Goal-shy Galway reliant on deadly accurate Cathal Mannion

RTÉ News​

20 hours ago

Against Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford in this year's Leinster championship Galway managed just three goal chances, while their opposition combined for a total of 19.
Despite winning two of those three games en route to this afternoon's Leinster hurling decider against Kilkenny - Galway conceded eight goals and scored just the one. That sole green flag came against Wexford in added time to give the Tribesmen an eight-point lead.
Ultimately when they face the Cats again at Croke Park, Galway will need to create more goal chances and concede much fewer if they are to reverse the 12 point-deficit in April.
Kilkenny scored three of half a dozen chances in that comfortable first-round victory in Nowlan Park on a day when the visitors failed to create even one half goalscoring chance.
In their victories over Wexford and Dublin, the Tribesmen scored one goal from three chances. Those two missed chances were both easily saved from tight angles under extreme defensive pressure and they were rather fortunate to concede just five goals from 13 chances.
While Galway have been short on goals they haven't lacked for points - raising by far the most white flags of any county prior to the provincial finals.
That tallies 131 in five matches, and in those three games they managed 79 points compared to 55 from the other teams combined.
Central to that has been Cathal Mannion. The Ahascragh-Fohenagh forward has scored 2-43 in four games, with 1-28 from placed balls and 1-15 from play. In the county's three biggest tests to date against Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford he scored a total of 0-35.
The 2015 All Star has been in sensational scoring form for his team and in those three encounters his scores and assists have accounted for 54% of his team's total. The 2017 All-Ireland winner has assisted 0-08 as well as winning two of the frees he converted himself.
His other start came against Offaly when he scored 2-08, assisted 0-05 and was fouled for two of the three frees he floated over the bar.
In his four Leinster outings this season, the 30-year old has scored or assisted 56% (2-56) of his team's combined scoring. If he'd featured in the 28-point demolition of Antrim his numbers would be off the charts.
Mannion's scoring is all the more impressive when you consider his shooting accuracy. From 24 in-play shots so far this championship he has scored 1-15.
He has worn the free-taking responsibility lightly. In his maiden campaign at inter-county level with placed-ball duties, Mannion has scored almost 81% from his 36 attempts in Leinster, with five of his seven misses coming from his own half.
Looking at the three games against Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford in isolation he has scored 24 of 27 attempts, showing not only an impressive range, which was to be expected given his scoring ability from general play, but also an excellent temperament under pressure.
On average (in-play) Mannion has been directly involved in over 10 scoring opportunities per game.
In total he is averaging six shots and just under 0-05 from play per game, almost 0-8 from placed balls, and 0-03 in assists per match so far in the 2025 championship.
While Mannion's form will give Galway fans hope, the reliance on him is a cause for concern.
One of Galway's biggest scorers in recent seasons, St Thomas' Conor Cooney has started four of his team's five games off the bench. Along with his 11 points (nine frees) when starting against Antrim, in those three substitute appearances he has amassed 1-03 from play making him the highest scoring substitute so far in the Leinster championship.
While eight Kilkenny hurlers have contributed to their team's scoring as replacements, only three Galway players have.
Nevertheless in a tight encounter, if Micheál Donoghue again opts against starting the 2017 All Star, he could prove the difference maker when introduced.
It was Cooney who scored his team's only goal in the games against Kilkenny, Dublin or Wexford.
However, even if Cooney provides a similar impact off the bench and Mannion continues his free-scoring form - Galway will need a huge slice of fortune to win any game when conceding so many goal chances and creating so few.