Cyril Farrell: Galway need to start picking on form

PLENTY TO MULL OVER: Galway manager Henry Shefflin dejected after the Leinster SHC final defeat. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher

A three-time All-Ireland senior hurling championship winning manager with Galway, Cyril Farrell believe it's high time the current management start picking the team on form.

Galway were beaten by Kilkenny in Sunday's Leinster senior hurling championship final by a last gasp Cillian Buckley goal. Galway were eight points down at one stage before storming back to lead by two before Buckley's goal.

Speaking on the Irish Examiner's hurling podcast, Farrell said Galway need to start picking the team based on who's performing in training.

"There’s a couple of lads lacking form and they’re picking them. The next day they’ll have to pick whoever is in form in training.

“Because you can’t keep tampering around the whole time. When you pick a lad you’re inclined to leave him on as you have to stand by them.

“It’s go for broke the next day."

Farrell said Galway manager Henry Shefflin and his management team will have to figure out why Galway gave themselves such a mountain to climb in the second half.

"When Henry goes analysing it, it won’t be the last puck of the ball he’ll look at. It’s the eight that they fell down. Kilkenny got four goals. It’s hard to win a match when they score four goals. It was the goals that actually won the match."

Farrell says Galway's biggest weakness is their inability to compete in the air, a problem that is also prevalent in Galway club hurling.

"The big thing yesterday was, Jesus, we were cleaned in the air. Oh good Christ almighty. Both on our own puckouts and theirs, didn’t matter. Every high ball was nearly won by a Kilkenny fella. It’s a weakness in Galway hurling. Whatever the reason is I don’t know.

“We’re not strong in the air. The ones you have to win in the middle third, nothing in the air."

There was some debate as to whether Galway made the right decision in deploying Pádraic Mannion to man-mark Kilkenny captain Eoin Cody. 

Host Anthony Daly was one of those who questioned the decision, arguing it takes away from Mannion as an attacking weapon.

Farrell believes it was the right call, however, due to Galway's struggles to contain Cody in the past.

“I thought it was right because the two games I saw them play, Cody’s gone to town on our corner backs. He’s just too good for them. With the way the modern game is now Pádraic Mannion was wing back and central, he was kind of everywhere.

“You lose a certain amount. You’re robbing from wing back as he’s a good man to read it and good going forward. He’s one of our leaders."

Galway will be grateful to still be alive and Farrell says they can still have a say in the Championship. They will face the winners of Tipperary and Offaly in the quarter-final.

“You have to take it on the chin. The big thing is when they go back (training), probably tomorrow, they’re still in. They’re there with a fighting chance.”