Galway must seize the day against Cats

Date Published: {J}

STEPHEN GLENNON

ONE way or the other, hurling history will be made in Croke Park on Sunday. A fascinating Leinster championship final brings together the province’s gatecrashers and the sport’s greatest team of all time. The huge interest in the fixture is understandable; quite simply, this is a game not to be missed.

The Walsh Cup and National League champions colliding with the All-Ireland champions who have been ruling summer hurling with an iron first since 2005 is a tantalising prospect. There will be no place to hide as Galway strive to knock down a team which many percieve as unbeatable.

With midfielder David Burke unluckily suspended for Sunday’s decider in Croke Park (4pm), together with genuine injury doubts about former team captain David Collins (calf) and Iarla Tannian (quad), Galway have several problems to contend with ahead of the final – not least the fact that this will be their third match in a fortnight – but team boss John McIntyre is adamant this week that there will be no excuses.

Tannian – who won two vital frees late on in the replay victory over Offaly – did not participate in Tuesday evening’s training session, while Collins, who was able to do the ball work drills despite recuperating from a calf injury, did not take part in the training game.

Also to sit out that training game were brothers Ollie and Joe Canning. Ollie has bruising on his left thigh, while Joe took a second knock to his injured hand in the replay against Offaly. “Both sat out the game as a precautionary measure,” outlined McIntyre.

Apart from the ineligible Burke, Craughwell sharpshooter Niall Healy, who picked up a severe hamstring injury in last Saturday evening’s Leinster semi-final replay, is also sidelined. He is expected to be out of action for at least a month.

Consequently, the Galway management team of McIntyre, John Hardiman, Joe Connolly and John Moylan will not be naming their starting XV until later in the week. “We just want to make sure that every player who is selected is 100% so they can do themselves justice,” said McIntyre.

Indeed, given Galway face a Kilkenny side that has not been beaten in championship hurling since the Tribesmen scalped them in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final, every player must be able to perform to his maximum if the Westerners are to cause an upset.

“We all know what faces us on Sunday, the greatest hurling team of all time, but this is where we want to be, competing against the best,” stated the Galway boss. “It will probably take the game of our lives to carry the day, but you can be sure that is what the players will be primed for. Our approach is very focused on the challenge ahead.

“We do have injuries – David Collins and Iarla Tannian are touch and go – while David Burke’s suspension is another blow. It is also our third game in two weeks, but there will be no excuses. This is a test of the strength of the squad and whatever Galway team takes the field must hit the ground running at Croke Park on Sunday.”

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