Relieved Galway end qualifier nightmare

Galway 1-12

Tipperary 0-11

Dara Bradley at Pearse Stadium

A win is a win is a win. It wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, there is much to be critical of and many areas for improvement but the most important thing is Galway got the job done and ensured their name was in the hat for last Monday’s qualifier draw.

With the scars still fresh from the horrendous Mayo fall, Galway tentatively got back on the horse and defeated a plucky Tipperary outfit that flattered to deceive early on.

It was by no means a classic, and the quality of fare on display was quite simply terrible at times – the teams shared close-on 30 wides – but Alan Mulholland’s men did just enough to get over the line.

It wasn’t as comfortable or as convincing a victory as was perhaps expected, but given how teams in maroon and white in recent years have consistently failed to rouse for the qualifiers, especially games they are ‘supposed to’ win, it was pleasing that Galway actually delivered here in a match that they were expected to win.

They didn’t exceed expectations, just about met them, which is an achievement in itself. For one, they’ve ended that terrible losing streak record: This is Galway’s first win against a team from outside Connacht since the win over Louth in 2004.

It is the first time Galway has played in the first round of the qualifiers and ends the one-point losing streak in the back-door against Antrim, Wexford, Meath and Donegal in the past four seasons.

For a while at Pearse Stadium on Saturday, a similar fate awaited the home team, who were chronic in the opening half, playing very low on confidence and way below par.

Galway was in a precarious position despite being wind-assisted and leading by just one point at the break having been smothered by a blanket defence where Tipperary piled 10 and 11 bodies behind the ball. Galway were flirting with disaster. It was set up for an almighty upset – Tipperary took the game to Galway, defended doggedly and were picking of their points at the other end. With the wind at their backs after the break, the unthinkable suddenly didn’t look implausible.

Galway showed resolve, however, and mustered up a devastating 20 minutes in which they tore into the Munster minnows after half-time. Galway outscored Tipperary by 1-5 to 0-1 in the 20 minutes after half time, (and by 1-7 to 0-1 if you include the two crucial points in injury-time of the first half), a period which effectively decided the encounter, although they then went into ‘sleep mode’ and were awfully lucky that Tipperary didn’t catch them as they bolted towards the finish.Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.