WHILE WATERFORD MUST go back to 1959 for their last Liam MacCarthy triumph, Galway’s failure to capture an All-Ireland title in 29 years is even more astonishing.
They resurfaced as an elite force in the 1970s and competed in at least two All-Ireland finals in every decade since.
But Galway have failed to claim victory in seven successive final appearances since 1988. What makes that record even more puzzling is the strength of the game at all other grades in the county.
Between minor, U21 and club level, Micheal Donoghue’s squad is littered with All-Ireland winners. Every year between ’04 and ’15, a Galway team has lifted an All-Ireland title at Croke Park. But never the senior team.
Joe Canning and Martin Dolphin enjoyed St Patrick’s Day success with Portumna, as did David Burke, Eanna Burke and Conor Cooney with St Thomas’s.
Canning, who leads the medal haul in the panel, holds two All-Ireland minor titles at one at U21 level. Shane Moloney was the star of the 2011 minor victory, as was Conor Cooney during the 2011 U21 campaign.
All-Ireland club winners2006 – Joe Canning
2008 – Canning
2009 – Canning, Martin Dolphin
2013 – David Burke, Eanna Burke and Conor Cooney
2014 – Canning, DolphinAll-Ireland U21 winners
2007 – Skehill, Canningand Aidan Harte
2011 – Johnny Coen, David Burke, Niall Daly, Conor Cooney and Davy GlennonAll-Ireland minor winners
2004 – Canning
2005 – James Skehill and Joe Canning
2009 – Johnny Coen, Daithi Burke, Brian Flaherty, Joseph Cooney, Davy Glennon, Niall Burke and Shane Moloney
2011 – Padraic Mannion, Adrian Tuohy, John Hanbury, Padraig Brehony, Jason Flynn, Jonathan Glynn, Moloney and Paul Flaherty
2015 – Jack Grealish, Thomas Monaghan and Sean Loftus
The vast majority of the Galway squad hold an All-Ireland medal of some sort, now all that awaits them is the Celtic Cross.
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