Gaelic Games

Galway claim Walsh Cup with win over Dublin

James Regan’s late goal brings victory at Croke Park

Galway’s Dean Higgins is tackled by Ryan O’Dwyer of Dublin during the Walsh Cup final at Croke Park. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho.
Galway’s Dean Higgins is tackled by Ryan O’Dwyer of Dublin during the Walsh Cup final at Croke Park. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho.
Sun Feb 08 2015 - 16:28

Galway 1-22

Dublin 1-20

Anthony Cunningham wants Galway's second Walsh Cup title to act as a springboard to a successful season, just like it did for Kilkenny in 2014.

Kilkenny memorably claimed every piece of silverware on offer last year beginning with a Walsh Cup final win over Dublin at Croke Park.

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Galway repeated that feat at Croke Park on Saturday thanks largely to James Regan’s 68th-minute goal.

Key players

They were without a host of key players including injured duo Joe Canning and Conor Cooney and will continue with a 23-man panel for Sunday's National League opener with Clare. But manager Cunningham was satisfied with their pre-season preparations and wants to use the title as a building block like Kilkenny did.

“We said at the start of the year that for us to go and win the league, we wanted to go and win the Walsh Cup,” said Cunningham. “And for us to win the Championship, we’d want to go and win the league.

“So that’s how we’re looking at it, it’s more of a stepping stone. It was also a game at Croke Park, against a very good Dublin team so it was our first real test of the year in terms of getting preparation time for the match against Clare.”

Regan shot 1-4 in total though free-taker Jason Flynn was also influential with 11 points overall.

It looked bleak for Galway early on when they slipped to a 1-8 to 0-4 deficit after Liam Rushe’s clever lobbed goal for Dublin.

Dublin still led 1-12 to 0-12 at half-time and were one ahead after 61 minutes. But Regan’s goal when he flicked beyond the advancing goalkeeper and kicked in was decisive.

"Shane Barrett did some really good things," said Dublin manager Ger Cunningham. "Some of the young fellas have come in and done very well. Chris Crummey, it was his first game since playing an under-21 final with his club in November. He showed he can play at this level. So pretty happy overall."

Dublin will name their 2015 captain ahead of Sunday’s National League opener with Tipperary.

GALWAY: C Callanan; R Burke, F Moore, J Coen; G McInerney, D Collins, P Mannion (0-1); J Cooney (0-1), E Burke; D Higgins (0-2), J Glynn, P Brehony (0-1); J Regan (1-4), J Flynn (0-11, frees), B Molloy (0-1). Subs: C Flynn (0-1) for Burke (32 mins), I Tannian for Molloy (53 mins), P Killeen for Higgins (64 mins), G Kelly for Brehony (71 mins).

DUBLIN: A Nolan; S Durkin, P Schutte, S Barrett (0-1); S Lambert, P Kelly (0-1), C Crummey; J Boland (0-2), B Quinn (0-1); R O'Dwyer, S Stapleton (0-2), C Keaney; M Schutte (0-2), L Rushe (1-0), P Ryan (0-8, six frees). Subs: E Dillon for O'Dwyer (half-time), C Boland (0-1) for Stapleton (56 mins), D Sutcliffe (0-2) for Quinn (56 mins), D Plunkett for Boland (65 mins).

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).