ALL-IRELAND SHC QUARTER-FINAL: Waterford 2-23 Galway 2-13:HALF AN hour afterwards a large crowd of Waterford people were still basking on the Semple Stadium grass.
There was the occasional clatter of delirious applause from a huddle near the Killinan end but it was difficult to see what they were surrounding.
John Mullane was first to arise from the team warm-down, trotting under the main stand like a peacock. The others slowly followed. Among them was Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh, his back probably red raw from the adulation heaped upon it by a remarkably loyal group of supporters.
If ever Walsh lived up to his nickname, it was yesterday. So utterly dominant was he under dropping ball across his half back line (and it is his half back line), not even Joe Canning’s valiant emptying of a substantial repertoire of skills could haul Galway hurling away from the abyss.
The Tribesmen got what they deserved yesterday. And so did the Déise. The humiliating seven goals conceded against Tipperary in the Munster final cannot be forgotten because Kilkenny are waiting, but Davy Fitzgerald’s reconstruction of this team deserves due credit.
Switching Kevin Moran to midfield, where Galway were unable to contain his movement to the tune of 0-3 and countless scoopings of loose ball, allied to the sheer workrate of every line meant Galway were unable to get decent ball inside.
Remarkably, Damien Hayes’s tally yesterday was zero. Canning finished with 1-6. He tried everything but such energy and quality was simply not replicated by the majority of his team-mates.
It helped that Waterford had a dream start. A goal in the opening minute was the first sign of the Galway defence’s inability to handle breaking aerial ball as a rebounded Eoin Kelly free was batted to the net by Shane Walsh.
Moran and teenager Pauric Mahony also settled into the contest with early points. The 19-year-old finished with 0-7 off placed balls. It seemed like confirmation that the next generation has taken ownership of this Waterford team. Not that the influence of Tony Browne, Mullane and, particularly, Brick Walsh wasn’t felt yesterday.
On 15 minutes Galway seemed to have discovered their rhythm. Six hand passes found Canning. He made the point, from wide on the left, look like child’s play. Moments later Iarla Tannian was hauled down a few yards from goal by Liam Lawlor. Canning fired the penalty low to the corner and Galway led 1-5 to 1-4.
Within seconds, Mullane levelled. Then Shane Walsh had Waterford back in front after winning possession over Shane Kavanagh’s head – something the Waterford defenders refused to allow.
We didn’t know it yet but the Galway defence was a dam waiting to burst. Waterford rallied before the interval with Shane Walsh and Mahony putting them two clear.
The landscape was braced for a massive Galway backlash. It never came. In its place was a 10-minute flow of Waterford scores that exposed sloppy defending. And still the door was left ajar by Waterford’s wides – they racked up another nine in the second half.
By the time Canning came out the field again to take matters into his own hands the deficit was 10 points. When Lawlor fouled him 20 yards out, he understandably went for goal from the free. Lawlor blocked the shot, forcing Canning to settle for a pointed 65.
Like every significant Galway score, Waterford responded immediately, this time via Séamus Prendergast. Mahony was next to pull Canning down. A seven-point game with seven minutes remaining. A goal could still turn the tide. Somebody other than Canning needed to take control.
The westerners in a healthy 33,535 crowd stood and headed for their cars when Stephen Molumphy knocked over two quick points soon after.
There was no way back for John McIntyre’s three-year term at the helm; a period that has failed to yield any tangible progress.
This is the sixth year that the hurlers are spent as race week rolls into Galway. At least the festival will switch attention from a chronically inept ability to transfer success at underage to senior.
In contrast, an emotional Fitzgerald spoke about the importance of living through the hurt. He even managed to give Mullane and Browne individual moments to be serenaded.
Keeping with the theme of the day, Aidan Harte’s late strike was cancelled out by Mullane’s replacement, Thomas Ryan, who goaled with his first touch.
WATERFORD: 1 C Hennessy; 2 D Fives, 3 L Lawlor, 4 N Connors; 5 T Browne, 6 M Walsh, 8 D O'Sullivan; 7 K Moran (0-3), 11 S O'Sullivan (0-1); 22 S Prendergast (0-1), 13 J Mullane (0-3), 12 P Mahony (0-7, all frees); 25 E Kelly (0-1), 14 S Walsh (1-4), 9 S Molumphy (0-3). Subs: 20 R Foley for Kelly, 26 S Casey for S Prendergast (both 63 mins), 19 D Prendergast for Browne (70 mins), 24 T Ryan for Mullane (71 mins). Yellow cards: Mullane (29 mins), Lawlor (56 mins), Mahony (59 mins).
GALWAY: 1 J Skehill; 2 F Moore, 3 S Kavanagh, 4 D Collins; 5 D Barry, 6 T Óg Regan (0-1, 65), 7 A Cullinane; 8 A Smith (0-1), 9 D Burke; 10 J Gantley, 11 G Farragher (0-2), 14 J Canning (1-6, 1-0 pen, two frees, one 65); 13 D Hayes, 12 I Tannian (0-1), 15 J Ryan (0-1). Subs: 22 C Donnellan for Gantley (39 mins), 19 K Hynes for Barry (41 mins), 19 J Lee for Cullinane (46 mins), 20 B Daly (0-1) for Smith (51 mins), 23 A Harte (1-0) for Burke (60 mins). Yellow cards: Hayes (14 mins), Collins (38 mins).
Referee: C McAllister(Cork).
