Galway 55

Dublin 39

By JOHN FALLON at Fenway Park

Galway qualified for the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic final thanks to 20 points from Jason Flynn and a superb display of goalkeeping from Colm Callanan.

Dublin, with Pat Gilroy in charge for the first time, were chasing the game from the early stages in this repeat of the initial final two years ago.

Galway led by 29-22 at the end of the opening half, having raced into a 11-0 lead after four minutes with early three-pointers from Conor Whelan and Joseph Cooney before Conor Cooney delivered the first five-pointer - struck from outside the 20 metre mark.

Dublin responded with goals from Fergal Whitely and John Hetherton but Galway goalkeeper Callanan was in superb form, producing a string of top class saves.

Galway's Daithi Burke and Cillian Costello of Dublin were sin-binned after a row after ten minutes which involved several players and which certainly got the going.

Shane Moloney and Davy Glennon extended Galway's lead with two five-pointer and Padraig Breheny also scored in response to an effort from Paul Wintersm but Dublin finished the opening half strongly.

Captain Danny Sutcliffe, back in Dublin colours for the first time since the inaugural AIG Fenway Classic two years ago, scored two goals and James Madden also found the target to leave them trailing by seven at the interval.

Two five-pointers from Jason Flynn extended Galway's after the break but Donal Burke, John Hetherton and Emmet McKenna found the net to reduce the margin to 39-33 with eleven minutes left.

But Galway pushed home for victory with goals from Flynn, Padraig Breheny and Conor Cooney to book their place in the final.

Galway scorers: Jason Flynn (20), Conor Cooney (10), Padraig Breheny (9), Shane Moloney (5), Davy Glennon (5), Conor Whelan (3), Joseph Cooney (3).

Dublin scorers: Danny Sutcliffe (8), John Hetherton (8), Donal Burke (5), Fergal Whitely (3), Paul Crummy (3), James Madden (3), Emmet McKenna (3), Cian O'Sullivan (3), Paul Winters (3).

Galway: Colm Callanan, Conor Whelan, Padraic Mannion, Adrian Tuohey, Brian Molloy, Conor Cooney, Eanna Burke, John Hanbury, Johnny Coen, Joseph Cooney, Martin Dolphin.

Subs: Cathal Mannion, Cyril Donnellan, David Burke, Daithi Burke, Davy Glennon, Gearoid McInerney, Jason Flynn, Johnny Glynn, Joe Canning, Matt Donohue, Niall Burke, Padraig Breheny, Paul Flaherty, Ronan Burke, Sean Loftus, Shane Moloney.

Dublin: Jonathan Tracey, Danny Sutcliffe, Paddy Smyth, Shane Barrett, James Madden, Kevin Hetherton, Tom Connolly, Fergal Whitely, Glenn Whelan, John Hetherton.

Subs: Paul Winters, Eanna Boland, Paul Crummy, Donal Burke, Donal Gromley, Ronan Hayes, Stephen Chester, Darren Kelly, Cillian Costello, Darragh Gray, Niall McMorrow, Alan Moore, Emmet McKenna.

Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary).

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