It’s do or die for Galway hurlers facing Tipperary

GALWAY supporters will be hoping that there will be a kick in the county’s hurlers when they face Tipperary in the All-Ireland qualifiers in the Premier County’s own back yard of Semple Stadium, Thurles on Saturday (7pm).

In the wake of the Leinster SHC semi-final replay defeat to Kilkenny last weekend, the Galway set-up – and in particular, captain Joe Canning – has come for heavy criticism in some quarters and, consequently, you would expect the Tribesmen to mount a defence of some sorts.

To be fair to Canning, who didn’t the influence on the replay as he had on the drawn game, it beggars belief that a player of amateur status should be singled out and come in for the same volume of criticism that a highly paid Premiership player in England would.

In that respect, a headline in a national newspaper this week suggesting the talented Portumna sharpshooter was only capable of the “odd circus trick” was an insult to the player and, no doubt, hurtful to his family, to his club and to Galway hurling.

That Canning should be targeted in such a fashion and that the column was the work of former Galway manager Ger Loughnane simply rubs salt into the wounds. It warrants a response from the player himself, his Galway team-mates and, indeed, the county’s supporters.

Consequently, Saturday’s clash is not only about championship survival but it is also a test of the Galway squad’s unity – of their values and principles – and if ever there was a time to circle the wagons, then this is certainly it.

With no injuries to report, Cunningham says, despite Saturday’s defeat, the players are “raring to go” and he stresses there is still a great deal of positivity among the set-up. “It’s about hurling at that same level as we have done the last two days and giving that same level of performance,” he says.

“There was very little in it [against Kilkenny] in the two games – there was just a puck of the ball in it at one stage of the second half – and people have to know that.

“So, there is still huge positivity in the squad and we have played very good hurling both days. Of course, though, we are still looking for an improvement every day we go out,” adds the Galway manager.

That said, it remains to be seen what direction Cunningham and selectors Eugene Cloonan and Damien Curley will take the team when they announce the starting fifteen on Saturday. Overall, the defensive unit hurled quite well against the Cats given the quality of ball supplied to the Kilkenny forwards.

In that respect, there may be some surgery to the midfield and offensive lines, especially given only two forwards – Conor Cooney and Jason Flynn – found the target from play against Kilkenny.

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