August 18 - Senior Hurling Semi-Final: Galway v Wexford

Galway 1-18 Wexford 2-12

Galway proved to be a little too much for last year's champions, Wexford, in a replay of the 2012 final.  After a close first 15 minutes in which Wexford more than matched Galway, the tribesmen netted a goal through Robert Bresnehan and Galway stepped it up a notch to pull away an record a comfortable win.  Galway will face Tipperary in the final next week, a team that have beaten Galway each time they have met this year.

Captains Eoghan Kavanagh and John Moylan
with referee Pat Casey

Galway finished the first half the stronger of the two teams and set themselves up well for the second period.  After an evenly contested first 20 minutes, Galway got the breakthrough with a goal from Robert Bresnehan.  Bresnehan had tried to beat Ed Spruhan earlier from the other side and Spruhan had saved well.  Not this time as the low hard shot sneaked inside the foot of the post.  The goal put Galway into a 2 point lead.  Up to that point Wexford had done well to put themselves into a one point lead.  Simon O'Brien had hit the post with an effort at goal, and David Drake put a great sideline cut over the bar.  From the goal on however, the tribesmen dominated play.  Robert Bergin in the middle of the field sparked to life and Pat Lupton at corner forward proved to be a handful for the Wexford backs.  Scores came from Bergin, Richie Reid, and Lupton as Galway opened up some distance between themselves and their opponents.  Eoghan Kavanagh and Simon Aylward kept Wexford in touch with a point each, and at one point Spruhan saved what looked like a sure Lupton goal with a fantastic stop.  At the break it was 1-10 to 0-8 in Galway's favour.

Galway will contest their fourth consecutive senior hurling final next week.

Galway extended their lead early in the second half.  Richie Reid and Bresnehan pointed four times between them.  Wexford managed a point from Aylward but needed something to spark the side to life.  After Simon O'Brien was pulled down in the box Wexford were awarded a penalty and Aylward netted.  Galway, however, answered with three points on the trot.  Philip Ivors and Pat Lupton were motoring in the forward line and Galway had the look of a team that was not going to let the setback put them off course.  Bresnehan pointed twice to restore the Galway lead.  Wexford got another chance at hope after JJ Doyle unfortunately mis-directed the ball into his own net, but once again Galway had their minds set on victory.  Ivors pointed to put four points between the sides and a late point from Drake was the final score for Wexford.  Galway will contest their fourth final in a row when they meet Tipperary next Sunday.

Galway:  P. Connors, J. Moylan, C. Murphy, G. O'Brien, P. Gahan, JJ Doyle, R. Bergin, S. Curran, S. Brown, P. Ivors, R. Reid, R. Bresnehan, P. Lupton.  Wexford:  E. Spruhan, M. McCaffery, D. Redmond, M. Warnoc, P. Nolan, S. Aylward, J. Kehoe, B. Clince, D. Drake, E. Kavanagh, T. Maloney, T. Murphy, S. O'Brien.

By Rory O'Donnell