TONY CONSIDINE: Rubbing Salthill in my wounds

On my way to Galway yesterday I was thinking, what a perfect day for a game, real hurling weather.

Sun shining, dry sod, All-Ireland finalists meeting in the opening round of the league, I was really looking forward to it. All we got though — and not enough of it — was the good Salthill air.

What a disappointment, what a poor game from two of the supposed top sides in hurling. No point from play from a forward until the 36th minute, Kilkenny’s Aidan Fogarty with the score. No real excitement even as the second half came to a close and still just a single score between them. No venom, no body-shaking challenges, poor striking. Look at the frees missed by Kilkenny, both Richie Hogan and then Richie Power guilty of missing from what should have been routine positions for top-class free-takers. And both of them are outstanding dead-ball specialists.