Having produced the substantial performance that was required in Ennis, an evolving Galway senior hurling outfit now head for Thurles on Saturday intent on taking the prized Cork scalp.
With matches now arriving thick and fast in the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship qualifier series, Galway will hope they can replicate the passion and power which obliterated Clare by 2-18 to 1-11 at Cusack Park last Saturday.
Hurling with the required level of fire and fury, Galway were never seriously troubled by a disappointing home outfit, who had given a well-regarded Tipperary a fright in Munster.
Galway, though, never allowed Clare to generate any momentum as Shane Kavanagh and John Lee were immense at full and centre back. In the corners Damien Joyce and Ollie Canning were similarly eager as the Galway defence performed as a solid unit.
Further up the field Galway’s forwards got scores, but they also toiled relentlessly for the cause, and manager John McIntyre was not enamoured by referee James Owens’ interpretation of the rules, believing his players were penalised unjustly.
"I was a little bit disappointed with the referee because I felt our players, especially our forward line, was being penalised for their commitment. Kilkenny seem to be able to get away with it for some reason. There were times there when we had two or three players around the player - the Clare player could go nowhere, yet the referee gave a free out.
"I know referees have a job to do and I respect that, but this is something we have been working on a lot -work ethic and commitment, and I thought decisions were given against us and we were penalised for our commitment.”
And having finally registered a summer success of note, McIntrye stressed that there were a couple of anxious moments midway through the second period before Galway eventually closed the deal.
"There is great relief in the Galway camp because that is their first championship win of significance since the All Ireland semi final in 2005. Because of that I think it weighed on the players when we expected them to drive on in the second half. There was some panic hurling, some poor wides, some bad decision making, and I think we have a lot of scope for improvement, and we are going to need to improve because we have a quick turnaround for our game next weekend.
“Having said that it is a big win for Galway, it is a monkey off their back, and I was very happy with their commitment and honesty. Sure mistakes were made, but at least now we have another opportunity to fine tune areas of our game.”
A year ago at Semple Stadium Cork demonstrated their pedigree as not even Joe Canning’s staggering 2-12 haul and Donal Og Cusack’s sending off could deny the rebels. That was among this Cork team’s finest hours as they remained cool and clinical despite Galway’s threat.
Canning’s contribution that evening was immense, and in Ennis last weekend the gifted Portumna attacker received plenty of scoring assistance from Aonghus Callanan, Cyril Donnellan, and Niall Healy. The other Portumna forwards involved, Andy Smyth and Damien Hayes, were relevant too, particularly the way in which they defended from the front. Such industry would prevent a tidy Cork team being allowed to drill accurate deliveries from deep. Cusack can vary his puck outs too, so any lapse in Galway concentration will be punished.
Throughout his tenure in charge McIntyre has emphasised that his brief is to turn Galway into a competitive side, and that is clearly being carried out. The way Galway troubled Kilkenny, and subsequently dismissed Clare suggests that they are heading in the right direction.
Cork, however, are a talented team, and Aisake O’hAilpin’s aerial prowess is an obvious danger inside. Kavanagh is a sufficiently crafty hurler to deal with the towering forward, and Joyce and Canning will be expected to clean up the breaks.
At centrefield Eoin Lynch and Kevin Hynes must be stout and resolute against Cork’s willing runners, while also keeping the sliotar moving forward themselves.
Optimism is attached to this Galway challenge, and another championship success is a distinct possibility.
Galway v Clare: C Callanan, D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning, F Moore, J Lee, A Cullinane, E Lynch, K Hynes, A Callanan, C Donnellan , A Smith, D Hayes, J Canning, N Healy.Subs G Mahon, G Farragher, E Forde, J Gantley.
