All-Ireland MHC s-f/Galway 2-19 Tipperary 2-16: A Tipperary goal after only 10 seconds and a point by their goalkeeper Dara Egan coming up to half-time failed to curb the spirit of Matt Murphy's talented Galway squad in an All-Ireland minor hurling semi-final played at blistering pace at Croke Park yesterday.
Both teams came from behind to wipe out serious deficits but Galway edged it in this respect by producing a grandstand winning flourish.
Tipperary manager Paddy McCormack commended his side for a tremendous third-quarter recovery when they wiped out a four-point deficit despite gifting Galway corner forward Derick Reilly a goal through slack marking.
Tipperary eventually went back in front when substitute Dave Young's lob was going right of the Galway posts until it was clipped back into the net, overhead, by Richie Ruth.
That goal, which gave Tipperary a three-point lead, proved the platform for Galway's second major comeback, a winning response largely manufactured through the skills of Niall Healy, Niall Callanan and full forward Aongus Callanan.
Wing forward Niall Callanan was simply superb, hitting three successive points after top scorer Healy and Aongus Callanan had set up the Galway side for their decisive finish.
Murphy was delighted his versatile side had found the form he had been hoping for, while McCormack was correct in submitting that Galway's most important rallying effort came in injury time at the end of the first half, when Reilly, in full flight, cracked home a great goal to earn a 1-9 to 1-8 interval lead.
It was the first of two goals from the Mullagh youth and it rivalled Tipperary goalkeeper Egan's massive point for the score of the match tag.
Egan had made a stunning save from a Declan Garvey strike and also denied Healy before stepping up to take a free five metres inside his own 65-metre line. He drove the ball straight and true over the bar at the Canal End.
In a hectic finish, Tipperary went close to earning a draw when a lob from far out by substitute Joe Cleary almost led to a goal by Ruth, as did a similar last-gasp effort by Paudí Ryan.
GALWAY: A Ryan; T Linnane, G Mahon, D Kennedy; R Whyte, J Lee, M Donnellan; C Burke, D Kelly (0-1); N Callanan (0-4), D Garvey, M Nestor; D Reilly (2-0), A Callanan (0-4, one 65), N Healy (0-10, six frees). Subs: K Hynes for Nestor (39 mins), K Wade for Burke (40 mins), D Ryan for Hynes (46 mins), C Donnellan for M Donnellan (52 mins).
TIPPERARY: D Egan (0-1, free); B O'Sullivan, S Ryan, P Stapleton; B Hanley, N Teehan, C Hayes; K Bergin (0-1, free), R McGrath (0-1); S Long (0-1), D Sheppard, D Morrissey; R Ruth (1-5, four frees), S O'Brien (1-1), D Hickey (0-4). Subs: D Young for Morrissey (38 mins), I Delaney for O'Sullivan (42 mins), J Cleary (0-1, free) for Teehan (54 mins), P Ryan (0-1) for O'Brien (52 mins), C O'Brien for Hickey (56 mins).
Referee: E Morris (Dublin)
