Every team has their own definition of success, and for some, that means hurling beyond the Galway Races. Because having attended more often than not in recent years, Galway midfielder and vice-captain Andy Smith doesn't want to be anywhere near them this year.
Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork will decide it. And by referencing the Galway Races, which begin on Monday, Smith makes it clear how badly he wants Galway to come out of Thurles on Sunday with the win.
“I definitely don’t want to be in watching the Galway races this year,” says Smith. “Being out in July, again, wouldn’t be acceptable, really. But then you look at Clare, gone the last two years in July, a team won it in 2013. So there are a lot of good quality teams gone out already.
“But for Galway not to have won since 1988, as well, is a bit scary. You see the club success that Galway teams have had, yet not able to put that through into intercounty. I don’t know what’s going wrong. It’s just an enigma, really. . . .”
Yet there are signs Galway have rediscovered the form of 2012, when they took Kilkenny to an All-Ireland final replay. Smith puts that down to several things, mainly attitude, although the problem now is that they’re facing a Cork team with a similar attitude of their own.
“I would hope we are back to 2012 form,” he says. “And I think we are, yeah. If we click, and bring the proper attitude and proper game.”
Final defeat
Indeed Galway manager
Anthony Cunningham
thinks they are too, declaring, after their Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny, that Galway would see them again in September. Smith is not quite as bold as that, yet admits confidence is still high.
“After 2012 we were nowhere to be seen, in 2013 and 2014. You have to be confident. If you don’t believe in yourself nobody else is going to believe in you. That’s good to hear from the manager, that he has confidence in us and that seeps through the squad as well.
“You need confidence but there’s a fine balance and you can’t be cocky either. We respect every team and we’ll respect Cork the next day. And we know we can’t look past them. That’s the only game in town now.”
Smith is predicting an entirely different challenge from Cork than anything Galway faced in Leinster, particularly as Jimmy Barry-Murphy has his team playing an overtly more tactical style of hurling.
“Well their hand was nearly forced into playing a tactical game, against Wexford, and then they perfected it against Clare the last day. It depends.
“We’d be more a traditional side as would Cork. It depends on what way the teams will line up on Sunday. It will probably take on a life of its own. These games always do, and it will be a massive battle for 40-50 minutes and the next thing it will open up and it’s whatever team can take their chances.”
Galway don’t boast an impressive record against Cork, especially not in Thurles.
Despite the Leinster final defeat, Smith feels Galway turned a significant corner in the Leinster quarter-final replay against Dublin.
“There was a lot of negative stuff being said, down in Galway, before that game, but look, you just have to surround yourself with positive people and forget about that.
Under pressure
“We had a lot of stuff to work on which we did. We built a bit of momentum through the Leinster campaign and we just have to bring that confidence into the quarter-final now.
“To lose a Leinster final isn’t easy. But the big thing with Kilkenny was their intensity. They created a lot of turnovers, and nearly a blanket in the half back line. We couldn’t penetrate ball through and were under pressure for our scores nearly the whole time. But we’re all doing the same strength and conditioning, the same hurling drills.
“On the day, it’s your intensity, your mindset, your mental ability to want it more than the lads you’re marking. But there are fine margins. The first day against Dublin we created five goal chances, took one. The second day we created five and took five. It’s fine margins, too.”
