Dublin 0-19 Galway 0-21
BGE U21 Hurling Championship Semi Final
After a thrilling exchange between the two sides in Semple Stadium this evening it took extra time to see Galway through by a narrow margin, and end Dublin’s U21 All Ireland dream.
Galway captain Brian Molloy was on the money tonight and his 0-10 tally helped Galway edge the victory.
There was definitely no sign of the recent slow starts from Dublin, as they came out of the traps and had notched 0-03 on the scoreboard before Galway’s Dan Nevin opened his account. Dublin’s Andrew Jamieson Murphy and Cian Boland were menacing in attack and the sharp shooting of Chris Bennett kept the board ticking over for Dublin.
The Tribesmen slowly gathered momentum as the half continued and were able to stay close to Dublin, thanks to some class from Nevin, including a sublime side line cut finding it’s way directly through the uprights.
Just before the break a mesmerising save by Dublin’s Jonathan Treacy denied Conor Whelan a goal that could have seen the teams level, and Dublin brought a 0-03 lead into the second session.
A Chris Bennett free set the tone for the half as Dublin briefly extended the lead to 0-04, but Galway had other things on their mind and within five minutes they scored 0-04 unanswered and the game was tied for the first time with Brian Molloy, Darragh Dolan, Thomas Monaghan, and Conor Whelan doing the damage for the Tribesman.
Galway didn’t stop there with Molloy and Monaghan extending the lead at the end of the third quarter by 0-13 to 0-11.
Cian Boland and Fionn O’Rian Broin kept the fight going for Dublin with two wonderfully executed points from play. James Madden edged Dublin ahead briefly before Conor Whelan and Brian Molloy pulled the tie back into Galway’s favour. From here there could be only one outcome. Sean Treacy forced a stalemate before the three additional minutes commenced. Thomas Monaghan pushed the Tribesmen’s noses out again before Cian McGabhann, with literally seconds left, pointed for Dublin and Semple Stadium was being treated to twenty more minutes of action with the full time score 0-16 to 0-16.
Again Dublin went for it, and substitute Eoghan McHugh drew first blood in extra time, before Eanna Burke responded for Galway. Brian Molloy again stepped up and scored for Galway, but Cian Boland this time responded.
It was level again within 3 minutes of the restart, with Brian Molloy and Sean Treacy scoring for their respective sides.
But it was Galway’s Brian Molloy who had the last word and capped off a comprehensive personal display with the last two scores of the game, both from frees, to send Galway into this year’s All Ireland U21 Final to face Waterford on September 10th.
Scorers for Dublin:
Rian McBride 0-3
Cian Boland 0-3
Chris Bennett 0-3 (3f)
AJ Murphy 0-2
Sean Treacy 0-2 (2fs)
Shane Barrett 0-1
James Madden 0-1
Fion O’Riain Broin 0-1
Eoghan Conroy 0-1
Cian McGabhann 0-1
Eoghan McHugh 0-1
Scorers For Galway:
Brian Molloy 0-10 (5f, 1’65)
Thomas Monaghan 0-3
Dan Nevin 0-3 (1 sideline)
Conor Whelan 0-2
Eanna Burke 0-2
Darragh Dolan 0-1
Dublin Substitutes:
Paul O’Dea for Sean O’Riain (43 mins)
Colm O’Neill for Chris Bennett (46 mins)
Eoghan McHugh for Eoghan Conroy (55 mins)
Brian Bolger for Fion O’Riain Broin
Sean O’Riain for AJ Murphy (69 mins)
Chris Bennett for Rian McBride (72 mins)
Galway Substitutes:
Brian Concannon for Kevin McHugo (40 mins)
Jarlath Mannion for Cian Burke (45 mins)
Eamon Brannigan for Conor Whelan (49-51 mins blood sub)
Eamon Brannigan for Darragh Dolan (53 mins)
S Linnane for Conor Whelan (64 mins)
Jack Grealish for Jarlath Mannion (71 mins)
A Morrissey for Thomas Monaghan (76 mins)