MICHEÁL DONOGHUE HAS questioned the throw-in time for yesterday’s Leinster hurling final replay in Semple Stadium, given the warm conditions players were forced to contend with.
On a sweltering afternoon in Thurles, Donoghue watched his Galway side retain their Leinster hurling crown but was not totally enamoured with the 3pm throw-in time.
And the All-Ireland winning manager has sympathy for Kilkenny, who must face a third consecutive weekend in action now after yesterday’s loss with a tie against Limerick at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage, on their agenda for next weekend.
“It is hard for any team to come out three weeks in a row. You think when the fixtures were made, was there any allowance made for a draw?
“In fairness, the GAA would have nothing without the players and the players are the most integral part of it. Even with the weather we’ve had, putting the match on at 3 o’clock, what was wrong with putting it on at 5 o’clock this evening with the players’ welfare in mind?
“It was another physical, intense game, typical of Galway-Kilkenny. There are areas we need to improve so we’ll just get back to the training ground next week and push again. We’re just happy now to move forward and work really hard for the next three weeks.
“Look it’s going really well for us. It’s been a brilliant week for Galway hurling with the U21s winning during the week as well, there was a massive connectivity with that group, so it’s been a good week.”
Galway got off to an explosive start as they accelerated 11 points clear but this was no easy stroll to success as they had to withstand a stirring Kilkenny revival.
“We got off to a massive start,” stated Donoghue.
“We knew after last week, we’d have to try to impose our own game on it. But look testament to Kilkenny, they came back in total Kilkenny fashion and style. It was some game and some game for us to win.
“All credit to Kilkenny for coming back, but our boys showed no panic, their use of the ball, their determination and quality and bravery to use the ball at that stage was very evident. I think yet again Kilkenny have shown the quality that they are and I’ve alluded to earlier, they’re still going to have a massive say in this championship.”
Donoghue did not subscribe to any talk of last Sunday’s draw in Croke Park being a wake-up call for his group after a hitherto impressive defence of their Leinster and All-Ireland crowns.
“I’ve said it many times, this group doesn’t care what’s said outside of the group. We can’t control that, we just try to control what happens in Athenry when we’re training.
“What’s said about us, what’s wrote about us is irrelevant,we’re just always trying to get the performance and anything said outside of the group we can’t control. We took some learnings from last week and implemented them today. Obviously just delighted now to get over the line.”
