Old excuses don't wash anymore, admits Farragher

LEINSTER HURLING SEMI-FINAL:OFFALY HAVE enough to worry about going into Sunday's Leinster hurling semi-final without having to worry about what Galway manager John McIntyre might be saying about them. McIntyre has served as Offaly manager – twice, actually – and let's just say they didn't deliver much for him.

He lasted only one season, in 1997, before being ousted after Offaly lost the Leinster semi-final to Wexford. He returned for a second term that lasted from 2005 to 2007, although Offaly didn’t fare much better, suffering, among other things, a 6-28 to 0-15 defeat to Kilkenny.

McIntyre will no doubt be warning Galway of complacency as he goes up against his old charges in Croke Park on Sunday, but truth is Offaly have an arduous assignment on their hands.

They miraculously escaped defeat against Antrim in their quarter-final, forcing extra-time, thanks to a last-ditch free from Shane Dooley, before emerging 10-point winners.

They’ve got some injury problems too in defender James Rigney and forward Derek Molloy. They face a Galway team hungry for success in their first Leinster championship match in Croke Park.

Anything else? Galway may not have set the championship on fire in their quarter-final against Wexford, but still won by 11 points in the end, hitting 18 wides in the process.

Midfielder and free-taker Ger Farragher is in the best form of his career, and after hitting 0-13 against Wexford, is more than fired up for a game in Croke Park, having missed Galway’s last appearance there.

“I haven’t played there myself since the All-Ireland final, in 2005,” says Farragher, “so I just can’t wait to play there. I know some of the lads played there in 2008 under Ger Loughnane, against Kilkenny, and they were with them for about 60 minutes before they pulled away. But it’s the place to play. I can’t wait to get back to it.”

It’s also a first Leinster championship meeting between the teams since Galway’s guest pass to the province last year. Wexford proved they weren’t about to let Galway walk all over them in their territory, and Farragher expects Offaly will be thinking likewise.

“They know they have a point to prove against us and, from playing Offaly down the years, I know they don’t fear Galway. They hit a lot of wides against Antrim as well and it might bring them on an awful lot, the fact that it was so close.

“There is obviously expectation on us, after winning the league final. Every other year you hear people saying ‘it is Galway’s year, it is Galway’s year’, but the players know that it is up to themselves.

“There are no excuses saying we didn’t get to win the league or we are coming in cold because we are not in Leinster. We have everything going in our favour and it is up to the players themselves now.”

Although Galway were slow to start against Wexford, they finished strongly. Chances are they will be sharper again on Sunday.

“It was the first championship game for three or four boys,” reckons Farragher.

“And the championship is a lot different to the league. I know we didn’t produce half the performance we did against Cork in the league. I don’t know. Maybe it was nerves or whatever.

“We have a few things to work on from that game and hopefully we can put them right. We got some vital scores in the end, and I think the goal that Joe Canning got just before half-time set us up. Wexford came back at us again, but then Kevin Hynes came on and he took his goal very well. That killed it off in the end.”

Galway will be missing wing forward Andy Smith, who was sent off on a straight red late on against Wexford: “He is a big loss. He is the best worker on the team by a mile,” admits Farragher, “but, as you saw from the league final, we have lads to come in. Even the last day (against Wexford) Kevin Hynes came in and got a great goal. Kevin Hayes is back from injury now as well so there is a lot of competition for places as well.”

What is ultimately motivating Galway on Sunday is the chance to play Kilkenny in the Leinster final – not that McIntyre will be telling them much about that.

“He’ll know them inside out,” says Farragher, “but he can only tell you so much. It’s the players who play between the four white lines. Anything can happen on the day.”