Team manager Finn knew Galway were ready for major test

Date Published: {J}

Eoghan Cormican

WHATEVER doubt remained over the quality of Galway’s stickwomen has surely been put to bed following their hugely impressive All Ireland semi-final victory over Kilkenny.

Another All Ireland final now awaits and no doubt, it’s another exciting time for all those involved with the side, including team manager Noel Finn.

The Cappataggle man was quick to praise his charges for their sterling efforts in Nowlan Park, the defence in particular, earning special recognition.

“The defence were excellent, but if you can get the central spine of the team working you can build around it. Therese (Maher) was fantastic on Saturday. She is a natural leader. Putting (Sinead) Cahalan full back has settled the defence.

“In saying that, there are girls on the line chomping at the bit. The girls that are playing are not guaranteed they will be playing the next day. They are under serious pressure because we have a very strong panel.

“Importantly, we haven’t leaked goals this year and the first one on Saturday was just unfortunate they way it came back across the goal. But as Sharon Glynn said to me after the game, if we could bottle that performance and bring it to Croke Park we’ll get a result.”

In all, six Galway players found the target over the hour, with the work rate of the likes of Ann Marie Starr and Therese Maher as good as another six scores. Player of the match Niamh Kilkenny finished as the game’s top scorer, tallying 0-8 (four from frees), while the towering Brenda Hanney again delivered, hitting 1-2 from play.

Tara Rutledge, who struggled to break into the team earlier in the year, showed prominently in the corner taking her goal well, with Aislinn Connolly, Veronica Curtin and substitute Noreen Coen all chipping in with a point apiece.

“I knew myself prior to the game that we were going very well. The fitness levels were good, everything was excellent. I was a bit concerned with the club matches and what injuries might arise, but thank God at the moment we have no injuries and we will have a clean bill of health going into the All Ireland”, continued Finn.

But he acknowledged there were aspects of Galway’s game that they need to work on in the four weeks leading up to the final. “Looking at the stats from the game, our work rate was up 10% with every other match. We did give away a few silly frees, but I’d rather give away frees than a goal.”

After enduring a rough opening to the second half where Kilkenny quickly wiped out Galway’s interval advantage, the collective character of the squad was pinpointed by the manager as vital in reaching the decider for a second successive year.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.