Senior Hurling: Galway v Fr. Tom Burke's

Galway 6-20 Fr. Tom’s 2-16

Daniel Loftus keeps Donal Mannion reined in.

Galway had a turnaround of fortunes on the hurling field on Sunday with many players involved on both the football and the hurling clubs.  With a team containing some top tier hurling talent, Galway turned it up in the second half and ran out heavy winners as the forward line were not to be stopped.

Tom’s got off to the better start and went into an early 1-4 to 0-2 lead.  Joe Fogerty who lined out at wing forward was on the mark from the placed ball, and a goal was fired in by Donal Mannion.  Galway soon got a hold of the game and once the full forward duo of Billy Power and Michael Kiely got going, they proved to be an almost unstoppable force.  After Fogerty made it a 6 point Tom’s lead, a flurry of Galway scores turned the game on its head.  Aidan Nolan pointed from play to reduce the gap to 5 and  Galway netted right from the Tom’s puckout.  The ball was sent back in to Kiely who got a hold of it fired the ball into the far corner.  Danny Burke put the next puckout over the bar, and after a slight reprieve for Tom’s with another Fogerty free, it was Kiely again who ran through the Tom’s rearguard for another goal to put Galway into a one point lead.   

Fogerty’s frees were keeping Tom’s in the game, and with the sides swapping points, Tom’s regained the lead with a Fogerty point from play.  The tempo was high and the scores were flying over the bar as each side vied for control.    As half time approached Galway netted a third goal, and it was a peach as the two Waterford men combined beautifully.  It was Power who scored it but the assist from Kiely was a skill that can’t be taught as he let the ball into the box drop off his stick with perfect weight, into the path of the barreling Power, who buried it.  The half ended with a flurry of Kiely points from the dead balls, and Galway had a 3-10 to 1-10 lead at the break.

The second half was dominated by Galway as Tom’s found it hard to come to grips with the Galway’s power house forward line.  Three points added to the gap after the restart, and then two goals, the first from Power who built up a head of steam before firing home, and the second from Aidan Nolan assisted by Power, put all hopes of a Tom’s comeback to rest.  Galway were motoring now, and 5 points without reply underlined their dominance as Tom’s found it hard to gain possession around the middle of the field and launch a meaningful attack. 

Donal Mannion at corner forward eventually found some running space and finished a great solo effort into the net for Tom’s, who continued to battle to the end.  Galway finished with aplomb, however, after Power found Nolan with a lovely ball and it was goal number 6 for the Tribesmen.  Tom’s will be wondering how to turn the tables for the second game in the best of 5 between the teams.  There is time to try and close the gap with the next game in this best of 5 taking place 2 weeks from now on June 26.  But, based on this form, Galway must be hot favourites to retain the senior hurling championship.

Galway:  John Coleman, Tom Murray, Killian O’Dwyer, Pat Moylan, Daniel Loftus, Gavin Fives, Evan Hunt, Danny Burke, Mike Moylan, Aidan Nolan, Barry McDonagh, Billy Power, Michael Kiely.  Tom’s:  Kevin Flynn, Cian Wadding, Padraic O’Neill, Carthach Daly, Conor Murphy, Brian Connolly, Niall Murphy, Matty Duane, Joe Fogerty, Martin O’Connell, Liam Moore, Cathal Hardiman, Donal Mannion.