various stages of a cracking encounter, Galway were the more compelling outfit but Dublin had an edge in the aerial stakes and also had a number of star performers in wing back Derry Ware, midfielder Corey Kelly and the dangerous Dan Ward up front.
Galway knew they were in a battle at half-time when trailing by 2-6 to 0-11, but with captain Gus Lohan raising the intensity levels on the resumption, they suffered less in the physical collisions.
Starting off at 100 miles an hour, Galway had three points on the board inside two minutes from Michael Coen, Lohan and Mac Cárthaigh against a Dublin team surprisingly beaten by Westmeath last time out.
Though Kelly replied for Dublin, Mac Cárthaigh soon nailed his second score of the match but any notions of a canter in Parnell Park were soon dispelled. Hession pointed from play before Ward fired home a terrific goal in the eighth minute. He quickly added a point to leave the Dubs 1-3 to 0-4 in front.
It was now Galway's free-taking went to pot. Anthony Poinard, Mac Cárthaigh, Lohan and even goalkeeper Mark Walsh were all off-target from placed balls, and they were rocked again when Ward blasted home his second goal in the 24th minute.
Poniard (three) and Walsh did manage to convert frees, and with Coen, the hard-working Eoghan McClearn and Tom McAdam also splitting the posts, Galway were bang in the contest at the interval.
Midfielder Jamie Egan and Lohan (two frees) quickly regained the lead for Galway in the second half, but Dublin were hanging tough with scores from Hession (two frees), Ward and Henry Greene.
A terrific sideline cut from McAdam in the 39th minute left Galway 2-10 to 0-15 behind and though Poniard soon brought the teams level again, Dublin then produced a defence splitting move which culminated with Brian Farrell finding the net from close range.
Questions were again being asked of Galway, but they were not found wanting. A great score from the right wing by Lohan set the tone before centre back Conor Lynskey and Poniard did the spadework for substitute Cillian Power to raise a green flag in the 55th minute.
Midway through the half, Poniard has seen his penalty effort come off the right-hand post before sending the rebound under pressure wide, but the Athenry teenager put that behind him with a strong finish.
With McClearn, Poniard and Lohan finding the range, Galway looked set to squeeze home only for Hession's pointed free in stoppage time producing a result which sees both teams end up in the provincial semi-finals.
Though there was nothing wrong with the team's battling qualities, Galway will need to improve their efficiency and to become more secure in the full back line. At different stages, Lohan, Lynskey, Ultan Leen, who was excellent in the second half, Egan, McClearn, Coen, McAdam, Poniard and the luckless Mac Cárthaigh were to the fore.
Dublin: D Stynes; F Reville, C Nevin, P Cashin; D Ware, J O’Keeffe, T Dillon; P Batten, C Kelly (0-2); S Gavigan, H Greene (0-2), J Ledwidge; D Ward (2-2), B Farrell (1-1), R Hession (0-7, 0-6 frees). Subs: A Ferguson for Reville (half-time), M Dempsey for Gavigan (44), E Forde for Ward (51), H Homan for Batten (57), J Davy (0-1) for Greene (59).
Galway: M Walsh (0-1, free); J McMahon, D O’Shaughnessy, E Whyte; C Donoghue, C Lynskey, E Leen; G Lohan (0-6, 0-4 frees), J Egan (0-1); E McClearn (0-2), C Larkin, T McAdam (0-2, 0-1 sideline); M Coen (0-2), A Poniard (0-5, 0-4 freea), T Mac Cárthaigh (0-2). Subs: K Boyle for Mac Cárthaigh (inj. 41), C Power (1-0) for Larkin (50), C O’Neill for McMahon (57). C Leen for Coen (58).
Referee: Conor Dawson (Wexford)