Defeat for our senior hurlers in the Leinster hurling final

DUBLIN 4-15 

GALWAY 4-29

It proved an afternoon of deep disappointment for Dublin as they succumbed to a dominant Galway by fourteen points in their Leinster Senior Hurling Championship final at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon. 

Galway enjoyed a deserved 1-15 to 1-11 interval advantage with Darragh Neary’s goal in the 12th minute cancelled out by Conal Ó Riain twelve minutes later. 

Galway continued to pile on the pain upon the resumption and while Donal Burke (penalty), Ó Riain and Fergal Whitely all netted in the final quarter, those goals failed to deny Galway their deserved victory. 

Dublin were forced to introduce Brendan Kenny from the start in light of an injury to current All-Star Cian O’Sullivan while Conor McHugh started in place of Eoghan O’Donnell. 

It was Galway that settled far quicker into the final, hitting two points in as many minutes through Conor Whelan and Rory Burke. 

While John Hetherton replied for Dublin in the 3rd minute, the Dubs failed to impose their game on an impressive Galway side that stretched their lead through Tom Monaghan and Aaron Niland (free). 

Scores at the opposite end by Conor Burke and Fergal Whitely offered crumbs of optimism to the Dublin support but Galway managed to build up a healthy advantage by the 12th minute as Rory Burke pounced on a defensive error to release Neary for a facile finish past Eddie Gibbons. 

Hetherton could well have raised a green flag soon after but his powerful shot was placed too close to Darach Fahy, who saved comfortably. 

The Dubs did gain reward for some improved play courtesy of scores by Brendan Kenny, Ó Riain, Donal Burke and Conor Burke but the free-taking of Niland ensured that Galway kept their scoreboard ticking over. 

Dublin required some inspiration at this stage and it duly arrived in the 24th minute as Ó Riain broke through down the right wing and left Fahy helpless with a rising shot into the roof of the net. 

Galway’s response to this setback was immediate with a Monaghan point preceding two Niland frees and while Brendan Kenny tagged on a late point for Dublin, Whelan’s third score of the half gave Galway a deserved 1-15 to 1-11 interval lead.  

An already uphill task became steeper for Dublin as Whelan and Monaghan enhanced Galway’s supremacy and a sublime sideline point by Cathal Mannion reflected the confidence coursing through their veins.    

With Dublin failing to make anything stick in attack and the impeccable Monaghan clipping points for fun at the opposite end, Galway looked home and hosed by the end of the third quarter as a Tiernan Killeen score left nine points between the teams. 

However, a contentious penalty award by referee Michael Kennedy saw Galway lose Whelan for ten minutes while Donal Burke comfortably sent Fahy wrong from the spot. 

Their numerical disadvantage failed to translate on the field as Niland netted from a penalty in the 65th minute while Conor Conney availed of the wide open spaces in the Dublin defence to add a third goal two minutes later. 

Monaghan took his personal tally to seven points from play before we witnessed a bizarre ending that yielded goals for Ó Riain and Whitely for Dublin, sandwiching a John Fleming effort for Galway. 

The Dubs will need to regroup as they face Clare in the All-Ireland series in a fortnight’s time.  

Scorers – Dublin: C Ó Riain 2-1; D Burke (1-0pen, 0-3f), F Whitely 1-3 each; C Burke, B Kenny 0-2 each; C Donohoe, J Hetherton, S Currie, R Hayes 0-1 apiece Galway: A Niland 1-8 (1-0pen, 0-6f); T Monaghan 0-7; C Whelan 0-5; D Neary, C Cooney 1-1 each; J Fleming 1-0; C Mannion (0-1 sideline), R Glennon 0-2 each; T Killeen, J Rabbitte, R Burke 0-1 apiece.   

Dublin: E Gibbons; P Doyle, P Smyth, C McHugh; C Crummey, L Rushe, C Burke; B Hayes, C Donohoe; F Whitely, D Burke, D Power; B Kenny, J Hetherton, C Ó Riain. Subs: R Hayes for Power (28), D Purcell for Kenny (35), E O’Donnell for Crummey (40), S Currie for Donohoe (48), A Dunphy for Rushe (49), D Ó Dúlaing for Purcell (63).   

Galway: D Fahy; C Trayers, D Burke, D Morrissey; R Glennon, P Mannion, C Daniels; T Killeen, C Mannion; T Monaghan, A Niland, D Neary; R Burke, C Whelan, J Rabbitte. Subs: C Cooney for R Burke (14), G Lee for Daniels (53), J Ryan for Glennon (53), J Fleming for Killeen (60 F Burke for D Burke (69). 

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).