CTHEACLANSH F0R TRIBESMEN
Galway 1-23 Wexford 0-17
GALWAY bullied Wexford yesterday evening as a late injury to Joe Canning put a dampener on proceedings for the All-ireland champions.
After hitting a whopping 1-12 against Kilkenny, Canning maintained his fine form as he racked up another 12 points.
While he limped off in the final minute of normal time after going down injured (below), Galway are not thought to be concerned.
Davy Fitzgerald’s side were left staggering early after a Conor Whelan goal after less than two minutes.
And the champions never dropped their pace with the electric Conor Cooney striking the opening point just after the throw-in.
And less than 60 seconds later, Whelan had found the net after Wexford keeper Mark Fanning denied Padraic Mannion.
Fitzgerlad certainly was not enamoured with referee Johnny Murphy – officiating just his secondever senior Championship match – as he gave him an earful heading towards the tunnel at half-time.
Cooney maintained the red-hot form he had shown against Kilkenny, hitting four points in the opening half.
While O’connor’s six first-half scores kept the hosts in touch, the closest they could close the gap in the opening half was to four points. Lee Chin looked a fairly subdued presence at times, with pre-match rumours suggesting the Wexford forward was carrying a knock.
On the other hand, Galway’s star man Canning was on fire as he converted a second sideline cut on the resumption before shooting just wide of the Wexford goal a minute later.
The home side could only manage two points from play - and eight in all - in the second half, despite the best efforts of O’connor who converted six secondhalf dead balls.
And even the late dismissal for Galway corner-back Adrian Tuohey on a second yellow card could not derail the Tribesmen.
J Skehill; A Tuohy, Dáithí Burke, J Hanbury; P Mannion, G Mcinerney, A Harte; J Coen, David Burke (0-2); C Mannion, J Cannning (0-12, 8f, 2sl), J Cooney 0-1; C Whelan (1-2), C Cooney (0-4), J Glynn. Subs: P Killeen for G Mcinerney Blood45-48, J Flynn (0-1f) for J Glynn 55, N Burke (0-1) for J Cooney 58, B Concannon for C Mannion 65, S Linnane for J Hanbury 68, D Glennon for J Canning 70. M Fanning; D Reck, L Ryan, S Donohoe; P Foley (0-1), M O’hanlon, D O’keeffe; K Foley, S Murphy; L Chin, A Nolan (0-2), J O’connor; P Morris 0-2, R O’connor (0-12, 10f), C Mcdonald. Subs: C Firman for S Donohoe ht, L Óg Mcgvern for J O’connor 48, H Kehoe for K Foley 51.