GALWAY’S RECORD AS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Galway’s nine previous attempts to follow up on a League final win with an All-Ireland title triumph later in the season have succeeded only once (1987). Here’s how they have fared after winning League titles.

2010: After beating Cork comfortably in the League final, Galway reached the Leinster decider where Kilkenny beat them by seven points. Tipperary eliminated them from the All-Ireland race, winning the quarter-final by a point.

2004: The League final win over Waterford was followed by a dismal championship exit when losing a qualifier clash to Kilkenny by 19 points.

2000: Galway repeated their League final win over Tipperary in the All-Ireland quarter-final but lost the semifinal by eight points to Kilkenny.

1996: Galway beat Tipperary in the League final but failed to build on the success, losing the All-Ireland semi-final to Wexford.

1989: Another League final win over Tipperary but it was different in the All-Ireland semi-final when the Premier ended Galway’s three-in-a-row ambitions in a fractious game where Galway had two players sent off. They were also without Tony Keady who had been controversially suspended for playing without proper clearance in New York.

1987: The only occasion when Galway followed up on a League title success (they beat Clare in the final) with an All-Ireland win after beating Tipperary in the semi-final and Kilkenny in the final.

1975: After winning the League title for the first time since 1951 (they beat Tipperary in the final), Galway beat Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final but lost heavily to Kilkenny in the final.

1951: Galway beat Wexford in the ‘Home’ League final and New York in the actual final but the Slaney men gained revenge in the All-Ireland semi-final, winning by five points.

1931: Galway beat Tipperary in the League final but were later well beaten by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.