Galway hurlers are desperate to turn the corner

PEOPLE around Galway will tell you that football is number one, hurling a close second.

Accordingly, the hurlers are always viewed as contenders - the footballers as a distinct possibility.

It is 15 years since current boss Conor Hayes led his county to double All-Ireland success in the late 80s. Since then nothing much to report. Last year the old nemesis Kilkenny

destroyed ambitions, the previous summer it was Tipperary.

Seasoned players like David Tierney, Fergal Healy and Ollie Canning showed great promise while youngsters like Declan O’Brien watched from the line.

Managers have come and gone too. Noel Lane took over from Mattie Murphy and when he drafted in Clare’s fitness guru Mike McNamara expectations soared.

Still nothing. Hayes is now at the helm and O’Brien has moved from the sideline to wing-back. A short journey but, nevertheless, a giant step in the Carnmore lad’s career.

Four years on, having made the transition from being a panellist to a first-choice player, he sets his own targets.

“You can have all the managers you want but it is down to the players,” he assures. “The determination, the will, the focus - we have it all. But at the end of the day it is the players that win matches and we need this one badly.

“We need to do it for ourselves, for Galway hurling in general and for personal reasons. Playing in our own city and in Pearse stadium is a great opportunity for us. It may just provide the turning point for Galway hurling.”

When the sides last met in 2001, Tipperary went on to win the McCarthy Cup. Yet, there is no talk of

revenge, it is more to do with burying the anguish inflicted by their own demons:

“I was a sub that day and there would still be a high percentage of players involved from both teams. But, we know each other so well, we do not need statistics to drum up rivalry.”

Although recent history is confined to the past, the Noel Lane era gets a sympathetic hearing from O’Brien.

“Noel was unlucky,” he says. “It wasn’t that he did anything wrong but it just did not happen for him. You have to have luck on your side and if it happens under Conor it does not mean other managers have underachieved,” he says.

In mid-June Galway took a modest scalp when pipping Clare. One player who has the authority to voice his opinion is the Banner goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald.

“No matter what has happened I still think Tipperary are a very decent team. They know that they will be in big trouble if they are not up for this game. However, I think they will be. Sometimes you need to get a break - we got it last year and won our way to the All-Ireland final,” he says.

“I can see Tipperary getting the break this year.

They have tightened up their defence since we beat them and with Eamonn Corcoran back to bolster up the half-back line it will

release Tommy Dunne to centre-field.

“It will be interesting though to see how the Galway full-back line will cope with the Tipperary forwards. They are lightning fast and will take close marking. It will be a tight game but if I had to call it, it would have to be Tipperary,” says Fitzgerald.