Ryan puts wind in Galway sails

EANNA RYAN showed the type of poaching prowess his namesake and uncle was famous for in the late ‘80s to keep Galway’s ambitions of retaining their Allianz Division 1 title.

The Killimordaly man’s 73rd minute goal was the difference between the sides — that and Dublin’s awful shooting on a day when they cast their line and reality bit.

With 19 wides, not to mention the scoring attempts that landed shy of the goals, it was a dreadful return. If they don’t make the final they will only have themselves to blame.

Against Waterford first day out, they squandered an eight-point lead before salvaging a point.

Yesterday in front of an expectant Parnell Park crowd, there was no consolation for more wastefulness. It was Galway manager John McIntyre, while commending his own players, who gave the frankest assessment of Dublin’s deficiencies.

“I thought at the end of the game we knew how to win the game more than Dublin,” he said.

“Whether that’s experience, whether that’s temperament I don’t know. I would imagine Dublin will be extremely disappointed at losing that game. But it’s a learning process for us, it’s a learning process for them.

“When we got the goal early in the second-half to go three points up with the wind behind us you’d be saying ‘right, this is the big question for Dublin today’ and in fairness to them in terms of their heart, commitment and attitude they weren’t found wanting because they got it back to level.

“But they have a few other things to tidy up.”

Anthony Daly admitted they lacked “a polish” from their performance.

However, he was quick to defend free-taker Conal Keaney who was guilty of nine wides and had a penalty saved in the 47th minute.

“The frees weren’t great now. I don’t know — he missed a bit there in the last couple of weeks. He probably shouldn’t have played against Offaly — he played sick — and then that set him back for the Wexford game. He was short of sharpness maybe.

“Ah look, he hurled well in the play, he won great play and then he took the wrong option a few times. But people have to remember he’s back hurling and March isn’t gone yet.”

Ten of Dublin’s wides came in the first-half which they finished 0-9 to 0-8 ahead. They saw their lead cut to a solitary point after twice going ahead by five points in the opening 20 minutes.

With Dáire Plunkett impressing, Galway looked stunned and it wasn’t until the 17th minute that they registered their first score, Joe Cooney sending over an excellent effort.

It turned out to be the kick-start the visitors needed and the initiative had swung in their favour by the break with Ger Farragher pointing frees and Aongus Callanan taking a brace of tidy scores.

Shortly after an Eanna Ryan point put the sides level, 0-9 a piece, in the 42nd minute, Cyril Donnellan soloed through the Dublin defence and beat Gary Maguire with a well-placed strike.

Forgetting Keaney’s saved penalty, Dublin’s response was solid. Conor McCormack, Keaney and Paul Ryan levelling matters for the second time in the 50th minute.

Galway twice went ahead in the final 13 minutes only for Dublin to claw it back each time, Paul Ryan’s score in the 71st minute setting up a tense finale.

With free-taker Ger Farragher gone off, David Burke stepped up to take one a minute later but shot wide after Donnellan was fouled.

However, he made amends immediately, collecting Maguire’s puck-out and sending the ball to the inside line from which it broke for Ryan to swoop.

Galway’s win was all the more satisfying in that they were awarded just five frees in the entire game, their one and only in the second-half coming in the 63rd minute.

McIntyre wasn’t best pleased but opted for diplomacy.

“I spoke gently to Diarmuid Kirwan after the game, honestly, I said ‘Howya Diarmuid, thanks for refereeing the game’. This thing of verbally abusing referees, I’ve learnt the hard way, that it achieves nothing.

“The free count was heavily loaded against us. Now to be honest I thought Dublin were entitled to a few frees they didn’t get. And I felt we were entitled to a whole load of frees that we didn’t get. I just articulated my point of view on it.”

McIntyre took encouragement from Joe Canning, who had been sidelined with a heel injury, taking a full part in the warm-up.

He is keeping his fingers crossed next Sunday’s game won’t be televised as he believes it has contributed to the poor crowds in Pearse Stadium this year.

“The difficulty is that both matches were live on TV and that’s not helping. So I’m hoping our game against Tipperary is not relayed live on TV, we’re tired of being on telly.”

However, it was confirmed last night the tie will be televised live by TG4.

Scorers for Dublin: C Keaney 0-4 (2f), D Plunkett, C McCormack 0-3 each, P Ryan 0-2, R O’Dwyer, L Rushe 0-1 each.

Subs for Dublin: O Gough for Treanor (27), P Ryan for McCormack (inj 49), D O’Dwyer for Carton (63), S Ryan for Rushe (70), R Walsh for Durkan (71).

Scorers for Galway: G Farragher 0-5 (4f, 1 s/l), E Ryan, C Donnellan 1-1 each, A Callanan 0-2, J Cooney, D Burke 0-1 each.

Subs for Galway: G O’Halloran for Collins (inj 3), N Healy for Gantley (52), J Lee for Cullinane (56), J Coen for Farragher (58).

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork).