Brian Concannon stars as Galway fire past Waterford in Salthill thriller
Brian Concannon of Galway shoots to score his side's third goal. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Brian Concannon was in exquisite form for Galway as he scored two goals and set up two more in this high-scoring affair in Salthill.
Dominant for a large part of the first half, Waterford were within a point of Galway when Jamie Barron’s point followed Dessie Hutchinson’s superb finish for a goal two minutes into the new half.
However, Galway rallied and led by six at the final water break, 3-22 to 3-16. Sent through by some quick thinking by Joe Canning in the 57th minute, Concannon was one-on-one with Shaun O’Brien and finished with certainty to end the contest.
Down 3-13 to 2-12 at half-time, Waterford led by seven points in the 23rd minute having been up 1-7 to 0-5 at the first-half water break. The interplay of their forwards was a delight to watch while Jack Prendergast was starring at centre-forward and Calum Lyons sniping from half-back.
Their first goal came three minutes in, Shane Bennett catching a long O’Brien puckout and feeding Prendergast to find the net. But for an Eanna Murphy save, Dessie Hutchinson would have added another three minutes later.
At the other end, Conor Cooney had chances to raise a green flag but it wasn’t until the 24th minute that Galway did so, Adrian Tuohey availing a second bite of the cherry having been assisted by Brian Concannon.
In a move initiated by his brother Stephen and carried on by another sibling Kieran, Shane Bennett dropshoted the sliotar to the net in the 28th minute. O’Brien then saved from Conor Whelan but could do little about Canning’s strike in the 33rd for Galway’s second goal, Concannon again providing.
The goal was the first of 2-4 without reply for the hosts and the deadly Concannon turned scorer in additional time. O’Brien was level to the initial shot by Conor Cooney who had been through by Canning but Concannon’s ground stroke was too good.
Brian Concannon’s 57th-minute goal ensured Waterford weren’t going to mount a late revival. It showed great vision by Joe Canning to put the ball over for him and a super execution by Concannon.
The amount of scores. We’ll take the goals but are the points coming too cheap?
Galway know they have a team that can win an All-Ireland. If they can develop a panel, they can repeat their 2017 feat.
The scoreboard operator. We could be mistaken but we might have seen steam coming from the box perched above the Salthill End terrace at one stage. The ink in reporters’ biros are at dangerously low levels.
Five Galway players left the field with injuries from Johnny Coen with a hamstring injury to Canning with a rib complaint. “We had two or three blood, one head and Joe got a bang in the ribs as well so I’m not too sure what the position is injury wise,” said Shane O’Neill. “In fairness to the GAA, the seven subs has proved vital particularly with the way the league games have come thick and fast, particularly as well when we only had a three-week lead-in.”
The decision to move Jack Prendergast to centre-forward against Daithí Burke worked extremely well in the first half. Galway were more flexible though and able to get the most out of Canning in different areas. Even as Concannon ran riot, Liam Cahill stuck with Conor Gleeson.
Conor Whelan picked up the crystal afterwards and he was a contender as was Canning but Brian Concannon’s touch of magic in each of the goals - Canning was involved in three - made a hell of a difference.
Galway didn’t win a scorable free in the second half but then they didn’t need to. A good show from Fergal Horgan although he clearly has his own interpretation of the new advantage rule.
Galway head to Cork for their final round game on Sunday at the same 1.45pm time Waterford entertain Tipperary. A win for Galway and anything less than one for Tipperary will see Galway finish top of Division 1, Group A.
J. Canning (1-8, 0-5 frees); B. Concannon (2-2); C. Whelan (0-6); E. Niland (0-4); A. Tuohey (1-0); S. Loftus (0-3); C. Mannion, C. Cooney (0-2 each); Daithí Burke (0-1).
Stephen Bennett (0-8, 5 frees, 2 65s); D. Hutchinson (1-3); C. Lyons (0-5); J. Prendergast (1-2); Shane Bennett (1-1); N. Montgomery, K. Bennett. J. Barron, P. Curran (0-1 each).
E. Murphy; S. Cooney, G. McInerney, D. Morrissey; P. Mannion (c), D. Burke, F. Burke; S. Loftus, J. Coen; A. Tuohey, C. Mannion, J. Canning; B. Concannon, C. Cooney, C. Whelan.
E. Niland for J. Coen (inj 30); A. Harte for S. Cooney (blood, 35+4); J. Fitzpatrick for A. Harte (inj 39); J. Cooney for A. Tuohey (49); TJ Brennan for F. Burke (61); S. Linnane for S. Loftus (62); K. Cooney for J. Canning (64); C. Walsh for J. Fitzpatrick (blood 70+2).
S. O’Brien; C. Gleeson, C. Prunty, S. McNulty; C. Lyons, A. Gleeson, S. Keating; J. Barron, J. Dillon; N. Montgomery, J. Prendergast, K. Bennett; Shane Bennett, Stephen Bennett, D. Hutchinson.
J. Fagan for N. Montgomery (51); D. Lyons for J. Dillon, P. Curran for S. Bennett (both 54); B. Power for K. Bennett, K. Moran for A. Gleeson (both 59); S. Fives for S. Keating (67).
F. Horgan (Tipperary).
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