Moore: Absolute focus essential again

Lost in the discussion after the drawn All-Ireland final about whether or not Henry Shefflin should have gone for a goal from the 68th minute penalty was the fact that earlier, the same man had stood over an ordinary 20m free and went for glory.

In the 16th minute, a rampant Galway led 1-2 to 0-1 and were threatening to do what they’d done in the Leinster final and swamp Kilkenny early. Henry stepped forward to take the free. He stood over the ball. No big run-up. No indicator that this was going to be anything other than a regular tap-over. But Henry went for goal and drilled it low and left.

Another defence might have been caught napping. Fergal Moore wasn’t. The Galway captain, one of the most experienced players on the team, stepped into the shot and the ball deflected out for a 65. To add insult to Kilkenny injury, Henry missed what would have been another normal tap-over for him, even from that distance to be denied on the double.