Sun July 7 - Senior Hurling: Galway v Tipperary

Galway 3-15 Tipperary 1-20

The senior hurling championship is looking ever more interesting with each passing game.  Tipperary looked like they had Galway put away late in the second half, but some substitutions from the Galway bench, and a never say die attitude, saw Galway steal the win with a late-late goal from Lorcan McLaughlin. 

Up for Grabs late in the game between Galway and Tipp

(Rachel O'Driscoll)

Tipp held a comfortable looking lead after one half was played.  Playing well and a 1-13 to 0-8 cushion to take into the second half seemed to have the Premier County side well in position to rebound after the previous week’s defeat to Fr. Tom Burke’s.  Early on it was Darragh Mooney and Colin Currie doing the damage at one end, while in the half back line there was some great defending from Paul Morris and Mooney.  Galway relied on Sean Morrissey to get them on the scoreboard early on, and later it was Lorcan McLaughlin finding his range. 

Tipp were the side looking more in synch, and eventually the breakthrough came with a goal from Patrick Fitzgerald.  Fitzgerald made a great run to get into range and the shot found the back of the net.  The teams swapped points to take us to the break, and at that stage one felt as though Tipp were well on course to another 2 points.

Galway kept going till the very end and 

were rewarded with a winning goal. 

(Rachel O'Driscoll)

If Tipperary were feeling a little complacency you’d have hardly blamed them, but complacency combined with a determined opponent is a bad combination.  About half way through the second period Galway had pulled within 2 points.  Thomas Douglas and McLaughlin pointed 2 a piece for Galway, with Darragh Mooney and Currie pointing for Tipp.  A much needed goal came from Danny Burke.  Burke had a few bites at the cherry, but kept at it till the ball hit the back of the net with a pull off the ground from close range.  Comeback on?  Well, Tipperary answered with three points in a row.  Two were lovely efforts from Currie from play, and Tipp were up 5 with the clock ticking.

Into the fray for Galway came Kilkenny man, Niall Walsh, and the man from Windgap made an impression.  Walsh won a penalty after being held in the box, and Douglas took it and buried the shot.  Comeback on again, but the clock was ticking.  The excitement on the Galway side of the field was palpable with watches being checked and players urged to defend, put it in, put it over, or whatever the situation called for.  A Douglas free made it a one point game, but Tipp again had it back to goal through Currie.  The grand finale came after keeper Eanna Murphy put a long ranger over, and with still time for a chance, Galway got it and took it.  Burke found McLaughlin with room to shoot and the ball billowed the net to the delight of the westerners.  Two Tipperary defeats on the trot has not been seen in Canton for a long time, and with Tom’s coming up for Galway next week this championship is very much up for grabs.

Galway:  Eanna Murphy, Tom Davey, David Lowney, Mark Bermingham, Ronan Burke, Brian Kennedy, Danny Burke, Darragh Lawler, Lorcan McLaughlin, Mikey Mahoney, Adam Kenny, Sean Morrissey, Michael Moylan.

Tipperary:  Dara Perry, Mark O’Keefe, John Hamilton, Paul Morris, Darragh Mooney, Sean McGarr, Cronan Dempsey, Patrick Fitzgerald, James Sweeney, Donal Burke, Conor Martin, Colin Currie.

By Rory O'Donnell