Galway 3-22

Cork 4-24

READING too much into league form has always carried some risk, but since the introduction of the split GAA season what happens in the Spring has become even more unreliable in terms of assessing teams’ prospects for the championship.

Look at the contrasting fortunes of Limerick and Waterford in last year’s league. The Deise ended up as impressive champions only to subsequently crash out in Munster, while the Shannonsiders went on to sweep all before them in the Summer.

Yet, there was still something worrying about Galway’s disjointed display in falling to Cork in last Sunday’s second-round National League tie at Pearse Stadium. They were certainly a mixed bag on a day some of their old guard struggled to keep tabs on the athletic Rebels.

After 18 minutes Galway led by five points (1-9 to 1-4) and were moving along more than adequately. By the 69th minute, however, they were 11 points behind and staring down the barrel of a heavy loss, only for two late goals to take the bad look off things.

A healthy crowd of 8,872 turned up in Salthill and the locals probably came expecting a home victory, especially as Cork only fielded six of the team which had fought back to edge out All-Ireland champions Limerick the previous weekend.

They had no Sean O’Donoghue, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Mark Coleman, Ronan O’Flynn, Pat Horgan, Tim O’Mahony, Seamus Harnedy or Jack O’Connor. This was an experimental Cork team, but they looked more cohesive and talented than their hosts.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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