Galway boss Cunningham leads team to second All-Ireland final in four years

SUPERLATIVES for Galway’s epic victory over Tipperary in a frenetic All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final at Croke Park rained like confetti in its aftermath on Sunday. Galway fans dug deep to mine for the word that would best describe what they had just seen, what they just felt but, in truth, none existed.

Moments earlier, substitute Shane Moloney, on his debut, struck the winning injury-time point to jettison the Tribesmen into an All-Ireland final meeting against rivals and reigning champions Kilkenny on Sunday, September 6.

With Moloney’s point, an outpouring of powerful emotions washed over Croke Park with all the force of a tsunami. It was raw – on both sides. For this was a game everyone was up for, that every single person put their hearts and souls into, be they player, management or supporter. It was a heavy investment – some might even say a burden – but the rewards were great.

Already on the day, the county’s minors had set the tone with a defiant 3-10 to 0-17 smash and grab victory over Kilkenny in their All-Ireland semi-final replay – another substitute, Cian Salmon, pouncing late on for the winning goal.

No doubt, it was the day of the substitutes, particularly given another sprung from the bench – Jack Kenny – had reignited Galway passions when netting their second goal entering the home stretch. By this time, the Galway support base had been massing. This had tickled its underbelly.

Minor boss Jeffrey Lynskey sensed it too and when he entered the press area pumped on adrenalin, you could be forgiven if you regarded his bold affirmation of “things are changing in Galway; this is a new Galway” as nothing more than the overspill of the battle that had raged. It proved the quote of the day.

For by the time the birds returned to the shelter of the quietening Croke Park rafters that evening, Galway hurling, against the odds, had already built their nests ahead of their September 6 return. “We are delighted to get over the line,” stated Galway senior boss Anthony Cunningham afterwards.

“It (win over Tipperary) someway made up for last year when we were bitterly disappointed being six points up with 10 minutes to go. I suppose, this was a game that had everything really. We got the sucker punch [of a Tipp goal] there at the start but I think we hurled well really.

“We were winning more positions than them after that and then we got the sucker punch again from Seamus Callanan and then a third one. To come back from that! In fairness though, there were some fantastic saves on both sides, no more so than Colm Callanan’s.”

Certainly, Galway had many heroes, Callanan being one of them, but you would have also to tip your hat at the management for holding their nerve. As Seamus Callanan was rifling in goals for fun, the calls from the stands was to switch his marker Padraig Mannion with another back. If only for mercy’s sake.

Cunningham and company though showed nerves of steel to hold firm until late on when John Hanbury was charged with the unenviable task of shadowing the Tipp livewire. Cunningham insisted they had a game-plan and it was one they were determined to live or die by.

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