By Pádraic Ó Ciardha

NOT for the first time, the Galway senior hurlers won’t have been spared as supporters gathered on high stools and at church gates over the weekend to pick through the latest demoralising championship defeat for the county.

‘Same old Galway’ will have been a popular lament during many of the discussions but, as much as some familiar flaws reappeared in the 2-24 to 1-18 defeat to Limerick, it’s also hard to escape the feeling that it was actually ‘same old Limerick’ that really did the damage as John Kiely’s team of Supermen now go on in search of a fifth All-Ireland in six years.

The bare stats make for grim reading from a Galway point of view. Six points ahead after 25 minutes, they were outscored 1-18 to 0-6 in the time that remained and it will be uncomfortable repeat viewing for the Galway players when the time comes, although there is at least a happier opening act before they start watching through their fingers.

As Henry Shefflin acknowledged after the game, everyone at this stage knows what Limerick are trying to do in terms of their set-up but doing something about it is another matter. For the opening half an hour, Galway seemed to have the riddle solved, opting to push up on Limerick and put them under serious pressure in their own half of the field.

The absence of Declan Hannon would have been most keenly felt as the Treaty men looked to get into their rhythm and play through the lines but Galway never let them settle as they swarmed Limerick around their half-back line. Aaron GIllane’s fifth minute goal, getting the better of Daithí Burke under a high ball, was a big blow for Galway but their response was excellent, popping over four unanswered scores in as many minutes to set the tone.

While there could have been a temptation pre-match to use Cathal Mannion in the deeper role that he played against Tipperary, Shefflin opted for a rejig, stationing Mannion at centre-foreward and dropping Brian Concannon back to operate at the base of midfield. It’s a move that few outside the camp would have predicted and it worked to brilliant effect during that strong early spell for Galway. With the Limerick half-back line unwilling to push up to follow Concannon, the Killimordaly man was a constant option around the middle third and picked off two points, was fouled for three frees which Evan Niland converted and Concannon probably should have popped over a couple more.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition e-Paper App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition e-Paper 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. A one-year digital subscription costs just €89.00.

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.