Galway possess the firepower to take title

Date Published: 03-Sep-2009

MINOR teams change so radically from year to year that it would be too simplistic to describe Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final as a revenge mission for Galway, but for supporters of the Tribesmen there will be a feeling of unfinished business ahead of this latest U-18 showdown with Kilkenny at Croke Park (1.30PM).

Last year’s Kilkenny side escaped with an unlikely two point victory (3-6 to 0-13) when late substitute Danny Purcell came off the bench to score 1-1 at the end of a second half in which they went 26 minutes without registering a score. It was a real case of daylight robbery and a heartbreaking defeat for a Galway panel who should have finished the year as champions.

For team captain Richie Cummins, centre back Donie Fox, free-taker Niall Burke, midfielder Davy Glennon, and goalie Fergal Flannery,Sunday’s re-match offers a shot at redemption for 12 months ago but, as team manager Mattie Murphy was keen to point out this week, 2009 is a whole different ball game.

“Sure, you would never get up in the morning if you worried about what happened in the past,” Murphy told Tribune Sport. “Most of the lads we have now weren’t involved last year. We have practically a new team and last year means nothing to them.”

Instead of dwelling on the negatives, Murphy was proud of his team last year. Little was expected of them when the campaign began and they scored seven points without reply against the Cats in the final, after being rocked by the concession of two soft goals.

“We got to the final last year when nobody expected us to and we did not come away from Croke Park downhearted. I’ve said in the past that those lads will learn from that defeat and that team will go on to provide more seniors to Galway. We have come out the right side of a couple of tight minor matches in the past and they haven’t done us much good in the long term.”

Twelve months on, and…