Galway demolish Tipperary to win Division 1 title

Jason Flynn bagged two goals, and Cathal Mannion a third, as Galway crushed All-Ireland champions Tipperay 3-12 to 0-14 to claim the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 title.

Flynn’s brace was the key element of an impressive performance that saw the Tribesman swipe aside a Tipp side shorn of the injured Seamus Callanan, that failed to get going, as Galway took their tenth league title and a first since 2010.

The writing was on the wall at half-time with Joe Canning hitting 0-06, on the way to a total of 0-09, as Galway dominated proceedings to go into the break 0-11 to 0-05 ahead.

Having been tied at two points apiece midway through the first period, a Canning point edged Galway ahead, and the same player made it 0-06 to 0-03 with a 65 just over ten minutes before the interval. Brendan Maher pulled one back for Tipp, before Canning added two more, one from a free, to make it double scores at 0-08 to 0-04. Canning and Conor Whelan added two more each before Ronan Maher and Canning swapped points just before the interval, the final point giving Canning a haul of six points before the break.

Flynn’s first goal just after the interval put the Tribesmen into a commanding lead before Noel McGrath kept Tipp in touch with a point.

Johnny Coen and John O’Dwyer then exchanged scores before Aidan Harte and Canning scores had Galway coasting ten clear at 1-14 to 0-07. Briefly a comeback looked possible as Michael Breen and Ronan Maher hit scores for Tipp, but Whelan and Canning weighed in again to restore the ten-point cushion. Canning and John McGrath exchanged frees, before Breen hit a second for Tipp.

The death knell sounded for Tipp when Flynn slalomed through the defence to smash home his second goal, to which Canning added another free. Cathal Mannion and Whelan the cancelled out two scores from John McGrath as Tipp battled in vain.

Three minutes before the end Mannion smashed home the third goal to the bottom-left corner, before Thomas Monaghan added a further point for a rampant Galway.