Anthony Burns, Galway, and Paddy Burke, Antrim, in Leinster SHC action. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Leinster SHC Round Four
Galway 6-27 Antrim 1-14
By Billy Coss at Pearse Stadium
Despite resting a number of frontliners, Galway made it three wins on the bounce and kept their Leinster Senior Hurling Championship destiny in their own hands with an emphatic victory over 14-man Antrim in the searing heat in Salthill.
It's 82 years since Antrim defeated Galway for the first and only time in championship hurling. Thirteen goals were shared in the 1943 All-Ireland quarter-final at the old Corrigan Park as the Saffron County sensationally prevailed on the way to that season's final.
Galway's winning margins in the fixture have otherwise ranged from a high of 34 points down to a low of 12. This afternoon's meeting, their third ever in Leinster, came at the upper end of that scale with 28 points dividing the teams at the finish.
The game's direction of travel was already well established when Antrim defender Declan McCloskey was dismissed on a straight red card following an off-the-ball incident with Tom Monaghan late in the opening half. Galway were out to a 2-12 to 0-8 lead by then despite facing the wind with Brian Concannon and Anthony Burns netting their goals.
Captain Conor Whelan got Galway's points tally moving with a terrific Kevin Cooney catch and score from the terrace sideline among the highlights, along with an exquisite Ronan Glennon pass for the first three of six on the day for Monaghan.
Antrim's finishing was below par and Joseph McLaughlin accounted for five points of their tally before the break, with Eoin O'Neill chipping in with two as a gap of 11 separated them at the break.
With their crunch clash especially with Dublin just around the corner, Micheál Donoghue made six changes to the starting XV against Wexford with Padraic and Cathal Mannion, David Burke, John Fleming, Tiernan Killeen and Colm Molloy replaced by Joshua Ryan, Seán Linnane, Ronan Glennon, Conor Cooney, Anthony Burns and Kevin Cooney.
The winners also had the luxury of withdrawing a number of established hands, including Conor Whelan and Gavin Lee early in the third quarter. Their goal rush continued with Concannon and Burns both grabbing their second, while sub Declan McLaughlin also got on the act.
Injuries allied to a suspension for chief marksman James McNaughton robbed Antrim of firepower in attack, though they struck for a consolation goal on 67 minutes through Niall McGarrell.
There was still time for Galway to bring their green flag total up to six when Kevin Cooney struck in the next passage of play. They move on to what promises to be a high stakes final round fixture against Dublin in Parnell Park.
Davy Fitzgerald's side will quickly shift their focus to what's shaping up to be a Round Five 'win or bust' clash with Offaly in determining whether they retain their Liam MacCarthy Cup status for 2026.
Scorers for Galway: Conor Cooney 0-11 (9fs), Anthony Burns 2-2, Tom Monaghan 0-6, Brian Concannon 2-0, Kevin Cooney and Declan McLaughlin 1-1 each, Conor Whelan 0-2, and Ronan Glennon 0-2 each, Darren Morrissey and Seán Linnane 0-1 each.
Scorers for Antrim: Joseph McLaughlin 0-7 (6fs), Gerard Walsh 0-3 (3f), Niall McGarrell 1-0, Eoin O'Neill 0-2, Cormac McKeown and Niall O'Connor 0-1 each.
Galway: Darach Fahy; Joshua Ryan, Fintan Burke, Darren Morrissey; Seán Linnane, Gavin Lee, T.J. Brennan; Cianan Fahy, Ronan Glennon; Conor Whelan (captain), Conor Cooney, Tom Monaghan; Kevin Cooney, Brian Concannon, Anthony Burns.
Subs: Jack Grealish for Burke inj (35), Dan Loftus for Morrissey (HT), Micheál Garvey for Whelan (42), John Cooney for Lee (42), Declan McLaughlin for Cianan Fahy (56).
Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Stephen Rooney, Niall O’Connor, Paddy Burke; Seán McKay, Conor Boyd, Conall Bohill; Gerard Walsh, Declan McCloskey; Ryan McCambridge, Eoghan Campbell, Nigel Elliott; Cormac McKeown, Eoin O'Neill, Joseph McLaughlin.
Subs: Eoin McFerran for Burke temporary (14-16) & Rooney inj (21), Scott Walsh for Nigel Elliott (HT), Paul Boyle for McCambridge (52), Niall McGarrell for McLaughlin (54); Aodhán McGarry for O'Neill (70).
Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin).
