LEINSTER SHC QUARTER-FINALS Galway 5-29 Laois 0-17: IN THE end the Galway players gathered in a circle and performed an impressive array of warm-down exercises, a small band of supporters looking on in approval. The whole afternoon had a demonstration feel to it, a taste of Galway's unquestionable talents and the damage they could yet serve up on the real contenders for the Leinster hurling title.
It all looks very appetising. Joe Canning played his usual role as matinee idol, but it was Damien Hayes and Niall Healy who played the starring roles. That was just for starters.
Losing by 27 points does no team any good but it was the best Laois could do. They gave Galway a warm welcome into their new provincial home but were brushed out of the way. They may only be guests for the time being but Galway are intent on taking charge – and there was plenty of evidence to suggest they can.
As a contest it may have had some historical significance, but it won’t be recalled for long. There was never a whiff of an upset and Galway didn’t take long to kill the game, softly, with an awesome array of scoring capacity from that full-forward line of Hayes (1-3), Canning (1-10) and Healy (3-5).
The art of hurling is partly about making the hard stuff look easy, as it is with any skill, and for long periods Galway did so. The big problem for Laois was the enthusiasm they showed early on got the better of them; they lost their chief playmaker James Young on the half hour mark for a foolish pull on his counterpart, Andy Smyth, which resulted in a brief but harmless enough melee. Galway’s Kevin Hayes got involved too so both he and Young were straight red-carded. Two minutes later wing back Michael Evoy did something even more foolish; having just being booked, he careened into Galway’s Adrian Cullinane and was thus sent off for a second yellow.
By then, however, Galway were head and shoulders a better team. Healy has rediscovered his best form and began his hat-trick of goals on 14 minutes. Laois had pulled Eamon Jackman back from the forward line to bolster their defence, but his lack of defending expertise was exposed when Kevin Hayes dispossessed him, before sending Healy on his way.
Laois may have stood up to them physically, but they were slow to the ball, and even slower to score. It was 11 minutes before Owen Holohan hit their first point, and before they got their second, Canning hit his first goal – the trademark pistol shot from some distance out.
Young and McEvoy’s dismissal came at a time when Laois wrestled a few scores in succession, but once they left the field it was more or less one-way traffic. Canning ended the half with a moment of typical splendour when he danced around his man, John Delaney, and sent the ball sailing between the posts: Galway went in 2-11 to 0-7 in front, in total cruise control.
Just a couple of thousand supporters showed up (1,800 the official attendance) and they never had any reason to rise from their seats. If anything Galway’s defence tightened up as the game wore on. Ollie Canning didn’t start because of a slight Achilles tendon strain (more precautionary, we were told) but Fergal Moore was hardly tested in his place, as another Portumna player, Eoin Lynch, filled in at wing back.
The performance of former under-21 captain Kevin Hynes at midfield has nailed down his spot (he also chipped in with 0-4), and Smyth did nothing much wrong alongside him. Wing forwards Aonghus Callanan and Cyril Donnellan looked poised – and well capable of scoring. All five substitutes were introduced and among them David Tierney and Joe Gantley looked well primed for the championship.
But the only lasting impression of this game comes from the superb synchronicity of Damien Hayes, Canning and Healy. Healy’s third goal, six minutes into the second half, was brilliantly started by Canning, and then set up by Hayes. Shortly afterwards Hayes collected his goal, but the fifth – and Healy’s hat-trick – really summed it all up. Again Canning was the source, passing off to Hayes, who flicked off to Healy.
The potential for a goal-fest from this threesome is undeniable. That’s the only thing that can beat Kilkenny. If Galway wanted to announce their arrival in Leinster then what better way than that – five goals, each one lethal.
GALWAY: 1 C Callanan; 2 D Joyce, 3 S Kavanagh, 5 F Moore; 7 A Cullinane, 6 J Lee, 24 E Lynch; 8 K Hynes (0-4), 9 A Smith (0-1); 10 A Callanan (0-3), 11 K Hayes, 12 C Donnellan (0-3); 13 D Hayes (1-3), 14 J Canning (1-10, six frees), 15 N Healy (3-5, one free, one 65). Subs: 18 D McClearn for Kavanagh (half-time), 21 B Costelloe for Lee (45 mins), 25 D Tierney for D Hayes (55 mins), 20 M Ryan for Lee (57 mins), 29 J Gantley for Canning (58 mins).
LAOIS: 1 T Doran; 3 D Maher, 2 J A Delaney, 4 B Stapleton; 5 M Whelan, 6 B Campion (0-5, three frees), 7 M McEvoy; 8 J Young (0-4, all frees), 9 J Walsh; 10 D Peacock, 11 W Hyland (0-6, three frees), 12 O Holohan (0-2); 13 J Purcell, 14 J Rowney, 15 E Jackman. Subs: 18 S Dwyer for Peacock (half time), 24 K Fitzpatrick for Stapleton (46 mins), 17 R Young for Purcell (54 mins), 25 C Delaney for Rowney (65 mins).
YELLOW CARDS: Galway: None. Laois: M McEvoy 28, 32 mins. RED CARDS: Galway: K Hayes 30 mins. Laois: J Young 30 mins, M McEvoy 32 mins.
Referee: Brian Gavin(Offaly).
