Defensive errors and lack of economy costs Galway hurlers again

Cork 2-17

Galway 0-20

IFa team’s progression is to be judged on their ability to learn and adapt, then the Galway hurlers would need to move their chairs up from the back of the classroom to the front where they can pay a little bit more attention and, perhaps, better heed the lessons of their current National League campaign.

For the second time in a month, Galway were left to bemoan costly defensive mistakes leading to the concession of, in effect, match-losing goals while the return from the number of chances being created is still not high enough – despite, in fairness, the Tribesmen putting up decent returns in their fixtures.

In front of an attendance of 7,864 at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, Galway once again provided enough positives to indicate they are moving in the right direction. However, the reoccurrence of recent errors left them vulnerable to an in-form Cork outfit and, should these failings persist, they will ultimately be their undoing as the year progresses.

What it comes down to is this? Galway have to convert more of the huge volume of chances they are creating – they took 20 out of a whooping 46 against Cork – and, perhaps more importantly, stop coughing up the ‘soft’ goals they have been conceding which have for, all intents and purposes, robbed them of victory against Tipperary and Cork.

Hurling is a simple game but, at the moment, Galway, for all their hard work, honesty and endeavour, are making life difficult for themselves with basic errors in handling (first goal), distribution (second goal) and decision-making (spurning 26 scoring chances, including 12 wides).

In some respects, Galway’s hurling is too loose. They hammered Cork on securing primary possession from the puck-outs – taking 60% of the overall tally – but too often their distribution or delivery inside let them down. It’s just not sticking for Anthony Cunningham’s men as it should.

You could argue that it’s still March and the two teams they have lost to –Tipperary and Cork – have more or less their full complement of players to choose from but, that said, Galway can’t allow the recurring themes to become of defensive mistakes and missed chances.

Cunningham has insisted that his team is young and they must learn but, on Sunday, he must have been exasperated by the reoccurrence of the defensive lapses, even if they were more unfortunate other than anything else.

For the first goal, full-back John Hanbury had his proverbial pocket picked by Cork’s Stephen Moylan in the lead-up to the first which Paudie O’Sullivan succinctly tucked away to catapult the Leesiders into a 1-7 to 0-5 lead on 18 minutes.

Cork’s second goal with six minutes to go was the most disappointing from a Galway perspective. By this stage, the home side looked to have the bit between the teeth, having taking the lead for the first time on 57 minutes through a Joseph Cooney effort, and when substitute Dean Higgins extended the advantage, Galway were on course to claim the league points.

However, centre-half back Greg Lally then sought to play the ball out of defence with an untidy handpass to full-back Hanbury – rather than clear the lines – and this allowed Cork’s Patrick Horgan to steal in and set up O’Sullivan for his second goal of the afternoon.

Although Joe Canning issued a timely riposte, the second goal proved detrimental – not so much in terms of momentum but in that it rejuvenated a Cork outfit that had appeared to have run out of ideas after scoring just two points and hitting a succession of wides in the previous 22 minutes.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.