Galway Advertiser 2007/2007_08_30/GA_3008_E1_142.pdf 

Extracted text

142

SPORT

August 30 2007

Galway storm into under 21 final following Thurles thriller
Galway Cork
(after extra time) BY FRANK KEARNEY This game was not for the faint hearted as it took two periods of extra time before Galway finally saw of the challenge of Cork in the Erin All Ireland under 21 hurling semi final at Semple Stadium, Thurles, on Saturday. In the All Ireland minor final victories of 2004 and 2005 two players emerged to score two goals each in Croke Park as Galway captured minor titles, and on Saturday last these two players again, as Galway substitutes, came off the bench to become valuable goal scorers as Galway saw off the Cork challenge. Barry Hanley scored two goals when helping Galway to their All Ireland success in 2004 and last Saturday came off the bench to score a crucial goal at the start of extra time that paved the way for Galway's victory. In 2005 Conor Kavanagh scored a brace of goals in helping Galway minors retain their All Ireland crown, and on Saturday last scored a crucial goal for Galway under 21 side at the start of the second half that put Galway in front, after he too came off the bench. The one thing that is clearly demonstrated is the depth of the Galway panel, and they now face into an All Ireland final buoyed up with confidence as they will meet

4-21 Leinster champions Dublin 2-18
on September 9. Galway's lack of match practice was never in evidence as the Tribesmen tore into the Rebels, but at the end of an absorbing encounter, the biggest difficulty that the management team have is what players to start when they take on Dublin in the final. The switching of Ger Mahon to full back and the moving of Joe Canning to centre forward proved to be master stroke and these two changes will have to be considered come final day. Conor Kavanagh and Barry Hanley will be fighting for starting places but so too will David Kennedy, John Greene, and Enda Collins. It is a great complaint for the selectors to have, but there is little doubt, they will try to get the right blend for the final.

Joe Canning was outstanding for Galway last Saturday.

So many heroes
The Galway followers who attended Semple Stadium were treated to a classic and in the end while the Tribesmen showed grit and hunger to survive, they produced sheer class in extra time. They had many heroes but none more so than the brilliant James Skehill in goal. Time and again he produced outstanding saves that kept Galway in the game. Kerril Wade, Conor Kavanagh, Martin Ryan and others would also be vying as strong contenders, and

while Joe Canning was awarded the TG4 crystal, many of the others could have walked away with it and no one would have complained. Galway started in a brisk manner and had Cork in trouble in the early minutes. Talisman Joe Canning hit a super strike from the wing either side of Kerril Wade's placed balls and the Tribesmen had opened up a three point advantage by the fourth minute. Cork had a string of dangerous players and Pa Cronin and Kevin Canty had Cork points before the Rebel boys hit Galway with a sucker

blow when Pat Horgan broke inside poor Galway defending and crashed the ball to the Galway net. The Tribesmen were not going to be unsettled easily and points from Keith Kilkenny, Kerril Wade and Kevin Hynes put Galway back in front but the lead was to be taken away quickly again. Galway defence were struggling every time that Cork came at them, and after Galway missed chances to go further ahead, the Rebel county struck a second major when Eoin Murphy delivered a cross into the path of Colm O'Neill who beat the advancing `keeper James Skehill to bat the ball into the Galway net. Instead of this score knocking the stuffing out of the Tribesmen it had the reverse effect and from the puck out Sean Glynn found Finian Coone who split the Cork defence and rifled the ball to the net, and at the

end of the opening quarter the scoreboard read Galway 1-6 Cork 2-2 with Galway holding a slight advantage.

Game ebbed and flowed
In the next 10 minutes Cork however dominated and points from Pa Cronin, Pat Hogan, and Lee Desmond helped the Rebels outscore Galway by 0-5 to 01. Sean Glynn had Galway's only replay. Galway defence were under much pressure but the introduction of David Kennedy at midfield, Keith Kilkenny to the wing, and Ger Mahon to full back was to tidy the defence considerably for the Tribesmen. Another Pa Cronin free had Cork leading by 2-8 to 1-9 at the break, despite the fact that Noel Kelly and Kevin Hynes had come through with late points for Galway.

TIPS2WIN Text AD Race to 57777 LIVE UK COMMENTARIES 1560 123 135
Calls to 1550/95c, 1560/1.25, 1580/2.40 per min (incl VAT). Calls from mobiles may cost more. SMS cost 1.50 incl. VAT, network charges apply. Tips2Win is a subscription service. To cancel send STOP to 57777. Over 18's. iTouch 01-4112021.

LIVE UK RESULTS 1550 123 202 TOPTIPS ONLINE 1580 123 966

The second half was only two minutes old when Kavanagh had made his mark on the game. Joe Canning had just sliced over a sideline cut when Kavanagh ran onto a long clearance from Ger Mahon and crashed the ball to the Cork net putting Galway into a lead that they would not lose until the final minutes of the half. Pa Cronin and Cathal Naughton, Cork's most dangerous players, were subdued well by the Galway defence but struck in quick succession to bring Cork to parity after Kavanagh's goal. Galway's two point advantage was quickly restored when Kavanagh and Kerril Wade pointed. Shane O'Neill and Pat Horgan swapped points with Joe Canning and Sean Glynn before Cathal Naughton and Pa Cronin levelled the game six minutes from the end. With just two minutes of normal time remaining Cathal Naughton put Cork ahead for the first time in the second half and it looked curtains for Galway's brave effort. Kerril Wade pointed a free that looked to be enough to save Galway, but there was more twists in the tale to come. As the game trickled into two minutes of injury time Cork substitute Stephen White landed another Cork point that

looked to have settled the result, but again Kerril Wade was called on when he won a free for a nudge in front of the referee and duly split the Cork posts to bring the game to extra time. Joe Canning moved out to the 40 and it proved to be a master stroke. Two minutes into extra time Kerril Wade had forced Cork custodian Kenneth O'Holloran into a super save, but Barry Hanley was in the right position and crashed the ball to the Cork net. Canning added a point and when Pat Horgan watched a goal effort come back off the post, luck had suddenly deserted the Rebel side. Horgan did add a Cork point but Kerril Wade broke through for a second goal in extra time and Galway's fourth. Cork had suddenly run out of steam as Galway led by six points entering the final minutes. Pa Cronin pointed a Cork free at the start of the final period of extra time but it was their last effort. Portumna's Joe Canning took over and Galway claimed a wonderful victory. Galway: J Skehill; A Leech, P Loughnane, K O'Donovan; M Ryan, J Lee, G Mahon; A Harte, K Kilkenny (0-1); S Glynn (0-2), K Hynes (0-2), F Coone (1-0); N Kelly (0-1), J Canning (0-7, 0-1fr, 0-1s/l), K Wade (1-6, 05fr, 0-1'65'). Subs: D Kennedy for Loughnane (29 mins), C Kavanagh (1-2) for Kelly (HT), J Greene for Coone (44 mins), B Hanley (1-0) for Harte (48 mins), E Collins for Glynn (59 mins), F Coone for Hynes (79 mins). Cork: K O'Halloran; J O'Callaghan, E Dillon, C O'Driscoll; S O'Neill (0-1), E Cadogan, A Ryan; L Desmond (0-1), A Mannix; P Cronin (0-7 fr), K Canty (01), C Naughton (0-3); P Horgan (1-3), E Murphy (01), C O'Neill (1-0). Subs: J Halbert for Mannix (23 mins), F O'Leary for O'Neill (43 mins), S White (0-1) for Desmond (52 mins), S Moylan for O'Leary (60 mins), L Desmond for Halbert (70 mins), B Moylan for Desmond (70 mins), M Walsh for Ryan (77 mins). Referee: J (Westmeath). McGrath

GALWAY SWIMMING CLUB
Registration day for Teaching classes and competitive groups Saturday 1st September 2007 11am-1pm at Leisureland, Main Hall
Further information 087 6489238