Bad day for Galway hurlers but critics are out of order

Inside Track with John McIntyre

A few disgruntled Galway supporters were looking for heads to roll in the wake of Sunday’s shock defeat by Wexford in the National Hurling League at Pearse Stadium. They weren’t beating around the bush, either on the field afterwards or in text messages to Galway Bay FM that evening, about who should take the blame for an unexpected and damaging big early-season setback.

The Micheál Donoghue led team management was in the line of fire and though undoubtedly under pressure after a surprise result which ends Galway’s promotion hopes, supporters are surely jumping the gun in panicking over the loss to a clearly highly-motivated Wexford outfit. Last April, the Tribesmen were also no great shakes when beaten by Cork in a relegation play-off, but a few months later unluckily lost out to Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final.

The critics, however, do have a case in relation to Galway’s win record against the elite counties in the league and championship since Donoghue took over. Cork were the only team they beat in Division 1A last year, while taking Clare’s scalp in the All-Ireland quarter-final was their lone summer success of note. Galway remain a decent team, but they now have something to prove.

Of course, all of this is against the background of Anthony Cunningham being eventually forced to stand down in the wake of an unexpected players revolt. Whatever the rights or wrongs of that controversy in late 2015, outside observers were in a state of disbelief that the Galway manager had to quit his post just months after leading his team to a second All-Ireland final in four years.

A section of the local hurling fraternity have not forgiven the players for their rebellion and retain sympathy for Cunningham. In this environment, any new management was always going to be more harshly judged when things started going wrong as was spectacularly the case in Salthill last Sunday. Ironically, a couple of the ringleaders in stoking the discontent against Cunningham are no longer involved at county level.

Galway’s meek response when Wexford started turning the screw was disappointing and a few of the players in action at Pearse Stadium don’t look long-term prospects in the maroon jersey. The team’s defence was opened up much too easily, while the forward division went missing in the final quarter, submerged by the opposition’s intensity and desire to win. Being outscored by 1-6 to 0-1 down the home stretch brooks no argument.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.