Hurling fare continues to put football in sorry light
Historic successes for Galway and Limerick highlighted vast differences in quality of codes
THE last time Limerick beat Kilkenny in the hurling championship, ‘Where Three Counties Meet’ by Brendan Shine was number one in the Irish charts, US President Richard Nixon was struggling to survive the Watergate scandal and a pint of porter cost nineteen pence.
The last time Galway beat Kerry in the football championship, ‘Satisfaction’ by the Rolling Stones was number one, US President Lyndon Johnson had just sent the first American ground troops into Vietnam and a four bedroomed semidetached house in Dublin would set you back five thousand quid.
Galway and Limerick have had some good teams since then but Kerry and Kilkenny always proved insurmountable.
Tradition can be a powerful thing in the
GAA, especially when the tradition is one of failure.
It takes a special team to break the kind of losing run which had bedeviled both Limerick and Galway against yesterday’s opposition. There’s a lot of history on the pitch in games like this, the kind which not only sows doubt in the minds of the underdogs but soothes the nerves of the favourites when things get tight.
When Richie Hogan’s goal put Kilkenny two points up with five minutes left it seemed like the latest episode of a familiar series. Limerick were entitled to think it wasn’t their day, four times Eoin Murphy had produced spectacular saves to prevent goals which might have given them a unassailable lead. Another gallant defeat to set alongside those of 2014 and ‘17 appeared on the cards.
DANGEROUS
Instead Limerick rattled over three points in quick succession to retake the lead. But when Richie Leahy equalized, they found themselves in perhaps the most dangerous position in hurling – level with Kilkenny going into injury-time. Limerick decided to seize the day. The magnificent Tom Morrissey lofted over a point from way out on the right, the defence held firm and Aaron Gillane finished the scoring with a free. For the first time since an equally rainy afternoon in 1973 the Shannonsiders had belled the Cats.
Ten minutes remained in Croke Park when Galway’s moment of truth arrived. Ahead by a point, they found themselves with an extra man when Killian Young was sent off. In the league final against Dublin they’d failed to take advantage of a similar position and looked unnerved by the prospect of a groundbreaking victory.
This time the Tribesmen were clinical. Sub Enda Varley gave them breathing space with a couple of points and then Shane Walsh burst clear of the Kerry cover. Most teams would have chosen the ‘wise option’ of a point but Galway went ruthlessly for goal. Patrick Sweeney’s shot to the roof of the net was like an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence; the 53-year sentence Kerry had imposed on Galway.
If the achievement of Limerick and Galway was similar, the manner of victory could hardly have been more different. The football was, like
many games of football these days and all the ‘Super 8’ matches so far, a desperate ordeal.
It’s a pity religious fanaticism is out of fashion because Galway v Kerry would have been a handy Lough Derg substitute for anyone wishing to sanctify their soul through suffering. The crowd had the air of children unenthusiastically chewing a vegetable they’ve been assured is good for them. 21st century Gaelic football is the kale of sport.
In hurling’s extraordinary summer of 2018, on the other hand, one magnificent match just follows another. It’s like the unprecedented weather of the past month, you think it can’t go on being this good but it does. The weather may have broken but hurling’s hot spell should last a while yet.
No county has contributed more to these glorious months than Limerick. There is a marvellous free-wheeling, unbuttoned quality to their performances. John Kiely’s men epitomize the exuberant bulletproof