Galway in the Quarter-Finals
Over the years, many fancied Galway hurling teams have crashed out of the championship at the quarter-final stage. Here we take a look at some of their most disappointing losses at this stage of the Championship
2010
Tipperary 3-17 Galway 3-16
It took a late winner from hurler of the year, Lar Corbett to seal a narrow victory for Tipperary in a game that until the incredible final was billed as the game of the year. Galway stayed with the eventual All-Ireland champions for most of the game and with Eanna Ryan, Damien Hayes and Joe Canning all scoring goals, they led by two points with time almost up. However, Tipperary came with a late rally and points from John O’Brien, Gearoid Ryan and Corbett’s late effort were enough to put Tipperary through to a semi-final against Munster champions, Waterford.
2009
Waterford 1-16 Galway 0-18
At this stage two years ago, a late winner from John Mullane sent Waterford through to a rematch of the 2008 All-Ireland final with Kilkenny. Once again, Galway could be accused of collapsing on the big stage having lead by six points with only 13 minutes remaining. However, Waterford manager, Davy Fitzgerald brought Dan and Maurice Shanahan and Shane Walsh off the bench. With the game in the melting pot with two minutes remaining, big Dan claimed a long ball, off-loaded to Shane Walsh whose goal brought Waterford right back into the game. In injury time, Mullane scored a winner after being set up by Declan Prendergast. There was still time for Galway to draw level but Joe Canning’s late effort went wide.
2007
Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-18
Galway put up a spirited display against a Kilkenny team that was at their peak, before eventually losing by ten points. With ten minutes remaining, a point from Fergal Healy brought Galway level with the Cats but in the remaining ten minutes, Galway fell asunder and Kilkenny wrapped up the game. Galway were very much the architects of their own downfall. Eddie Brennan was left unmarked to score Kilkenny’s second goal and as Galway chased the game in the closing stages, they were hit on the counter-attack and Brennan’s second goal of the game wrapped up a comfortable Kilkenny victory. This game also marked the final appearances in the Galway colours of Eugene Cloonan and Kevin Broderick.
2006
Kilkenny 2-22 Galway 3-14
Galway looked a pale shadow of the team that had ambushed Kilkenny in the semi-final of 2005 and were beaten by 14 man Kilkenny. Galway were left to rue the concession of a soft goal when a James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick free was dropped into the net by Liam Donoghue, gifting the Cats an early goal. Kilkenny had a strangle-hold on the game by half-time with Aidan Fogarty’s goal helping them into a 2-3 to 0-6 lead. Galway did rally somewhat in the second half and although they did score goals through Niall Healy and substitutes David Tierney and Eugene Cloonan, it was too little too late and Kilkenny marched on eventually preventing Cork from winning the All-Ireland title for the third year in a row.
2002
Clare 1-15 Galway 0-17
Although they came into the game as favourites, Galway went under to near neighbours, Clare in a tight and tense All-Ireland quarter-final. The feeling in Galway was that they had played the better hurling in the game but they still exited the championship. Galway led for much of the game but Clare came back into it when Niall Gilligan goaled from a 21 yard free. Clare led as the game neared its conclusion but a point from Ger Farragher brought Galway back on level terms. In a frantic finish, Colin Lynch shot a late winner for Clare although Galway followers felt that referee, Willie Barrett blew the final whistle rather promptly after Lynch’s point and that they should have been given another minute or two to force a draw.
1999
Clare 3-15 Galway 2-18
(Replay) Clare 3-18 Galway 2-14
Galway fell to close rivals Clare at the second time of asking after failing to put them away on the first day when even a mammoth effort from Ollie Fahy who finished with a personal tally of 2-2 failed to seal a win for the tribesmen. However as so often happened to Clare under Ger Loughnane, they blew away the opposition in the replay when two goals from Niall Gilligan sent Clare on their way to a semi-final clash with Cork. The replay signalled the arrival on to the national stage of a certain Eugene Cloonan whose tally of 1-10 sent a message to the hurling world. How his talent was prevented from reaching its potential is one of the main questions surrounding the Galway hurling team of the last decade.
1998
Waterford 1-20 Galway 1-10
Waterford came into this All-Ireland quarter-final on the back of a thirteen point beating by Clare in an infamous Munster final replay a week previously. Galway were expected to end the Waterford dream but it was the Deise who prevailed. Inspired by a magnificent performance from the soon to be hurler of the year, Tony Browne at midfield, Waterford proved far too slick for a Galway side who once again flattered to deceive on the big stage. Once the returning Sean Daly goaled for Waterford, they never looked in any danger and Galway again limped disappointingly out of the championship.
1997
Kilkenny 4-15 Galway 3-16
This game will be remembered as one of the best games of the last 15 years and is certainly a game that Galway will feel that got away from them. Galway were tantalising in the first half and although two of the goals they scored in the first half, should have been kept out by Kilkenny goalkeeper, Adrian Ronan, the tribesmen deserved their nine point half-time lead. However, the game changed dramatically in the second-half as a certain DJ Carey took centre-stage. Carey finished with a tally of 2-8, almost single-handedly dragging Kilkenny into the semi-final. Kilkenny hit Galway for 1-5 without reply at the beginning of the second half and then a goal from substitute, Ken O’Shea proved enough to put Kilkenny through to a semi-final clash with eventual champions, Clare.
