Galway 2-22 Wexford 1-14:TRIED AND tested, never stopped trying; improved over time, huge scope to improve; impressive, without overly impressing. This might be what you call the perfect start to Galway's championship campaign. Better than blowing the opposition away and having everyone say how great you are.
Consider this: with 15 minutes remaining, Galway were reduced to 14 men, then conceded a goal to Wexford – who closed to three points, with the wind behind them, and large sections of the 7,877-crowd too. Galway still won by 11. Or consider this: Galway hit 18 wides by the end and if they’d converted even half of those they’d have scored over 2-30.
There’s no denying if Galway are to challenge for that elusive All-Ireland title this summer they’ll need to be more consistent, more ruthless, than they were on Saturday. Better to start the championship oozing potential, rather than lacking it. “We got what we expected,” declared Galway manager John McIntyre, “although Wexford probably played better than most of us expected.”
For long periods they had Galway rattled, and appeared poised for an ambush going into those last 15 minutes – yet that was when Galway gave full vent to their talents. It came throughout the field too, most notably in young players like David Burke and Aidan Harte, who had contributed to Galway’s wide count, yet ended up being rewarded for their persistence and courage with a crucial score each late on.
Galway’s scope for improvement doesn’t begin and end with their wide count. Joe Canning ended with 1-3 – modest by his standards – and could have had a couple more goals had the ball run kinder. Ger Farragher struck a brilliant 0-13 – 11 from placed balls – and yet he hit a half-dozen wide.Damien Hayes only really came alive in the second half and there’s more to come from Joe Gantley, Harte and Andy Smyth – although Smyth is set miss the semi-final with Offaly on June 20th for the straight red card received on 54 minutes.
Cork referee John Sexton showed three red cards, also dismissing Wexford substitute David Redmond for a second bookable offence, and teammate Diarmuid Lyng, for a straight red, late on. “Well you could see some players getting frustrated towards the end,” noted Wexford manager Colm Bonnar, “but it certainly wasn’t a dirty game.”
McIntyre’s claim he’s trying to get Galway to play more aggressively was effectively an acknowledgment they’ll need to be more aggressive to beat Kilkenny. Time will tell how the All-Ireland champions cope with the apparently stricter application of such rules.
What must have satisfied McIntyre was Galway’s improved psychological strengths: when things weren’t going their way, when Wexford proved so tricky, when Galway were hitting wides, they never wilted. The half-back line of David Collins, Tony Óg Regan and Donal Barry could hardly be faulted and Ollie Canning showed no sign of slowing down either.
Both sides were mostly reliant on their free-takers for early scores – with Lyng matching Farragher strike for strike. Keith Rossiter did a fine marking job on Joe Canning, with Darran Stamp an equally authoritative figure at centre back – but when Rossiter hand-held Canning shortly before half time, the man himself stepped up for the 20-metre free and rifled it low into the Wexford net.
Although Galway switched directions 1-9 to 0-6 in front, they hadn’t shaken Wexford off yet. After 10 minutes of the second half, Michael Jacob had a glorious goal chance to close the gap to three, only for Colm Callanan to pull off an amazing save.
Wexford still hit the next three points, then had the extra man when Smyth was red-carded for a high tackle on Colm Farrell.
Then came Wexford’s goal: Lyng floated a long free into the goal-mouth and substitute Tomás Waters got the slightest touch, and so they trailed 1-15 to 1-12. On cue, Galway shifted gear. Hayes set up substitute Kevin Hynes for their second goal and so Galway closed out with 1-7 over Wexford’s 0-2. Not a bad way to finish.
GALWAY: 1 C Callanan; 2 D Joyce, 3 S Kavanagh, 4 O Canning; 5 D Barry, 6 T Óg Regan, 7 D Collins; 8 G Farragher (0-13, 10 frees, one 65), 9 D Burke (0-1); 10 D Hayes (0-2), 11 C Donnellan, 12 A Smyth (0-1); 13 A Harte (0-1), 14 J Canning (1-3, one 20-metre free), 15 J Gantley. Subs: 21 I Tannian for Donnellan (46 mins), 19 K Hynes (1-0) for Gantley (56 mins), 18 A Callanan (0-1) for Harte (67 mins), 17 J Lee for Regan (68 mins), 18 A Cullinane for Collins (70 mins).
Yellow cards: A Smyth (35 mins), D Collins (40 mins), D Burke (67 mins). Red card: A Smyth (54 mins).
WEXFORD: 1 C Carton; 4 C Kenny, 3 K Rossiter, 2 L Prendergast; 5 R Kehoe, 6 D Stamp, 7 M Travers; 8 H Kehoe (0-1), 9 C Farrell; 15 P Atkinson; 11 E Quigley (0-1), 12 D Lyng (0-11, eight frees, one 65); 13 R Jacob (0-1), 14 S Banville, 10 M Jacob. Subs: 25 D Redmond for Travers (12 mins, inj), 22 T Waters (1-0) for R Kehoe (43 mins), 19 P Morris for M Jacob (66 mins).
Yellow cards: D Redmond (20 mins, 64 mins), K Rossiter (49 mins), T Waters (55 mins), E Quigley (65 mins), D Stamp (68 mins). Red cards: D Redmond (64 mins), (D Lyng (72 mins).
Referee: John Sexton (Cork).
