Galway in grip of hurling final fever

Hurling hype reaches fever pitch this weekend as Galway goes in search of All-Ireland glory.

All roads lead to Croke Park on Sunday, September 3, as the Galway senior hurlers make a brave bid to bring the Liam McCarthy Cup back West for the first time since 1988.

In doing so, captain David Burke and his warriors hope to banish the heartache of six All-Ireland final defeats the maroon and white army of supporters have endured since then.

Standing in their way is a wily Waterford team aiming to sate an even greater famine: 58 years without tasting senior success.

Never before has Galway and Waterford met in an All-Ireland senior decider and it’s a mouth-watering battle everyone wants to be at – demand for the 82,300 tickets has been massive inside and outside the participating counties.

Galway and Waterford fans, combined, have endured 87 barren years, which will mean an almighty blow-out whoever wins this novel decider, the first since 1996 in which Cork, Tipperary or Kilkenny are not involved.

Galway GAA CEO John Hynes said the county’s allocation of tickets was 17,000, which was allocated mostly to clubs, and then match officials, players and families, sponsors and some general applications.

He said it is “incredible” the number of Galwegians coming home from San Francisco, Boston, New York, Chicago, Australia, Britain and beyond.

“The demand for tickets really is unprecedented. I think the fact that the minors are there has certainly increased the demand but overall there’s a level of confidence in Galway that this could be our year,” he said.

See full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune – and don’t miss our souvenir 32 page All-Ireland Final supplement.