The Tribesmen taste victory in Croker.
It may have been a day of mixed emotions for Galway supporters on Sunday after they saw their minor side secure the Electric Ireland All-Ireland title while the senior team missed out in Croke Park.
But the hopes of the faithful from out west should be high that a few of the minor stars can make the leap to U21 and senior grade in the coming years.
A frantic scoring burst at the start of the second half proved the platform for Sunday’s tenth All-Ireland title in a 4-13 to 1-16 win.
We’ve picked out three key reasons why Galway are this year’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland Champions.
Goals win games
Galway came into Sunday’s game with a reputation that they could get goals at key times. In both games against Kilkenny the Tribesmen struck at key times and Sunday was once again no different.
Galway’s opening goal was perhaps fortunate after a terrible mistake by the Tipperary corner back tapped the ball into the hand of the onrushing Brian Concannon.
Concannon goal pic.twitter.com/9eGcEJVznq
— Kevin Mc Gillicuddy (@KMcGillicuddy86) September 6, 2015
However there was nothing fortunate about the other the goals as Galway ripped through the heart of the Tipperary defence with pace, and deadly accuracy as Liam Forde’s goal gave Galway a lead that never relinquished.
Forde goal pic.twitter.com/1GbjFQno7x
— Kevin Mc Gillicuddy (@KMcGillicuddy86) September 6, 2015
Fahy goal pic.twitter.com/yJ9hbnZwid
— Kevin Mc Gillicuddy (@KMcGillicuddy86) September 6, 2015
The second and third goals came so quickly that Tipperary went from a position where they were very much in the game to being almost being knocked out cold.
Galway went from two down, to six in front, and there was the ultimate game-changer.
The last goal was in garbage time, but ultimately Galway’s nose for a green flag proved greater than Tipperary’s.
Tipperary’s missed chances.
If Galway were deadly in front of the posts then Tipperary were less so. Their goal came in the final seconds but only after they spurned two wonderful opportunities in the first half.
Great save by Galway keeper pic.twitter.com/GbbzVzScrU
— Kevin Mc Gillicuddy (@KMcGillicuddy86) September 6, 2015
Alan Tynan burst through just moments later but once again Galway netminder Darragh Gilligan was up to the task. Galway coughed up goal chances before half time but after the break, when they scored their quick fire brace, they could afford to be more conservative and close out the space.
Tynan shot saved pic.twitter.com/O7g2QliBvd
— Kevin Mc Gillicuddy (@KMcGillicuddy86) September 6, 2015
Replays help.
Galway came into the All-Ireland final off the back of beating the 2014 champions.
Not only did they beat Kilkenny however, but they engaged in two savage battles over the course of 140 minutes.
Kilkenny provided the Galway management with a template to overcome Tipperary this afternoon with quick movement, strong defending and a plan to deal with more physically imposing teams like Kilkenny and Tipperary.
The fear from a minor management point of view is often how young players will react to the big occasion in September.
But for the Galway management they knew that their team was well sued to playing in Croker and it showed.
They were hugely confident and Jeff Lynskey also had the chance, on the same day as their replay win over Kilkenny, to watch Tipperary in the flash against Dublin.
Galway sides come to Croke Park often without being really tested. That was not the case on Sunday and both mentally, and physically they had the edge on Tipperary on an historic day for the maroon and white.
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