Galway 0-33

Offaly 1-11

CONOR WHELAN WAS majestic and scored seven points from play as the red-hot favourites Galway advanced to the Leinster final with a comfortable 19-point victory over Offaly at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.

The reigning NHL champions have been widely tipped to win their first All-Ireland title since 1988 this year and they moved one step closer in the blistering sunshine on Sunday.

Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford now await in the dream provincial decider at Croke Park but Micheal Donoghue has his side primed for their first Leinster championship since 2012.

Oisin Kelly hammered home an early goal for Offaly but Galway responded to take a comfortable 0-16 to 1-6 half-time lead and after the break Offaly tired.

Galway were playing with the slight breeze in the opening half and despite the concession of an early goal Galway retained their composure and went on to take a big lead into half-time.

Joe Canning didn’t score his first point until he notched a free in the 23rd minute but he would score five points in the opening half.

Shane Dooley was the main contributor for Offaly once again – he scored six points. But even though Kelly held off John Hanbury to score an Offaly goal in the fourth minute they found themselves seven points behind at the interval.

A couple of early second-half points from Whelan put the game beyond Offaly and James Dempsey had to pull off a fabulous save to prevent Shane Maloney from piling on even more misery in the 50th minute.

However Maloney didn’t let that affect his confidence, his finished with four points, but Whelan was the real star as his reputation continues to grow.

Scorers for Galway: J Canning 0-7 (0-6f), C Whelan 0-7, N Burke 0-5, S Maloney 0-4, A Harte 0-3, P Mannion 0-2, C Mannion 0-2, J Coen 0-2, C Cooney 0-1

Scorers for Offaly: S Dooley 0-9 (0-6f, 0-1 65), O Kelly 1-0, E Nolan 0-1, L Langton 0-1

Galway

1. Colm Callanan (Kinvara)

2. Adrian Tuohy (Beagh)
3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore)
4. John Hansbury (Rahoon-Newcastle)

5. Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
6. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree)
7. Aidan Harte (Gort)

8. Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
9. David Burke (St Thomas’)

10. Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins)
11. Joe Canning (Portumna)
12. Niall Burke (Oranmore-Maree)

13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
14. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
15. Conor Cooney (St Thomas’)

Substitutes:

26. Shane Maloney (Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry) for C Mannion (24)
25. Matt Donohue (Moycullen) for P Mannion (55)
19. Sean Loftus (Turloughmore) for Tuohy (58)
22. Eanna Burke (St Thomas’) for Canning (61)
21. Padraig Brehony (Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry) for David Burke (62).

Offaly

1. James Dempsey (Kinnitty)

2. Ben Conneely (St Rynagh’s)
3. Dermot Shortt (St Rynagh’s)
4. Enda Grogan (Kilcormac/Kiloughey)

5. Sean Ryan (Birr)
6. Sean Gardiner (Lusmagh)
7. David King (Coolderry)

8. Paddy Murphy (Ballinamore)
9. Shane Kinsella (Kinnitty)

10. Padraig Guinan (Drumcullen)
11. Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran)
12. Emmett Nolan (Birr)

13. Sean Cleary (Shinrone)
14. Shane Dooley (Tullamore)
15. Oisin Kelly (Belmont)

Substitutes:

25. Liam Langton (Clodiagh Gaels) for Cleary (42)
19. Pat Camon (St Rynagh’s) for Ryan (52)
24. Stephen Quirke (St Rynagh’s) for Guinan (54)
21. Daniel Doughan (Shinrone) for Murphy (61)
26. James Mulrooney (Seir Kieran) for Kinsella (63).

Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary).

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