Galway 5-19 Antrim 2-7Despite taking an emphatic victory in this All-Ireland minor hurling quarter-final, Galway manager Mattie Murphy was making grave remarks about his team after the match.
His side had just routed struggling Antrim with 21 points to spare at Croke Park when Murphy conceded: "I am not satisfied with the overall performance of my team."
When it was put to him that maybe some of his players may not have had the motivation because they were so far ahead, Murphy insisted that the big incentive for them all was to keep their places for the next match against Tipperary.
The fact that Murphy's team shot a total of 20 wides in the game is evidence enough that there is an element of truth in Murphy's comments.
The floodgates may not have opened in a manner expected after Niall Healy, Denis Reilly and Cian Burke gave Galway a three point advantage before Antrim knew what was happening.
Joe Scullion, the Antrim midfielder was deadly with the placed ball and kept his team in reasonable touch before Aongus Callanan and Niall Callanan benefited from the distribution work of Healy to rattle in a goal and a point in quick succession in the 14th minute.
Still, Antrim corner forward Stephen McGarry quickly pulled a goal back and both John Mead and Patrick Cunningham earned applause for their daring runs.
There was only five points between them coming up to the interval when Aongus Callanan drove to the net for a 2-9 to 1-4 interval lead.
The gap opened up with a goal from Healy within a couple of minutes of the restart. At this juncture it had to be conceded that there was no way back for Antrim.
Cunningham found Niall Grego unmarked inside the Galway cover and the latter shot to the net. It was the sort of thing that perhaps made Murphy insist that his full back line did not play up to scratch.
"We will not progress if we don't improve," he asserted after the victory.
GALWAY: A Ryan; T Linnane, S Kennedy, D Kennedy; D Ryan, J Lee, M Donnellan; D Kelly (0-1), C Burke (0-1); N Callanan (0-1), C Donnellan, D Garvey (O-1); D Reilly (1-3), A Callanan (3-4), N Healy (1-5). Subs. K Hynes for C Donnellan (40 mins), P Madden for S Kennedy (55 mins), K Wade (0-1) for Garvey (55 mins), E Fenton (0-2) for A Callanan (56 mins).
ANTRIM: R McGarry; N Rooney, J McKeague, L Knocker; K Connolly, N McCallin, R McDonnell; J Mead, J Scullion (0-3, three frees); C Boyle, A Ó Cearulain, P Cunningham (0-3); S McGarry (1-1), D Laverty, N Grego (1-0). Subs: B McDermott for Rooney (25 mins), D Webb for Boyle (48 mins), P Shivers for O Cearulain (58 mins) L Bole for Laverty (59 mins).
Referee: F Smith (Meath).
