‘They've been building all year for this' – Cyril Farrell claims Galway ‘will owe Dublin one' in crunch Leinster SHC tie
But he has warned the
Sky
Blues are a more formidable unit than when they ended Galway's interest in the 2024 season.
2
Galway face Dublin this weekend
Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
2
Cyril Farrell backed them to get a rare win over the Sky Blues
Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
The last five
Championship
meetings of the teams have produced just one victory for the men in maroon.
And the most recent setback came last
summer
in Salthill when a Dubs side managed by current
Sunday's game — which is an effective Leinster SHC semi- final — will be Galway's first Championship outing at Parnell Park since the shock 3-19 to 0-24 defeat of 2019.
Comprehensive victories over Antrim,
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A draw will be enough for them to set up a rematch with the Cats in the Leinster final.
Nothing less than victory for the Dubs would earn them a shot at reversing the outcome of last year's provincial decider.
Farrell told SunSport: 'Galway were very poor, flat and were well beaten against Kilkenny on the first day.
'They've won all their matches since then and, OK, the opposition wouldn't be as strong as what you'd get in Munster, but Sunday should really tell them where they are.
Most read in GAA Hurling
'The
record
against
Following a two-year stint in charge of the Dubs, Donoghue departed at the end of last season and returned home for a second spell as Galway gaffer.
Sharlene Mawdsley encounters unexpected headache on first trip abroad since GAA boyfriend reveal
The hotseat in the capital was subsequently filled by Niall Ó Ceallacháin, who steered Na Fianna to All-Ireland Club SHC glory in January.
Three round-robin wins on the bounce left his charges in good stead, only for Kilkenny to halt their march in a 5-19 to 3-21 win for the hosts at UPMC Nowlan Park last Sunday.
But Farrell feels the Dubs can take encouragement from the manner in which they got back to within a couple of points after falling 16 behind.
He said: 'Micheál and his management will know the Dublin lads well — but they'll be just as familiar with them too and how they like to go about their
business
.
'Even though it wasn't a victory, you'd have to give Dublin credit for the way they came back from being that far behind against Kilkenny. If Kilkenny get that kind of run on you, they could end up beating you by 30 points.
'But Dublin came right back into it and they were unlucky.
'You wouldn't want to be getting yourself into that kind of bother too often but there was still a lot to be said for it.'
'DIFFERENT LEVEL'
Having been rested for the 6-27 to 1-14 trouncing of Antrim, the return of Cathal Mannion — who has racked up an incredible 2-35 in his three Championship outings — is set to give Galway a major boost this weekend.
An All-Star in 2015, the 30-year-old forward could claim his second award a decade later if he carries his current level of form into the All-Ireland series.
Farrell said: 'You could say Galway have maybe 30 hurlers who are more or less the same but he's on a different level.
'I can't see Dublin leaving him as loose as he's been in the last few games.'
Parnell Park is 'a fortress' for Dublin according to Farrell, with Kilkenny the only away side to win there since the introduction of the round-robin format.
But when asked if Galway can prevail, he said: 'I think they will. They've been building all year for this. They'll know more about themselves after.
'There are a few lads on the team who are pushing on a bit so they'll want to make the most of chances like this, come hell or high
water
.'
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It would be their only score of the game. Ireland made another quick start to the second half, scoring a blistering try after the restart. After Georgia couldn't reclaim possession from a kick, Coombes came away with possession and passed wide to his Munster teammate Calvin Nash. Nash broke with pace down the wing and played the ball inside to Baird, who added ground and was patient under pressure before offloading to Casey, the scrum-half running through unchallenged. Prendergast converted and Ireland looked in full control again. Prendergast followed with a penalty, Ireland clocking up 10 points in the opening five minutes of the second half. Craig Casey celebrates his try. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Georgia tried to find a way back as Karkadze burst through a maul, but he lost the ball forward under great pressure from Coombes. With both sides struggling to piece any meaningful passages of play together, around the hour mark a penalty allowed Prendergast go for the posts to extend Ireland's lead. Ireland's fourth try arrived in the 70th minute, Timoney registering his fourth try across four caps. After Ireland moved the ball across the Georgia defence without breaking through, despite excellent play from the two O'Briens, Prendergast kicked wide to Timoney, who impressively muscled between two defenders and got the ball down. Prendergast again nailed the conversion, the kick his last action of the night as Jack Crowley came in for the final 10 minutes. In the closing minutes McCloskey was yellow-carded for not retreating, but Georgia's final attack was quashed through a big turnover from Max Deegan. Ireland's summer tour continues against Portugal in Lisbon next Saturday, where O'Connell will hope to see a more cohesive team performance. Georgia scorers: Try – Jalagonia Conversion – Matkava [0/1] Ireland scorers: Tries – O'Brien [2], Casey, Timoney Penalties – Prendergast [2/2] Conversions – Prendergast [4/4] GEORGIA: Davit Niniashvili; Aka Tabutsadze, Demur Tapladze (Tornike Kakhoidze, 61), Giorgi Kveseladze, Sandro Todua; Luka Matkava, Vasil Lobzhanidze; Giorgi Akhaladze (Giorgi Tetrashvili, 54), Vano Karkadze (Irakli Kvatadze, 54), Irakli Aptsiauri (Beka Gigashvili, 54); Mikheil Babunashvili, Lado Chachanidze; Luka Ivanishvili (Guram Ganiashvil, 78), Beka Saginadze, Tornike Jalagonia (Ilia Spanderashvili, 54). IRELAND: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale (Calvin Nash, 37); Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Jack Boyle (Michael Milne, 59), Gus McCarthy (Tom Stewart, 59), Thomas Clarkson (Jack Aungier, 69); Cormac Izuchukwu, Darragh Murray; Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes (Max Deegan, 65). Yellow card: McCloskey, 77. Referee: Andrea Piardi.
