Donal’s incorrect analysis of Walsh was real turn-off after a super contest yet again in Thurles
Hurling icon gives it to you straight
Galway were full value for the win. It was frightening how easy they made it look at times..
I TURNED off the Sunday Game for the first time in my life last Sunday night.
I was looking forward to catching the programme after coming home from the game in Thurles - it was a rip-roaring match.
But I was really disappointed with the comments of Donal O’grady (right), a man I greatly respect. He made the point that Padraig Walsh caught one or two balls but otherwise his performance in the drawn Leinster final was over-rated. I was very disappointed to hear that.
Padraig was magnificent at Croke Park, the result of Kilkenny doing their homework on Galway after they were beaten several weeks beforehand in Pearse Stadium. Walsh responded to that defeat and as a consequence, Conor Cooney was substituted at Croke Park and not picked in the Galway starting line-up the next day.
In turn, Galway did their homework after the drawn game and picked Johnny Glynn in place of Cooney, and he made a huge contribution. But to hear a man as good as
Donal say that... yes, Derek
Mcgrath did correct him, but the comment was plainly wrong.
Galway were full value for the win. It was frightening how easy they made it look at times.
For a long period they won every breaking ball, they attacked at pace and had men in space to take advantage.
Kilkenny got to grips with the game eventually and at one stage in the second half, Joe Canning missed a goal chance and Kilkenny scored one at the other end.
But then Conor Fogarty had a point ruled out by Hawkeye, and at the other end there was a Hawkeye decision in Galway’s favour.
Both were right decisions, of course, but the hold-ups on both occasions seemed to kill the momentum Kilkenny had been building.
In any sport now it has become so hard to hammer an advantage home. Galway were able to do what they wanted for most of the first half but then TJ Reid picked off a point or two, Kilkenny slowed the game down and Ger Aylward clearly over-carried for his goal, but sometimes these things happen in games.
Looking at Johnny Glynn’s goal again, he possibly pushed Padraig Walsh in the air and on a different day that might have been a free out.
But these things go for you in games, or they don’t. If games went by without incidents or mistakes then you might as well be watching a contest between robots.
At half-time I thought it was over as a contest, despite the introduction of Colin Fennelly and Richie Hogan, but Killkenny’s never-say-attitude came to the fore again and with 10 minutes to go, it was anyone’s game.
Nevertheless Galway deserved their win and if I was Micheal Donoghue, I’d be thrilled. After any game, any team has a lot to work on.
But they’re in a great position to do that now over a few weeks, and heading into an All-ireland semi-final.
There were definitely three or four aspects of the game Galway can be delighted with and if they can build on that, they’re in with a great chance of retaining the Allireland title.
Cathal Mannion was superb from start to finish, scoring six points from play. Kilkenny don’t want their full-back line going out too far to risk exposure in front of goal, but Galway have hurlers like Mannion who can pick points off 60 yards from goal.
And who else would you want but Joe Canning taking those long range frees?
He gets criticised for missing a few but there’s a big responsibility on his shoulders, and he’s key to their success.