Niland leads the way as Galway minors power past Cork 

Galway progressed to an All-Ireland minor final against neighbours Clare

FRONT FOOT: Aaron Niland of Galway in action against Cillian O'Callaghan of Cork during the Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship Semi-Final match between Galway and Cork at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

All-Ireland MHC semi-final: Cork 1-10 Galway 3-18 

A sixth consecutive double-digits win elevated Galway into an All-Ireland minor final against neighbours Clare, powered by 1-11 from Aaron Niland.

Cork were dogged in their chase and Barry O’Flynn put a first goal past Galway keeper Shane Murray in almost five hours of hurling but the Westerners were never rattled. They closed it out with a goal from substitute Harry Holmes.

The first half was nip and tuck, with more wides than scores in the first quarter.

Points from Barry Walsh, Jayden Casey, Finn O’Brien, and O’Flynn had Cork a point ahead after 16 minutes but Galway outscored them by 2-5 to 0-1 from there to the break.

Star man Niland started with two wides from placed balls but he demonstrated impressive resolve to settle himself thereafter. His third pointed free brought them level.

Galway kept patient with their short-passing game and they began to work goal chances from the space created. Niland, with a shortened grip, got a shot off in a phone box but Fionn Murphy was equal to it.

Then, Jason Rabbitte drifted inside and after initially falling to the ground, he found his feet to collect Seán Murphy’s delivery and produce a dizzying turn to allow the finish.

And after a Ben Walsh pointed response, Niland picked up on a loose ball, stepped away from two pursuers, and rifled a bullet to the far corner.

A Conor Gilligan effort, tiptoeing along the sideline, and two more Niland frees padded their half-time lead out to nine, 2-8 to 0-5.

Kieran ‘Fraggy’ Murphy brought on Seán O’Callaghan and Conor McCarthy (Glen Rovers) at the break and they made an impact. The latter was involved in the breakthrough goal in the 39th minute.

He fed Barry Walsh who charged through two tacklers before offloading to O’Brien. His initial shot was blocked on the line by Thomas Blake but O’Flynn followed in to finish.

Casey opened up Galway with a show of pace but Murray saved, although it was called back for a free. Walsh tapped that over and added another from play. Suddenly, the deficit was three, 2-9 to 1-9.

Galway would outscore them by 1-9 to 0-1 from there to the finish.

A HawkEye point by Colm Burke, and the break in arbitrating on it, settled the Tribesmen as they clipped the next 1-4, culminating in a goal from Holmes, created by Ed O’Reilly.

That put 11 in it although Cork kept plugging away, with two close-range Barry Walsh frees saved and Murray denying Brian Lynch too.

Scorers for Cork: B O’Flynn (1-2); Barry Walsh (0-5, 3 frees); Ben Walsh, J Casey, F O’Brien (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galway: A Niland (1-11, 0-10 frees); J Rabbitte, H Holmes (1-1); C Gilligan (0-2); C Killeen, C Burke, M Fallon (0-1 each).

CORK: F Murphy (Killeagh); C O’Callaghan (Dungourney), D McCarthy (Passage), C Cronin (Midleton); J Galvin (Éire Óg), Ben Walsh (Killeagh), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); J O’Leary (Lisgoold), B O’Flynn (Sarsfields); J Murphy (Dromina), J Casey (Youghal, capt), Z Biggane (Charleville); R Dooley (Douglas), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), F O’Brien (Erins Own).

Subs: S O’Callaghan (Aghada) for Galvin (h-t), C McCarthy (Glen Rovers) for J Murphy (h-t), O O’Callaghan (Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels) for J O’Leary (49), P Walsh (Carrigtwohill) for Dooley (53), B Lynch (Youghal) for O’Flynn (54).

GALWAY: S Murray (Kilconieron); T Blake (Oranmore-Maree), S Murphy (Clarinbridge, capt), G King (Castlegar); D Quirke (Athenry), D Campbell (Cappataggle), E O’Reilly (Liam Mellows); M Burke (Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough), C Killeen (Loughrea); C Gilligan (Craughwell), C Burke (Oranmore-Maree), J Rabbitte (Athenry); B Callanan (Ardrahan), D Counihan (Clarinbridge), A Niland (Clarinbridge).

Subs: H Holmes (Ballygar) for Callanan (39), M Fallon (Clarinbridge) for Campbell (50), Stephen Keane (Sarsfields) for M Burke (55), J Donnellan (Pádraig Pearses) for Blake (58), E Mulleady (Kilconieron) for Killeen (59).

Referee: T Gleeson (Dublin).