Galway eased past the tame challenge of Down in the first ever Guinness All-Ireland hurling qualifier with an emphatic 7-15 to 0-13 victory at Casement Park this afternoon. In a game that was every bit as one-sided as the scoreline suggests The Tribesmen dominated the opening 35 minutes and held a 5-08 to 0-04 lead at half-time. Goals from Fergal Healy, David Tiernan (penalty), Alan Kerins and Healy again provided the platform for the visitors and although Down recovered somewhat at the beginning of the second-half, they had no answer for Galway's commanding display from 1 to 15.
Despite registering six points to Galway's 1-2 in the opening stages of a more evenly matched third quarter, Down were hit with two goals inside three minutes in a repeat of this year's Ulster final defeat to Derry. Ollie Fahey and Healy completed the goal rout with the latter claiming his third goal of the game when he was first to react to Richie Murray's blocked shot.
The all-action display of centre-half back Gary Savage was the one plus for Down, the defender capping a wonderfully committed performance with a tremendous point from play following a surging run and drive from inside his own half after 29 minutes. The game, however, ended on a sour note for Galway when referee Pat Dunphy showed Michael Healy a straight red card in confusing circumstances with 23 minutes gone in the second-half.
Dublin play Clare at 6.15 in Parnell Park and Meath face Offaly at 7 o'clock in Navan.
Filed by Shane Murray
