Big match battles for Galway teams

Date Published: 17-Jul-2009

UNLIKE Christiano Ronaldo or Michael Owen, top class hurlers and footballers do not move around from one team to another in search of greater financial rewards. They play with passion for the counties that spawned them and Galway GAA fans are spoilt for choice as a massive weekend looms on the horizon for the county’s two flagship teams.

The ‘galacticos’ of Real Madrid might have brought their entourage to Ireland this week, but sports fans in Galway are more concerned with the fortunes of the home-grown heroes who face two crunch battles which could define their respective seasons in the space of less than 24 hours.

The hurlers, fresh from their ten point mauling of Clare in Ennis, face a tough trip to Thurles to take on Cork in a ‘do or die’ championship clash at Semple Stadium on Saturday (7pm), before the footballers take centre stage for a mouthwatering Connacht final against fierce rivals Mayo at Pearse Stadium on Sunday (4 p.m.).

Defeat won’t be fatal for the footballers, who could still take the qualifier route, but pride is always a huge factor in the West of Ireland’s biggest sporting derby and the Tribesmen are on the brink of the unthinkable – three championship victories in a row over former boss John O’Mahony – in what should be a memorable occasion on home soil.

It is the final pairing which everyone expected since the draw for the provincial championships late last year, but Galway almost did not make it through when they were given a massive scare by Sligo in last month’s semi-final. An injury time Sean Armstrong goal saw them escape with a flattering four point win.

So poor were the Tribesmen in Sligo that most followers of the maroon and white, wary of Mayo’s impressive hammering of Roscommon, could hardly have envisaged another victory over Mayo this weekend. The pressure is on John O’Mahony’s men, too, as they were humbled in Salthill two years ago – the day when Cormac Bane scored two early goals – before Galway added to their agony against the odds in Castlebar 12 months ago.

Midfield remains a worrying area for the men in maroon, while the jaw injury sustained by Mayo’s Ronan McGarrity adds to the intrigue surrounding this sector going into Sunday’s final. Some rejigging of the Tribesmen’s line-up is inevitable in this area, due to Gary O’Donnell’s red card in the provincial semi-final.

Nicky Joyce has also made a welcome return to the panel since the Sligo scare and, while Galway did not play well that day, many in the camp believe that the Division Four champions did not get the credit they deserved for the intensity of their challenge.

There is no doubt that Mike Meehan, Armstrong, and Padraic and Nicky Joyce have the fire-power to do damage, but the big question relates to whether or not the home side will do enough work around the middle of the park to get good quality supplies into the danger zone.

Demand for tickets has been brisk in both counties and a crowd not far off the capacity of just under 31,000 is expected at the Salthill venue for a game which is being televised ‘live’ on TV3 (coverage starts at 3.30 p.m.).

The intensity of the rivalry between the two giants of Connacht football is reflected in a record of 38-36 in favour of the Tribesmen from a total of 74 Championship meetings stretching back to their first provincial final showdown back in 1901.

The history books won’t bother either set of players on Sunday, but their familiarity with each other should ensure a tough, tight contest and a cracking atmosphere; while it is hard to imagine O’Mahony losing against his former charges for a third consecutive year.

Hurling supporters will take to the road for the second time in a week on Saturday, when Galway will bid to banish the memories of their second half collapse against Cork in last year’s All-Ireland qualifiers at Semple Stadium.

It’s the same venue 12 months on, but so much has changed since the game which heralded the dismissal of Ger Loughnane as Galway manager. John McIntyre is at the helm now, while Denis Walsh has replaced Ger McCarthy as Cork boss after a long winter of discontent which included a players’ strike on Leeside.

While the memories of that 0-23 to 2-15 defeat are still raw – Joe Canning scored all but three points of Galway’s total in a sensational individual display – there was enough steel and determination in last weekend’s win over Clare, and the spirited resistance against All-Ireland champions Kilkenny in the Leinster semi-final, to ensure followers from the West will travel with renewed hope this weekend.

Unfortunately, wing back Adrian Cullinane has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing cruciate knee ligaments against Clare, but at least inspirational captain Ollie Canning and hugely improved centre forward Cyril Donnellan have recovered from the knocks they sustained at Cusack Park.

Cork are a more experienced, battle-hardened team; but the performances of Shane Kavanagh, John Lee, and Donnellan in the central positions provided a huge boost to the Tribesmen last Saturday, while they did not show an overreliance on young Canning for scores.

Cork hammered Offaly by 3-19 to 1-12 in their first round qualifier, after giving Munster champions Tipperary a tough test first time out, and they will expect newcomer Aisake O hAilpin to cause havoc after his 2-1 haul last time out.

The Rebels have an injury concern relating to Ben O’Connor (hamstring), one of the stars of their rousing second half display against the Tribesmen last year with a 12 point haul. O’Connor and Joe Deane produced sensational performances for the 14 men following the dismissal of goalkeeper Donal Og Cusack just before half-time.

Supporters of the maroon and white will anticipate a far livelier performance from their home-grown heroes this weekend, the commitment and heart they showed against Clare ensuring Galwegians travel with high hopes.

Big games are coming thick and fast for the hurlers this season, with just a six day ‘turnaround’ from the Clare game, and nobody in Galway will dare to look beyond Cork given the recent championship history between the two counties. The game is ‘live’ on RTE2.

For detailed previews of each match see Sport in this week’s City Tribune