A sequel as thrilling as the original

FIRST Croke Park, now Portlaoise.

Last Sunday week in this Leinster SHC semi-final, these two magnificent sides had served up a thriller at GAA headquarters.

On Saturday evening, again in sunny, summery conditions, on a perfectly-prepared O’Moore Park pitch we witnessed another epic.

The replay followed almost exactly the pattern of the drawn match – first one side on top, then the other, and then, in the final minutes, two talented and utterly committed teams going toe-to-toe, blow for blow, the pace never relenting. There were differences between the two games, of course; in Croke Park it was Galway tottering in the first half after suffering a three-goal flurry from Offaly, trailing at the break by five points, then recovering with a fine flurry of their own early in the second to go four ahead and really looking in pole position. But then Offaly, despite having a man sent off, had the final quarter surge before young Shane Dooley landed a long distance equaliser to tie the classic.

In this one it was Offaly teetering in the first half, trailing by eight points at the interval (2-9 to 0-7) having played with the aid of a strong, downfield, wind. It was Offaly recovering to take the lead, it was Galway with the man sent off (midfielder David Burke, playing superbly, getting a straight red in the 53rd minute after some foolish shenanigans when he had already won a free), and it was Galway controlling the final ten minutes – and of course, biggest difference of all, we had a winner. More on that later.

In the opening half, playing strong, forceful hurling, outmuscling Offaly in almost every area of the pitch, Galway were a like a team possessed. The inside line which had done so much damage for Offaly in the drawn game – Shane Dooley and Joe Bergin especially – were given no space, Galway team captain Shane Kavanagh and corner-back back Ollie Canning were supreme.

At the other end an entirely revamped Galway attack was on fire. Speedy Damien Hayes at full-forward was dominating David Kenny, notching Galway’s first goal in the 12th minute. Joe Canning in one corner used his size and strength to power past Stephen Egan for an emphatic second in the 28th minute while giant Iarla Tannian was also winning his battle with David Franks in the left corner.

Outside them recalled wing-forward Andy Smith and new centre-forward Aongus Callanan were also on top. In midfield, Ger Farragher and David Burke were again to the fore, while the Galway half-backs Donal Barry and Tony Óg Regan were also in command, only replacement John Lee (in for injured David Collins) in trouble against Offaly’s one bright forward, captain Brian Carroll.

As the teams headed for the dressing-rooms it was looking bad for Offaly, very bad. Damage limitation, surely, was all they could consider now. Every Galway clearance, every Galway puckout, would be landing down on that rampant full-forward line, while at the other end, where were the Offaly scores to come from? And surely, with that midfield beaten, they were going to struggle for possession up there anyway?

With a man like Joe Dooley in charge, however, a man who was there through so many stirring Offaly fightbacks, we should have known what to expect.

“Galway had their team repositioned, picked their team to counter us, and it took us a while to adjust to that,” he said, of the Galway starting 15.

“We had a rethink at half-time, tried to shore it up at the back and reposition lads up front.”

Oh, how those changes worked. Big man on big man at the back, small speedy man on small speedy man; a new face in Ger Healion at full-forward, Joe Bergin shifted onto Ollie Canning in the corner, Shane Dooley to the other corner, Rory Hanniffy to wing-back, Brendan Murphy to the wing where his pace would be more effective.

The comeback was on.

It was kicked off with a wonder goal from Healion, a well-judged dipping shot over the head of Colm Callanan in the 42nd minute. And though Damien Hayes did sneak another goal for Galway just five minutes later, Offaly kept fighting.

Points from Dooley, Murphy and Bergin brought them closer before big Joe Bergin’s goal had it all tied up in the 59th minute (3-13 to 2-16).

Two minutes later Offaly went ahead, courtesy of Shane Dooley – now, and in contrast again to Croke Park, it was Galway’s time to show character, and did they ever.

In the final ten minutes the defence closed up shop, Ger Farragher became the main man again in midfield, the winner came, and what a winner it was.

His first half goal apart, Joe Canning had looked a frustrated figure for much of this game, closed down every time he came near the ball.

In the second minute of injury-time, however, he just would not be denied.

An overhead pass from Farragher, ball controlled by Joe, from 50m on the left and under the most severe pressure, he swung over a left-handed shot. A minute later, from the Offaly puckout, it was Ollie winning possession and fouled, inside his own 45m line – Ger Farragher boomed over the insurance score. Breathtaking and brilliant.

Galway: C Callanan; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning; D Barry (0-1), T Og Regan, J Lee; G Farragher (0-6, 4f), D Burke; E Ryan, A Callanan (0-1), A Smith (0-1); J Canning (1-3), D Hayes (2-3), I Tannian (0-2).

Subs: N Healy for Ryan, J Gantley for Healy, A Cullinane for Smith.

Offaly: J Dempsey; D Franks, D Kenny (0-01), S Egan; J Rigney, P Cleary, D Morkan; K Brady, D Hayden; B Carroll (0-3), J Brady, R Hanniffy; S Dooley (0-10, 6f, 2'65), J Bergin (1-1), B Murphy (0-2).

Subs: G Healion (1-1) for Franks, M Verney for Egan, C Parlon for Kenny, O Kealy for K Brady.

Ref: C McAllister (Cork).