Leinster SHC Round 4: Galway 6-27 Antrim 1-14
Galway could afford to rest several players and still ease to a facile victory in the sunshine at Pearse Stadium in Salthill against a very disappointing Antrim side who again had a man sent off for the second Leinster SHC game in a row.
Now manager Davy Fitzgerald faces a battle to get Antrim ready for their relegation showdown against Offaly next weekend as they try to recover from a 28-points hammering.
In contrast, Micheál Donoghue’s side will head to Parnell Park for their key clash with Dublin with a Leinster final place on the line with a pep in their step after going on a scoring spree, even if it took them some time to pull away.
The game was over as a contest by half-time as Galway led by 2-13 to 0-8 having played against the breeze, with Antrim being reduced to 14 men before the break when Declan McCloskey was sent off after linesman Johnny Murphy spotted something off the ball.
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Antrim failed to make use of the wind, often leaving Joseph McLaughlin as the only forward in the inside line, while seven wides from good positions undermined any hope of a shock win.
Galway made half a dozen changes from the side which defeated Wexford, with Cathal Mannion, who had scored just under half of their total in the three Leinster SHC games prior to this, not starting.
But with Conor Whelan revelling in a half-forward role and Gavin Lee spraying good ball from centre back, Galway dominated from the outset against an Antrim side without suspended top scorer James McNaughton.
It did take Galway some time to make their dominance count on the scoreboard and a point from Eoin O’Neill for Antrim cut the gap to 0-6 to 0-5 at the end of the opening quarter.
Galway led by just three points approaching the half-hour but then they pulled away. Brian Concannon dispatched a shot to the roof of the net on the turn while an advantage was being played for a foul on Whelan and five minutes later a delivery from Seán Linnane was finished to the net by Anthony Burns.
Conor Cooney added three point frees as well in that time with McCloskey getting his marching orders to complete a miserable period of the game for Fitzgerald’s side.
It was all one-way traffic after the restart. Galway, who have an injury concern over full back Fintan Burke, withdrew several players but still bossed matters.
Concannon got Galway’s third goal after 40 minutes after being set up by Burns and four minutes later they switched roles when Burns also got his second of the match after Concannon picked him out.
By the end 10 Galway players found the target, with Declan McLoughlin hitting 1-1 after coming on when Concannon again turned provider and after Niall McGarrell pulled back a consolation goal late in the game for Antrim. Galway finished strongly with Kevin Cooney soloing through for their sixth goal.
GALWAY: D Fahy; J Ryan, F Burke, D Morrissey (0-1); S Linnane (0-1), G Lee, TJ Brennan; C Fahy, R Glennon (0-2); T Monaghan (0-6), C Cooney (0-11, 9f), C Whelan (0-2); A Burns (2-2), B Concannon (2-0), K Cooney (1-1).
Subs: J Grealish for F Burke (35 mins); D Loftus for Morrissey (h-t); J Cooney for Whelan, M Garvey for Lee (both 43); D McLoughlin (1-1) for Burns (57).
ANTRIM: R Elliott; S Rooney, N O’Connor (0-1), P Burke; D McCloskey, C Boyd, C Bohill; G Walsh (0-3, 3f), S McKay; R McCambridge, E Campbell, N Elliott; C McKeown (0-1), E O’Neill (0-2), J McLaughlin (0-7, 6f).
Subs: E McFerran for Burke (12-20 mins); McFerran for Rooney (20); S Walsh for N Elliott (h-t); P Boyle for McCabe (53); N McGarrell (1-0) for McLaughlin (61).
Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin).
