Gaelic Games

12-man Galway secure place in next season’s top flight thanks to victory over Dublin

Referee Johnny Murphy dished out eleven yellows, four reds and a further black card on a contentious afternoon in Pearse Stadium

Dublin's Paddy Smyth competes for possession with Ronan Glennon of Galway. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Dublin's Paddy Smyth competes for possession with Ronan Glennon of Galway. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Sun Mar 10 2024 - 17:34
Galway 1-23 Dublin 1-15

Galway have secured their top flight place in next year’s restructured Allianz League but they will go into next Saturday’s showdown with All-Ireland Limerick champions without captain Conor Whelan and previous skipper Daithi Burke after both were red carded in a bizarre match at Pearse Stadium when the Tribesmen finished with just a dozen players, while Dublin ended proceedings down to 14 men.

Galway corner-back Jack Grealish got his marching orders after 40 minutes for a second yellow and Dublin lost Ronan Hayes seven minutes later after also picking up a second booking.

It was a much improved Dublin display but Galway’s 2017 All-Ireland-winning manager Michéal Donoghue knows his side will need to be sharper in attack heading into the championship after they were outscored by 0-10 to 0-1 in the final quarter.

Donoghue may have had only one player dismissed but, like his Galway counterpart Henry Shefflin, had issues with Limerick referee Johnny Murphy who dished out eleven yellow cards, four red and one black in a game that was well contested but not dirty.

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“It was a funny game. I thought we started well, right in it until half-time,” said Donoghue. “Came out after half-time, did a lot right for about ten minutes but then the last 20 minutes, from my own perspective, you’d be disappointed as I felt the game was there for us and we let it slip away. We did a lot positive.

“The sending-offs and the refereeing, some of the decisions, I think were questionable. When the crowd started getting involved I felt his mindset changed as well. Some of the decisions…look, I’m not going to comment on it.

“They got back into the game and when you give them opportunities they nailed them. The disappointing thing was we created a few chances but didn’t take them.”

Shefflin said post-match discussions should not be about referees but he was unhappy with some of the treatment his captain Whelan had to endure, who ended up being sent off.

“I saw Daithi’s one, it was a little bit late but I had thought it was more shoulder to shoulder so that one I’m not quite sure on it, will need to see it back. I didn’t see Whelan’s red card but he is an abrasive player, he is a top player and he probably doesn’t get the protection he requires.

Galway manager Henry Shefflin was not happy with the performance of the referee vs Dublin. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Galway manager Henry Shefflin was not happy with the performance of the referee vs Dublin. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

“I didn’t see the incident but in the first 45-50 minutes, where was the protection for the forward? The referees are here to help the game but now we are going to be talking about the referee today, the best of referees we don’t talk about and unfortunately that is not the case today for both sides.

“If I am a spectator, I will want to see a full flowing game of hurling, I don’t want the referee to be the centre of attention but that’s what we are talking about here now,” said Shefflin.

Galway, who have now used 30 players in this campaign with seasoned campaigners Joseph Cooney, Cathal Mannion and Brian Concannon back for their first action in this one, led by 1-10 to 1-8 at the break, having played against the breeze.

Conor Cooney, who produced an exhibition of free-taking, landing all ten efforts as well as one from play, led the way for the Tribesmen, with Cian O’Sullivan and Donal Burke posing the biggest threat for Dublin.

Cooney set up Whelan for Galway’s goal after 17 minutes to lead by 1-5 to 0-4, but a black card to Galway full-back Fintan Burke when he pulled down Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing after 31 minutes gave Dublin a lifeline.

Burke drilled home the resultant penalty as Dublin hit the front for the first time in the game. They outscored Galway by 1-4 to 0-3 while they had the extra man, but Joseph Cooney and Gavin Lee helped Galway regain the initiative to lead by two at the break.

Burke and O’Sullivan pointed to level proceedings after the break and the sides then exchanged points four times to leave them level at 1-14 apiece going into the final quarter, but by then both sides were down to 14.

Galway lost corner-back Grealish to a second yellow card after 45 minutes, while Dublin also went down to 14 when Ronan Hayes was also sent off for a second booking after 52 minutes.

Galway took over and hit ten points in a row, seven of them from Conor Cooney, to seal the victory.

Galway: D Fahy; J Grealish, F Burke, P Mannion; A Tuohey, C Fahy (0-1), Daithí Burke; David Burke (0-1), S Linnane; G Lee (0-2), T Monaghan (0-4), J Cooney (0-3); C Cooney (0-11, 10 frees), C Whelan (1-0), J Flynn.

Subs: B Concannon for Flynn (43 mins), C Mannion (0-1) for Lee (55), R Glennon for David Burke (60), E Niland for J Cooney (64), D O’Shea for Linnane (67).

Dublin: E Gibbons; J Madden, P Smyth, D Gray; C Burke, C Crummey, C Donohoe (0-1); B Hayes, D Power; S Currie, R Hayes (0-1), D Burke (1-9, 1-0 pen, six frees, wo 65s); D Sutcliffe, C O’Sullivan (0-3), D Ó Dúlaing (0-1).

Subs: M Grogan for Gray (23 mins), F Whitely for Sutcliffe (49), D Purcell for Ó Dúlaing (56), P Crummey for Currie (62), S Gallagher for Power (67).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).