Galway stand on the brink of making minor hurling history

By Patrick Earley

THE Galway minor hurlers are back where they want to be. It’s hard to believe that, despite all of their efforts and dedication over the past 18 months, their campaign could have ended in 60 minutes last week.

It didn’t though and now the opportunity to become the first county ever to claim four All-Ireland minor titles-in-a-row is within reach when Brian Hanley’s side take on Kilkenny in MW Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday (throw-in 5pm).

Seeing the relief and joy on the faces of players and management post-game in Ennis couldn’t but bring a smile to one’s face. There has been blood, sweat and make no mistake about it, tears put into getting to where the young Tribesmen are at now and though most of them played no hand in any of the previous years’ All-Ireland victories, they have the chance to do something very special this weekend.

To do that, they must overcome the old enemy Kilkenny. The Cats comfortably toppled Offaly last Saturday in the Leinster decider 2-21 to 3-9, laying the foundations with a dominant opening half display and holding out at their ease in the second half despite a mini-Offaly revival.

It’s now 11 years since the Cats have beaten Galway at minor level, a staggering statistic when you think about it but it just goes to show how dominant Galway have become at U-17/18.

This year’s team are now that year older and it really showed on Friday night, despite the fact Galway were still outsized by Limerick. The Tribesmen are a much more physical outfit than either of the winning teams of 2018 or ’19 and they’re a lot closer to being able to make that step-up to the next grade at U-20 and ultimately senior level.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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