Galway stake All-Ireland claim with Westmeath win

DARK HORSES: Galway’s Shane Walsh and Danny Scahill of Westmeath. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.

Galway 3-21 (3-1-19) Westmeath 2-21 (2-3-15)

Even though the final margin was close, for much of this contest Westmeath were second-best. In a wide-open championship, Galway demonstrated why they are again a serious threat.

Now, we note with amusement in some quarters how Galway are a popular dark horse pick year after year despite just two final appearances since Pádraic Joyce’s ten-point masterclass in 2001.

They have obvious limitations that will come under further scrutiny, but let’s start with the strengths they showed on Sunday in front of a sellout crowd in Pearse Stadium, the first time the Salthill venue had a full house since 2003.

Their gigantic men around the middle conquered centre field, winning 67% of their own kick-outs and 54% of Westmeath’s. Cein D’Arcy was named Man of the Match and afterwards Joyce revealed their internal stats system credited him with winning eight of nine contested kick-outs. Paul Conroy kicked five points, including their sole two-pointer.

They looked to go direct too, kicking goalward towards Matthew Tierney and later Damien Comer. After much work on short kick-outs following the Connacht final malfunction, Fionn McDonagh getting his hand to Jason Daly’s restart and sending Shane Walsh clear for an early goal was a reward for the effort invested.

Cian Hernon scorched past John Heslin for a second goal while also keeping the Westmeath captain scoreless from play. The crucial blow for the Leinster champions came on the stroke of half-time. They were four down and in possession, working a promising score until Sam McCartan dropped a shot short.

It was punished mercilessly. Paul Conroy kicked to Walsh. He floated a delivery to the back post and Tierney punched it in. Ronan Wallace’s fortunate goal after Kevin O’Sullivan had been blocked down had them in a workable position against the breeze, but the concession of such a soft score was costly.

Now, some of Galway's vulnerabilities were revealed in the final quarter. Robbie Forde curled over a superb two-pointer before Kevin O’Sullivan raced down the wing and found Jack Duncan at the back post for a tap-in goal. How Joyce’s defence deal with such pace and directness will be examined to the maximum in HQ.

McCartan boomed over another two to set up a grandstand finish, yet Galway showed lessons learned from their last defeat. With 30 seconds remaining, Gleeson sent a kick-out long and Comer claimed it. Substitute Shane McGrath fisted over instead of slipping it across to Shane Walsh, who was disappointed not to add to his 1-4 tally. Nevertheless, the job was done.

For Westmeath, the toll of a phenomenal and taxing campaign showed here. Ray Connellan limped off early in the second half having appeared to hurt his ankle contesting the throw-in. Matthew Whittaker once more was unable to finish a game.

Galway’s Dylan McHugh after the game. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.

As for Joyce’s side, the challenge of this new format and this championship is to take setbacks, weaponise them and become better. Galway did that in several ways. The improvement in their press, the evolution of their attack, even something as simple as a free-kick.

In the Connacht final, they had a sideline and a free in their own half that they were unable to retain. After a high Wallace hit on Hernon, they had another free in their own half on Sunday.

This time, they did something dramatically different. They pulled as many as nine players behind the ball. Westmeath squeezed up in a bid to stop the kick going short.

That left a vast amount of space in the opposite half. Dylan McHugh worked it up the line and the Barna clubman was able to roll a shot into the bottom corner.

Here is what the game is about now. Develop some strengths, endure plenty of setbacks, recover from that disappointment, learn from it, accept the usual breaks and bounces that need to go your way and keep going.

Whoever does it best will be All-Ireland champions.

Scorers for Galway: Walsh 1-4 (1 f); M. Tierney 1-2; P. Conroy 0-5 (1 tp); R. Finnerty 0-3; C. Hernon 1-0; C. D’Arcy, S. McGrath 0-2 each; S. Kelly, K. Molloy, D. O’Flaherty 0-1 each.

Scorers for Westmeath: R. Wallace 1-2 (tp); S. McCartan(1 tp) J. Heslin (4 frees) 0-4 each; J. Duncan 1-0; S. Baker 0-2 (1 m); T. Baker, B. Kelly, R. Forde (tp) 0-2 each; R. Connellan, B. Cooney, K. O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

GALWAY: C. Gleeson; J. Glynn, C. Hernon, L. Silke; D. McHugh, J. Daly, S. Kelly; P. Conroy, J. Maher; C. D’Arcy, M. Tierney, C. McDaid; R. Finnerty, F. McDonagh, S. Walsh.

Subs: K. Molloy for Kelly (5-10, Temp); S. McGrath for McDonagh (24); D. Comer for McDaid (50); K. Molloy for Daly (61); D. O’Flaherty for Finnerty (62); S. Mulkerrin for Conroy (66).

WESTMEATH: J. Daly; D. Scahill, C. Drumm, C. Dillon; T. Baker, S. Allen, S. McCartan; B. Cooney, R. Connellan; K. O’Sullivan, R. Wallace, M. Whittaker; S. Baker, J. Heslin, B. Kelly.

Subs: S. Corcoran for S. Baker (5-16, Temp); H. Niall for Cooney (half-time); S. Ormsby for Connellan (40, Inj); J. Duncan for Whittaker (48); S. Corcoran for Kelly (61); R. Forde for Niall (65).

Referee: B. Griffin (Kerry).