Galway 3-21
Tipperary 0-14
Fintan O’Toole reports from the Gaelic Grounds
GALWAY DELIVERED A hugely dominant display against Tipperary to claim the Allianz Division 1 hurling league title this afternoon at the Gaelic Grounds.
Jason Flynn fired home two second-half goals for the winners while Cathal Mannion pounced for a third in the 67th minute as the Tribesmen stormed to victory.
Joe Canning contributed 0-9 on a day when Galway became the third successive team from Division 1B to claim the hurling league title.
All-Ireland champions Tipperary endured a dreadful day at the office, trailing 0-11 to 0-5 at the interval and never managing to hit full speed before 16,089 spectators at the Limerick venue.
Michael Ryan’s side struck the opening point of the game courtesy of a John McGrath free but that was soon cancelled out by Aidan Harte and Tipperary were never in front on the scoreboard again.
The sides were tied at 0-3 apiece after 15 minutes before Galway started to rule the game and indeed were it not for 11 first-half wides, they would have enjoyed a healthier cushion at the break.
Tipperary were also grateful to an excellent point-blank save by Darren Gleeson to deny Jason Flynn from hitting the net in the opening period but the Tommie Larkins man made amends straight after the interval when he raised a green flag.
With Canning and Conor Whelan scoring freely, Galway piled the pressure on the Tipperary rearguard. They were 1-17 to 0-11 clear when Flynn killed the match as a contest as he registered his second goal in the 57th minute.
Galway stormed further ahead in the closing stages to outscore Tipperary in the finale by 1-4 to 0-3. Patrick Bonner Maher was sprung from the bench and smashed a late shot against the crossbar, while John McGrath was denied from the rebound.
There was no disputing Galway’s superiority on a day when they landed the county’s 10th hurling league title.
Scorers for Galway: Joe Canning 0-9 (0-3f, 0-2 ’65), Jason Flynn 2-1, Conor Whelan 0-5, Cathal Mannion 1-1, Aidan Harte 0-2, Johnny Coen, David Burke, Thomas Monaghan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: John McGrath 0-6 (0-5f), Noel McGrath, Michael Breen, Ronan Maher (0-2f) 0-2 each, John O’Dwyer (0-1f), Brendan Maher 0-1 each.
Galway
1. Colm Callanan (Kinvara)
2. Adrian Tuohy (Beagh)
3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore)
4. Paul Killeen (Tynagh Abbey Duniry)
7. Aidan Harte (Gort)
6. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree)
5. Padraig Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
8. Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
9. David Burke (St Thomas)
14. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
11. Joe Canning (Portumna)
12. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
10. Jason Flynn (Tommie Larkins)
24. Niall Burke (Oranmore-Maree)
13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
Subs
27. Johnny Glynn (Ardrahan) for Canning (62)
17. John Hanbury (Rahoon-Newcastle) for Daithi Burke (65)
15. Cyril Donnellan (Padraig Pearses) for Niall Burke (68)
25. Thomas Monaghan (Craughwell) for Flynn (69)
19. Sean Loftus (Turloughmore) for Kileen (70)
Tipperary
1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill)
3. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
4. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. Seamus Kennedy (St. Marys)
6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Padraic Maher (captain) (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
9. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
10. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
11. Michael Breen (Ballina)
12. Steven O’Brien (Ballina)
13. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
14. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
Subs
25. Niall O’Meara (Kilruane McDonaghs) for O’Brien (32)
22. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha) for O’Dwyer (55)
20. Tomás Hamill (Moyne-Templetuohy) for Cahill (60)
19. Paul Flynn (Kiladangan) for Forde (60)
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
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Unfortunate for them with the injuries, would have been great to see them fully loaded having a crack at Europe.
Glad McCabe is back, good player, thought it was a poor decision in the Summer to let him go.
Wonder what Conan O’Donnell is up to this weather
@ScewMadd: He was togging out for Counties Manukau in the mitre cup, prior to that he was at the sunwolves. Since the mitre cups completion I am not sure where he’s at. He put in a few 80min performances for Counties and he looked v solid. They played him at lh for all but one of his starts. Connacht could do with him now that’s for sure.
@Ian Verdon: I thought O’Donnell and Kenny would be starting for Connacht as a duo for 10 years when they first came on the scene. Both looked serious prospects but O’Donnell didn’t work out for some reason and Kenny’s taking more time do come through that I thought he would. His technique needed a good bit of work but a serious specimen.
@Eddie Hekenui: O’Donnell impressed me for counties this season, granted I only saw 3 of his performances. He seems comfortable playing either side of the scrum and his skillset is good. Kenny at 133kg is certainly a specimen, for me he needs to shed a few kg’s. His athleticism isn’t bad for a lad of his weight but I think with an added injection of acceleration he could be more of a weapon with ball in hand and get around the park more. He’s only 23 which is still young for a prop. He could well be on the bench this weekend I’ll be keeping an eye on him if indeed he is and does get on.
@Ian Verdon: Having seen him in action last season he’s definitely trimmed down since he was an U20 so I doubt he’s still 133 but you’re spot on that he could still do with tightening things up a bit. Still looks to be carrying a bit of bad weight. He’s some engine on him considering his size too. He got through a mountain of work in the game I saw him live and he did a number on his opposite number in the scrum which was a bit of a weakness for him at U20 level.
Yeah O’Donnell was a lad I was really surprised got let go. He was a huge prospect at underage levels and it’s an area Connacht have very little depth. But the coaches saw him in action everyday so are sure to have had good reasons. Hopefully he can continue his career somewhere else and maybe work himself back into contention somewhere in Ireland.
@Eddie Hekenui: it states on Connacht’s team page he’s still 133kg but that may not have been updated. For his size he does have a impressive engine but even cutting down 5kg can make a world if difference to ones athleticism just look at Healy and killer.
O’Donnell is still only 23 himself maybe he’ll do a thornbury and try educate and develop his game in Nz playing m with likes of counties and come back in a year or so better for it. Wether that be with Connacht or indeed another province.
@Ian Verdon: I wouldn’t place much stock in figures listed on the clubs websites. They’re never updated. They get put in after the players initial testing and that’s it. I’d be less concerned with a weight figure than a composition one too. He looked like he’s lost a lot of the bad weight he was carrying and turned it into muscle.
This could be a massacre, as could every other Connacht match in the tournament