Hanley: Displaced Tribe need a provincial mindset

Westmeath boss Brian Hanley believes his native Galway should not underestimate the importance ofprovincial pride when playing in the Leinster senior hurling championship.

Galway defeated the Midlanders 5-19 to 4-12 in Mullingar on Sunday to set up a last four date with Offaly on Jun 17.

But Hanley is concerned that the westerners struggle to understand the significance of the rivalries and history outside of Connacht.

“Being a Connacht man, I didn’t understand this (before taking over Westmeath) but the provincial championship means so much to people within that province. Our Westmeath team, it means an awful lot to them to play in the Leinster championship. It’s a Leinster competition and the Galway dressing room — I didn’t grasp it, and maybe they don’t.

“I have friends in Clare and when they talk about the Munster championship it’s a very, very big thing; that’s something I had to learn and adjust to.

“We don’t have that (in Connacht) and we never had that. Even in the rugby, when we won here the last day (Westmeath beat Antrim in the preliminary round the day of the Heineken Cup final), Leinster were playing and they were all into it because it was Leinster.

“That’s the competition Galway are in. Galway are going to have a tough game against Offaly and if we can have improved them in any way, and hopefully for the rest of the summer — isn’t it great to be a Galway man to be involved with that! Anthony (Cunningham, Galway manager) and I are good friends and we are always in touch with each other — I just wish him the best. He’s a great man and a great manager and I don’t think Galway have anyone better than him and his team of Mattie (Kenny) and Tom (Helebert).”

And Galway must improve. Though they were never in trouble, a young and inexperienced Westmeath side (seven U21s started, three minors finished) still managed to score 4-12. Galway defender and captain Fergal Moore admits such concessions are a cause for concern.

He explained: “We were in control and got lazy, had lapses in concentration though, in fairness to Westmeath, they upped their game. We’re disappointed with those aspects, they showed up a few flaws in our game and it’s good to have that done early — hopefully we’ll change it for the next round. This game was all about getting the win; we’ve done that. Now we can get back to training on Tuesday and correct what we did wrong.”

Moore is forewarned anyway about the threat posed by Offaly. Two years ago, and despite being hot favourites, it took Galway two games to get past a massive Offaly challenge. Now Offaly are back, bigger and better, none more so than ace forward Shane Dooley.

“We have a fairly decent record against them (Galway) in championship, probably feel we could have taken them two years ago,” says Dooley. “We’ll try to get over them this time. It will be a double-header with the footballers and Portlaoise isn’t too far away, so hopefully we’ll have a good crowd.”

They’re going in on a high also, their two-point win over Wexford in Tullamore on Saturday evening a major boost.

“I couldn’t overstate how important it is,” he added; “To come through a game like that, in those conditions (wind and rain), against a team like Wexford, that will bring us on no end.” Those sentiments were shared by veteran Brian Carroll, who contributed two vital points from play to complement a ferocious workrate around the park. “A win is a win but this is the first big win I’ve had in my Leinster championship career and this is my 11th year. I don’t care how we won it, I’m just thrilled — two points to one would have done us!”

Galway now, and Brian can’t wait. “We had a couple of great battles with them two years ago and we can look forward to that.”