Galway

Galway 7-3, Limerick 4-5 1923 All-Ireland final

Galway won their first All-Ireland on a day when the team wore blue and yellow shirts, the colours of that year's reigning county champions, Tynagh.

The most notable aspect of the match was the date on which it was played; September 14th 1924. The Civil War forced the postponement of the '23 championship by a year. Thus Mick Gill, who won a medal with Galway in that 1923 final, became the first man to win two All-Ireland hurling medals in a year. He lined out with Dublin in the 1924 final that December.

Galway: L McGrath; I Harney, A Kelly, J Morris, M Kenny, M King, T Kenny, J Berry, P Hurney, B Gibbs, M Derlan, D Morrissey, `Staff' Garvan, J Power, Rev Fr Larkin, T Kenny.

Limerick: P Coffey, C Ryan, S Gleeson, P Sherry, W P Clifford, P Hartigan, J O'Shea, T Hayes, J P'Grady, D Murnane, D Lanigan, J Keane, T McGrath, M McCarthy, J Guerin, M Rochford, W Gleeson, M Cross, M Neville, P McInerney, J J Kinane, W Hough, B McConkey, M Fitzgibbon, J Humphreys.

Galway 2-15, Limerick 3-9 1980 All-Ireland final

"At last, at long last, the hurlers of Galway are teeming through the garden of the golden apples and at the gates all the dragons and ghosts of dragons are dead."

So wrote Paddy Downey in the introduction of his report describing Galway's first championship win in 57 years. Galway, beaten in the previous year's showpiece, returned and claimed a win which would pave the way for a bittersweet era of domination. Although Galway were in control throughout, goals by Joe McKenna after 52 minutes and Eamonn Cregan nine minutes later hinted at a late sweep by the Munster champions. However, Galway rallied with three unanswered points by Bernie Forde. The final whistle prompted unprecedented outpourings of joy, encapsulated in Joe Connolly's memorable speech.

Galway: M Conneely; C Hayes, N McInerney, J Cooney; S Linnane, S Silke, S Cooney; M Connolly, S Mahon; F Burke, Joe Connolly (0-4, three frees), P J Molloy (1-0), B Forde (1-5), John Connolly (0-2), N Lane (0-3). Subs: G Gantly for M Connelly, J Ryan (0-1) for Molloy.

Limerick: T Quaid; D Murray, L Enright, Dom Punch; L O'Donoghue, M Carroll, S Foley; J Carroll, David Punch; P Fitzmaurice, J Flanagan, W Fitzmaurice; V O'Connor, J McKenna (1-1), E Gregan (2-7, 1-5 frees). Subs: B Carroll (0-1) for Flanagan, P Herbert for M Carroll, E Grimes for M Fitzmaurice.

Galway 1-12, Kilkenny 0-9 1987 All-Ireland final

Having lost the previous two All-Ireland finals, Galway returned and, as the headline of this publication declared, `laid the black and amber bogey to rest.'

Seven players were booked over the hour and both teams clashed off each other often and with tireless enthusiasm. Indeed, as Paddy Downey noted, "if the Galway full forward Brendan Lynskey had not been built of blue-cast steel, the man would have been pulverised by several ferocious tackles." Not that the same player was behind the door when it came to ferocity.

The westerners were leading by 011 to 0-9 when Cyyil Farrell threw in Noel Lane. His goal, with seven minutes remaining, effectively decided the match.

Galway: J Commins; S Linnane, C Hayes, O Kilkenny; P Finnerty, A Keady (0-2, 70), G McInerney; S Mahon (0-2), P Malone; M McGrath (0-1), J Cooney (0-5, frees), M Naughton (0-1), E Ryan, B Lynskey, A Cun- ningham (0-1). Subs: N Lane (1-0).

Kilkenny: K Fennelly; J Hennessey, P Prendergast, J Henderson; L Walsh, G Henderson, S Fennelly; G Fennelly (0-7, six frees), R Power; K Brennan, C Heffernan, L Ryan; P Walsh, L Fennelly, H Ryan (0-1). Subs: T Lennon (0-1).

Galway 1-15, Tipperary 0-14 1988 All-Ireland final

No classic but the sweetest hour for Galway hurling. That September marked back-to-back victories over the game's two most celebrated aristocrats.

Tipperary were chasing their first All-Ireland since 1971 and were in with a shout at the end when John Commins produced a wonder save to deny Cormac Bonnar. With matters still poised, Noel Lane gave his customary cameo, coming on late in the game to nonchalantly hit the decisive goal for Galway.

The match copper-fastened Galway's pre-eminence in the sport and their fluid style was best expressed through Ger McInerney at half back. Few would have believed then that lean days were around the corner.

Galway: J Commins; S Linnane, C Hayes (0-1), O Kilkenny; P Finnerty, T Keady (0-2, 70), G McInerney (0-2); M Coleman, P Malone (0-3); A Cunningham, B Lynskey (0-1), M Naughton (0-2); M McGrath (0-2), J Cooney (0-1), E Ryan (0-1). Subs: N Lane (1-0) for A Cunningham.

Tipperary: K Hogan; P Delaney (0-1), C O'Donovan, J Heffernan; B Ryan, N Sheehy, J Kennedy; Colm Bonnar, J Hayes; D Ryan (0-4), D O'Connell (0-2), J Leahy; P Fox, N English (0-6, five from frees, one from penalty), A Ryan (0-1).

Cork 5-15, Galway 2-21 1990 All-Ireland final

Cork, outsiders that year, fired 2-2 past Galway in the last 10 minutes, inflicting a defeat which has come to symbolise a decade of woe.

Galway fell on the thorny side of a few questionable decisions but went away wondering how they blew a seven-point second-half lead. The only consolation lay in the performance of Joe Cooney, who torched Cork for 1-7, all but a point from play.

Galway's slow fall from grace can be traced back to this match. The following year, side-tracked by the Tony Keady ban and subsequent furore, they crashed to Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final and lost the 1993 All-Ireland final to Kilkenny by five points. They have not won a championship match since.

Cork: G Cunningham; J Considine, D Walsh, S O'Gorman; S McCarthy, J Cashman, K McGuckian (0-1); B O'Sullivan, T McCarthy (0-3); G Fitzgerald (0-1), M Foley (1-1), T O'Sullivan (0-2); T Mulcahy (1-2), K Hennessy (1-4, three frees), J Fitzgibbon (2- 1).

Galway: J Commins; D Fahy, S Treacy, O Kilkenny; P Finnerty, T Keady (0-1), G McInerney; M Coleman (0-1), P Malone; A Cunningham (0-1), J Cooney (1-7, one free), M Naughton (0-4); M McGrath (0-1), N Lane (0-4), E Ryan (0-2). Subs: B Lynskey (1-0) for Cunningham.