Galway get the job done in easily fending off Rebels

Galway 1-27

Cork 1-21

AFTER a winter of discontent, Galway senior hurlers had a spring in their step when beating Cork on Sunday in the first round of the National League in Salthill.

Although the home side did tire, Galway had six points to spare on St Valentine’s Day and it could have been more such was their overall dominance.

Leaving aside the weakness of the challenge of the opposition, and in particular how loose the Cork backs were, Galway’s forwards appeared very sharp. It was good to see. And it was badly needed. It’ll certainly give the players breathing space.

Some commentators argue that the player power that eventually ended Anthony Cunningham’s managerial reign following the All-Ireland defeat to Kilkenny last September will be forgotten about come summer time.

It probably will. But you’d be amazed how quickly success-starved supporters will remember the heave, if the players don’t meet the high expectations that they have set for themselves; an expectation that is matched, and perhaps exceeded, by the public’s.

Of course fans will continue to follow and support Galway. But player power goes against the grain of most GAA people, regardless of the rights or wrongs of it.

And so the Galway players, while they’re not on trial, certainly have something to prove. Even just to themselves.

Positive days like Sunday, then, go some way to repairing the trust between players and the wider hurling public, too. A loss would have immediately heaped pressure on Galway; but as it turned out, that prospect never really looked likely.

Galway were just too good. They dominated the midfield exchanges, where captain David Burke gave a herculean effort. Particularly in the first half, when he scored three points, won almost a third of the 20 puck-outs that went Galway’s way, and his delivery set-up the all-important goal.

In defence, busy Aidan Harte was another who epitomised the hard-working ethos of the team. But it was in attack where Galway really shone.

Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.