Galway book Walsh Cup final date after defeating Dublin

Galway 1-21

Dublin 0-15

Two Walsh Cup games played, two wins in the bag and a Croke Park final to look forward to. These are early days yet in 2023 but the signs are positive for Henry Shefflin and Galway who were full value for this Parnell Park win.

With eight different scorers - Evan Niland helped himself to seven points, all from frees while newcomer Declan McLoughlin struck the late goal - and as many substitutes brought on, it was a worthwhile trip to the capital for the Tribesmen.

They will return to Dublin at the end of the month for the final even though they still have a Round 3 clash with Antrim to fulfil next weekend.

Galway can't be caught at the head of the table with their wins over Westmeath and now Dublin, meaning further experimentation is likely against the Saffrons.

Galway trailed by a point at half-time after a low key opening half but overwhelmed their opponents in the second-half, outscoring the Dubs by 1-15 to 0-08 in that period.

A burst of five points in a row between the 50th and 55th minutes put significant daylight between the teams for the first time and Galway were always comfortable from there on.

It was virtually an entirely new Dublin team from the side that lined out against Antrim in last weekend's 3-26 to 2-22 Round 1 win, also at Parnell Park.

Naomh Barrog's Joe Flanagan, who struck 0-14 in that game, was the only player retained with the likes of 2022 captain Eoghan O'Donnell, Andrew Dunphy beside him in the full-back line, Fergal Whitely and Conor Burke all making their seasonal debuts.

O'Donnell, who closed out the 2022 inter-county season as a Dublin footballer, was stationed at full-back throughout and marked a series of Galway players as the visiting forward line rotated positions