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Championship wrap: One-sided hurling weekend

Updated / Monday, 22 Jun 2015 15:22
Tipperary's firepower was too much for Limerick
Tipperary's firepower was too much for Limerick

The longest day of the year has passed and while the summer sun has yet to blaze with delight, hurling’s big hitters are no doubt eyeing a profitable harvest return before the days really close in.

Galway, Kilkenny and Tipperary all had it easy over the course of this weekend. 

Tribesmen march onwards to Croker

Galway had already put themselves in the shop window when they trounced Dublin a fortnight ago.

They again showed no mercy when accounting for Laois in the Leinster semi-final at O’Connor Park, running out 3-28 to 1-14 winners. Joe Canning gave a man-of-the-match performance, helping himself to 1-15 as Galway surged to a 1-18 to 0-02 lead at the interval.

Laois did make a game of it in the second half thanks to a Stephen Maher goal but it was a damage limitation exercise. How they’ll re-group for the back door will be interesting.

In over 140 minutes of hurling, the Tribesmen have chalked up 8-47. It’s an impressive tally no matter what the opposition. They’ll head to Croke Park in good spirits on 5 July.

Cats show no mercy

Much has been said about how Kilkenny will fare this season without the likes of Shefflin, Walsh and Delaney. That discussion should be put to bed now. The Cats begin their Leinster campaign in impressive fashion with a 5-25 to 0-16 win over a Wexford side who were well below par.

Ger Aylward’s display at corner-forward will no doubt have pleased Brian Cody. The Glenmore clubman, making his first senior start. helped himself to 3-05 in what was a man-of-the-match display. Richie Hogan was also creating a dash as he bagged 1-05, while Michael Fennelly was in the eyes of Sunday Game analyst Donal O’Grady “immense” as he reigned supreme in midfield.

For Wexford, they were sloppy in the execution of many things they did. They gifted Kilkenny a couple of goals. A home draw in the qualifiers is what they’ll want as they bid to salvage their summer. Will Jack Guiney be called back?

The Leinster final has the ingredients to be a thriller. Can Galway rediscover the magic that saw them blitz the Cats in the 2012 decider?

Premier moment for O’Shea

The Gaelic Grounds saw Tipperary unleash their summer credentials with a comprehensive 4-23 to 1-16 victory over Limerick. For their manager Eamon O’Shea, it was a first championship success in Munster and ended a losing sequence against the Shannonsiders.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game, O’Shea said: “It didn’t bother me that I hadn’t won a game in the Munster championship.  

“We lost to Limerick twice but you have to say that Limerick are a strong team. I said to TJ {Ryan} that it’s a long season and we showed last year that you can come back. This is a long road and it will still be a long road for us.

"There is a lot of hurling to be done between now and September for the two teams that will get there. We’re just happy to be in a Munster final.

The manager also paid tribute to his forward unit.

"Seamus Callanan leads the line really well and he’s a fantastic player. I thought all the forwards, including the new guys like Jason {Forde) and Niall {O’Meara}, all contributed.

 “It’s really pleasing for me because the last two years have been a bit of a transition. We have good players coming through and so it was all about trying to get a pattern that is sustainable." 

Tipperary face Waterford next month and you get the sense that they really want a Munster medal in O’Shea’s final season in charge. However, they did go 14 minutes after half-time without scoring at the Gaelic Grounds. Something for them to think about in the weeks ahead. 

Limerick will be disappointed that they didn’t apply more pressure during Tipp’s barren period and overall their attack really failed to blossom. TJ Ryan will have a job on his side to pick the side up as they aim to make it to the All-Ireland quarter-final. 

Familiar July date for Monaghan 

For the third consecutive year, Monaghan are through to an Ulster final after a 1-20 to 0-13 victory over Fermanagh at Breffni Park. The scoreline, perhaps, was a little unfair on the Ernesiders, who had centre-half-back Ryan McCluskey sent off at 57 minutes. 

The Farney, who led by only two half-time, kicked on in the last 10 minutes, with Conor McManus finding the net. Stephen Gollogly did miss a penalty and Darren Hughes was sent off but it mattered little. 

Malachy O’Rourke’s side will face either Derry or Donegal on 19 July. Before that, Fermanagh will enter the qualifiers and they are capable, giving a favourable draw, of putting it up to more than a few.

Sligo victory well deserved 

Niall Carew and Sligo have taken many plaudits for their 1-14 to 0-13 victory over Roscommon at Markievicz Park. Next up for them is a Connacht final date with Mayo on 19 July. 

Adrian Marren kicked 1-07 for the Yeats County, including a crucial first-half penalty, in a performance where they hassled and harried Roscommon for much of the contest.

The Rossies will be disappointed but can have no complaints. After the game. Sligo full-forward Pat Hughes referenced the homework done on their opponents. 

Speaking to RTÉ Sport, he said: “We looked at the way Roscommon played during the league. They had a great campaign so there was plenty for us to look at. We knew that there would be space out wide - space for us to exploit - and it paid off for us in the first half. In the second half, we had to dig in but thankfully we were able to see the game out." 

Antrim stun Laois 

In the football qualifiers, Antrim, Cavan, Longford and Offaly all recorded victories. Of the quartet, Antrim’s win over Laois stood out. 

Before the game at O’Moore Park, Saffrons manager Frank Fitzsimons welded the axe, with Connor Burke, and McGourty brothers Conor and Kieran benched, after playing for their club St Galls in an Antrim senior hurling league match on Friday night. 

Eight points in arrears, a minute into the second half, the Ulster side dug deep, with Michael Pollock (0-05), Ryan Murray (1-04) and Dermot McAleese (1-00) impressive. 

Laois led by 1-09 to 0-05 at half-time with Paul Kingston netting their goal, and worked hard to hang onto a four-point lead with 15 minutes remaining after Murray netted for Antrim. 

However, the visitors went to record an impressive win, with McAleese netting a 68th minute goal.

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