On a wet and windswept night in Salthill, Cork were forced to dig deep before emerging with a hard-earned 2-20 to 1-21 victory over a dogged and skilful Galway side that asked far sterner questions than the scoreboard might ultimately suggest.
This time last year, Cork’s early-season swagger had many believing that the All-Ireland was already theirs in waiting. The reality, as 2025 would cruelly show, was more complicated, ending instead in regret. A slick dismantling of Waterford six days earlier suggested lessons had been learned, and Cork arrived in the west brimming with confidence. What followed, however, was a reminder that style alone rarely suffices in Salthill.
Galway, fresh from an encouraging if ultimately fruitless showing against Tipperary, tore into Cork from the off. Driven by youthful energy and clarity of purpose, Micheál Donoghue’s side dominated the opening quarter, harrying Cork relentlessly and attacking with pace and invention. Tom Monaghan’s 11th-minute goal, expertly created by Jason Rabbitte, pushed the hosts 1-4 to 0-2 clear and set the tone for a vibrant opening spell.
By the end of the first quarter Galway had stretched that advantage to six points, 1-7 to 0-4, and Cork were reeling. The home side were creating chances at will, but as had been the case against Tipperary, inefficiency crept into their finishing. That failure to fully capitalise would come back to haunt them.
Cork gradually steadied themselves and, crucially, found fluency just before the break. Eight of the next ten points belonged to the visitors as Shane Barrett and Darragh Fitzgibbon began to impose themselves. Galway reached the interval with 1-9 on the board from 23 attempts, while Cork’s 0-11 from just 15 shots underlined a growing sharpness. The deficit had been trimmed to the minimum, and momentum had subtly shifted.
The second half became a test of steel rather than silk. With conditions deteriorating, Cork tightened up defensively, aided by the introductions of Tim O’Mahony and Brian Hayes. Galway remained stubborn and inventive, and when Aaron Niland and company nudged the hosts a point clear with nine minutes remaining, the outcome was still firmly in the balance.
That was when Hayes delivered the decisive blows. Following a blistering Fitzgibbon run, the substitute pounced for the first goal before rifling in a second on 65 minutes to push Cork seven clear. Points from O’Mahony and an Alan Connolly free further steadied the ship.
Niland’s late scoring burst — five points in the closing minutes — ensured a nervy finish, but Cork held firm. Ultimately, this was a satisfactory and instructive trip west: a night where Cork proved they can fight as well as flourish, while Galway were left to rue another opportunity that slipped from their grasp.
Scorers – Cork: B Hayes 2-0; S Barrett 0-6; S Harnedy 0-4; A Connolly 0-4 (3f ); D Fitzgibbon 0-3; D Dalton 0-1; T O’Mahony 0-1; B O’Sullivan 0-1.
Scorers: Galway: C Mannion 0-10 (8f ); A Niland 0-5 (4f ); G Lee 0-3; T Monaghan 1-0; D Neary 0-1; D McLaughlin 0-1; C Molloy 0-1.
Cork: P Collins; N O’Leary, D O’Leary, E Roche; E Downey, R Downey, M Coleman; T O’Connell, B O’Sullivan; D Fitzgibbon, S Barrett, S Harnedy; B Roche, D Dalton, A Connolly. Subs: T O’Mahony for P O’Sullivan (36 ), B Hayes for B Roche (36 ), R O’Flynn for Dalton (47 ), H O’Connor for Harnedy (64 ), B Keating for Fitzgibbon (70 )
Galway: D Fahy; J Ryan, C Trayers, R Glennon; P Mannion, D Burke, D Loftus; G Lee, T Monaghan; D Neary, C Mannion, J Fleming; D McLaughlin, J Rabbitte, A Niland. Subs: C Molloy for Fleming (28 ), TJ Brennan for Glennon (40 ), C Fahy for Burke (50 ), S Linnane for Monaghan (58 ), C Whelan for Trayers (66 ).
Ref: M Kennedy (Tipperary ).
