All-Ireland SHC semi-final: Tipperary 2-19 Galway 2-18
MICHAEL Ryan smiled in the media room after Sunday’s All-ireland SHC semi-final win over Galway and decided to turn inquisitor for a moment himself.
“I doubt it was a classic but I’d say it had plenty of intensity for spectators. Sure let me ask ye, what did ye think?” asked the Tipperary manager.
The general consensus was that Ryan had undersold a tie that wasn’t laden with top quality but will live long in the memory for sheer dramatic value and entertainment. Two points down with an hour on the clock, Tipp did what Kilkenny did the previous evening in Thurles and simply found a way to win, conjuring two crucial goals. “We’re thrilled, absolutely,” said Ryan.
“There’s no silverware for a semifinal but in a sense there’s a lot more on offer, the chance to get to hurling’s Holy Grail and to play on the first Sunday in September. That’s every team’s wish in January. We’re there.
“I felt it wasn’t pretty but we’re delighted and it was a great kind of game to win. It’s an important win, I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of it.
“It’s well documented that we’ve struggled to win those kinds of games. Whether you like being associated with that or not, it’s a fact. To turn one around and win a tight one is nice because the prize is great.”
John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer will ultimately be remembered as the player who changed the game in Tipp’s favour.
He still hasn’t regained his place since being red carded against Limerick in the Munster Championship but came on after 45 minutes and had a huge impact, scoring the first of their two goals and also playing a great pass to Noel McGrath for a vital point.
An Allstar in 2014, O’Dwyer famously missed a late free to win the game in the drawn All-Ireland final against Kilkenny that season and will surely get his opportunity to atone as a first team player on September 4.
“I don’t need to tell you the kind of talent ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer has, he’s a hugely talented player but it wasn’t just him out there,” said Ryan.
“It’s a collective. The pressure on our backs, in fairness, was immense. Galway were pressing, they really, really fought for this. It’s so obvious how much it meant to both groups.
“If that game had gone on another two minutes it would have ebbed and flowed and we could have been on the end of a one-point margin. We’re thrilled.”
Still, Ryan admitted there’s plenty of work to do before facing Kilkenny who have brought incredible intensity to All-Ireland finals in the past.
“I don’t think we got to the pace of it,” he said.
“Galway were quicker out of the blocks and caused us all sorts of issues in certain places. All-Ireland semi-final day, we were a bit slower than we’d like and we have plenty to work on but work on it we will.
“It’s a great incentive, three weeks to come back up here and have a go at Kilkenny, the recognised best team of our generation, and many generations.”
There was no shame in defeat for Galway. They went down fighting despite losing their talismanic forward Joe Canning, as well as defender Adrian Tuohy, to injuries at half-time.
“When you take out someone of the calibre of Joe, of course you are going to miss him,” said Galway manager Micheal Donoghue.
“It would be similar to Tipp losing, say, Seamus Callanan.”
Galway led for the majority of the game and Donoghue admitted they will question themselves in the weeks and months ahead for not holding out.
“There’s probably periods near the end where maybe we should have carried it a bit more, maybe we should have taken it on a bit more and gotten a score, a couple of those questions,” said Donoghue.
“Look, there’s always ifs and buts when you lose, isn’t there?”
Tipperary's John McGrath gives his pitch-side reaction to their victory over Galway. https://t.co/UjjkYDqU5U
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 14, 2016
