GAELIC GAMES:DAVY FITZGERALD held off releasing a team this week as he seeks to atone for the tactical meltdown that was the Munster final.
Understandably, Fitzgerald will try every trick in the hurling manual. John McIntyre is the complete opposite. His Galway team have reacted so well to the horribly inept display against Dublin with comprehensive dismissals of Clare and then Cork that he needs to change nothing.
They have come across a methodology that works so he just has to ask them to keep it up. Cyril Donnellan will come in off the bench and potentially add a fifth goal to his summer tally.
Galway players still hold aspirations of winning an All-Ireland. If the other counties are honest, only Tipperary and Kilkenny can say the same in 2011.
Waterford’s collapse before half-time in the provincial decider was similar to the low of the 2008 All-Ireland final. Fitzgerald has rebuilt a new panel since then but structural failings clearly remain.
Unless they produce a completely different performance, the Waterford partnership with the former Clare goalkeeper will come to an end tomorrow evening.
The potential in the county is proven by recent underage progress. Integrating those young players with Tony Browne and John Mullane (who are almost guaranteed to go down fighting) means a sting in the tail is certain.
But Galway proved they can take 11 minutes to register a score against Cork yet still produce the firepower to register 2-23. Joe Canning has been magnificent with 2-25 in four outings. Damien Hayes will see what Lar Corbett did to Waterford and know he can replicate it.
Logic suggests a Galway masterclass is imminent.
WATERFORD: tbc.
GALWAY: J Skehill; F Moore, S Kavanagh, D Collins; D Barry, T Óg Regan, A Cullinane; A Smith, D Burke; J Gantley, G Farragher, I Tannian; D Hayes, J Canning, A Kerins.
Referee: C McAllister (Cork).
In the last episode:Another Galway hurling disaster. They lost 1-16 to 0-18 at the same stage in 2009 having looked likely winners for a long time.
You bet:Waterford out to 5/2 with Galway at 4/11. The handicap has Waterford (+4) at 5/6 and Galway (-4) at evens.
On your marks: High balls. Long seen as a Galway weakness, Waterford must take advantage.
Gaining ground: Despite being entrenched in festival mode, Galway hurling folk will travel down to Thurles. Despite the Munster final, so will Waterford people. Add a big Limerick crowd and some Dubs to this mix and we have ourselves a fairly loose party.
Just the ticket:Covered stand €30. €20 for terrace. €5 tickets for juveniles.
Crystal gazing: Galway's response to the Dublin defeat has been emphatic. The Clare and Cork performances make it very difficult to see anything but the demise of colourful Davy Fitz's time with the Waterford hurlers.
