Search Results for 'Denis Walsh'

Denis Walsh (Sunday Times)

The Galway senior hurlers head to the Gaelic grounds this Saturday (4pm) to take on old rivals Cork with a place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals at stake.

If last Sunday’s hurling action is anything to go by we are in for one hell of a summer. After watching some tame games during the league I must admit I was worried that we would live in the shadow of football again this year. However, after last Sunday it looks as though the hurlers can give the big ball players a good run for their money this year.

There was so much drama in last Sunday’s final league action that the GAA hierarchy could be forgiven for doing a U-turn on the reinstatement of the semi-finals that was passed in congress last Saturday.

After two high scoring and trouble-free wins over Wexford and Offaly, the Galway senior hurlers face Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Sunday at 2.30pm.

It has been a long hard winter in Kilkenny and I'm not just talking about the weather. The disappointment of not achieving the illusive five-in-a-row has been well and truly trashed out since last September.

Waterford may have started as only third favourites for this year's Munster championship but when the lights were finally turned off in Semple Stadium last Saturday evening nobody could argue that the Deise weren't worthy winners of the Munster cup.

The Galway hurlers have often been referred to as one of the great underachievers. The fact that they have not brought the Liam McCarthy back across the Shannon since 1988 probably has something to do with this tag. Judging by the way they disposed of the Cork challenge in the National Hurling League final at Thurles last Sunday evening they highlighted the fact they mean business this year. The first half of this game was as good as I've seen for some time, it was as close a championship pace as you're likely to see.

Talking to Galway’s hurling manager John McIntyre during the week about this Sunday’s national hurling league final against Cork was a breath of fresh air. No clichés. No boring “we’ll do our best”. Or the other classic: “It’s only the league, and if we win, we win. And if we don’t, it’s the championship that counts.”

For there to be any bite in a GAA match there usually needs to be something at stake. Competition is what makes the juices flow. Hence next Sunday’s NHL game between Galway and Cork is unlikely to send anybody to A&E with chest pain, which is just as well considering the cut-backs in health.