Galway’s trip into unknown

YOU would have to feel some sympathy for John Hardiman. Tomorrow, his Galway side face Tipperary in the semi-finals of the U-21 HC. The Tipp team is battle-scarred from three tough encounters in Munster. But that is not the chief cause for concern.

Due to the vagaries or rather the lack of vagaries of championship hurling in Connacht, Hardiman's side have had no such tests, no such challenges, no such preparations. This is their first championship footstep. "Yes, you could call it that, a trip into the unknown," he agrees with a laugh.

It's not that John doesn't know these guys. He won an All-Ireland minor title three years ago with more or less the same team: eleven of that starting fifteen are still there. But this is 2003, nearly eight full months into the year, and this will be Galway's first championship game. Are they ready?