Galway edge out Tipperary to set up semi-final showdown with Limerick

Galway have set up an All-Ireland semi-final rematch with Limerick after seeing off Tipperary in a slow-burning tie at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

They were well worth the win in the end having led by eight points at one stage in the second half, while they responded well to a late Tipp rally after sub John McGrath struck for a 63rd minute goal to see it out well in the end.

After losing the Leinster final to Kilkenny in sickening fashion, it resurrects Galway’s season while Tipperary boss Liam Cahill can reflect on a season of progress, albeit he’ll be disappointed at how it petered out when they were on the brink of a Munster final appearance at one stage.

Galway will now play four-in-a-row hopefuls Limerick on July 8, hoping to reverse last year’s result when they pushed the champions all the way before slipping to a three-point defeat.

Clare’s runaway victory in the first game hadn’t done much to stir the atmosphere among the attendance of 34,180 and this was a rather sleepy affair for much of the opening half and, indeed, thereafter.

Having raided Offaly for a record-breaking 7-38 seven days earlier, Tipperary were flat from the off and couldn’t build any momentum having failed to register two or more scores without reply at any stage in the first half.

Still, while marginally the better side, Galway weren’t exactly tearing it up themselves with the sides level at 0-6 each after 24 minutes, though they owned the closing 10 minutes or so of the half, a period in which they really ought to have put the game to bed.

Conor Whelan had been largely quiet bar a superb 21st minute point but he skipped away from Cathal Barrett twice in three minutes only to see one shot saved by Tipp ‘keeper Rhys Shelly, while he then fumbled possession from a similar position, albeit a pointed free from Evan Niland eventually accrued.

Whelan was presented with a third goal chance before half-time after Cianan Fahy and Kevin Cooney linked up but Shelly deflected his effort over for a point.

Galway had built a useful four-point lead though it could easily have been 10, while Jason Forde’s point from a harshly awarded free saw Tipp retired just 0-10 to 0-7 behind and still very much in touch for all their lethargy.

Finally, Whelan found a finishing touch within seconds of the second half getting underway as he got in behind Barrett, who lost his footing, prodded the ball around Michael Breen and whipped it past Shelly to double Galway’s lead.

Their advantage stretched to eight points by the 51st minute at 1-15 to 0-10 as Whelan, now being tracked by his third marker of the day, brought his tally to 1-4 when there was a hint of another goal.

Tipp hit 0-4 without reply as Galway entered a nine-minute scoring lull, ended by a point from sub Tom Monaghan, though a Seamus Kennedy point followed by McGrath’s goal, a fierce ground strike after the ball ran loose in the Galway penalty area, left it at 1-16 to 1-15 with seven minutes remaining as the game finally took off.

It looked to be a real momentum-turner but Galway, having been undone by a jitters at the climax of the Leinster final, didn’t yield this time and regained the initiative.

Crucially, Tipperary couldn’t draw level as the teams entered a tit-for-tat period of scoring before Monaghan hit the third of his cameo to put Galway three clear once again in injury time and the second goal that Tipp needed to retrieve the situation never looked like materialising.

Questions may have been asked around Galway manager Henry Shefflin’s position had they let this one slip but instead he has embellished his impressive record against Tipperary, to whom he only lost once in nine outings during his glittering playing career with Kilkenny.