Defeat for Senior Hurlers in Walsh cup final

DUBLIN 2-13 

GALWAY 1-16

(GALWAY WIN 2-1 ON PENALTIES)

Galway held their nerve in a penalty shoot-out as Ciaran Leen and Colm Molloy converted from the spot to edge Dublin in their entertaining Dioralyte Walsh Cup final at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon. 

The visitors enjoyed a marginal 0-11 to 1-7 lead as they recovered from Ollie Gaffney’s 18thminute goal to hit six points on the bounce.

A Donal Burke penalty within two minutes of the restart saw Dublin regain the lead but Burke was the only Dublin player to score in the shootout with Cian O’Sullivan, Conor Donohoe, Sean Brennan and Ronan Hayes all being denied.  

It didn’t take long for the hosts to take the lead as late replacement Conor Groarke won possession at midfield before finding Donal Burke for a straightforward score from forty metres. 

The Na Fianna attacker doubled that lead as he converted a free from midfield in the 4thminute with Galway struggling to find their radar as they struck four early wides. 

The visitors eventually opened their account through an 8th minute Evan Niland free and they deservedly drew level on the balance of play courtesy of an excellent John Fleming point soon after. 

Burke and Alex Connaire exchanged scores either side of the 10th minute mark and while Cian O’Sullivan edged the Dubs back in front within three minutes, Galway overtook their opponents by the start of the second quarter through successive scores by Fleming and Niland (free). 

Dublin finally put relative distance between the teams in the 19th minute as Seán Gallagher’s point attempt dropped short and Gaffney made the most of Eanna Murphy’s hesitancy under the dropping ball to kick to the net. 

A superb Conor Burke score stretched that lead to four points by the 19th minute but Galway, inspired by two Paddy Mac Cárthaigh points, restored the stalemate through another Niland free six minutes later. 

Niland and Declan McLoughlin pushed the visitors two points clear approaching the break before Davy Keogh halved the home deficit with a well-worked score in injury time.

The hosts enjoyed a perfect start to the second-half as Donal Burke calmly sent Murphy the wrong way from a penalty after Ronan Hayes had been fouled close to goal. 

That lead was enhanced through Conor Burke soon after but the St Vincent’s player was culpable in the 37th minute as he was dispossessed only eight yards from goal and Whelan poked home with the minimum of fuss. 

Facing a three-point deficit approaching the three-quarter mark, Dublin gradually played their way back into contention through a Donal Burke free and a Cian O’Sullivan point before Conor Donohoe brought the sides level once again in the 49th minute. 

A Niland free restored Galway’s narrow edge but points from Groarke and Donohoe appeared sufficient to see Dublin home before Conor Cooney ensured parity (2-13 to 1-16) when coolly scoring with the last puck of the game.  

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 1-4 (1-0pen, 0-3f); O Gaffney 1-0; C Burke, D Keogh, C Donohoe, C O’Sullivan 0-2 each; C Groarke 0-1. Galway: E Niland 0-7 (6f); C Whelan 1-0; J Fleming, P Mac Cárthaigh, D McLoughlin 0-2 each; A Connaire, T Monaghan, C Cooney (f) 0-1 apiece. 

Dublin: S Brennan; J Bellew, P Smyth, C Kennedy; A Dunphy, S Gallagher, C Burke; C Groarke, C Donohoe; D Keogh, D Burke, D Power; O Gaffney, R Hayes, C O’Sullivan. Subs: T Brennan for D Burke (44), D Kenny for Gaffney (53), J Madden for Keogh (58).  

Galway: E Murphy; S Murphy, D Morrissey, R Glennon; P Mannion, C Daniels, TJ Brennan; A Connaire, S Linnane; Conor Whelan, J Fleming, P Mac Cárthaigh; E Niland, D McLoughlin, C Leen. Subs: D Comar for Daniels (half-time), Cillian Whelan for Connaire (half-time), T Monaghan for Leen (half-time), C Cooney for McLoughlin (44), C Molloy for Conor Whelan (44), D Loftus for S Murphy (51), D Burke for Mannion (51), M Power for Niland (57).  

Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).