As usual with league finals, one team received a clean bill of health, whereas the other takes a few headaches into the weeks ahead. Galway are the new Church & General National Hurling League title winners. It was a deserved victory, earned by their unanswered ascent through the gears in the third quarter at Limerick's Gaelic Grounds yesterday.
This achievement steadies the team nicely as they face into over two months of marking time before their opening championship match against Roscommon. Tipperary's agenda is less leisurely. Waterford await them in the first major championship clash of the summer in less than two weeks. Manager Nicky English was concerned about losing and the scale of the failure in the second half when they managed only three points in the final half hour.
Over the 70 minutes Galway displayed most of the virtues which had been evident throughout their 100 per cent league campaign. Tipperary, on the other hand, ran into trouble in a number of sectors. "We were outplayed throughout the field," said English after the match.
Even allowing for players who were unavailable, Tipperary ended the afternoon is sorry disarray. The forwards had been patchy, with good first-half performances from Mark O'Leary and Paul Shelly and a productive second half by Paddy O'Brien - but there was no consistent impact as a unit. The makeshift centrefield made little headway and although centre back David Kennedy and substitute John Leahy were drafted in as a back-up combination, they had little influence on proceedings. Most uncomfortable were the difficulties in the full-back line. Although Philip Maher vindicated his reputation as the league's best full back, the line as a whole conceded 2-7 and even before half-time Liam Sheedy was pointedly called ashore by his manager after suffering alarmingly on Fergal Healy.
Galway had to make a late change before the start; Kevin Broderick had had a calf muscle declared hors de combat on Saturday night. His replacement, under-21 dual player David Tierney, had a fine match earning the commendation of his manager Matt Murphy for his stamina and application.
A tit-for-tat first half was played at a lively pace with an amount of good movement by both teams, plus some fine striking and score-taking. Rory Gantley had an excellent match for Galway, roaming around the field and showing a steady nerve and almost impeccable accuracy from frees.
At the start of the second half he struck his one wayward free, but he recovered unfazed to add a further 0-4 for total of 0-9.
In addition to his happiness at winning the title, Matt Murphy will have been heartened by the performance of his defence; although Shelley caused Brian Feeney more than a little trouble in the first half, the sting went out of Tipperary's challenge after the interval and Feeney, just returned from honeymoon, was less bothered. Cathal Moore had an exemplary afternoon, never looking likely to suffer a repeat of the indignities heaped upon him by Waterford's Ken McGrath a couple of weeks ago.
Galway might have made the decisive break earlier had they not conceded two goals largely against the run of play. In the 11th minute wing back Paul Ormonde launched a long ball in on the Galway goal. Feeney, racing back, didn't manage to control or clear the threat and Shelley, keeping pace with him, managed to get his stick to the ball for an opportunist score, and pushed Tipperary 1-2 to 0-3 in front.
Galway recovered their equilibrium and the rest of the half was played out almost entirely score for score. At the interval the teams were level 0-12 to 1-9.
In the opening minutes of the second half the complexion of the match looked to have altered significantly. In the 36th minute O'Brien capitalised on Shelley's unsettling of the Galway defence to force home Tipperary's second goal. Shortly afterwards Rory Gantley missed a scoreable free, rapidly followed by Kennedy scoring at the other end. Trailing by four points, Galway were looking less confident. They would have been further disheartened by the blocking of an almost certain goal for Healy by substitute Donnacha Fahy; but Gantley recovered his free-taking poise to chip away at the deficit.
In the 44th minute the lead changed hands for what would be the last time. Ollie Canning fired home the first of two goals after full forward Ollie Fahy's attempt at goal had been blocked. Six minutes later the match was effectively over. Rory Gantley cleared a Tipperary attack.
The dropping ball was cleverly deflected by Mark Kerins to Fahy and his hand-pass sent Canning clear for the type of ruthless finish which has characterised his recent league performances.
Leading by five points, Galway stalled slightly, and began to rack up a catalogue of wides. However, Tipperary's response was inadequate and after a comparative scoring drought of 11 minutes, Galway's forwards began to produce once more.
A flurry of late scores broke down almost equally to leave Galway comfortable fivepoint winners, 2-18 to 2-13.
Galway: M Crimmons; L Hodgins, B Feeney, V Maher; F Gantley, C Moore, P Hardiman; A Kerins, R Gantley (0-9, all frees); J Rabbitte, M Kerins (0-1), D Tierney (0-1); O Canning (2-0), O Fahy (0-3), F Healy (0-4).
Tipperary: B Cummins; L Sheedy, P Maher, M Ryan; P Ormonde, D Kennedy (0-1), E Corcoran; J Carroll, B O'Meara; M O'Leary (0-3), D Ryan (0-1), T Dunne (0-5, four frees); P O'Brien (1-2), P Shelly (1-1), G Maguire. Subs: D Fahy for Sheedy (35 mins), E O'Neill for Maguire (42 mins), J Leahy for O'Meara (51 mins).
Referee: P O'Connor (Limerick).
