Galway blow as Farragher and Tannian out of Dublin clash

GALWAY hurlers suffered a massive blow with the news that key players Ger Farragher and Iarla Tannian are ruled out of Saturday’s Leinster senior championship semi-final clash with Dublin at Tullamore.

Team boss John McIntyre revealed yesterday midfielder Farragher and corner-forward Tannian have lost their battle to feature in the third showdown between the two counties this year.

“Unfortunately, both Ger and Iarla won’t be able to start due to their injuries,” said McIntyre, who had been hopeful up to last weekend of being able to call on his star duo.

“They just haven’t made enough progress from their injuries to be able to last 70 minutes in a championship match.

“And at this point we don’t know if we will be able to bring them on at any stage of the match.”

Farragher picked up a knee injury while playing for Castlegar in the 2-22 to 3-7 defeat by St Thomas’s almost three weeks ago, scoring 2-6 before being forced off.

Ace attacker Tannian broke his thumb and fractured ligaments while featuring for Ardrahan in a club fixture more than five weeks ago.

However, if Galway — who defeated Dublin in the league but lost to Anthony Daly’s charges in the Walsh Cup overcome the League champions, McIntyre expects both to be available for a Leinster final clash against holders Kilkenny on July 3. In addition, Galway will be without defenders Ciarán O’Donovan and Niall Donoghue for the O’Connor Park fixture.

O’Donovan, who lined out at full-back in the league ties against Dublin and Tipperary, fractured his shoulder blade while playing for his club Ardrahan four weeks ago.

Corner-back Donoghue, who replaced Ger O’Halloran during the course of the Tipperary clash, is ruled out due to a calf injury sustained in a club game. But a boost for the Tribesmen is that defenders Shane Kavanagh and Tony Óg Regan as well as full-forward Joe Canning, who were all unable to start in the narrow quarter-final win over Westmeath, are available.

When the Lake County drew level with 13 minutes left, Kavanagh, Regan and Canning were all drafted into action by the Galway backroom team and the totemic full-forward from Portumna slotted over three points during his brief period on the pitch. With both Farragher and Canning on the sideline until the latter’s introduction, Galway lacked a specialist free-taker against the Midlanders.

Wing-back Adrian Cullinane and midfielder David Burke shared the role and contributee three points.

So in this regard the return of Canning is an additional fillip for the Connacht outfit.