Galway’s loss of composure was understandable
The All-Ireland senior hurling final is an event; if we can praise the London Olympic Committee for the pageantry and spectacle that was their opening ceremony, on a massive budget, then we can surely praise the GAA for the entirety of this presentation.
From start to finish it was superb, including the half-time entertainment. What a display by the dancers, and what great music from the Kilfenora Ceili Band. Best entertainment of all — and the way it should be — was on the pitch, and of course the presentation everyone came to see will have to wait for another day, Liam MacCarthy gone into cold storage for a few more weeks. Likewise the Irish Press Cup, the minor final also ending in a draw.
One man I have to single out for praise is referee, Barry Kelly; one or two minor mistakes but, overall, he had a superb 70 minutes. This was a game that had a huge amount of pressure even of its own accord — it is an All-Ireland final, after all. But with the comments from Brian Cody after the All-Ireland semi-final, there was extra pressure on Barry yesterday — he handled it all with total assurance.
To the game, and as will nearly always be the case after a draw, both teams and both sets of supporters can point this morning to mistakes made, to chances missed. But who has the bigger reason to complain? You’d have to say Galway — eight wides to one in the second-half, that tells a story of a team that lost its composure, which, given it was a first senior All-Ireland experience for most Galway players, is understandable.
The game came down to two players, two guys we’ve been talking about for a while, one for a few years more than the other. We all knew Henry Shefflin (King Henry) can deliver on the big day, and Henry delivered again yesterday, in spades. But Joe Canning — this was Joe’s first senior All-Ireland final, how would he measure up? If anything there was even more pressure on Joe. Did he deliver? Did he what. His goal in the first-half, the way he finished it; his frees; then that point to draw it at the end. Joe had just missed a free from an easier angle minutes before, which would have been a terrible legacy from his first All-Ireland final, now the pressure was even greater. What a point, that’s all I can say, a fitting way to draw this game.
But what of Henry? Believe me, and I’ve made a few big statements in these columns over the years — I have never seen a better big-game player than Henry Shefflin. And boy, was he needed yesterday. This was a big game and after a first-half in which Galway had dominated, Kilkenny were in big trouble. Henry was the man who brought them back into it. And remember, he’s been doing this for 14 seasons, has come back from three serious injuries. The man who takes Henry’s crown will have his work cut out.
Of course there were other players on the field and I’ll go to Galway first. They came into this game as underdogs but they were inspired, all over the pitch. Johnny Coen, Fergal Moore, David Collins, Niall Donoghue — even Kevin Hynes and Tony Óg Regan, though troubled at times, all did really well in defence. They conceded frees but they conceded no goal — I think this was a major part of their plan.
Of course that plan would have come undone but for the brilliant save by James Skehill, though I feel that from that distance Colin Fennelly should have buried it.
Up front, however, Galway were struggling. Only two scorers in the forwards, Joe Canning and Niall Burke (was surprised to see him taken off — exhaustion?) That’s not enough to win you an All-Ireland title and will have to be addressed.
The real strength for Galway was in midfield, where Andy Smith and Iarla Tannian were dominant. Iarla has got some stick from Galway supporters over the years — by God did he stand up yesterday.
For the first time in my life I saw a Kilkenny team that seemed to be more concerned with the opposition than they were with themselves. Putting players into positions that are dictated by the opposition isn’t a good idea. It might work with one player, but almost your whole backline? Were Kilkenny panicked into changing their usual system by the beating they got in the Leinster final? I mean, Tommy Walsh at full-back? JJ Delaney around midfield? Only for a few players, Kilkenny were gone yesterday.
Overall though, a fair result, and Kilkenny STILL haven’t gone away! Is there no end to this team?
