Date Published: 21-Apr-2011

ON A disappointing weekend for Galway teams, the magnificent county U-21 footballers pulled off one of the sporting shocks of the year so far when topping a supposedly ‘unbeatable’ Cork outfit in an absorbing All-Ireland semi-final at Cusack Park, Ennis on Saturday evening. Alan Mulholland and his management team eked out a Trojan effort from their squad which now faces an intriguing showdown against Cavan.

With the Galway hurlers spurning a second chance of reaching the National League final down in Walsh Park, the Galway United and Mervue United teams coming to grief in their League of Ireland ties, the Galway camogie team falling to their bogey team Wexford in the National League decider in Thurles and Connacht losing heavily to Cardiff at the Sportsground, the achievement of the U-21 footballers gained even more credibility.

After Cork had demolished Kerry in the Munster final, they were being hailed as the greatest team to ever emerge from the county at this level. Backboned by senior players, Ciaran Sheehan and Aidan Walsh, the Rebels were strong favourites to advance to the U-21 decider but, instead, were brought crashing back to earth by a defiant Galway team which had been clearly under-estimated.

Whether Cork got caught up in all the hype about them or were just guilty of over-confidence, the bottom line is that Galway thoroughly deserved their 1-11 to 0-12 victory with the midfield partnership of Man of the Match Thomas Flynn and Fiontán Ó Curraoin proving their trump card. Ultimately, it was the hard working Michael Boyle’s wonderfully created second-half goal which propelled the young Tribesmen to their first All-Ireland final at this level in six years.

But Galway had laid down a marker from the throw-in. An early Flynn point showed that they weren’t overawed by Cork’s reputation, but some inaccurate shooting prevented them from reflecting their outfield control on the scoreboard. In fact, Cork fought back to lead by 0-7 to 0-6 at the interval and when they went four points clear early in the second-half, it appeared Galway had shot their bolt and were running out of steam as well.

This was the team’s crisis period, but they rose to the challenge in magnificent style. Mark Hehir and Eric Monaghan picked off a couple of crucial points before substitute Adrian Murphy delivered the key pass for Boyle to shoot low into the Cork net. With Aidan Walsh now off the field injured, the Munster champions bravely tried to rescue the situation, but the damage was done and Galway’s tails were up with Michael Farragher’s late point putting the seal on a stirring victory.

Now, in the space of a few weeks, Galway football’s stock has risen dramatically. After a run of five consecutive defeats and poor performances by the county’s seniors in the National League, there was widespread gloom around the place with many supporters openly fearing that Galway were heading for a long period in the doldrums. Granted, Finian Hanley and company didn’t avoid relegation to Division Two, but an away victory over Armagh and a battling home draw against Dublin in their final two league outings lifted morale considerably.

But it’s the continued success of the Galway U-21s and the emergence of several quality footballers which has breathed new hope around the place. Of course, Mulholland’s talented group of players must now complete the deal against Cavan on Sunday week in Croke Park and that is a game they will be strong favourites to win which brings added pressure. At least, what happened to Cork should ensure that Galway don’t get ahead themselves in the build up to that final.

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