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A bitter Autumn wind was circling around Pearse Stadium, as 6,000 fans turned out to welcome their heroes home on Monday night. They were arriving home minus the prize they set out for, but to the Galway natives, this team will forever be hailed as heroic ambassadors of Galway hurling.

When Kilkenny got on a run in the third quarter the last day, they were driven on by the brilliance of Brian Hogan and Tommy Walsh. Hogan plucked two or three in a row out of the air and you almost feel the intake of breath and anxiety in the Galway crowd in the Hogan Stand.

"Commit. Focus. Believe. Achieve " - the recipe for Donegal’s All Ireland success, according to manager Jim McGuinness. In three days time, the Galway hurlers will have to do the same.

It may not have been like Galway’s historic 10-point Leinster final win over Kilkenny, but Andy Smith, Galway’s 29 year-old midfielder, took plenty from their semi-final victory over Cork.

There was a fantastic sense of satisfaction and contentment for Galway fans in Croke Park on Sunday after a five-point victory (0-22 to 0-17) over Cork saw them into the All Ireland final for the first time in seven years.

Sunday afternoon was a very special day for Anthony Cunningham, Tom Helebert and Mattie Kenny’s vibrant panel of hurlers and for Galway hurling.

Galway advanced to the 2012 Leinster final with ease on Sunday, overcoming Offaly in Portlaoise by 14 points, 5-23 to 3-15.

The Galway senior hurlers must go back to the well this Saturday and produce a big performance when they face Dublin at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, (4pm) in their relegation play-off.

The Galway hurlers take on Jimmy Barry Murphy’s Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh (12.45pm) in an attractive double header with the Cork and Kerry footballers (2.30pm).

The Galway hurlers will face the defending league champions Dublin on Sunday in the opening round of the Allianz Hurling League 2012 at 2.30pm in Pearse Stadium.