SHORTLY AFTER FERGAL Horgan’s final whistle anointed Galway All-Ireland champions last Sunday, Johnny Glynn gave a revealing on-field interview to Sky Sports.
When the Galway team was named on Friday night, Glynn was in for Niall Burke who had started the semi-final.
Burke had started the previous three games but managed to channel his hurt and use it to his advantage against Waterford on the biggest day of his career.
“Niall Burke was the first lad up to me in training the last day and put the arm around me and said ‘we’re going to win this together,’” said Glynn.
“In fairness, Niall came on and won that match for us today.”
It was Glynn’s first championship start in two years and although he didn’t shoot the lights out, his aerial threat ensured Deise sweeper Tadhg de Burca had to station himself close by.
Glynn had managed to soften the Waterford defence up enough so when Burke was introduced in the 43rd minute, he could unleash his anger in the best possible manner.
“Look everyone wants to be playing from the start,” said Burke. “You have to put that disappointment behind you as soon as possible because it’s a team game, it’s not about any one individual.
“At the end of the day it’s more important that Galway won the All-Ireland than any one individual. Way better having a smile on your face at the end of the match and the team wining. That’s what it’s all about.
“The lads had a great platform made by the time I got in. It was just a case of anyone coming on continuing the work that had been done already.”
Galway were behind when Burke was introduced but his two points helped them into the lead and from that point they never looked like losing.
“I don’t generally get nervous. Just excited, looking forward to getting out on it. Just a good buzz being out there with the crowd, 80,000 people, nowhere else you want to be.
“I think the first ball came in, bounced in front of me and I got a free. That kind of settled me then. I hit one from the sideline then, hoped for the best and luckily it went over. I’ve hit ones from there before and they’ve gone wide and people have been roaring at me but that one went over.
“Conor Whelan flicked out another one, worked hard at the breakdown and flicked another ball out onto space. I probably could have took it on a bit more but just hit it over in the end. You never really know how it’s going to go when you get an early few touches, it always settles you and gets you to the pace of the game.”
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