The less said about the weather over the Easter bank holiday weekend, the better. It can only improve. And the hurlers’ display in their narrow win over Dublin last Sunday could fit into the same category. They won. It was not pretty.
There is much that can be improved, but, that said, winning tight games is a good habit for any team’s DNA.
And Galway are in the 2010 league final and they will get a good and competitive game against Cork on the first Sunday in May in that final, which will keep them tipping over before the start of the Leinster championship four weeks later against Wexford.
Championship has always been John McIntyre’s priority, but picking up a league title on the way would be a fantastic start to that quest for summer silverware.
Nobody should underestimate the bonding process, the self-belief, and the positive vibes that are generated in a panel when they win big matches.
Galway senior hurlers have not won that many national titles over the past few years - their last league win was six years ago. Regardless of the standard of last Sunday’s fare, the result has put them in a position to win a national title.
That has to be viewed as a good day’s work.
Said John McIntyre:“We scrapped and scrapped and it was a battle, but we’ll take the win and a first league final against Cork. Obviously there is huge scope for improvement. And I believe that scope is there. The lads’ hearts are in the right place and we can ask for nothing more.”
One major positive that was evident against Offaly, Kilkenny and last Sunday is that Galway are not going to give up on anything as they finished strongly in both of their recent wins.
There are players on the field now taking genuine leadership roles, and when a bit of inspiration was needed with Galway a point in arrears last Sunday and taking on water, it was All-Star Ollie Canning who ploughed forward on 66 minutes to lash over a superb long-range effort to equalise the tie.
It steadied the ship and his score was followed rapidly by three more from Joe Canning, Kevin Hynes and Damien Hayes to push Galway 0-16 to 0-13 ahead.
Dublin did rally and brought it back to a one point game, before Hynes, who had come on as a substitute for Iarla Tannian, hit another fine effort to see Galway with the points in the bag.
It was never going to be easy after the high of the victory in Nowlan Park, but Galway did not play enough fast open hurling and seemed to be bereft of ideas as to how to break down Dublin’s seven man defence. The substitutions did help and the benefit of a big panel was again evident. For success you need 24 or 25 players to call on and most games now need 20 men in action to see you in the winners’ enclosure.
Now Galway face Cork on Sunday week (April 18 ) in an inconsequential game, but it gives management another chance to try out a few things and experiment.
Understandably most minds will be on the league final which provides a novel pairing as it will be the first league final meeting ever between Cork and Galway.
That prospect does whet the appetite, but it is difficult to get yourself into a tizzy thinking of the “dead rubber” on Sunday week.
Still for those who don’t like leaving the county, it will be your last chance to see the team in action at home for the season.
