Skehill and Lee to miss league tie with Dublin

Date Published: {J}

STEPHEN GLENNON

GALWAY senior hurling manager John McIntyre believes Galway have a score to settle against Dublin in the penultimate round robin tie of the National Hurling League at Pearse Stadium on Sunday (2:30pm) – following the drubbing they received at the hands of the Liffeysiders in last year’s competition.

In the opening game of their 2009 campaign, Galway suffered a 2-21 to 0-15 loss to Anthony Daly’s charges; a defeat, no doubt, that still rankles with the management and players. “Despite the Walsh Cup final win earlier this year, we still have a score to settle from last year’s league,” insists Galway boss McIntyre, who says, contrary to Dublin’s struggles in the league, they cannot be taken for granted.

“Although they have only won one win to their name in this year’s league, Dublin have been very competitive and they are still the only team to have beaten Tipperary so far,” he continues.

“They are an improving outfit under Anthony Daly and we will have to focus very quickly on the challenge they will present to us on Sunday. Dublin are also in relegation trouble, so they will be very anxious to put their best foot forward against us.”

Indeed, this is a sentiment shared by Galway selector John Moylan. “Dublin are never an easy team to beat. Their League results this year are up and down, where we have been somewhat consistent,” says the Beagh man.

“Having said that, it is a different task playing Dublin. They are very athletic, very tall, strong, fit and on their day they can be a match for any team. We will have to be very focused for that game in Pearse Stadium. I would hope also that the Galway hurling supporters would come out when there are home games. Galway hurling needs that support. This squad of players need that support.”

With the National League reaching the knockout stages – and Galway very much in contention – this should ensure an increase in attendance at the home games against Dublin and Cork in the coming weeks. No doubt, Galway’s wholehearted performance in the victory over reigning All-Ireland champions Kilkenny in Nowlan Park last Sunday will have whetted the appetite. It was a far cry from the second half collapse against Tipperary.

“We were very, very pleased with the first half performance against Kilkenny,” adds Moylan, “no more so than we were happy with the display in the first half of the Tipperary game. We were conscious though of how things went in that second half against Tipp, so we were probably a bit hard on the players at half-time as a result.

“However, in the first quarter of the second half, Kilkenny outscored us by 1-7 to a point. Thankfully, we regrouped – the few changes we made probably helped us – while guys probably did not want what happened against Tipperary to happen again. So, they showed great heart. Goals win matches, and we got the two goals and that really turned the game for us.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.