Inside Track: This Galway team has gone to a different level

Yes, we appreciate no team from Leinster has captured the Liam MacCarthy Cup since the Tribesmen in 2017, but Kilkenny have nearly always been competitive in the All-Ireland series since. Either way, Galway restored the province's battered hurling reputation against opponents who admittedly once again faltered badly when the going got tough.

Micheál Donoghue's charges have become unrecognisable from the mediocre crew which came up badly short against both Tipperary and Kilkenny last Summer. This major transition in fortunes hasn’t happened by accident. Youth was given its fling and the services of some of the older generation were dispensed with.

Most of us expected Galway to be competitive against a Cork outfit which had some serious demons to banish after their second-half collapse to Tipperary in the 2025 All-Ireland final, but nobody could have imagined that they would rout the Rebels. On the run of play, 11 points was the least they should have won by.

Galway's game-plan of flooding the middle third, attacking from deep, and isolating young Jason Rabbitte up front has now worked a treat against both Dublin and Cork, and no doubt has set Limerick a challenging puzzle ahead of Sunday week's ultimate battle in the championship.

Back to last Saturday. Darren Morrissey and company were in the zone from the off. There was no hanging-about to see what Cork had to offer. Instead, Galway set the terms of engagement and won the tactical combat hands down. Coming towards the end of the semi-final, the spirit of the Cork players had been broken. They had expected to win: instead, they were crushed.

Apart from tidying their shooting efficiency, Galway did little else wrong. Perhaps, most managers would have replaced Daithí Burke given his troubles on Brian Hayes, but keeping faith with the team's spiritual leader was the right thing to do in hindsight. Had Burke been substituted, his teammates might have been rattled psychologically.

As it transpired, Burke steadied and made an important intervention in the 43rd minute which culminated with another glorious point from Tom Monaghan, who has been the revelation of the Summer. All over the field, Galway had players who were standing up to be counted. Maybe, the ball didn’t run well for Aaron Niland, but in terms of his development at this level, the odd setback is no bad thing.

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Niland is a central cog of the team's younger generation who have blossomed in the championship. It's hard to credit that Rabbitte is only 19. His ability to win primary possession against some grizzled opponents is remarkable, but he is also a big scoring threat. Opening-half goal scorer Darragh Neary, Cillian Trayers, Joshua Ryan, Cian Daniels, and John Fleming are all relatively new to this level as well, not forgetting the injured Rory Burke.

Galway's midfield alliance of Tiernan Killeen and Gavin Lee may have been around a little longer, but they are both relatively young, and both were excellent against Cork. At the other end of the scale, the long-serving Mannion brothers, Padraic and Cathal, have lost none of their quality or hunger; while Conor Whelan looks rejuvenated this season.

And what about Ronan Glennon? Frankly, I can't get over how good he has been in a new defensive role. His tenacity in the tackle and long-range point-scoring ability in the championship has been a significant plank in Galway's progress. Previously recognised as a midfielder, Glennon revels in hardship and is an ideal player to have on board given the physicality Limerick will bring on Sunday week.

There is little point in dissecting the semi-final all over again, but Galway's energy, work-rate and commitment had Cork in serious trouble from the off. They also came through a second-quarter wobble and the belief surged through their ranks in the second-half. On this evidence, they will at least push Limerick all the way.

​Unlucky Clare

THE Banner men left everything on the field in the other semi-final. Given their patchy form in Munster which included heavy defeats by both Limerick and Cork, not many gave Clare much chance of carrying the day. But they tore into Limerick, shook them up, and did everything bar win.

Peter Duggan and Tony Kelly were both inspirational and, for much of a titanic struggle, a major upset was on the cards. The seminal moment occurred in the 55th minute when Nickie Quaid avoided a black card for hauling down Duggan. The technicalities of the relevant rule meant referee Thomas Walsh was correct in issuing yellow to the Limerick goalkeeper, but it was a controversial decision and probably cost Clare the match.

Only scoring 1-3 after half-time was a self-inflicted blow, however, and though Kelly's penalty put them six clear, Limerick were still hanging on. Ultimately, a superb angled delivery from Adam English set up the winning goal for Aidan O'Connor. Limerick's fabled resilience helped them to survive an almighty challenge from their neighbours.

​Cillian McDaid

HAVING watched a recording of Galway footballers' defeat to Dublin late last week, I need to correct the record in my match report. Having suggested that Cillian McDaid “was on the margins”, it was an inaccurate appraisal of his display. McDaid was more involved than I had realised and didn't deserve to be taken off, especially after just scoring a point, on another disappointing afternoon of ‘What if’ for Galway football.