Galway displayed their superior ability to score goals but were only able to secure one, while their own defense was breached in the 62nd minute when substitute John McGrath deftly placed a ground stroke into the net.
This narrowed the gap to just one point, after Galway had held an eight-point lead just 11 minutes earlier. However, they showed resilience and determination, despite their recent loss in the Leinster final due to a last-second goal.
“We anticipated that they would attack us and create goal-scoring opportunities, so we made sure to have enough defenders at the back. We have a team with many leaders who have won All-Ireland medals, and they weren’t satisfied after the Leinster final,” said Shefflin.
“Conceding four goals, three of them due to defensive errors, is not acceptable. Tonight, I thought the team showed heroism, and the players up front worked extremely hard as well.”
Tipp made changes at halftime, substituting Seamus Callanan and Mark Kehoe as they aimed to invigorate their forward line, which had been lacking the freedom that led to a record score against Offaly in Tullamore.
“We wanted the game to be tightly contested,” stated Shefflin. “We saw Tipp’s dominant performance against Offaly last weekend and knew they would come at us, taking advantage of any doubts we had from the Leinster final.”
“We wanted a gritty and intense battle, and the players utilized the ball effectively. Our forwards posed a significant threat. At one point, it seemed like we would push ahead. Credit to Tipp, Liam Cahill, and their management team for their exceptional performance this year. They responded as expected,” Shefflin added.
Shefflin, in his second season as coach, emphasized that the team has benefited from more time together.
“Our group has become more comfortable, and our relationship is stronger now compared to a year ago. This is a positive development and the reason we train twice a week. We aim to foster camaraderie and team spirit, which ultimately leads to improved performance,” he explained.
Similar to the Leinster final, Galway had to defend a two-point lead as Tipp launched a final attack in injury time. Shefflin was asked if they had learned a valuable lesson from that experience.
“The players knew, from reviewing the match, the importance of getting the ball out of danger and ensuring the game ends. It’s still fresh in their minds, as it was just 13 days ago. It was definitely a lesson learned. I observed resolute defending, with players supporting each other. Whenever Tipp managed to get close to one of our players, there was another Galway player ready to challenge them. The pride and determination of the Galway team were evident all over the field,” Shefflin concluded.
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