Daly and Cunningham happy with extra game

There was no decision yesterday on who goes down to Division 1B next year and no complaints from either manager on the fact they have to go again in six days.

Both Dublin’s Anthony Daly and Galway’s Anthony Cunningham are only too delighted with the extra game.

“I said it to Anthony afterwards, ‘Sure look, we are on the opposite sides in Leinster, isn’t it great practice?’” said Dublin’s Daly.

“It looked like we had it won. We were three up going into injury-time and gave away three scores. Fair play to Galway they never throw in the towel. Joe [Canning] looked sloppy early on, looked rusty, but class is class [10 points in the second half] — you can’t take it off fellas.”

Similar sentiments from Anthony Cunningham: “It’s as good as a month’s training for us, sets us up for the championship.

“We’d have been disappointed to lose but with five minutes to go in normal time it wasn’t looking too good for us, a great fightback, great character shown by this young team and we’d by very happy with that.”

For Galway this was a huge step-up from their performance last time out, a walloping by Kilkenny, exactly what Anthony Cunningham was looking for. Now he wants even more.

“We’re also looking for the Galway supporters to get in behind this young team. It’s not going to be all plain sailing and we’re only a couple of months into it.

“Dublin are an established team now, top four, and you have to take that into account. For us to come here today and get a draw, take it to the wire, is huge for this young team. A lot of people don’t realise that that’s the standard Galway are at, they’re behind the top four.

“We’re very happy with the young players out there today.”