Cork’s 1-26 to 0-23 Allianz Hurling League win over Galway at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday ensured Kieran Kingston’s team earned a place in the knockout stages of the competition.
The sudden death of Paul Shefflin, brother of Galway manager Henry, the day before the game put everything in perspective.
Inevitably the match by the banks of the Lee carried little relevance, with Galway selector Richie O’Neill praising the panel for their approach in such difficult circumstances.
“We are all sportspeople, as we say life is cruel and it can be cruel at times,” O’Neill said after the game.
“We do sport because we love it and it was great to see the lads. We said that to them before the game, we play sport, we love it, live your life, go express yourself. The lads fought very hard out there, they came down here, they got 0-23, we hit 18 wides against nine.
“The attitude, the application, the way they applied themselves after the last 24 hours you would have to be very proud of the team.”
Patrick Horgan’s 27th minute goal was a vital moment in the game as Cork led 1-13 to 0-11 at the interval. Despite Ronan Glennon and Tom Monaghan’s excellence for Galway, Cork prevailed.
Ultimately the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship encounter away to Wexford on April 16 is the key fixture for Galway.
“We broke the league into phases,” O’Neill says. “We had the first phase which was quite positive, the second phase we have taken huge learnings from. We played two teams very comfortable in running the ball and we have learned a lot about how we need to approach those types of teams. We now have two weeks into the last phase which is Clare, and then it is eyes on April 16 from there.”
The fact that so many emerging hurlers such as Tiarnan Killeen, Glennon, Gavin Lee, Greg Thomas, and Kevin Cooney were afforded opportunities is encouraging according to O’Neill.
“We have looked at more players than anyone else in the league,” O’Neill says. “It is hard to stay ultra competitive and right at the very edge of winning games. We have got to see plenty of fellas, the competition should be really strong.”
Galway’s remaining fixture in the league is at Pearse Stadium against Clare on Sunday March 20.
