LEINSTER SHC SEMI-FINAL:

FINAL DEBATE: Will the Galway management pay for ditching so much experience?

PREPARING Garrycastle for a second Leinster club football final in three years in what could be his last game in charge would be enough to keep most managers occupied. But Anthony Cunningham’s been getting accustomed to multi-tasking since he his appointment as John McIntyre’s successor over the Galway hurlers in late October.

Thomas Codd and Murty Dempsey have been chosen to assist new Wexford senior hurling manager Liam Dunne for his first season in charge.

NEW Galway hurling boss Anthony Cunningham has dropped one third of the team which started the All-Ireland quarter-final against Waterford this year in a massive clear-out.

Fit-again duo Ger Farragher and Iarla Tannian have been added to the Galway attack for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC second phase qualifier against Clare in Salthill (throw-in 7pm).

FERMANAGH captain Barry Owens has sensationally claimed there were county board officials wishing the team were going to be beaten by London in last Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier.

Two-time All-Star Joe Canning has been named at full-forward in the Galway team to face Dublin in Saturday's Leinster SHC semi-final in Tullamore (throw-in 7pm).

The Galway hurlers will field a much-changed team for their Leinster Championship opener against Westmeath in Mullingar tonight (throw-in 7pm).

GALWAY goalkeeper Colm Callanan is a glass half full character. While others would bemoan the injury crisis which has hit the senior hurling squad, Callanan puts a positive spin on how the creaking treatment room has worked for the betterment of the county’s young stars.

Dublin 0-14 Galway 2-11

CORK manager Denis Walsh has introduced defensive newcomers Stephen McDonnell and Mark Ellis to his team for their Allianz Division 1 Hurling League match with Offaly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. Glen Rovers player McDonnell gets the nod at right corner-back while Millstreet hurler Ellis will line out at centre-back.

AT HALF-TIME in yesterday’s eagerly-awaited Leinster senior hurling final in Croke Park, trailing by just three points, 1-8 to 1-5, after playing against a strong breeze, challengers Galway left the field to a huge ovation from their thousands of supporters in the 31,376 attendance.

THEY may have been impossible to separate last Sunday, but Cork and Kerry have enjoyed very different fortunes this week with Jack O’Connor forced to delay naming his starting 15 until hours before Sunday’s game.

LEAGUE champions Galway have suffered a major blow ahead of the hurling championship with the confirmation experienced defender Fergal Moore has been ruled out for the season.

Galway Senior hurlers have been dealt a major blow, with the news that Fergal Moore has been sidelined for the Championship season.

Galway manager John McIntyre has made 13 changes to his team for Sunday's Allianz NHL Division 1 final against Cork at Semple Stadium (throw-in 7pm).

Kilkenny 1-23 Galway 2-21

THE ‘hair-dryer’ dressing- room treatment of one of his under-achieving teams by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is legendary in sport at this stage, but if there is anyone in the GAA who would give the great man a run for his money, it’s Galway’s fiery hurling manager John McIntyre.

DUBLIN hurlers are in the quarter-finals of the All-Ireland and, let me stress, they’re hot favourites.

THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE. A seven-point gap was a little flattering to Galway and a little harsh on Cork. This was a tight affair where possession around midfield and in the half lines was at a premium.

Galway manager John McIntyre has made one change to the team which beat Clare last weekend for tomorrow's All-Ireland SHC Phase 3 qualifier clash with Cork at Semple Stadium in Thurles.

A DOUR game which endedwith an unexpected splash ofexcitement, yesterday’s Galway-Tipperary clash isn’t likely to live long in the memory of the 4,000 spectators.

KILKENNY 1-20 GALWAY 0-12

A YOUNG footballer, Micheal Roche, from the Glynn-Barntown club, has successfully appealed against a 48-week ban for an alleged assault on a referee in a minor club game in Wexford.

Cork 0-23 Galway 2-15

KILKENNY 3-22 GALWAY 1-18

Galway defender John Lee has today revealed that Ger Loughane did not tell his players the formation of his starting 15 for last Saturday's All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Clare until just minutes before the throw-in.

Kinvara's Colm Callanan has beaten off competition from Aidan Ryan to start as Galway's goalkeeper in tomorrow's All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Laois (Portlaoise, throw-in 7pm).

Galway manager Conor Hayes has made three changes to his side for tomorrow evening's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final with Kilkenny (Semple Stadium, throw-in 6pm).

ALL-IRELAND champions Cork and runners-up Galway dominate the nominations for the 2005 Vodafone Allstar hurling team, sharing 22 nominations between them.

GALWAY manager Conor Hayes admits he would love another chance at guiding the county to its fifth All-Ireland SHC title.

THIS wasn’t Riverdance, this was rock’n’roll, hurling played to an incessant pounding beat, thumping bass matching every riff on the lead guitar.

Galway will boast six newcomers for tomorrow night's qualifier clash with Laois in Portlaoise (throw-in 7.00pm).

Kilkenny 4-16 Galway 1-21

A FEW words pertaining to last week’s piece, before we get into the meat of the 2004 hurling Allstars.

All-Ireland hurling champions Cork dominate this year's Vodafone All-Star nominations, with 13 Rebel County players on the list.

WHO’S sorry now? Last year, the Galway County Board turned down the option of playing in this season’s Leinster SHC.

Galway 2-15 Waterford 1-13