Cork’s opponents Galway looking to respond after Tipp setback

Cork travel to Salthill on Saturday as they face Galway for the second round of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A, and do so primed after a commanding win over Waterford on the first day out, while their opponents need to get a point or two on the board following their defeat to Tipp last week.

This is Micheál Donoghue’s second season back at the helm in his native county, his second stint overall, and it comes with a blend of continuity and change.

In the backroom team, Eamon O’Shea – who won All-Ireland titles as a coach with Tipp in 2010 and 2019 – has departed. O’Shea had been part of Henry Shefflin’s backroom team before Donoghue’s return in 2024.

Johnny O’Connor has been replaced as performance coach by Barry O’Brien, while former IRFU head of high performance coach development Daragh Sheridan has joined the setup.

There have been two big departures within the panel. All-Ireland winning captain David Burke has called time on a 16-year career, while Jason Flynn, also part of the Galway team that defeated Waterford in the 2017 final, has retired.

Last season ended in a familiar frustration for the Tribesmen, though.

A third Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny in four years preceded a second All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Tipperary in three years. Galway haven’t been able to reach beyond that stage since beating Saturday’s opponents Cork in the 2022 quarter-final.

After losing heavily to Kilkenny in the opening round of the Leinster SHC last year, Galway recovered to dish out hammerings to Offaly, Wexford and Antrim before getting by Dublin to reach the decider.

A sluggish performance against Tipperary would follow the Leinster final defeat, though. It was a flat enough conclusion to a campaign that never quite caught fire.

PRE-SEASON 

Galway’s Walsh Cup campaign ended with some silverware, a penalty shootout win over Dublin after their semi-final win over Offaly. It was a productive runout, especially for those on the fringes.

As with the vast majority of teams in the country, Donoghue used the January games to give young players a chance and assess.

Aaron Niland, younger brother of Evan, started against Offaly and finished with 1-2 from play, while another newcomer in Jason Rabbitte scored 0-2. They would both raise two white flags each in the defeat to Tipp last weekend.

Ciarán Leen and Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry defender Micheál Power were also both handed debuts against Offaly, as was last year’s U20 Paddy Mac Cárthaigh.

It was Rory Burke though – another of last year’s U20s – who impressed the most, scoring 1-3 from play across the 70 minutes against Tipperary.

Places will still be up for grabs, and there are many young players ready to seize them. Whether it will be enough to topple Kilkenny, well, that’s what the league is for.

Saturday’s test will be a stiff one for Galway against the league holders. They will need to find traction quickly, and if Ben O’Connor’s Cork carry any sort of momentum from last weekend’s win over Waterford it won’t be easy.

The league may still be a proving ground, but Division 1A does carry consequence now, and none of the seven teams will want to fall to the second tier.