Below par Galway minors shocked by Tipperary

Tipperary 1-10

Galway 0-6

WHO’D ever have thought they’d see the day when a Tipperary football team would routinely hammer Galway in an All-Ireland quarter-final? Hurling, fair enough, but football? It’s unthinkable.

And yet the Galway minor footballers can have no arguments with being dumped out of the championship – Tipperary were full value for their seven-points victory over the Connacht champions in front of a crowd of 2,881 at O’Connor Park on Bank Holiday Monday.

Stephen Joyce’s men had goal chances that on another day might have changed the course of the game, but they didn’t take them and in truth Galway were second best.

Apart from an outstanding individual showing from corner-back Caelom Mulry in defence, some decent saves by goalkeeper Ronan Ó Beolain, and glimpses of promise from hard-working forwards, Conor Marsden and Paudie McCormack, Galway were poor.

They managed to score just three points in each half hour of football, which will win nothing at this level. There was a strong, swirling cross-field breeze in Tullamore but that cannot excuse the number of silly mistakes and basic errors, spilling of ball and turnovers, and misdirected passes by Galway players.

It was a disjointed display from a group of teenagers who, if you didn’t know any better, looked like they’d never played together before . . . it was certainly a far cry from the provincial wins over Mayo and Sligo in the final replay.

To focus solely on Galway’s shortcomings on the day, however, does a huge disservice to Tipperary, who impressively bounced back and showed no ill effects from the six-points Munster final loss to Kerry three weeks previous.

After a slow start in the provincial final in Killarney, the boys from the Premier County were really up for this one, and in Alan Tynan they had a forward with true star quality who caused all sorts of bother.

Finishing with 1-5, the full-forward from Inane Rovers was the best player on show but Tipperary had top class performers all over the park.

Liam Fahy was a rock in the centre of defence that was shored up well by Jack Skeehan, too. Jack Kennedy and Tommy Nolan dominated the midfield battleground with hardworking Ross Peters picking up a serious amount of breaking ball. Up front, Brendan Martin picked off two fine points and was always a threat.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.