By Darren Kelly

Just when we were starting to think we had a full handle on where the Galway senior hurling team were heading for the 2025 championship, a second double-digit defeat in this year’s league campaign against Limerick has forced another rethink.

That being said, Micheál Donoghue and his management team will not get carried away with that 1-27 to 0-18 reversal as they continue looking at options. But despite two heavy losses (3-25 to 2-16 win Round 1 against Tipperary), the Tribesmen are still on course for a league final.

After the Shannonsiders fell to Kilkenny last week, the winner of this Saturday’s clash between Cork and Galway (Páirc Ui Chaoimh, 7.30pm) will advance to take on the Premier County in the decider two weeks later.

The Rebels lit up the league with their 6-20 to 0-23 demolition of Clare in an All-Ireland Final rematch and their team is hitting full throttle at the right time. Pat Ryan’s team began beating Wexford (2-21 to 0-12) before drawing with Limerick (1-16 apiece).

Their one setback came against Munster rivals Tipperary (2-22 to 1-21), but resulting wins over Kilkenny (1-22 to 2-16) and Clare have pundits paying strong attention to the Red Army down south.

Truthfully, if this was a championship game, Cork would be raging hot favourites. Even though they’ve only one point more than Galway (seven points), 10 of last year’s All-Ireland side started against the Banner. The other five have all seen action this term.

Patrick Collins didn’t start in goal the last day but took his place the other four occasions. Their full-back line of Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, and Sean O’Donoghue has been restored.

Robert Downey moved inside to number 6; with Cormac O’Brien (one of eight panelists from the Cork U-20 team that beat Galway in the 2021 final) being ever present on the left, although he misses this game through suspension. Ciarán Joyce and Mark Coleman can stake claims for readmission.

Tim O’Mahony and Darragh Fitzgibbon are their most settled line, though the latter pushed up to centre-forward against Clare. Ethan Twomey is another looking to break in, and has contributed 0-6 in 2025.

Fitzgibbon is Cork’s top scorer with 0-26 followed by Declan Dalton (3-11) and hat-trick hero against Clare, Brian Hayes (4-7). Patrick Horgan (0-16) and Shane Barrett (2-7) are also impressing, with Seamus Harnedy and Alan Connolly desperately seeking minutes.

With other options like Ger Millerick, Luke Meade, Brian Roche, Micheál Mullins, Robbie Cotter, Diarmuid Healy, Damien, and Jack Cahalane, Cork have a strong hand and we haven’t even mentioned Conor Lehane yet, who scored 2-3 in their last league joust with Galway in 2023.

Having not won this competition since 1998, one feels that a 24th final appearance would interest the hosts, but as All-Ireland championship second favourites, and with Clare waiting in Munster action four weeks later, that might provide a slight distraction for Ryan and his team.

Pictured: TJ Brennan and Cianan Fahy have impressed for Galway in the league this year. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.