MICHAEL DUIGNAN: GALWAY HAVE CRAFT TO PASS PREMIER CHALLENGE
GALWAY is a peculiar county in that its hurlers have no fears about taking on the game’s traditional big three – Kilkenny, Cork or Tipperary. For some reason, they don’t carry the fear or baggage that weighs so heavily on other counties. Maybe it’s down to underage success and a good record of beating them up along the way, but they always feel they can cause an upset. And history has shown they have done just that on plenty of occasions.
So Tipperary’s Munster title won’t intimidate them. They beat them at the same stage last year and, arguably, feel they’re going even better now. From a players’ point of view, they tick a lot of boxes in terms of believing they can win. They didn’t play well earlier in the year but are coming together at the right time.
If it was a horse race, the form line would suggest Tipperary are the shorter odds. They hammered Waterford by 21 points in the Munster final, who subsequently drew with Kilkenny last weekend after the Cats won comfortably against Galway in the Leinster final.
But, more and more, the Munster final is looking out of character with the rest of the season.
Waterford were well in it in the first half – they just hit 10 wides. Seven or eight were certainly scoreable. And they conceded a really soft goal. Tactically, they played into Tipperary’s hand. They could have been five or six points up at halftime, so I don’t know how reliable that result is from a Tipperary viewpoint.
Two things struck me about Tipperary’s performance – their hunger, from the first whistle to the last being one. The other thing was their phenomenal To me, the strongest line in the support play. They have done serious Tipp team is the full-back line. damage all summer with runners Cathal Barrett, James Barry and from deep. Look at Mikey Michael Cahill are playing so well. Breen’s two goals against Limerick, The question Galway have to be asking his third of the campaign against is: what can we do to unnerve it? Waterford. They have serious mobility They can’t afford to bring Barrett around the middle third. out the field because the further out
If Galway are a little bit concerned the more damage he can do. about Séamus Callanan, do they try I wouldn’t be surprised then to see Aidan Harte again as sweeper after Joe Canning spend some time in the his success in the role against corner. Maybe try and entice Cahill Clare? out to leave the space inside. I
I think they’ll approach this in relatively expect huge movement from Galway, straightforward fashion. a lot of rotation because going
Go back to last year’s All-Ireland man-to-man suits the nature of this semi-final meeting between the Tipp defence. I know they’ve had same teams and while Galway only some great forwards but their won the game narrowly, they would back-line is very solid. have been out of sight but for Callanan. Tipperary’s set-up, though, means He scored three goals and they haven’t been tested under the was fouled for a penalty which high ball, so Galway might profit shows you the problems Galway had from a bit of direct hurling to test at number three. James Barry.
Daithí Burke has solved that difficulty. This time last year, Tipp looked at He will be full-back on Callanan. a bit of a crossroads. Éamon O’Shea They’ll have learned from had a huge bond with the team. A lot last year in ensuring they get to of players retired. There wasn’t the grips with Tipperary’s go-to full-forward. same confidence about the camp. But, gradually, they have come to life as the Championship has progressed. Despite taking a few knocks along the way as well.
Bubbles O’Dwyer’s red card didn’t stop them against Limerick and the fact that a few lads from the football set-up joined the squad as well caused a bit of controversy. The athleticism of one of those, Séamus Kennedy, has been a feature at half-back. People talk about the midfield being bypassed in the modern game but I disagree. Look at the impact of Brendan Maher – such a leader – for Tipperary. And Breen alongside him.
For Galway, the consistency of David Burke can’t be underestimated. Super last year, he has been even better this term. I’ve seen him live three times. His link play, his intelligence on the ball and his distribution are all top notch.
Their half-back line is key. If the likes of Gearóid McInerney can get a grip on the game, it will take much of the heat off the full-back line.
When you take in the early rounds in Leinster, Galway have had plenty of matches to get lads back to their peak and they can win this.
Outside of the superpower that is Kilkenny, the likes of Tipperary and Galway are desperate for All-Ireland success. Four All-Irelands since 1971 is all the Premier County has to show for its efforts.
There is a buzz and excitement about the Championship again.
I’m not one of these lads living in the past, pining for the old days. The current game has phenomenal hurlers – I just think the game is being destroyed at times by managers. Hurling will never be successfully played if a team persists with short passing, with one-man full-forward lines.
We have a wonderful generation of hurlers – it just upset me that the likes of Clare and Waterford were setting up in a particularly negative way, given the talent in their ranks. The likes of Austin Gleeson and Pauric Mahony are outrageous talents, no more than TJ Reid and Richie Hogan for Kilkenny.