The Galway senior hurlers were involved in yet more late dramatics last Sunday, this time coming out the right side of a controversial refereeing decision as Conor Cooney proved the hero in a one-point, 1-27 to 3-17, win over Kilkenny.
Paddy Deegan’s hefty challenge on Tom Monaghan, only seconds after John Donnelly’s shot had hit the net and drawn Kilkenny level, was deemed illegal by referee Colm Lyons, much to the chagrin of everyone of a black and amber persuasion.
Conor Conney was left with a dead ball strike from half way to decide the contest, admirably holding his nerve despite the enormity of the situation, and Galway manager Henry Shefflin was delighted to come out the right side of what had been a titanic, if at times error-ridden, game.
“All we ask from these lads is that they give it absolutely everything,” Shefflin said. “The crowd got behind them, there was a bit of a connection there that we are trying to build. It was brilliant to see that support and that the home venue played its part as well. That vocal support got behind the boys as well.
“It’s a great feeling for the lads to win a game like that, but we are very conscious that unfortunately, it’s only round three. Obviously, we have to look forward to two weeks’ time and prepare for that as well. Galway and all the teams in Leinster will remember the last round robin that went down to the last day, and we didn’t know who was in or out. That’s going to be the way it is at this stage.
“The focus for us is that dreaded word, consistency. Can we back that up? We kind of stuttered a bit over the line. Can we build on that, can we go to Laois in two weeks’ time and try to get to seven points? That’s where you want to be at."
Kilkenny had slowly whittled away at a six-point half-time deficit [1-17 to 2-8] when Galway failed to score for 20 minutes of the second half, and their manager Brian Cody was content with the quality of his side’s performance ahead of tricky fixtures to come against Dublin and Wexford.
“It was a very competitive game. We started very well and we got some very good hurling in the first half. They came back into it, probably a few mistakes for us were costly in the first half and that and at half time it was six points or so. They were going really well, huge crowd behind them so it was a huge challenge for us in the second half. But I thought we were excellent in the second half.
“We’ve come over here to Salthill many times over the years, and it’s always been a very difficult place to come away with a win. I suppose we were five seconds away from coming away with a draw, which would have been a healthy result.”
U20 revenge
Kilkenny did gain a modicum of revenge 24 hours later when their U20s got the better of Galway in a pulsating Leinster semi-final played in Tullamore.
Full forward Liam Collins was Galway's main scoring threat and the title holders appeared to be on track to win only for Kilkenny free taker Billy Drennan to come to his side’s rescue and force extra time.
Galway took the upper hand again in opening up a five-point lead, with substitute Reuben Davitt netting, but in the second half Kilkenny somehow rallied yet again.
Gearóid Dunne’s goal fired the Cats into a three-point lead, only for Galway to level as time elapsed, but there was still time for Joe Fitzpatrick to be the hero for Kilkenny.
Galway Seniors: É Murphy; D Morrissey, Daithi Burke, J Grealish; P Mannion (0-1 ), G McInerney, F Burke (0-2 ‘sl ); David Burke (0-1 ), J Coen (1-0 ); T Monaghan (0-3 ), C Cooney (0-6fs ), J Cooney (0-4 ); C Mannion (0-2 ), B Concannon (0-4 ), C Fahy (0-1 ). Subs: C Whelan for Fahy (45 ), G Lee for Grealish (52 ), TJ Brennan for Coen (72 ).
Kilkenny Seniors : E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; M Carey (0-1 ), P Deegan, C Browne; J Maher, A Mullen (0-1 ); C Buckley, P Walsh (0-2 ), TJ Reid (0-3, 2fs ); W Walsh (0-3 ), B Ryan (1-0 ), E Cody (1-2 ). Subs: A Murphy (0-5, 4fs ) for Maher (31 ), T Phelan for Reid (35 ), D Blanchfield for Browne (42 ), J Donnelly (1-0 ) for Buckley (55 ), M Keoghan for Ryan (66 ).
Referee: C Lyons (Cork ).
