Cooney predicts a cracker in Limerick

IF THE experience of Joe Cooney — one of the finest Galway hurlers of the past three decades — is anything to go by, this Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier knockout game between Galway and Cork in the Gaelic Grounds is sure to have two very definite elements.

“Whenever we played Cork, we were guaranteed two things; there wouldn’t be much in it, and it would be good hurling, very open. You went out to win but you went out to play as well, that applied to both teams, and I don’t think it has changed very much over the years.”

Could it be, however, that this Saturday’s game may be a little different?

These are tense times in Galway, reflected in the fact that no-one from either the management or the panel is prepared to talk to the media, even though manager John McIntyre is himself a media man — sports editor of the Connacht Tribune — might that tension result in a tightness for this game?

“I suppose John feels under a bit of pressure now to deliver an All-Ireland, if they can get that far,” says Joe; “Things didn’t go well at all for them against Dublin (hugely disappointing Leinster semi-final loss) but the team looked overtrained to me, tired — Dublin seemed to be fresher.

” You can understand fellas being beaten to a few balls but Dublin seemed to be winning most of the breaks —Galway were totally different then against Clare, the bit of freshness seemed to be back.”

That was last Saturday evening, Galway back to the form they showed last year with a thoroughly convincing trouncing of Clare. Very positive signs, says Joe, a few positional and personnel changes also making a difference.

“Shane Kavanagh had played very well last year at full-back but he was on the wing against Dublin — they reverted back to having Shane at full-back and Tony Óg at centre-back and those changes worked, along with Ger Farragher and Iarla Tannian returning up front. Iarla is only just back from injury so there’s even more to come from him. The freshness was the big thing though, they didn’t have it against Dublin.”

Another positive development was the support — the Galway supporters came out in their thousands against Clare. It didn’t surprise Joe one bit. “I read a comment where John McIntyre suggested that some people came to see Galway being beaten but I don’t think that was the case.

“It was a lovely Saturday evening, at home, and if you didn’t go to support them that day, you’d never go. There’s always good support for Galway hurlers. Then you have the fact that hurling is strong in the southern half of Galway, Clare are our nearest neighbours, so there’s a very good rivalry there.”

A very good rivalry with Cork also, so another good crowd expected in the Gaelic Grounds this Saturday.

“There is, and that will be a factor. Two strong hurling counties, a huge game; this is do-or-die and both of them will be going hard at it. A great test too — win and you never know what will happen, how far you’ll go after that, lose and you’re out and you know then all the talk there will be after that. Denis Walsh is in his third year in Cork, he’ll probably be under pressure as well.”

And a winner? “It’s 50/50 on Saturday, with maybe Galway just a little bit ahead of Cork in their development, Cork with a good few new fellas coming on the scene. But, there won’t be much in it.”