Meehan & Joyce extend 23 year record

Date Published: 19-Feb-2008

THERE are some constants in sport like Tiger Woods winning a load of golf tournaments and Kerry stockpiling All-Ireland titles . . . maybe it’s time to add on another one about Galway always beating Kildare in football.

On the way up to Newbridge on Sunday morning, Galway supporters could have some justification for thinking that their dominance of the men from ‘Curragh Country’ might be about to come to an end.

Galway had won their first game against Laois, but only just about, and they were missing a number of key players as they shaped up to a Kildare side, newly empowered with the Kieran McGeeney edge of steel.

Two years ago at Newbridge, Galway were worse than awful and yet somehow managed to come away with a one point victory but last Sunday the 3,000 mainly home supporters had reasonable expectations of a better outcome.

Kildare, though, find it hard to punish teams. Last Sunday, there could be no faulting their workrate and at times their sheer physicality, which ensured that any Galway player who held onto possession for a second too long was in trouble.

Galway won this match with two spurts of class at the end of each half, a bit like a middle distance runner waiting for the final bend before delivering his ‘kick’ finish.

Galway scored ……………….