N.Y. GAA Galway prevail as Jr. hurlers put on a show

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Galway 10-16, Connecticut 7-10

The record books have to be checked for this one. Even the old hands at Gaelic Park could not remember a game with a scoreline even resembling this monstrosity.

For a side to score seven goals and 10 points, and still go home disappointed due to a 15-point defeat is surely a once in a lifetime experience. Perhaps, though, it was always on the cards. Connecticut State and Galway, two junior sides finally escaping from the confines of Van Cortlandt Park to display their hurling skills to the crowd at Gaelic Park, finally had something to should about. And this time, there was a hefty crowd in attendance to listen.

Galway opened as by far the stronger side, rattling in goals from Mike Curtin, Ollie Fahey and Derek Glennon, and a couple of points from the heavily experienced hurls of Owen Cummins and Eamonn Shiels.

Connecticut fought back a little, having been seemingly let off the hook by the Connacht men and hit goals from Niall Crowe and Simon Roche. A hat trick of three-pointers from Galway’s Fahey finished off the half and Galway had gathered themselves a handsome tally of six goals and seven points to their rivals 2 and 6.

An unassailable lead you may think. But no. Galway became a little complacent, and though Curtin opened the half with yet another goal, Connecticut fought back admirably. A 16-point lead was cut to seven thanks to three goals from Alan Kearns, Fintan O’Brien and Simon Roche. Kearns and Roche added further points to their cause to whittle Galway’s lead down a little more.

Strong words of encouragement from the Galway bench had their desired effect, and Curtin, Fahey and Co. began shooting accurate efforts over once more. A number of personnel changes on the Galway side resulted in fresh legs wreaking havoc on the out-of-state back line.

The final 15 minutes refused to let up where scoring was concerned, as both sides continued to bother the scoreboard. When Galway hit their 10th goal, the electronic device almost gave up. A Galway-Tipperary final beckons, though hearts certainly went out to this free scoring Connecticut side, and in particular, 4-4 scoring Simon Roche.

Connecticut: Mark Costigan, Niall Crowe (1-0), Mark Comerford, Michael O’Connor, Liam Byrne, Dermot Mullen, Fintan O’Brien (1-2), Eric McDonald (0-1), Daragh Smith, Pat Roche, Alan Kearns (1-3), Donal Leahy, Simon Roche (4-4), Subs: Johnny Dwyer, Jim Croker, Fergus Dwyer.

Galway: Pat Donoghue, Vincent Ruane, Dermot O’Brien, Sean Nolan, Owen Cummins (0-4), Declan Starr, Eamonn Shields (0-1), Ollie Fahey (4-4), Brian Carr, Niall Linnane, Mike Curtin (4-4), Derek Glennon (1-2), Sub: Tommy Ryan (1-1), Fergal Lynch, Brian Delaney, Mark Kelly.