Galway blown away

THE bolt out of the blue which transformed Galway’s 2012 hurling championship failed to materialise again 12 months on as an outclassed side surrendered their Leinster title rather tamely to a jubilant Dublin at a sun-drenched Croke Park on Sunday.

A big Galway following travelled to the capital filled with hope that the Tribesmen could somehow put an indifferent League campaign and poor semi-final performance against Laois behind them, only to see a sharper and hungrier Dublin make history by securing their first provincial crown in 52 years.

There could be no complaints from the maroon Tribe in the attendance of 36,657. Instead of replicating their sensational performance against Kilkenny at this stage last season, the men from the West were out-hurled, out-fought, and ultimately well beaten by a side playing their fifth championship tie in as many weekends.

Only centre back Shane Kavanagh, full-forward Joe Canning, corner back Johnny Coen (first half) and a couple of the second half substitutes, notably a battling Andy Smith, emerged from this 12 point defeat with honour intact on a bitterly disappointing day for Galway hurling.

The Tribesmen struggled especially in the midfield and half-forward sectors, finding it hard to live with Dublin’s greater hunger for the ball in the middle third, while the likes of Conal Keaney, Dotsy O’Callaghan and Paul Ryan produced sparkling attacking performances for Anthony Daly’s fired-up side.

It was an even more emphatic defeat than Kilkenny’s shock ten point defeat to the Tribesmen last July, although at least some pride was restored in the second half when Galway, with goals from Canning and David Burke, fought hard to get back into the game.

But Dublin’s distribution was superior, they refused to be rattled by Galway’s fight-back, and they closed the game out brilliantly with six points in a row. Crucially, they also posted instant replies to both Galway goals.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.