Dublin beat 14-man Galway to book Leinster final spot and end Tribesmen's summer

It's the end of the road for Henry Shefflin's men after defeat in Salthill.

Sun, 26 May, 2024 - 17:46

John Fallon

Leinster SHC: Dublin 2-27 Galway 1-24

Henry Shefflin’s Galway were sent crashing out of this year’s hurling championship as Dublin produced their best display since Micheal Donoghue took charge last season to book a place in the Leinster final.

Donoghue managed his native Galway to the 2017 All-Ireland crown. His pacey Dublin side made the most of a controversial red card to David Burke, who skippered the Tribesmen to that title seven years ago, after just 16 minutes.

Burke was dismissed after Cork referee Colm Lyons adjudged that a late shoulder charge on Fergal Whitely merited red, a decision hotly disputed by the experienced Burke, who was playing his 75th championship game, and the Galway management.

RED CARD for Galway's David Burke after a challenge on Fergal Whitely
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Dublin were five points adrift at that stage but they used the extra man well, getting the deficit down to two by the break and then made the most of the wind after the restart to put a disappointing Galway side to the sword.

Dublin, forced to start without hamstring victim Cian O’Sullivan, won the toss and opted to play into the strong wind in the opening half, and were in a very strong position when they went in trailing by just two points at the break at 0-19 to 2-11.

Galway shot ten wides with the wind but by the break eleven different scorers — everyone from the full-back line forward — had hit the target for Shefflin’s men.

But they suffered three big blows in that opening half, with Dublin hitting for goals at the start and towards the end of the half, while the dismissal of Burke changed the dimension of the game.

At that stage Galway were leading by 0-9 to 1-2 but in the next eight minutes Dublin outscored them by 0-6 to 0-2, with Donal Burke leading the way for Dublin.

They enjoyed a huge boost after just 40 seconds when Brian Hayes set up Sean Currie for the opening goal when he finished the rebound after Darach Fahy had saved his initial effort.

Burke hit 1-6 for Dublin in the opening half, all but two points of it from play, striking a huge blow three minutes from the break when he finished low to the net after being set up by Dara Purcell.

Dublin took control after the restart and hit Galway for six points without reply in the opening eleven minutes with Chris Crummey, who finished with 0-4 from wing-back, leading the way along with Burke.

Galway were unable to cope with Dublin’s pace and aerial power and the Tribesmen managed only three pointed frees from Evan Niland in the opening 27 minutes of the second half.

Dublin hit 0-11 in that segment and by the end 14 players hit the target as they picked off some great scores.

Galway drafted in Johnny Glynn, who had come back from America for this year’s championship, but he lasted just four minutes before going off with a shoulder injury.

Galway, trailing by 2-22 to 0-22, got a glimmer of hope from another substitute when Declan McLoughlin blasted home a goal after 62 minutes.

But the Dublin response was good. Darragh Power, drafted in when O’Sullivan was ruled out, brought his haul to three points and when Tom Monaghan replied for Galway, Dublin hit the next three points from skipper Paddy Smyth, Conor Donoghue and Colin Currie to kill off any notion of a revival as they ran out deserved winners.

They will now face Kilkenny in the Leinster final, while it remains to be seen if Shefflin remains in charge of Galway with his third year in charge coming to an end with this loss.

Scorers for Dublin: D Burke 1-10 (0-3f, 0-2 ’65), C Crummey 0-4, D Power 0-3, S Currie 1-0, F Whitely 0-1, C Burke 0-1, B Hayes 0-1, J Bellew 0-1, R Hayes 0-1, D Purcell 0-1, D Sutcliffe 0-1, P Smyth 0-1, C Donoghue 0-1, C Currie 0-1.

Scorers for Galway: E Niland 0-8 (0-6f), C Cooney 0-3, D McLoughlin 1-0, T Monaghan 0-2, J Cooney 0-2, C Fahy 0-2, G Lee 0-1, S Linnane 0-1, J Flynn 0-1, David Burke 0-1, C Whelan 0-1, P Mannion 0-1, A Tuohey 0-1.

Dublin: S Brennan; J Bellew, E O'Donnell, P Smyth; C Crummey, C Donohoe, P Doyle; B Hayes, C Burke; D Sutcliffe, D Burke, S Currie; F Whiteley, D Purcell, R Hayes. Subs: C Currie for Whiteley (17-19), D Purcell for Whitely (47), Currie for Purcell (57), M Grogan for R Hayes (68), L Murphy for B Hayes (73).

Galway: D Fahy; J Grealish, Daithi Burke, F Burke; A Tuohey, P Mannion, C Fahy; David Burke, S Linnane; G Lee, J Flynn, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Cooney, E Niland. Subs: 24 C Mannion for Linnane (44), J Glynn for Flynn (44), T Monaghan for Glynn (49), D Mc Loughlin for J Cooney (60), R Glennon for C Fahy (67).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).