Galway are through to the All-Ireland semi-final after edging out Tipperary in what was a tough, tense and at times skilful game of hurling in Croke Park yesterday. Tipperary were in the hunt right up until the end but a late point from Eugene Cloonan sealed it and booked Galway a date with Kilkenny in next month's semi-final.
Galway started well, picking up some good points, with Rory Gantley and Eugene Cloonan to the fore. Then after 14 minutes Cloonan blasted a goal for Galway from a close range free, with the Tipp defence clearly expecting the shot to go over the bar. This seemed to stir the Tipp team into action and they went level at the half hour mark thanks to some fine scores from Eugene O'Neill and John Leahy. Galway led by two points at the break, but that didn't seem like a solid lead given that they had played with the aid of a stiff breeze in the first period.
Tipp started the second half on the run with good scores from Brian O'Meara and sub Paul Kelly, but they seemed to lose their momentum when their star player John Leahy landed awkwardly on his ankle and had to be substituted. Joe Rabbitte started to win a lot of ball with his superb catching and, after the game had gone nearly fifteen minutes without a score, he provided the all important point that gave Galway the edge. Further scores from sub Kevin Broderick and Cloonan gave Galway a two-point lead. There was drama near the end when Tipp goalie Brendan Cummins came the length of the pitch to try for a goal with a long range free, but the ball was cleared and Galway held on for a vital victory.
Tipperary - B. Cummins; P. Ormonde, P. Maher, Michael Ryan; J. Carroll, D. Kennedy, E. Corcoran; Micheal Ryan, J. Leahy; M. O'Leary, E. Enright, B. O'Meara; E. O'Neill, P. Shelley, T. Dunne
Galway - M. Crimmins; L. Hodgins, B. Freeney, V. Maher; F. Gantley, C. Moore, P. Hardiman; R. Gantley, A. Kerins; J. Rabbitte, M. Kerins, O. Canning; E. Cloonan, O. Fahy, F. Healy
