Flashback: Dublin v Galway 2013 Leinster Final

By Conor Martin

With Dublin taking on Kilkenny in the Leinster Senior Hurling Final this Saturday, here's a look back at the 2013 Leinster decider, as Dublin claimed the Bob O’Keeffe Cup for the first time since 1961, ending 52 years of hurt. 

Like the opening stages of most finals, this one was a tight affair as David O’Callaghan and Paul Ryan whilst Joe Canning and Iarla Tannion were doing their bit to grow Galway into the game.

However, Dublin would soon take control of the contest, Joey Boland put Dublin five up and in the 24th minute, O’Callaghan ran at the Galway defence, laying the ball off to Ryan, who made no mistake to grab Dublin’s first goal of the final.

Canning was doing all he could for the men in Maroon, but O’Callaghan continued his fine performance to help the Boys in blue to a 1-12 to 0-7 half-time lead.

Dublin’s momentum never died down and after the restart, Ryan sent a free from around 200 metres out sailing over the bar before he managed to skip past Galway’s Kevin Hynes to score his and Dublin’s second goal.

Trailing by 11 points, Galway needed something big, Aidan Harte and Conor Cooney topped up the Galway total just before Canning and David Burke scored Galway’s goals.

Conal Keaney helped to quieten the Tribesmen comeback with a point from miles out; Gary Maguire expertly denied Canning, while at the other end, Dublin’s Mark Schutte was shut out by Galway keeper James Skehill.

Dublin captain John McCaffrey was excellent in midfield, the Dubs could also rely on Peter Kelly to deal with the Galway threat.

Dublin powered on when it really mattered and late scores from Conor McCormack, Simon Lambert and Ryan, who would finish with 2-7, meant the long wait for a Leinster title was over for Dublin, as we ran out winners by 2-25 to 2-13. 

Dublin would advance to the All-Ireland semi-final, losing to eventual All-Ireland runners-up Cork.

Dublin: G Maguire, N Corcoran, P Kelly, P Schutte, S Hiney, L Rushe, M Carton (0-1), J McCaffrey (0-2), J Boland (0-2), C Keaney (0-2), R O'Dwyer (0-3), D Sutcliffe (0-1), D O'Callaghan (0-4), D Treacy, P Ryan (2-7, 0-4f)

Dublin Substitutes: A Smith for Regan, C McCormack (0-2)for Treacy, O Gough for Schutte, S Durkin for McCaffrey, M Schutte for O’Callaghan, S Lambert (0-1) for O’Dwyer

Galway: J Skehill, F Moore, K Hynes, J Coen, D Collins, S Kavanagh, J Cooney, I Tannian (0-1), J Regan (0-1), D Burke (1-0), C Cooney (0-2), C Donnellan, D Glennon, J Canning (1-7, 0-4f), N Burke

Galway Substitutes: A Smith for Regan, D Hayes for Donnellan, A Harte (0-1) for Tannion, J Glynn (0-1) for Glennon, A Callanan for J Cooney

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary)