Henry Shefflin prepared for 'strange' experience of facing Kilkenny

Galway got back to winning ways on Saturday after a comfortable 25 point victory over Westmeath in round two of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship Round 2, Pearse Stadium, Galway 23/4/2022

Galway 3-36 Westmeath 1-17

Henry Shefflin said it will, of course, be unusual for him to facing up to Brian Cody and his native Kilkenny next Sunday but he has had ample time to prepare for it.

Indeed, it will probably be a relief to have this one out of the way and let the rest of the summer take its course but having blown a winning hand in Wexford on the opening night, at least they are going into the showdown with the Cats on the back of a very impressive display, not least with their shooting on a windy evening in Salthill.

Shefflin knows the build-up to Sunday will be a lot about him plotting the downfall of the black and amber, but he’s had time to prepare for that.

“I've a job to do. When I became Galway manager, it was to go up and try and manage and lead a group of players and that's what I'm striving to do. It'll be different, of course it will. But my job is to try and get the best from these players and that's the ultimate aim of this group.

“It's about preparing, preparing properly and preparing respectfully to the opposition and then trying to impose our game. And I think we've seen flashes of that over the last two weeks and it would be great to see a fuller performance. Obviously, that's what we need when we're coming up against a massive challenge that is Kilkenny.

“Of course, it will be strange but I made peace with that a while ago when I took on this job. I said I've a job to do and it's to try and get the best out of this group of players and that's what we're striving to do. I think the players inside in the room are putting in a massive effort and any more than that, we can't ask for.

“It's a massive one for both teams, obviously. It's 'Game 3'. It's going to swing a lot in terms of where teams are going to finish at the end of this campaign so of course it's a big game. But every game is. This match this evening was a big game for us. We'll recover. It's eight days now and we'll recover properly and just try and be ready for the challenge that's coming which is going to be a massive challenge obviously.” 

Galway look set to again be without Conor Whelan and there are concerns around captain Daithi Burke and wing-back Padraic Mannion, both of whom were withdrawn on Saturday, but 13 players hit the target in this one, with Joseph Cooney leading the way with 1-5 from play and newcomer Cianan Fahy hitting 1-4.

They blitzed Westmeath from the outset and shot 2-20 from their first 23 shots before recording half a dozen wides before the interval.

Both midfielders and all six forwards hit the target from play by the 16th minute, while wing-backs Padraic Mannion and Fintan Burke also hit the target from distance in an awesome display of shooting. Ten players hit the target for Galway in the opening half as they built up a 2-25 to 0-8 interval lead.

Fahy got the opening goal after 13 minutes to lead by 1-8 to 0-1, while Joseph Cooney finished a great move for the second one five minutes later.

Westmeath, who pushed Kilkenny last weekend for long periods, just had no answer even though Killian Doyle produced a masterclass in free-taking and ended up with a haul of 0-14.

“Galway were electric in that first 10 or 15 minutes,” said Westmeath manager Joe Fortune. “They really went for the jugular. I'm not surprised with the standard of hurler that they have as well. We stood off them in the first half, I thought, but look you have to give commendation to Henry and the way he set up.” 

Westmeath rallied somewhat after the restart with Derek McNicholas getting in for a goal after 40 minutes, while Doyle’s accuracy kept chipping away at the lead.

But Galway pulled away again and Conor Cooney blasted home a 56th minute penalty after he himself was fouled by Robbie Greville, who was black-carded.

Galway: É Murphy; J Grealish, Daithí Burke, D Morrissey (0-1); P Mannion (0-2), G McInerney, F Burke (0-1); David Burke (0-3), C Mannion (0-4); T Monaghan (0-1), C Cooney (1-8, 1-0 pen, 0-5f), J Cooney (1-5); E Niland (0-2), C Fahy (1-4), B Concannon (0-2). 

Subs: T Killeen for P Mannion (half-time) K Cooney for Monaghan (52), G Lee (0-2) for Niland (59), É Burke (0-1) for C Cooney (63), J Coen for Daithi Burke (71).

Westmeath: C Bracken; C Shaw, T Doyle, J Bermingham (0-1); A Craig, R Greville, J Galvin; C Boyle, K Regan (0-1); D Glennon (0-1), D McNicholas (1-0), J Boyle; K Doyle (0-14, 0-12f, 0-1’65), N O’Brien, N Mitchell. 

Subs: C Kane for C Boyle, O McCabe for McNicholas (51), A Cox for T Doyle (52), J Gillen for (58), S McGovern for O’Brien (65).

Referee: Patrick Murphy (Carlow).