Galway’s first hurling championship win over Cork since 2002 has prompted renewed hope in the county’s senior hurlers. However John McIntyre’s evolving team has little time to enjoy Saturday’s 1-19 to 0-15 victory over Cork as they head to Semple Stadium for their next assignment, an All Ireland hurling quarter-final with Waterford, on Sunday.
Smashing wins over Clare and Cork ensure Galway will hit Thurles on Sunday emboldened for their latest stern test. Waterford’s defeat to Tipperary in a surprisingly tepid Munster final will be an irrelevance this weekend as the Suirsiders have shown before that they can recover from tough defeats.Indeed one only has to recall the summer of 1998 when Waterford were merely an emerging force, and the clinical manner in which they demolished Galway at Croke Park straight after suffering to Clare themselves.
Galway, though, have been sufficiently passionate of late. There was real grit in the Galway display. The relentlessness of wing forwards Aonghus Callanan and Andy Smith was just one of the many positives in Galway’ s display.
"In fairness to the Galway players, every single one of them stood up and did their county proud,” said manager John McIntyre. “ They ran themselves into the ground. They hunted in packs. They showed tremendous character. Over the years, Galway's bottle has been questioned. Well, there's no question about this team's bottle because they won it the hard way.
“We're still in the championship, these fellas are embracing hardship, and there's more of it coming down the tracks next weekend. But we're going to be ready for it."
"We didn’t have a good record against Cork in the championship, and we didn’t have a good record in Thurles. We’re going about it the hard way, no doubt about that, but I have to be happy with the way the team surged in the final 10 minutes against Cork.
“Of course with this many games in succession you have wear and tear, ups and downs, and when you come away with the high of winning, you have to focus straightaway on the next task. But it’s not an issue, and we’re not going to use it as an excuse.”
Galway have been unfortunate to lose both Adrian Cullinane and Shane Kavanagh with injuries in the past two matches. McIntyre had to reshuffle his pack for the Cork clash due to Cullinane’s withdrawal, and the switches worked a treat. Eoin Lynch reverted to wing back and contributed handsomely, while Ger Farragher hurled with conviction and his usual drop of style at centrefield.
Galway opened brightly at Semple Stadium on Saturday, but as expected Cork never let them get a stranglehold on proceedings. The sides were level three times before Galway edged in front by 0 - 8 to 0 - 7 at the break, with Joe Canning contributing six points from frees and forcing a super save from Cork keeper Donal Og Cusack.
Points from Andy Smith and midfielder Ger Farragher kept Galway’s nose in front, but crucially it was Galway who scored the all-important goal. Leading by a single point, 0 - 15 to 0 - 14, Galway substitute Kevin Hayes won possession and with a super pass connected with Joe Canning, who found space to strike for goal. Although Cusack stopped the shot, subsititute Ganley was in position to send the rebound into the net.
Cork did stage a late fightback, but their frustration was epitomised by Niall McCarthy’s late goal miss - and it was Galway who stormed into the quarter-finals - deservedly so.
With each outing Galway are gaining in belief and confidence, but the gradient continues to steepen.
“ Waterford are one of those teams capable of beating any team in the country on any given day, and it could also be the last stand for some of their greatest servants,” says McIntyre.
“So it’s a lot to ask, playing a third big match in succession, but that’s the way the cards have fallen for Galway this year, and that’s the way we’re playing them. We’re being as positive as we can about it, but it certainly does make for a hard road to the All-Ireland.”
The two sides have met eight times in the championship, with Waterford winning all outings. The last occasion was a qualifier in 2006 when Waterford just edged out Galway by 1-25 to 2-20. Yet in March when the two met in the National League Galway won by 1-21 to 2-12. On that occasion Joe Canning scored 0-9 and Cyril Donnellan 1-2. They will need to continue that scoring prowess on Saturday.
A place in the semi-finals would be a significant achievement for this new-look Galway outfit.
Galway v Cork: C Callanan; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning (capt ); F Moore, J Lee, E Lynch; G Farragher (0-01 ), K Hynes; A Callanan (0-01 ), C Donnellan, A Smith (0-03 ); D Hayes (0-03 ), J Canning (0-11 ), N Healy. Subs , J Gantley (1-00 ) for Healy, K Hayes for Donnellan, E Forde for Hynes (69 ), A Coen for Lynch (70+1 ).
Cork: D Og Cusack; S O'Neill, E Cadogan, C O'Sullivan; J Gardiner (capt ) (0-01 ), R Curran, S Og O hAilpin (0-01 ); T Kenny, J O'Connor; B O'Connor (0-09, 0-06f, 0-01 '65' ), P Cronin, T McCarthy; K Murphy (Sarsfields ) (0-02 ), A O'hAilpin, P Horgan (0-01 ). Subs , T Og Murphy for Horgan, N McCarthy (0-01 ) for T McCarthy, G Callanan for K Murphy, C Naughton for Cronin.
