Streetwise Galway turn the screw at vital times

Waterford went a point up ten minutes into the second half. It had been tit for tat in the second period, but from that point on Galway had the scoring power to creep ahead and the experience to see out the game.

They went into defensive mode down the stretch and forced Waterford to shoot from outside. Micheál Donoghue’s side were also very practical and gave away frees rather than allowing the Déise clearcut goal chances.

In the last three games, Derek McGrath used his bench to introduce pace and power into the full-forward line. Maurice Shanahan, Tommy Ryan and Brian O’Halloran have been regularly called upon to finish games and the Déise bench had contributed an average of five points in their previous three games.