Don’t expect the nets to dance in quarter-finals
Of the four teams in action in Thurles, Galway are by far and away the best goal-scorers these last six seasons. In fact, you have to go back to 2008 to the last time they failed to average more than two goals per championship game.
Neither Dublin or Waterford have averaged over two goals since 2010 at least and Cork have managed it just once in that same period.
However, what Galway are facing in Semple Stadium is a Cork side that has not only been refortified in their last two qualifier games but a county who have conceded an average of just one goal per championship outing these last four years. With goals coming at such a premium this year compared to previous seasons (there’s almost one goal less per match this summer), that advantage may appear to be with Cork.
Galway, though, will be buoyed by the lack of a veritable goal threats at their end of the field. Cork have barely scraped over the one goal per game mean since 2011, a season in which their figure jumped because of their 10-goal rout of Laois in a qualifier in O’Moore Park.
Waterford shouldn’t be too perturbed about Dublin’s goalscoring acumen this decade, never mind these last few months. They’ll have noticed Dublin’s only three-pointers this summer outside of the Laois game were a consolation effort in the Leinster quarter-final replay against Galway and a mix-up between the Limerick full-backs the last day out in Thurles.
However, while Waterford boast the best defensive return in terms of goal concession of the quartet — one goal in two games — they have been leaky in the past. Like Cork, their numbers are warped by 2011 when Tipperary took them for seven goals in that year’s Munster final.
Sunday might not be as cagey as the qualifiers were 15 days previous but don’t expect the nets to dance.
