Damien Hayes hits back at Jackie Tyrrell’s ‘rugby’ jibe

By Michael Moynihan

Galway legend Damien Hayes has rejected Jackie Tyrrell’s description of the Tribesmen as resembling “a rugby team”, calling it “a bit of an insult”.

The former Kilkenny defender was widely quoted yesterday on Galway’s physical size ahead of this weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Clare.

“If Clare are to beat them, they will have to do something different, they will have to drag them around the place,” said Tyrrell.

“That’s easy to say, but hard to do. Joseph Cooney drops back into space and they are just huge men. When you watch them standing side by side for ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’, it’s like looking at a rugby team.”

Hayes was having none of that, describing the comment as “cheap”.

“I saw that, I think it’s a bit of an insult,” said Hayes.

“Jackie’s saying that to get himself onto the media. It’s a bit of a negative comment. Show me one of the Galway players that’s been outsprinted in a game? They’re very athletic.

“I think the Galway players are a lot more than rugby players. They’re a big team, there aren’t too many small guys on it. Someone said to me recently that I was one of the smallest on the Galway team in recent years, but none of those players are slow. They’re all athletes and can see out a 70-minute game, no problem. I think that’s a little bit cheap, now.”

As for the game, Hayes pointed to Clare and Galway being familiar with each other.

“I think it’ll be a great game — two great games, both semi-finals — but in Galway-Clare it’ll come down to what Clare team turns up on the day. People forget that Clare won the All-Ireland in 2013 and a lot of those lads are still involved; Gavin Keary from Loughrea is involved with Clare and he’d know all the Galway lads, he’s a club man of Johnn Coen.

“Clare will know the Galway lads well from college over the years, the likes of Pat O’Connor from Tubber would have gone to school in Gort, for example.

“Looking at the last time they played, for a finish Galway bullied Clare in Thurles (All-Ireland SHC quarter-final 2016, 2-17 to 0-17), but this weekend the question is will Clare go for it? They can bring two different teams to a game, one that’s up for it and sees it out for 70 minutes as a team, or one that’s full of individuals.”

Hayes pointed to Galway’s experience and settled line-up as key factors.

“We all know that Clare have great hurlers all over the field, but Galway are very experienced now. Micheal Donoghue (Galway manager) likes to stick with a settled team. If you look at Galway over the last two to three years, they’re operating with the same maybe 18/19 players, particularly when it comes to the business end of the season, the big championship games.

“They’re the lads he knows he can trust and, apart from James Skehill coming into goal, it’s the exact same.

“The only change, really, is whether they start Niall Burke or not, or whether Johnny Glynn starts.

“Galway are very settled, and that’s a major advantage, particularly in the backline.”

The build-up in Galway hasn’t been as fevered as last season, when the men in maroon won the All-Ireland, but the Hayes family business has outlets in both counties and the slagging has been sharp.

“I think the atmosphere is definitely a bit more low-key after last year in Galway, but from working in our garage below in Ennis I see a good bit of excitement in Clare, lads beeping their car horns at us.

“We have a Galway flag and a Clare flag flying outside the garage, we have Galway staff and Clare staff and the banter is great... The postman just shouted at me out of the van there, asking me if Clare have any chance, all that kind of stuff. I’ll be at the match on Saturday, but that’s shaping up to be a pretty busy day, because we’re involved in the (S)KODA Ring of Clare Cycle as well that morning.”

The (S)KODA Ring of Clare Cycle will take place on Saturday, starting and finishing in Ennis.

Registration on Friday at 4.30pm-8.30pm at Al Hayes (S)koda garage on the Gort Road, Ennis. Event sign-on starts at 7.30am on Saturday at the event office beside the Clarecastle GAA clubhouse.