Reality check for Galway in Walsh Park

Waterford  0-22

Galway 1-13

 IT would be easy to archive this defeat into the pigeon holes that previous such losses have been catalogued in but there were still plenty of glimmers of positivity to be found if you went looking for them.

A crowd of 2,616 turned up in Walsh Park for what turned out to be a difficult afternoon for Anthony Cunningham’s outfit – but one that had to be endured if the Tribesmen are to push on again in 2014.

Suffice to say, some lessons will have to be absorbed. For one, the intensity Galway brought against Dublin fell short of the mark on this occasion, with the defence allowing Waterford the room Dublin had afforded Galway a week earlier and the attack failing to adapt their game to a heavy, tight pitch.

No doubt, Galway have plenty to work on but, again, these must be seen as positives. For instance, the central spine of full-back Ronan Burke and centre-back Iarla Tannian struggled with the power of Seamus Prendergast and craft of Pauric Mahony respectively and if Galway’s defensive duo are to nail down these berths, they need to experience days like this so they will not be caught in championship.

Consequently, Burke and Tannian have to go back and assess their displays. In Burke’s case, he may need to get the ball to ground quicker against bigger opponents where he can compete while Tannian must balance the requirement of keeping tight on his man while also holding the centre.

Around them, Fergal Moore, Johnny Coen, David Collins and Aidan Harte have to demand the same high standard of themselves as they have shown in the past. Too often on Sunday, they, like their team-mates, were sloppy in a handpass, distribution or attempting a shot to nothing.

In midfield, David Burke and, particularly, Padraig Brehony continue to cut two lively figures but the trouble is both like to get forward and that can leave pockets of space in behind. They need to work on ensuring if one springs to attack that the other does not leave the half-back line exposed.

Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribunne