Galway are found wanting in shock league loss

Wexford 1-21

Galway 3-13

SOMETHING is stirring in Wexford hurling . . . and Galway became the second big casualty of the Slaney men’s unexpected Spring rising at a gloomy Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

The post-match mood of Galway supporters was in keeping with the dreary atmosphere in Salthill after a disastrous defeat which has already ended the county’s promotion prospects just two games into the Division 1B campaign.

In the context of establishing a seven-points lead in the opening-half when facing the wind and being six clear after 53 minutes, Galway’s late collapse was even more disappointing. They simply didn’t drive on when twice having Wexford on the ropes and lacked both the tactical nous and leadership to stop the rot when the tide started turning against them.

It may be only February, but Sunday’s two-point defeat before a big crowd of over 7,000 hardly sets a good omen for the rest of 2017. If Galway really harbor All-Ireland ambitions they shouldn’t be losing at home to Wexford regardless of the obviously seismic impact new manager Davy Fitzgerald has had down there in a few months.

When the game was in the melting pot in the closing minutes, it was Wexford who carried the greater conviction. They were hungrier too while improved physical conditioning also stood them in good stead. They dominated the exchanges late on to back up another comeback win over Limerick the previous weekend.

Understandably, Galway will have grievances over the officiating of Cork’s Cathal McAllister – notably his awarding of a penalty to Wexford for what appeared a legitimate challenge on Lee Chin – but this was a match the Tribesmen were in control of at stages of both halves only to blow it. Ruthlessness and Galway are not common bedfellows.

With midfielder Shaun Murphy deployed as an effective sweeper and Chin having a roving role up front, the Galway defence had a numerical advantage for much of the contest, but their backline was still badly exposed despite the return of All Star Daithi Burke.

Aidan Harte was Galway’s loose man and he did a lot of effective covering, but like several of his defensive colleagues was prone to overcarry and getting turned over by very committed rivals. Wexford’s impressive final tally of 1-21 shows how much pressure the Galway backs were under and the visitors also missed a number of clear-cut chances in their final tally of ten wides.

Full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune