The Deise Hammer Galway

A Roundup Of The GAA Championship Action From Jackie Cahill

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Quarterfinal
Galway 2-13 Waterford 2-23

Waterford ripped up the formbook as they walloped Galway by ten points in last Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Semple Stadium.

Just two weeks after suffering a 21-point mauling at the hands of Tipperary in a one-sided Munster final, the Déise roused themselves with an explosive display to blow away in-form Galway.

Waterford will face Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final on August 7 and on the weekend's evidence, they will present dangerous opposition to the Leinster champions.

Waterford boss Davy Fitzgerald revamped his team in the wake of the Munster final collapse and his changes worked a treat as his players threw caution to the wind.

Gone were the tactical constraints as Waterford instead concentrated on direct hurling which unlocked a desperately below-par Galway.

The Tribesmen showed little fight in the face of a fierce Waterford onslaught and despite trailing by just two points at half-time, John McIntyre's Westerners found themselves on the end of a merciless hiding.

Waterford, who registered 17 wides, raced 1-2 to 0-0 clear within five minutes and their opening score was a goal, batted home by Shane Walsh after recalled Eoin Kelly's 20m free was blocked away.

But with 18 minutes on the watch, Galway were level at 1-5 apiece as Joe Canning drilled home a brilliant penalty, awarded for Liam Lawlor's foul on Iarla Tannian.

Heading into first half injury time, the sides were deadlocked at 1-7 apiece before Waterford pair Walsh and ace free-taker Pauric Mahony pointed in stoppage time.

And Waterford opened the second half in blistering fashion, reeling off five unanswered points to establish a 1-14 to 1-7 lead.

Galway's response, or lack of, was alarming and Waterford cruised to a comfortable win as their opponents never threatened a revival.

With three minutes of normal time remaining, Waterford were twelve points clear and in cruise control before the sides traded late goals in front of 33,535 spectators at a sweltering Semple Stadium.

Sub Aidan Harte netted for Galway but to rub salt into their wounds, Thomas Ryan bagged a fantastic goal with his first touch after coming off the Waterford bench.

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Quarterfinal
Dublin 3-13 Limerick 0-18

Ryan O'Dwyer notched 3-2 last Sunday as Dublin's senior hurlers set up an historic All-Ireland SHC semi-final against his native Tipperary at Croke Park on August 14.

O'Dwyer, who threw in his lot with the Sky Blues this year, was in scintillating form in the first half on familiar Semple Stadium soil and registered 3-1 before half-time.

And his crucial 66th minute point helped to finally see off a dogged Limerick challenge as the Shannonsiders, who trailed by nine points in the first half, cut the deficit back to two on three separate occasions during a nerve-jangling second half.

Dublin's victory set up a first semi-final appearance since 1948 and even though two finals have been contested since then, both of them were as a result of 'byes' to the showpiece deciders in 1952 and 1961.

Dublin suffered a hammer blow when star forward Conal Keaney was involved in an horrific motorcyle accident two days before the game and ruled out with a cracked right ankle and cruciate ligament damage to his left knee.

But Anthony Daly's charges produced a performance laced with character to gain revenge for their 2009 quarter-final defeat against the same opposition.

When O'Dwyer netted his third goal in the 24th minute, Dublin led by nine points, 3-6 to 0-6, but Limerick reeled off the next seven scores without reply to cut the deficit back to just two.

Four points before half-time, including three placed balls from scorer-in-chief Declan Hannon, saw Limerick trail by 0-10 to 3-6 at half-time.

The remarkable Hannon, who finished with 0-11, was responsible for two of Limerick's three points after the break and suddenly it was game on.

Dublin free-taker Paul Ryan steadied the ship with two converted efforts but Limerick wouldn't go away and kept on coming.

However, nine second half wides cost the Shannonsiders dearly and Donal O'Grady's charges couldn't get to within striking distance.

All-Ireland SFC Round 3 Qualifier
Tyrone 2-13 Armagh 0-13

Tyrone edged past Armagh in the Ulster derby at Healy Park, Omagh, to set up an All-Ireland SFC round 4 qualifier with Connacht runners-up Roscommon next Saturday.

There was a hint of 'square ball' about Joe McMahon's first half goal for Tyrone but it was a crucial score and helped the Red Hands to lead by 1-7 to 0-6 at half-time.

From a defensive point of view, it was an avoidable concession from an Armagh perspective as goalkeeper Paul Hearty's error was pounced upon by Peter Harte, who placed raiding full-back McMahon for a close-range palmed finish.

Tyrone never looked back from there and Harte was once again the provider for his side's second goal, offloading to Tommy McGuigan who sent a low shot beneath Hearty.

In truth, Tyrone could have won by more as numerous goal chances went begging as the winners announced themselves as serious All-Ireland contenders once again.

And should Mickey Harte's team, as expected, see off the challenge of Roscommon, they will meet old rivals and Leinster champions Dublin in what promises to be a gripping quarterfinal.

All-Ireland SFC Round 4 Qualifier
Limerick 1-18 Wexford 1-17

So was it or wasn't it? Controversy reigned in stoppage time at the end of last Saturday's memorable All-Ireland senior football championship qualifier between Limerick and Wexford at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.

First of all, was it a free when Wexford corner back Joey Wadding was adjudged to have fouled Limerick corner forward Ian Ryan 25 metres from goal. Or more to the point, did Ryan's resultant free actually go over the bar?

In a remarkable series of events, which it seems you'll only find in the GAA, one umpire behind the goal waved the ball wide, with the other waving the white flag to indicate a point.

Referee Derek Fahy consulted with both before deciding that the score should stand and Limerick advance to an All-Ireland quarter-final showdown with Munster champions Kerry next weekend.

It was a cruel end to Wexford's championship campaign and heading into stoppage time, it seemed that the Model County were set for the victory against 14-man Limerick, who lost midfielder Thomas Lee to a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident.

But substitute Eoin O'Connor set the cat among the pigeons with a late equalizing goal before Ryan's late intervention, which left Wexford infuriated and stewing over an acrimonious championship exit.

All-Ireland SFC Round 4 Qualifier
Cork 2-20 Down 0-14

All-Ireland champions Cork bounced back from their Munster final defeat to Kerry with a convincing performance against Down in last Saturday's round 4 qualifier at Croke Park.

In a repeat of last year's All-Ireland final, the Rebels ran out comfortable 12-point winners against the Mourne men at GAA HQ.

Down's afternoon ended on a sour note when Marty Clarke, who had been booked in the first half for an off-the-ball clash with Noel O'Leary, received a second yellow card and was sent off.

It is understood that Clarke is contemplating a return to Australian Rules football, having returned to Ireland last year following a stint with Collingwood.

Donncha O'Connor was the star turn for Cork with a 1-7 haul as the Leesiders showed the type of form that will prove difficult to stop in the latter stages of the championship.

But in the back of their minds, Cork know that they are likely to face old foes Kerry in the semi-finals, should the Munster heavyweights safely negotiate their respective quarter-final assignments against Mayo and Limerick respectively.

First half goals from O'Connor and Fintan Goold had Down on the back foot and at half-time, the Sam Maguire cup holders led by 2-8 to 0-9.

After the break, Cork registered eight unanswered points to tie up the game and book a place in the last eight of the championship.

All-Ireland SFC Round 4 Qualifier
Kildare 0-19 Derry 0-13

The much talked about six day turnaround proved too much for beaten Ulster finalists Derry to cope with as Kildare advanced to the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals with a comfortable six-point victory at Croke Park last Saturday.

The Oak Leafers had less than week to lick their wounds after losing the Ulster final to Donegal and Kildare recovered from a sluggish start to set up a difficult quarterfinal meeting with Donegal.

Derry were unfortunate to have a 20th-minute goal from Enda Muldoon chalked off for a square ball, an incident which highlighted the glaring inconsistencies within modern-day refereeing, especially as Tyrone's Joe McMahon had a similar effort in the Armagh game allowed to stand.

Inspired by James Kavanagh, Kildare led by 0-11 to 0-8 at half-time and produced a typically strong second half performance to close the game out.