So at Croke Park in the Leinster Championship, two Cunninghams – neither from the province – came face to face: Ger in charge of Dublin and Anthony, in his fourth year with Galway.
The tentative manner in which both of their teams came into the match was evident in the reaction of the managers.
Whereas there was no doubt that Dublin's Cunningham was the more disappointed after his previously unerring dead-ball exponent David Treacy had saved his first miss of the afternoon for a late free that might well have won the day, both he and his Galway namesake settled for relief as the keynote emotion.
“Overall it was a tight game,” said the Dublin manager when asked for the positives, “a hard, physical battle. We’re still in the championship, which is the positive.”
He didn’t want to dwell on Treacy’s wide, emphasising instead his marksmanship and a dazzling second-half point – the ball flicked up in lumbering, midfield traffic and whipped over the bar from distance.
“In fairness to him he got some phenomenal scores here. The one he got from play in the second half in front of us there was a fantastic score. He’ll bounce back. These things happen.
The positives
“We’d other chances as well that we didn’t take. Both teams I’d say had similar stats in the game, the same type of wides. Conditions weren’t good with wind and rain but it was always a tight game.”
His Galway counterpart also emphasised the positives for him, scrambling the late equaliser, which takes the teams to Tullamore next Saturday for a replay.
“Always in a draw, if you get the last point, you’re delighted to get it. We found ourselves two points down from being in a strong position. We would have been disappointed. We left some scores there on the pitch, some wides and some ones we should have got.
“But all in all, I think it was a fair result so we’re delighted to be getting a second crack. And this time of the year, that’s a bonus because a match like that really is worth a month’s training.”
Unfairness
He also used the opportunity of the replay to pursue a specifically Galway variation on a familiar theme: the unfairness of having to play all of their matches in Leinster since their migration with Antrim to the province six years ago.
“Next weekend, we’d love if Dublin came to Pearse Stadium and Galway were in Leinster properly and were able to get home and away matches but I think they’re talking about Tullamore next Saturday evening.
“We were there last year. We want to put the record straight. We didn’t win the replay last year. But we surely want to win it this year. Look, I’m not going to make an issue of it. But we need to have a home and away basis in Leinster. I suppose we need to be embraced properly into Leinster.
“Galway need championship hurling in Galway. It’s something for the future. It’s something I thought might have happened by now.
“The Galway hurling public have always travelled to matches so, to be fair to the loyal supporters, I think they’d welcome that.”
Doubtful
Ger Cunningham
had other concerns. His former All Star full back
Peter Kelly
had to be replaced because of a hamstring injury and could be in trouble for the replay.
“We are just going to get it assessed on Monday morning; any hamstring is a bad injury. He’d be doubtful. He’d be doubtful, yeah.”
