Aug 14 - Senior Hurling: Galway v Wexford

Galway 4-20 Wexford 2-10

Galway locked up the bye into the senior hurling final with a double scores win over Wexford on a hot Sunday afternoon at the ICC in Canton.  The game had the air of a formality, although Wexford had an outside chance of forcing a playoff if the result later in the day went their way.  Although Galway were without star forward Jamie Coughlin who returned to Ireland, the outcome was in no doubt by the first half water break.

Wexford's season came to and end last Sunday after facing an on song Galway side.

The Tribesmen showed no mercy.  There was 2-6 on the scoreboard before Wexford got out of the starting blocks.  Darragh Murray, Pa White, and Dan Lorden picked off the points, while the net billowed with shots from Murray and Kevin Kenny.  Paul O’Connor put Wexford’s first over the bar, but it was slim pickings at that end for the Slaneysiders.  Galway defenders were alert to everything, and once the ball got into the hands of the forwards it was a case of picking off the scores at leisure.  A third goal went in before half time, at the break it was a 3-12 to 0-3 difference.

Pa White shoots as Ed Spruhan readies for the save.

The second half was pretty much an exercise in seeing out the fixture.  Ed Spruhan made some good saves in goal for Wexford and Jamie Kehoe fired a few points over the bar.  Wexford made it respectable with a pair of late goals, and Galway played it out in the knowledge that next weekend will be a chance to rest up and prepare for the final where the Brighton team will meet Tipperary or Fr. Tom’s.

Galway:  J. Loftus, P. O’Dwyer, C. Daly, D. Lorden, M. Ellis, H. Lawlor, R. Fitzpatrick, N. Mullins, K. Kenny, P. O’Leary, D. Murray, C. Cooney, P. White. 

Wexford:  E. Goff, D. Guinan, J. McCarthy, R. Sludds, D. Brennan, T. Moloney, J. Kehoe, P. Guinan, D. Swetland, K. O’Dea, S. Quigley, P. O’Connor, K. Smith.