The task is a simple one for the Galway senior hurlers this weekend. Avoid defeat against Dublin in Salthill on Saturday evening (6pm ) and a place in the Leinster final is theirs, keeping them firmly on the most direct path to an All-Ireland semi-final appearance.
A defeat at the hands of Mattie Kenny’s side cannot end their season, after Wexford’s hugely surprising 0-21 to 2-15 draw away to Westmeath last weekend meant the table toppers were guaranteed to at least finish in third place.
Derek McNicholas’ late goal sealed Galway’s progress to the knockout stages after a contest in which Wexford had racked up 21 wides. Galway’s 2-37 to 0-21 win over Laois in Portlaoise put them on seven points, with Kilkenny now sitting in second place on six after their powerful display in Parnell Park led to a 3-25 to 0-17 win over Dublin. Can Dublin regroup in the space of a week with their season potentially on the line having fallen so flat in front of a capacity home crowd?
Galway had 14 different scorers in their win last Saturday and appear to be growing in confidence as the competition progresses.
The return of Ronan Glennon and Jason Flynn to the playing pool after injury adds another layer of depth to Henry Shefflin’s options, and with Tom Monaghan and Joseph Cooney contributing handsomely again last weekend, it is unsurprising Galway have moved back into second favourites for overall glory - although Clare’s performance against Limerick also gained them plenty of credit.
Galway have the look of a settled side and the visit of Dublin is a chance to lay down a marker for their title aspirations. Knowing there is no chance of elimination should allow Galway to play with a freedom that Dublin could struggle to cope with.
After four games the players should now understand the level of intensity and commitment that Shefflin and his backroom team demand.
The counties have met eight times previously in the Leinster championship with Galway having won three, Dublin victorious four times, and one game was drawn. Dublin have generally done better in cagey contests where Galway’s scoring potential has been drastically lowered.
On only one occasion has Dublin scored more than 19 points in those eight meetings, that being the memorable Leinster final win in 2013 (2-25 to 2-13 ).
Registering big totals has been a problem again this year for Dublin, with only one goal scored in four matches and the highest points tally reaching 0-27 against Laois.
Galway are firing points over from a variety of angles, distances, and sources, with Conor Whelan and Brian Concannon posing a significant goal threat inside, and it is hard to see how Dublin will be able to cope without employing plenty of extra defensive cover.
Galway’s top championship scorers to date: C Cooney (1-29, 1-0 pen, 20fs, 3 ‘65s ), J Cooney (2-13 ), C Mannion (0-15 ), T Monaghan (0-14 ), B Concannon (1-8 ), C Fahy (1-7 ), C Whelan (1-4 ).
