Penalties. One-point wins. Late drama. Galway rarely allow their supporters a moment of comfort, the emotional swings of each game pulling fans from elation to despair and back again in a matter of minutes.
Sure, it’s enthralling stuff, helped this year by the positive tweaks from the Jim-Gavin-led GAA Fixture Rules Committee, but every now and then, you wouldn’t mind a match you could sit back, relax and enjoy an easy victory. Padraic Joyce’s men offer no such luxury.
Yes, there have been a couple of dramatic Connacht final victories over Mayo, decided by little more than a bounce of the ball. But it’s outside the province where Galway’s tendency for down-to-the-wire finishes has really shone through.
Since and including their group-stage draw with Armagh last year, Galway have played eight All-Ireland series games. The largest winning margin? Three points, against Monaghan. Four matches were won or lost by a single point, another game by a margin of two, and the other two fixtures ended in draws.
Drama in Breffni
Last Saturday was no different. A sizeable maroon and white crowd descended on Breffni Park for a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final, and they were treated to an absolute stormer. A fitting finish to the ‘Group of Death’ label.
Twenty minutes in, Galway’s season was hanging by a thread. They were second-best in almost every sector, seven points down, and word came through that Derry had edged ahead of Dublin in Páirc Esler after a stunning Shane McGuigan two-point score.
Had those results held, last year’s All-Ireland runners-up would have been eliminated. Things improved only slightly by the break: Derry and Dublin were level, but Galway had slipped eight behind. The exit trapdoor still loomed.
But the response was admirable. Within five minutes of the restart, Galway had cut the deficit to two. Eight minutes later, they were level. The final quarter saw both teams trade leads in an enthralling finale.
While the Dublin/Derry scoreline began to tilt in Galway’s favour, they still had to finish the job. And finish it they did, Paul Conroy earning a late free, calmly slotted over by man of the match Shane Walsh. A victory made all the more impressive given Galway had missed two first-half penalties, courtesy of Matthew Tierney and Rob Finnerty.
Walsh was immense when the game was there to be won. But for this writer, the performance of Matthew Thompson stood out. In his debut season, the Salthill-Knocknacarra man has shown composure and decision-making well beyond his years. His probing passes and ability to unlock defences have been a nightmare for opponents, and his link-up play, especially with clubmate Finnerty, is fast becoming a signature strength.
Right now, he’s one of the first names on the team sheet and looks like he will likely have a long future in the Galway jersey.
Favourable draw at last
In terms of difficulty, Galway have finally caught a break. This weekend’s preliminary quarter-final sees them face Down, a team who have been racking up big scores but, on paper, represent one of the more favourable matchups given a trip to Killarney to face Kerry was one of the other options on the cards.
Before the Armagh game, I wrote on these pages that Galway needed something to ignite their season. And the manner of last weekend’s victory could be just that and has the potential to generate momentum. Joyce and co. will need to work on being quicker out of the blocks, but knowing they are capable of clawing back a large deficit will offer Galway a huge degree of confidence that they’re never beaten – no matter the predicament they find themselves in.
That said, Galway must approach Sunday’s trip to Newry with laser focus. Just ask Mayo, whose season was derailed by a surprise defeat to Cavan, what happens when you take your eye off the ball. Get the job done, and Galway are two wins from an All-Ireland final.
Coincidentally, that’s the same stage the hurlers find themselves at, but the mood is considerably subdued after a sobering Leinster final loss to Kilkenny.
Next up is Tipperary in Limerick on Saturday evening. Tipp are strong and in better form, but far from unbeatable. For Galway to prevail, however, we’ll need to see a level of performance they simply haven’t reached yet in 2025.
Whether they can find it in time remains to be seen.
