Galway and Dublin advance to Walsh Cup decider
Galway 2-22 Offaly 0-16 - Walsh Cup semi-final
When the gun was put to their head inside the closing quarter, Galway found another gear to pull away for an ultimately convincing win over Offaly in a Walsh Cup semi-final played in dreadful conditions in Ballinasloe.
Introducing ten subs in the second half, the winners booked a final place with Dublin next weekend when dominating the closing ten minutes and scoring 1-06 without reply.
Galway were the better team in the first half with their 0-13 to 0-08 half time lead a fair reflection of the way it went.
With the wind on their backs, Galway's attack were lively though they did have a few poor wides as Offaly worked very hard.
There was nothing in it early on with the sides tied at 0-2 each after two minutes. A Darragh Neary point and Rory Burke free put Galway 0-04 to 0-02 ahead and it looked like they would pull away when they led by 0-09 to 0-04 after fifteen minutes.
Declan McLaughlin and Ben Conneelly contest a loose ball
It was down to Offaly's work ethic that the gap remained at five at half time. Two Eoghan Cahill frees made it 0-09 to 0-06 after 20 minutes and Galway outscored the visitors by 0-04 to 0-02 from the 25th minute to half time for that five point lead.
Two Eoghan Cahill points brought the gap down to three on the resumption and Offaly were very competitive for 20 minutes. Declan McLoughlin should have goaled for Galway when hitting the post in the 37th minute but they finally found the net when Aaron Niland sent a ground stroke to the net in the 44th minute after Offaly goalie Liam Hoare saved well from McLoughlin.
Offaly played their best hurling after this as they fought hard to get back into it,. Luke Watkins and Dan Ravenhill pointed from play, Brian Duignan converted two frees as Offaly trailed by 1-16 to 0-16 with fifty minutes gone,
Galway were superb in the last ten minutes, on top all over the field as Offaly went into the red. Jason Rabbitte, John Fleming and Evan Niland pointed before Tom Monaghan ended it as a contest with a 55th minute goal. Impressive subs Evan Niland and John Fleming got the closing points as Galway pulled away for a win that was a bit hard on Offaly but there was no disputing that the better team won.
Galway: Stephen O'Halloran; Darren Morrissey, Cillian Trayers, Joshua Ryan (0-01); Dan Loftus, Gavin Lee (0-01), Cian Daniels; Tom Monaghan (1-00), Daithi Burke; Darragh Neary (0-02), Rory Burke (0-06, 4f), Jason Rabbitte (0-02); Aaron Niland (1-02), Declan McLoughlin (0-02), Brian Callanan.
Subs: Evan Niland (0-03, 1f) for Callanan (HT), John Fleming (0-02) for Neary (HT), Padraic Mannion for Trayers (HT), Sean Murphy for Ryan (HT), TJ Brennan for Lee (HT), Sean Linnane for Daithi Burke (41m), Paddy McCarthaign (0-1) for Rory Burke (41m), Michael Power for Daniels (54m), Ciaran Leen for Aaron Niland (54m), Daniel Comar for Loftus (54m),
Offaly: Liam Hoare; Ben Conneely, Ben Miller, James Mahon Eimhin Kelly, Donal Shirley, Dan Ravenhill (0-01); Ross Ravenhill, Cathal King; Conor Doyle (0-02), Eoghan Cahill (0-06, 6f), Ter Guinan (0-01); Daniel Hand; Brian Duignan (0-03, 3f), Dan Bourke (0-01)
Subs: Patrick Taaffe for Mahon, inj. (7m), Luke Watkins (0-02) for Kelly (HT), David Nally for Guinan (33m), Oisin Kelly for Cahill (41m), Eoin Burke for Hand (50m), Sam Bourke for King (52m), Jack Clancy for Dan Bourke (61m).
Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath).
They'll meet Dublin in the final, with last year's All-Ireland semi-finalists proving too strong for Westmeath at Parnell Park in 3-24 to 2-14 triumph.
The Boys in Blue built on first-half goals from Cian O'Sullivan, Conor Donohoe and Davy Keogh to take a 10-point lead into the break.
Davy Keogh scoring Dublin's third first half goal
Eoin Keyes and David Williams hit back with majors for the Lake County to leave six points between the sides as the visitors threatened a comeback midway through the second half.
But that was as close as it got as the Dubs went through the gears to win by 13, with Darragh Kenny, Conor Donohoe, Liam Mostyn and Neil Hogan all keeping the scoreboard ticking over in Donnycarney.
In the Walsh Cup shield, Kildare pipped Antrim by a point on a 0-17 to 2-10 scoreline, while Kilkenny accounted for Laois by 2-17 to 0-10. In the Kehoe Cup, Down edged out Meath 1-15 to 0-16.
In the Munster Hurling League, a high-powered Tipperary side were made to work for a nine-point victory over Kerry in Tralee.
Liam Cahill started eight of the side which began last July's All-Ireland final, while Conor Stakelum and Robert Doyle also saw action, but the champions trailed by a point at the break due to Michael Slattery's 23rd minute goal for the home side.
Tipp settled into their groove after the restart, Oisín O'Donoghue's goal midway through the half pushing them four clear. From there, they ran out 1-16 to 1-07 winners, their first victory of 2026 after last week's draw with Waterford.
