Galway forward Cyril Donnellan admits that halting Tipperary’s high-scoring attack will be a difficult task for Micheál Donoghue’s side this weekend.

Former Galway defender Greg Kennedy says he can’t stand the fist-pumping done by the current crop of players.

Galway hurling manager Micheál Donoghue is confident of having three members of the starting team from last year’s All-Ireland final back from injury for the county’s Allianz League relegation play-off with Cork.

Kilkenny rob Galway of their early thunder

In the end, the gap was four points.

A few minutes after the 2012 All-Ireland final replay Conor Hayes, on duty with Galway Bay FM, was making his way out of the press area in Croke Park when he stopped for a moment. “I once asked an old man what was the best time to cut a hawthorn stick,” Hayes announced.

A summer entertainment has been observing Dónal Óg Cusack and Liam Sheedy conduct an Open University course ‘How To Beat Kilkenny’ on The Sunday Game.

Kilkenny’s last two All-Ireland successes haven’t been replicated in the All Stars honour lists, where the runners-up in both years, Galway in 2012 and Tipperary last year, trumped them. As of now, Kilkenny look set to take the lion’s share of personal honours but Galway have plenty of strong contenders too.

Galway’s cry for justice proved the loudest in an awe-inspiring All-Ireland semi-final that should live long in the memories of the 58,495 in attendance.

On the way home from Dublin last week, Niall Gilligan stopped off to break the journey in Francis Loughnane’s old pub in Roscrea, which is now run by John Carroll.

Former All-Ireland winning manager Nicky English believes Tipperary should accept that they’re going to concede aerial possession to Galway’s powerful forwards and must simply concentrate on what to do next.

Galway hurler Conor Cooney is unlikely to figure against Tipperary in Sunday week’s All-Ireland semi-final, according to manager Anthony Cunningham.

James Owens improved his chances of refereeing his first senior All-Ireland hurling final with an impressive handling of the Galway-Cork All-Ireland quarter-final yesterday.

Waterford weren’t as sharp against Tipp as they were earlier in the spring. They’re training since last autumn. Fatigue can surreptitiously seep into a losing dressing room.

The product’s name has entered British English as a simile for something that is an acquired taste or tends to polarise opinion.

Anthony Cunningham felt his Galway side were “very, very close” to Kilkenny in yesterday’s Leinster final, and was disappointed they couldn’t get over the line.

In Nowlan Park two weeks ago, there was a sense in the air that you could nearly touch, that Kilkennyism, that fireproof security in themselves and their team, an attitude that said, ‘Ah, they’re all on about Tipperary, Galway and Waterford, it doesn’t matter who we’ve lost, we’ll take down any one of them’.

JJ Delaney anticipates Joey Holden will be tasked with replacing him as Kilkenny’s full-back when they begin the defence of their Leinster and All-Ireland titles this weekend.

As Anthony and Ger Cunningham prepare for Saturday’s Leinster senior hurling championship replay in Tullamore both bosses have plenty to ponder.

Dublin 0-20 Galway 1-17: Rip it up and start again. 

We’re still punch drunk from the latest round of Galway hurling cliche bingo… consistency.... never know which Galway will turn up… can they put two performances back to back… where should they play Joe Canning?

The Leinster Council have a lot to answer for.

In the end, it seemed fair that this pair should get a second chance to redeem themselves after a disappointing showing.

When I stepped down from Dublin last September, I was barely back down the M7 when some people already thought I had relocated to Galway. 

One thing you need to know about Ger Cunningham is that he’s not a man for the big show.

Hurling’s new advantage rule won’t mean fewer frees, according to Willie Barrett, chairman of the referees appointment committee.

Brian Hurley expects to be fit for Cork’s Division 1 opener against Dublin on February 1 after being told he suffered no serious damage to his left shoulder on Sunday.

Anthony Cunningham said the advantage rule introduced to football this year must be extended to hurling.

CLARE

ALL-IRELAND SHC QUARTER-FINAL:

The rulebook will have done nothing these past 36 hours to shield James McGrath from the torrent of abuse he’s received for sending off Pa Horgan on Sunday.

Dublin manager Anthony Daly has unsurprisingly named an unchanged team for Sunday's Leinster SHC final against defending champions Galway at Croke Park (throw-in 4pm).

These are the last days of the so-called advantage rule in Gaelic football and it is a death that should be celebrated.

A lot of the hype about the big rugby game on Saturday morning concentrated on the difference between northern and southern hemisphere refereeing.

Kilkenny 1-24 Galway 1-17

The only good thing about the two semi-finals in Thurles yesterday was the pitch.

Kilkenny 1-24 Galway 1-17

It leaps from the mind’s eye as one of the standout moments of the 2012 championship, as one of the standout moments of any recent championship.