Galway’s GAA Summer springs to life!

On Saturday evening, Alan Mulholland’s senior footballers recorded an impressive and comfortable five-point victory over Sligo at Markievicz Park. That sets Galway up for a Connacht final showdown with Mayo at McHale Park on July 13, the county’s first provincial decider in five years.

There is much quiet satisfaction among supporters for the manner in which the footballers sailed past Sligo. This was a potential banana skin for this young Galway outfit but they dealt with it admirably to secure a Connacht final berth.

Galway were favourites to progress but there was still nervousness among the travelling support, as it was set-up for a Sligo ambush. Mulholland’s men impressed, though.

The Galway hurlers rose from the dead the following day to sensationally earn a replay against Kilkenny after a remarkable goal-fest in Tullamore on Sunday. That replay has been fixed for 7pm in Tullamore this Saturday. Whoever loses will face Tipperary in round one of the qualifiers.

The inquest into the hurlers’ performance had already commenced in Tullamore as Anthony Cunningham’s charges trailed by 10 points with seven minutes to go. The sides were evenly match over the first 50 minutes but Kilkenny were rampant in a 10-minute spell between the 53rd and 63 minutes, racking up 1-8 without reply. They looked home and hosed.

Then Galway got the kiss of life – or three of them in as many minutes – two Conor Cooney goals and a converted penalty from Joe Canning resuscitating their Leinster championship campaign in the most dramatic fashion.

The psychological advantage must now be with Galway in the replay, having comeback from the dead and exposed a frailty in Kilkenny’s defence with a five-goal blitz.

The Galway minor footballers face Mayo this Saturday in Tuam having accounted for Sligo in Markievicz Park on Saturday on a scoreline of 1-13 to 1-7.