Galway’s young tigers tame the champions

Date Published: 08-Sep-2009

THERE was to be no repeat of last year’s grand larceny. No black and amber last ditch escape that Houdini would be proud of. No late drama; no late heartache – just pure ecstasy for the Tribesmen.
The scenes of unbridled joy at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon, after a fancied Galway minor outfit outplayed Kilkenny in a riveting encounter to emerge with a thoroughly deserved fourpoints win, will be savoured in the county’s hurling heartlands for a while to come.
As the final whistle sounded and the Kilkenny lads crashed to the floor dejected, Galway minor manager Mattie Murphy, his squad and backroom team raced out onto the hallowed soil of Croker to join the heroic 15 who were already leaping about with joyous abandon.
Even Murphy, often reflective rather than animated in his victory celebrations, couldn’t contain himself, after leading the county to its eighth minor All-Ireland hurling title and first since 2005. The smile on Murphy’s face, stretching from ear to ear, lit up Croke Park and said it all. There was no holding back in the celebrations.
And who could blame them? This was as sweet a victory Galway’s likely to taste.
Not only did the Galway boys exhibit an unabashed confidence and abundant array of basic skills – we were treated to an exhibition of catching, blocking, hooking, striking, harrying and expert long-range point scoring, and two classy goal executions – the Tribesmen made amends for the daylight robbery of the 2008 final when they were plundered with a late goal at the death by the same opposition.
On Sunday at GAA Headquarters, Galway more than made up for letting it slip last year. They paid Kilkenny back – with interest. The small yet vocal contingent of Galway fans, who could be heard in little pockets in the Upper Hogan Stand and Hill 16 in particular, couldn’t ask for much more than that.
Galway, having out-classed Kilkenny last year, only to be hit with a late goal that dashed their dreams, had a point to prove. And boy did they prove it. There were outstanding individual performances in maroon and white all over the park on Sunday but the display of Mullagh midfielder Davy Glennon embodied the skill, spirit and raw determination and hunger-to-win of the entire Galway outfit.