Players have much to work on admit team mentors

STEPHEN GLENNON

TEAM coaches Mattie Kenny and Tom Helebert believe that if the Galway players improve their work-rate, intensity levels and desire to win the hard ball going forward, then that will be a lesson well learned from their difficult Leinster semi-final clash against Laois.

In front of an official attendance of 5,387 at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, Galway had to overturn a half-time deficit and subsequently respond to a 57th minute Laois goal – which secured the Midlanders a 1-10 to 0-12 lead – before the Tribesmen finally found their stride in the closing minutes of an absorbing tie.

However, there was no denying that, for the most part, Galway had been outfought. Coach Kenny agreed. “Yeah, it was hard won. Laois were very competitive. A lot of the 50/50 balls around the park, they fought really hard for them and won a lot of primary possession.

“We had to dig out a result at the finish but we knew coming down here that it wouldn’t be that easy. I suppose, we got the test we were looking for,” said Kenny, who outlined that the Tribesmen have a number of issues to address before their Leinster final against Kilkenny or Dublin on Sunday, July 7.

“What I would take from this is that when you are playing championship hurling, aside from the skills of the game and having good players, you have to have work-rate, be able to raise the intensity and have the desire to win hard ball. In that area, Laois battled a lot harder than Galway did today. I suppose, if our guys take that message away from Portlaoise, it will be a lesson well learned.”

Helebert also acknowledged the Tribesmen were given plenty of food for thought after barely escaping with their Leinster championship credentials intact against minnows Laois but noted these David v Goliath games are never comfortable – for either party!

“These are never comfortable games because there is no right answer to the outcome. If you win by a mile, it is meant to be. And if you get beaten or are sluggish or are seen as careless, there are obviously questions marks then.

“From our point of view, our focus was performance – it is always about focusing on our own performance. We have a number of things after today that we know we have to tidy up on to be better for a Leinster final against Dublin or Kilkenny but those ‘work-ons’ are continual. So, that doesn’t change.”

Despite the 2-17 to 1-13 result, this was far from a fluent Galway display. Helebert conceded as much, admitting the Tribesmen really did struggle with a Laois blanket defence. “In the first half, Laois, even playing with the wind, set up with a lot of bodies behind the ball and it just made it very difficult to open it up and get possession.