Sports
Galway hurlers make short work of hapless Offaly
Galway 2-22
Offaly 1-13
THE temptation to qualify Galway hurlers’ convincing victory over Offaly in the Walsh Cup at O’Connor Park, Tullamore last Sunday – poor opposition, time of year, and only a pre-season tournament – is hard to resist, but judging the match at face value, the Tribesmen will be satisfied with an encouraging day’s work.
Having endured a few shaky moments in their dismissal of Westmeath the previous weekend, Galway clearly showed the benefit of that outing in Mullingar in almost effortlessly securing a Walsh Cup semi-final date with Carlow in Dr. Cullen Park on Sunday – now there’s a novel hurling fixture!
Their movement and pace had a limited home team chasing shadows, especially during a wind-assisted opening half as they powered into as commanding 1-17 to 0-5 interval lead. They picked off a series of neat points with full forward Jason Flynn rattling the Offaly net from close range following a Jonathan Glynn pass in the 14th minute.
All over the park, Galway were dominant, especially around the midfield sector where Andy Smith, tearing around the place with the enthusiasm of a player more akin to making his debut, and Joseph Cooney were largely in control, but the level of Offaly resistance at times bordered on the embarrassing.
They fielded a largely unfamiliar team with only goalkeeper James Dempsey, Stephen Egan, Sean Ryan, in surges, Stephen Quirke and substitute Cillian Kiely making a significant impact, although Shane Dooley did neatly finish their goal in the 49th minute.
Dooley, however, has not developed into the player he threatened to become. He struggled to make an impact against Galway and such was his wayward free taking – he even saw a one-on-one penalty attempt expertly saved by the agile Colm Callanan – that the Tullamore man was eventually taken off place ball duties before the end.
Galway would have travelled to Tullamore anticipating a much sterner test and though Offaly almost broke through for a goal in the opening minute when Garrett Mann saw his effort denied by the post, their limitations were quickly exposed as Anthony Cunningham’s charges ran riot for much of the first half.
Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.