1. Battle-hardened Tribesmen win out

Both Padraic Joyce and Jim McGuinness reached for the same phrase in their post-match summations, battle-hardened. It was a quality Joyce was convinced his team possessed and one McGuinness, in contrast, felt his team lacked. It’s a difficult element to quantify but it was noticeable in the final quarter how Galway were clear-eyed in their approach, more precise in their execution, and looked to have a greater sense of assurance that they would get over the line to enter the winners’ enclosure.

Recent such close encounters have enabled Galway to commit those lessons to muscle memory. This was their third one-score win in the All-Ireland series, defeating Monaghan by three and Dublin by one previously. They survived tight battles earlier this year in Connacht against both Sligo and Mayo. When it got heated yesterday, Galway didn’t melt. Now they have an All-Ireland final to look forward to.

2. A crucial and fortuitous goal

Goals have been in short supply of late in the All-Ireland championship. There was only three registered across the four preliminary quarter-finals, and the same number registered across the four quarter-finals — Armagh providing two of those. It’s a reflection of a trend in Gaelic football styles of play, and continued with only three goals across this weekend’s semi-finals, two of those stemming from goalkeeper errors.

There was no clearcut opening for either side yesterday to test Connor Gleeson or Shaun Patton, yet Galway still managed to find the net. It was fortuitous as Patton failed to deal with a 24th-minute Paul Conroy point attempt that looped short. Matthew Tierney didn’t touch the ball but he was rewarded for his selfless running, his dash across the eyeline of Patton proved a sufficient distraction as the ball flew up into the net.

After failing to raise a green flag in their previous three games, this was a priceless score for Galway. The element of luck was clear, but such a break is critical in swinging a tight contest.

To win the All-Ireland, every champion needs a bounce in their favour. The one that hopped into the net in the Davin End was vital for Galway.

3. Managing an emotional occasion

Before the action even commenced, it had been a week charged with emotion for Galway following the sad passing of John O’Mahony. A towering figure in the county’s history, the manager for their only two Sam Maguire wins since 1966, O’Mahony’s influence was easily detected in the manner in which Padraic Joyce spoke about him afterwards.

The current Galway squad would have been reared on stories of O’Mahony’s glories in 1998 and 2001, while five of them played club football for Salthill-Knocknacarra under his stewardship recently. The players assembled in a V-shape before the game as a video tribute to O’Mahony was played; the V standing for vanguard to represent O’Mahony’s impact.

It had been a difficult few days, but Galway managed to still perform and move within one win of emulating O’Mahony’s achievements.

“It was a tough, tough week to be honest but we had to try and separate the emotion of that and get prepared for the game, which I thought we did well,” stated Joyce.

“In fairness I think he got a fantastic tribute there beforehand.”

4. Corofin class shines through

It’s not an unusual sight to see Corofin players excelling in Croke Park, the club proving the masters of football during the 2015-20 spell where they picked up four All-Ireland titles. Liam Silke was a cornerstone throughout that run of success, Dylan McHugh emerged later to shine. Yesterday they were in county colours, impressing together and proving a double scoring act of crucial importance to Galway’s cause.

Shane Walsh and Cillian McDaid popped over the opening two points of the second half for Galway, but the winners only hit five more points after that in a tense clash, with no contributions from Walsh, McDaid or Damien Comer in the scoring stakes. Galway needed inspiration from somewhere else, it was McHugh and Silke who provided it.

McHugh’s brillaint forceful run paved the way for a fisted point in the 43rd minute, Silke curled over off his right on 45, and swung over the last score of the game on 69. After an uncomfortable opening period policing Oisin Gallen, Silke changed the script in the second half. He was an All-Star in 2022, McHugh as the current favourite for 2024 Footballer of the Year is odds-on to bag such an award this time.