Inside Track
Galway’s bad Thurles record is reaching nightmare levels
Inside Track with John McIntyre
Thurles continues to strike fear into the hearts of Galway hurling supporters – and the statistics show why. A sixth consecutive competitive defeat at Semple Stadium last Sunday underlines the county’s appalling record at a venue which is regarded as the sport’s most hallowed.
The Tipperary stadium has never been a great hunting ground for Galway hurlers, but over the past decade Thurles has more often than not become a graveyard for their visitors from the West. Apart from their championship qualifier win over Cork in 2009 and a league final triumph the following year, the Tribesmen invariably depart the venue with tails between their legs.
Leaving aside Galway’s desperate league record against Tipperary in Thurles – just two wins from their last 18 clashes – they have bowed out of the championship five times in the past seven years at hurling’s spiritual home, while also losing there to Kilkenny in last year’s league semi-finals. It’s not funny anymore and Galway’s complex about Semple Stadium must be reaching nightmare proportions.
On some of those occasions, Galway were simply beaten by the better team, but in the championship of 2008 (Cork), 2010 (Waterford) and last year (Tipperary), they had launched themselves into winning positions only to implode down the home straight. Nobody wants to be talking about a Thurles jinx when it comes to Galway, but the reality is becoming difficult to ignore.
Take Sunday’s Division 1A league encounter against Tipperary, for instance. It was another game Galway could have won but they fell asleep on the resumption and then lost their composure after almost reeling in the home team when bravely rallying from a ten point deficit. Each stumble in Thurles can only be adding to the demons stalking the Galway players about the place.
The match itself lacked the spice associated with Galway’s edging out of Clare the previous weekend. The hurling was loose and the intensity of the exchanges only occasionally stoked the passions of the disappointing small crowd. Both teams mixed the good with the bad but, in the end, Tipperary carried the day thanks to converting two goal chances when Galway had momentarily switched off.
Frankly, I thought Anthony Cunningham’s charges had the hard work done in the opening half after which they only trailed by three points. Galway had faced the elements but some good points from Cathal Mannion, Padraig Breheny, whose replacement early in the third quarter beggared belief, and James Regan, together with Jason Flynn’s placed balls had kept them on Tipperary’s coat-tails.
Unfortunately, Galway went on to pay the maximum price for a sloppy start to the second half. Within 14 seconds John O’Dwyer, who was subsequently lucky to escape the ultimate sanction for a late pull on impressive substitute Greg Lally, had the ball in the net after defenders John Hanbury and Johnny Coen appeared to get in each other’s way. That was an untimely blow for the Tribesmen but worse was to follow.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Inside Track with John McIntyre
THE Galway hurlers or team management would hardly have imagined a few weeks ago that they would be out of contention for a place in the semi-finals of the National League after just three rounds of the competition – and two of those matches going ahead at Pearse Stadium.
With a month’s break between the ending of the league group stages and the opening round of the Leinster championship against struggling Wexford, it’s not an ideal scenario for the Tribesmen, especially as Henry Shefflin, Kevin Lally and Damien Joyce have still some way to go in reaching a settled team.
It was no great surprise that Galway came up short for the second game running in Salthill on Sunday. Hosting the All-Ireland champions Limerick, the men in maroon didn’t have as many regulars on duty as the Shannonsiders, who were still missing a quartet of influential performers in Hurler of the Year Diarmuid Byrnes, Gearóid Hegarty, Declan Hannon and the currently out of favour Aaron Gillane.
With Tom Monaghan bouncing back to form, Galway were committed before a bumper crowd of over 12,200, but you rarely got the impression that they would end up carrying the day. Limerick always looked comfortable and, significantly, were able to lift the tempo and hit the final three points of the match when Galway were threatening a successful comeback.
There were new roles for TJ Brennan and Tiernan Killeen in as reshaped defence, while Cianan Fahy, Dónal O’Shea, Kevin Cooney and Martin McManus were given the opportunity of making an impression further up the field. But without Daithí Burke, Cathal Mannion, who will miss the rest of the campaign due to a hamstring injury Ronan Glennon, David Burke and Fintan Burke, together with Conor Whelan, Brian Concannon and Darren Morrissey only being introduced as substitutes, it was always going to be a big ask for Galway to stay in the league hunt.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Inside Track with John McIntyre
WITH nine All-Ireland minor hurling titles in the last 19 years, including five of the last eight, you’d imagine that Galway would be more than content with the championship structure. After all, they have to play less matches than any other county to capture the Irish Press Cup.
But Galway remains aggrieved over their continued exclusion from the provincial championship and that frustration has manifested itself in a motion at this weekend’s GAA Congress appealing for the county to be granted access to either Leinster or Munster at U17 level.
Galway claim to have no problem with the prospect of winning less All-Ireland titles if they are treated the same as everyone other team. Currently, they should be at a disadvantage facing into a robin-robin system against counties with heaps of matches behind them from their respective provinces, but it hasn’t stopped Galway from dominating the minor hurling landscape.
That scenario underlines the consistent high-quality teams being produced by the county, but Galway’s understandable argument is that the lack of games is denying their players the opportunity to develop more. Unfortunately, when you are winning minor titles hand over fist, it weakens that argument.
Though Galway can’t be blamed for the likes of Offaly and Wexford – who have a paltry three Leinster titles between them since 1989 – lagging well behind in minor ranks, the last thing these counties want is the boys from the West joining their championship. Whatever chance Offaly and Wexford have without Galway, they would have little or none with them being around.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Inside Track with John McIntyre
It was one of those grim days that the Galway footballers would prefer to forget. Apart from the serious knee injury sustained by Damien Comer in the opening quarter, the home team allowed a winning hand to slip late on in a dour encounter against Roscommon at Pearse Stadium.
Naturally, Comer’s injury dominated the post-match headlines. The Annaghdown man was central to Galway’s major progress in 2022, with his physicality alone giving the team a hard edge up front. To see him being stretchered off in Salthill and in obvious distress represents an incalculable blow to the Tribesmen.
Comer’s season being prematurely over only adds to Galway’s early-season woes. Heading into 2023, the team management knew they would be planning without two of their defensive pillars – Kieran Molloy (injury) and Liam Silke (work) – while the departure of utility forward Finnian Ó Laoí (travel) was also a setback.
To compound matters, Patrick Kelly is struggling to shake off a back injury, while Rob Finnerty faces at least another month on the sidelines after suffering ankle ligament damage in Galway’s opening Division One encounter against Mayo in MacHale Park. Throw in the fact that Shane Walsh is currently travelling, Padraic Joyce will be down at least six of last year’s All-Ireland final team when squaring up to Tyrone at Tuam Stadium on Sunday week.
This background will automatically test the in-depth strength of the squad in the weeks ahead, and with only one point on the board from their opening two league matches, the spectre of a relegation battle looms. Given the unavailability of so many players, Galway’s priority will now surely surround staying in the top-flight of league football.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Motorists warned of delays due to works at Baunemore Roundabout in Athenry
Steps taken for the addition of a Sensory Garden in Loughrea
ATU Galway lodges plans for new monument dedicated to deceased students
Galway Labour Councillor calls for Government to pass emergency legislation on the eviction ban
Galway students to represent Ireland at global invention competition next month
City seeks to annex Oranmore, Claregalway, Moycullen and Barna in boundary extension
Man awarded €142,000 over unprovoked attack in toilet of County Galway pub
Tech consultants open Galway hub
HSE accused of ‘environmental sabotage’ after felling 200 trees in Merlin Woods
Woman convicted of harassing social media guru
