Kavanagh ‘delighted’ by Galway’s early form
Tipperary, Cork and now the Tribesmen, have proven Brian Cody’s men to be mortal in the 2010 league campaign.
Just as in those games with the Munster men, however, this one was a match in which a win was far more important for the opposition than it was for Kilkenny, and it showed.
From the Kilkenny perspective, and given the circumstances, the superb displays against the odds in all three losses, means there should be no major concern for the black and amber.
From the perspective of the winners, however, are these encouraging signs as we head into a season where they will be attempting to deny Kilkenny a slice of GAA history?
“Delighted,” said Galway full-back and captain Shane Kavanagh of Sunday’s outcome.
“It’s never easy to come to Nowlan Park and get a result. That’s what we set out to do. In fairness we got a bit of criticism after the Tipp game, the way we fell away in the second half, and I was delighted with the way the boys responded after Kilkenny went on that run after half-time.
“They got the goal and went a couple of points up. Then we lost James (Skehill, goalkeeper, to injury), but I was delighted the way the lads kept the head, got back in it and held out.”
It was indeed impressive by Galway; a four-point half-time lead had become a five-point deficit at the end of the third quarter and the Cats were rampant.
The introduction of Kevin Hynes (0-2), Iarla Tannian (2-1) and Richie Cummins (goal assist) to the attack, however, made a massive difference.
“In fairness to the management they were on their toes on the line,” said Kavanagh. “Every one of the lads who came in made a huge contribution, and that’s not saying anything against those who were taken off.
“Everyone ran themselves into the ground and worked as hard as they could. They did everything we could have asked of them. Kilkenny did get a bit of a run on us at the start of the second half but it was great to see us having that bit of composure, getting back into the game, taking the lead and holding out to the end.”
And that was important, because – as noted above and as accepted by Kavanagh – this became a match Galway simply couldn’t afford to lose.
“Exactly; it’s always nice to get a win over Kilkenny, especially in Nowlan Park, I don’t think many of the current squad would have won a game down here.
“For the Leinster championship it was probably only a bit of shadow-boxing, there’s going to be a lot of lads yet to come on to both teams. It’s only March, it’s the league, but we’ll take it.
“We meet Dublin on Sunday which will be another huge challenge. They beat us in the league last year so we’ll be on our guard.
“If we can get a win there it will set us up nicely for a showdown with Cork in Pearse Stadium, but we can’t look past Dublin.”
Maybe Kavanagh can’t, but the rest of us can, and in light of those early-season league results, this season’s championship is beginning to shape up very nicely indeed.
