Raiding Tribes easily conquer defenders of the Kingdom

Galway 1-22

Kerry 0-12

Niall Canavan in Austin Stack Park

It wasn’t the massacre that many expected, but Galway still easily accounted for the challenge of Kerry at scenic Austin Stack Park in Tralee last Sunday. The picturesque Mount Brandon provided the backdrop for this unique pairing, as the sides clashed at this level for the first time since 2000.

Despite the sides being level at 0-7 apiece, after a Padraig Boyle score late in the first-half, Galway were never in any danger against a spirited Kerry side. The home side set their stall out early – despite playing with a substantial wing advantage, in the opening half, Kerry were content to sit deep.

They played very defensively and crowded their midfield and defensive areas to such a degree that Galway found it difficult to break them down, with Daniel Collins effectively sweeping across his half-back line throughout the first-half.

Consequently, however, they lacked sufficient numbers in attack to bother a Galway defence that had on occasion a number of unmarked players, even if the aforementioned Boyle and the lively Jordan Conway caused problems at times.

By half time a Padraig Breheny goal, after he collected from club-mate Shane Moloney, saw Galway lead by 1-7 to 0-7.

Galway – who made seven changes to the team that overwhelmed Laois at Pearse Stadium a week earlier, and gave a debut to Jack Grealish at corner-back – had early scores from Niall Burke and Paul Flaherty before Shane Nolan opened Kerry’s account of eight minutes.

By the 19th minute, further Galway scores from Joe Canning, a free, after a foul on David Burke, Paul Flaherty, and the lively Canning again saw Galway into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead with Jordan Conway, after he caught a long Martin Stackpoole puck-out, replying for Kerry.

Two additional Kerry scores came via Shane Nolan frees, before Johnny Coen set up Cathal Mannion for the first of his five points.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.