Galway 2-19 Tipperary 1-22: When you see two such moments of class in the fourth minute of injury-time, who can deny a draw was a fair return for each side? But it doesn’t help either climb away from the relegation places in Division 1B.

Galway 3-18 Westmeath 0-17: Galway’s senior hurlers qualified for the semi-final of the Walsh Cup thanks to a 10-point victory over a hard-working Westmeath side in this final group game, played in Lakepoint Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

Week 36. It’s the first Sunday in September but it’s always in or around week 36 of the year. The longest seven days for Cillian Buckley.

If Galway’s management is concerned about their inside defence, Brian Cody may have similar concerns about his own, writes Donal O’Grady.

I fancy Galway, to be honest. I think from the Leinster final, Galway will learn a lot more about that game than Kilkenny. That’s a big factor and their intensity is something else. As long as they bring that, they’ll stay in it and it might be enough to get them through.

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.

After the euphoria comes the analysis. Michael Moynihan puts away the emotion to evaluate Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final winners.

Yesterday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final was by far the game of the championship so far and Barry Kelly played an important part in the spectacle. He should be commended for his handling of what was a match played out in a great spirit.

Damien Hayes, in reflecting on Portumna’s journey to the 2014 All-Ireland club hurling decider, cited their county quarter-final fixture against Ardrahan as the most troublesome hurdle.

I was impressed by how comfortable Tipperary were against Waterford in the Munster final. 

Rejuvenated Galway goalkeeper James Skehill has admitted he looks on with “viciousness” and “anger” at Kilkenny and Cork’s All-Ireland haul.

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 recent years, lots of people, including myself, have been looking for linesmen and umpires to get more involved in assisting referees with making disciplinary calls.

In the stroll down Jones’s Road yesterday afternoon, the general consensus was that Dublin’s meeting with Longford in the Leinster football championship would be a rerun of Christians-Lions (Coliseum, vespers), with no guesses as to which side were going to be portraying the early converts, or the main course.

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

Anthony Cunningham called for Galway to be ‘embraced properly into Leinster’ and to be allowed to play Championship games at Pearse Stadium after seeing another opportunity to play at home passed up by the Leinster Council.

Sylvester Hennessy crunches the numbers from the weekend’s big Allianz League games.

Joe Canning landed a free from 110 yards to complete a remarkable comeback by All-Ireland champions Portumna and send them into the semi-finals of the Galway SHC.

Two really entertaining games in the All-Ireland qualifiers on Saturday and, thanks to the timing, I was able to get to both, though the extra-time in Ennis put real pressure on heading to Thurles.

Tipperary came from the dead to slay Galway in a quite remarkable All-Ireland senior hurling championship qualifier at Semple Stadium this evening.

When Kilkenny get time to think about what they’re doing they’re better than anyone.

Kilkenny 3-19 Galway 1-17

No late heroics six days on from the comeback that convulsed a nation.

Management Moves

For the second week in succession, Kilkenny played Galway at O’Connor Park in Tullamore in a Leinster championship semi-final and for the second week in succession, the Cats were well in control as the game entered the closing stages.

Under fierce pressure, expect Brian Cody’s Cats to come out fighting this evening

Monday’s qualifier draw heaped even greater spice on tonight’s Leinster championship semi-final replay. Awaiting the loser is a clash against Tipperary, in Thurles, next weekend. Some pressure!

Three things spring to mind immediately after this game in Tullamore yesterday.

For the second time in 12 months Galway got the fright of their lives in the Leinster SHC as the Tribesmen carved out a two-point win over a determined Laois side in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.

Galway hurler Niall Healy has been ruled out for the remainder of the year with cruciate ligament damage.

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

Kilkenny and Galway both come into this afternoon’s national league semi-final hoping to continue their rebuilding process having endured traumatic championship exits last year.

Joe Canning will lead Galway out for the first time in his career on Sunday when he captains the Tribesmen in their bid to topple Kilkenny in the Allianz Hurling League semi-final.

Limerick 1-12 Galway 1-20

Clare 0-18 Galway 1-15

Clare 0-18 Galway 1-15

ALLIANZ HL DIVISION 1A:

Galway 3-16 Tipperary 1-19

Kilkenny 2-16 Galway 1-16

Leading knee surgeon Tadhg O’Sullivan said cruciate victim Colm Cooper’s determination to score a point last Saturday proved to be his downfall.

Galway 0-28 Dublin 1-12

CLARE

Connacht 1-18 Munster 0-16