Galway gained nothing from Limerick stroll, says John McIntyre

Limerick’s poor display in last weekend’s Allianz HL semi-final did nothing to prepare Galway for Sunday’s decider against All-Ireland champions Tipperary, according to former Tribes boss and Tipp hurler John McIntyre.

While McIntyre warned that Micheál Donoghue’s charges should read nothing into last Sunday’s contest at the Gaelic Grounds, he is confident management won’t allow complacency to creep into the camp off the back of their 1-21 to 1-11 win.

“The Galway team hardly need any reminding that what is coming down the tracks at the same venue on Sunday will be the difference between a Japanese bullet train and an old steam engine,” he wrote in the Connacht Tribune.

“Given Limerick were so far off the pace, the Galway camp won’t be losing the run of themselves.

"We will know a lot more about their true worth after this weekend’s big clash. Both teams will desperately want to win, ensuring this result can be taken at face value.”

McIntrye described Limerick’s ongoing failure to bring through the underage talent of recent years as a crisis and predicts an early summer exit for John Kiely’s side.

“The silence told its own story, that the Limerick supporters simply don’t believe in their team, as there was a hardly a murmur of excitement when captain Diarmuid Byrnes led his men onto the Gaelic Grounds last Sunday.

The bottom line is that Limerick have disappointed too often in the games that count. It is no wonder they have been stuck for so long in Division 1B.

“Ironically, they have been competitive at underage, but nurturing the talent through to senior level continues to be problematic.

"Their failure to develop talented players is reaching something of a crisis level and unless the squad can turn itself inside out in a matter of weeks, the Shannonsiders are heading for another early championship exit.”

McIntrye oversaw the county’s last league success, in 2010, and he feels the seven-year gap can be bridged if the Galway rearguard can stifle a forward unit averaging 2-21 per game this spring.

“With management reporting a clean bill of health, they will have little scope for peddling excuses if coming up short again on Sunday. Similar to the All-Ireland champions, the Galway forwards are also delivering the goods at the present time.

"And with the in-form David Burke and Johnny Coen doing well at midfield, they have a sporting chance of pulling off what would constitute a minor upset. The key question is can the Galway defence hold the Tipperary forwards?”