Galway 2-22 Waterford 2-19
Galway overcame a 10-point second half deficit against an experimental Galway side to claim a Division 1 semi-final spot against Limerick, writes John Fogarty.
Joe Canning was in inspirational form, helping himself to 11 points, although he was sent off at the death for a second bookable offence.
Two goals from Tom Devine in the space of a minute put Waterford in the driving seat, the second in the 44th minute seeing them move 10 points ahead.
However, they scored only two further points as Galway dominated until the end, Canning’s 64th minute penalty goal levelling it up.
They went ahead for the first time through Padraig Mannion in the 65th minute and scores from Aidan Harte and David Burke sealed the win.
Waterford enjoyed a blistering start, going 0-6 to no score up after just nine minutes. Conor Whelan broke Galway’s duck in the 11th minute but it was the home side’s single score from play until Conor Cooney’s 24th minute goal.
Before then, Waterford had jumped into a 0-10 to 0-2, taking great advantage of the wind. A goal went a-begging when Maurice Shanahan slipped a ball into Devine but he couldn’t reach it before it trickled wide.
Tommy Ryan also had a chance of three points but at least Cooney’s goal was created by a beautiful pass from Cathal Mannion and it galvanised Galway who won a 21st minute penalty when Shane McNulty fouled Mannion, However, Ian O’Regan saved Canning’s effort.
After Seamus Keating made it 0-13 to 1-2, Galway struck four points in a row.
After Stephen Roche had added his second point in the 31st minute, Galway registered the next three scores before Shanahan made it 0-15 to 1-9 prior to the interval.
Scorers for Galway: J. Canning (1-10, 1-0 pen,0-4 frees, 1 sideline); C. Cooney (1-0); C. Whelan (0-3); N. Burke, A. Harte, D. Burke (0-2 each); C. Mannion, T. Monaghan, P. Mannion (0-1 each).
Scorers for Waterford: T. Devine (2-1); M. Shanahan (0-6 4 frees); S. Roche (0-3); K. Moran, T. Ryan, D.J. Foran (0-2 each); Stephen Bennett, M. O’Brien, S. Keating (0-1 each).
GALWAY: C. Callanan; J. Hanbury, Daithí Burke, A. Harte; P. Mannion, G. McInerney, P. Killeen; J. Coen, A. Tuohy; David Burke, J. Canning, J. Cooney; C. Whelan, C. Cooney, C. Mannion.
Subs for Galway: T. Monaghan for J. Hanbury (inj 23); N. Burke for J. Cooney (52); S. Maloney for C. Cooney (69).
WATERFORD: I. O’Regan; K. Bennett, S. McNulty, S. Fives; C. Gleeson, T. de Burca, S. Keating; Stephen Bennett, S. Roche, D.J. Foran; T. Ryan, T. Devine, M. Shanahan.
Subs for Waterford: Shane Bennett for D.J. Foran (43); N. Connors for S. Keating (56); M. Walsh for M. O’Brien (58); B. O’Halloran for T. Ryan (59); Pauric Mahony for S. Roche (61).
Referee: B. Kelly (Westmeath).
