Galway v DublinToday, throw in - 7pm, Semple Stadium Thurles, Live on TG4
THIS EVENING’S Bord Gáis Energy under-21 hurling final proves that what goes around, comes around. A year ago Galway were giving out about having to face a formidable Tipperary team in Thurles a few days after the county had brought home an historic senior All-Ireland.
Now all of the Galway players who lined out 12 months ago – half of the team – have experience of the venue and, for good measure, got to play last month’s semi-final there as well.
And it’s no disrespect to Dublin to say that they’re a less daunting proposition than last year’s winners with their clutch of All Stars.
The Leinster champions are under a curious type of pressure. Although they are outsiders, the county’s desire for a hurling All-Ireland has become almost palpable and last week’s minors, who got stage fright in the final would have been seen as the more likely breakthrough champions.
But Liam Rushe’s team (and the Dublin captain may well have his own All Star by the end of the year) have shown composure under pressure, albeit in the one match of their campaign that was a contest, the Leinster final in Wexford Park when they weathered first-half pressure before storming clear of the team that had eliminated Kilkenny.
Galway have been expected to do well, based on a minor team that was very unlucky not to win an All-Ireland.
They emerged from their first outing, the semi-final against a practised Limerick, with a little to spare and clear indications that the battle this evening will be between the respective captains’ lines.
Galway’s half forwards scored 0-13 from play against Limerick but are likely to find possession more robustly contested with Rushe and fellow senior panellist Martin Quilty in the Leinster champions’ half-back line.
Overall Dublin will put up more physical resistance than Limerick – with their star forward Kevin Downes playing through an injury – managed.
But Galway people are very upbeat about this game and the team is expected to kick on from beating Limerick and give an improved performance.
Ironically, with a lot of the previous attention on Dublin’s bid to win multiple All-Irelands, it’s Galway who have two in the bag (minor hurling and under-21 football) and they are favoured to make it three by tonight.
In the curtain raiser at Semple Stadium (5pm, also live TG4) Westmeath and Kerry contest the under-21 B final.
John Meyler’s Kerry won the title last year with an emphatic win over Meath and this year’s cohort will be expected to retain the title against a Westmeath side that for a while made heavy weather of beating Donegal in the semi-final.
GALWAY: J Ryan; D Connolly, N Donoghue, G O'Halloran; J Grealish, P Gordon, R Foy; J Coen, D Burke; B Daly (capt.), N Burke, T Haran; J Regan, C Cooney, D Glennon. Subs: F Flannery, R Burke, D Cooney, E Fahy, C Flynn, B Burke, D Fox, N Quinn, J Brehony, R Mitchell, S Page, G McInerney, A Armstrong, C McDonagh, R Cummins, M Dolphin.
DUBLIN: G McManus; B O'Carroll, D Kelly, J Doughan; D Curran, L Rushe (capt), M Quilty; C Gough, D Sutcliffe; D Plunkett, M Schutte, T Connolly; K O'Loughlin, N McMorrow, E Dillon. Subs: D Gallagher, F Clabby, S McGrath, S O'Connor, R McMahon, C Murphy, O Ó Maoiléidigh, B Quinn, K Fitzgerald.
Referee: T Carroll(Offaly).
