Galway manager Pádraic Joyce was delighted with the manner in which his side came from behind to defeat the All-Ireland champions at Croke Park.
Trailing by four points at half-time, Galway fought their way back into the game to restore parity before pushing ahead in the latter stages to secure a one-point victory to progress to the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Joyce said that his side brought the belief into the contest, but were then urged to disrupt the Dublin kick-outs after the break, which proved decisive as they limited Dessie Farrell’s side to a meagre five points in the second half.
Galway outscored their opponents after the break, doubling the Dublin tally, and despite missing a late chance to move three points clear, they limited the champions to a solitary score during the five additional minutes at the end of the game to hold on for the 0-17 to 0-16 victory.
“We always felt that we had a great chance; it was a super, super performance from the lads,” said Joyce, speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game.
“Obviously at half-time we were four points down but after half-time we pressed the kick-out a little more and the lads showed fantastic energy.”
Joyce acknowledged that the victory meant little in the grander scheme of things if Galway do not go on to secure the title, while admitting that he expected Dublin to take the game to extra time.
But in the end, he was thrilled that his side held out and took time to heap praise on his defensive unit who saw the game out to secure the famous victory.
“There’s always a question mark over Galway, I get that, and it will remain until we win an All-Ireland, it’s as simple as that,” said Joyce.
“We have nothing won today but it was very satisfying to win that game, and the manner of how we won it as well, our defence was outstanding, Sean Mulkerrin, Dylan McHugh, Jack (Glynn) and Johnny (McGrath) were fantastic.
“We were two up and Johnny Heaney hit a wide and I thought it was gone, I thought they’d equalise at the end.
“A fantastic team, Dublin, they are the standard-bearers and if we could get half the success they had we’d be happy enough.”
Looking ahead to the semi-finals, Galway will play one of Sunday’s four remaining quarter-finalists as they cannot be matched with Armagh having faced them earlier in the competition.
And Joyce is looking forward to returning to Headquarters tomorrow to watch all potential opponents in action ahead of the confirmation of the final-four fixtures.
“There will be four left tomorrow, and we are one of the four, so we’ll be in the draw,” said Joyce.
“We’ll come here tomorrow and watch the games and we have a keen interest to see who we might get, because we can’t get Armagh as far as I know.
“We’re here, we have a chance and we’ll come back and make the county proud.”
The semi-finals take place in two weeks and Joyce feels that his squad have the strength in depth to deal with any injuries, as he awaits on news of players like captain Sean Kelly and star forward Shane Walsh who both had to be replaced during the game.
“There’s two injuries there so we’ll have to see how we go, but at this stage we’re used to it, we have a bit of panel depth.”
Dublin manager Dessie Farrell paid credit to Galway, who he felt were the superior side in the second half and worthy winners, while admitting that he was not sure where things went wrong with his side, surrendering the four-point lead at the break.
“I was very impressed with their (Galway’s) spirit and never-say-die attitude,” said Farrell, speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game.
“They were much superior than us in the second half and fully deserved of their victory.”
“I don’t know,” he added, when asked what happened.
“Just a very good second half performance from Galway and we found it very difficult to come up with any answers.
“Our execution was off, we turned over too much ball and we just struggled out there. Momentum went against us and we found it hard to shift it back in our favour.”
But Farrell was pleased with the fight that his side showed in the latter stages as they looked to reel Galway back in during the added time.
“It looked dead and gone and credit to the lads they kept plugging away and we had a last chance to get the equaliser, but unfortunately it just went wide.
“We looked to the bench for impact and it was a bit of a mixed bag; some of those games it is very difficult to come in when momentum is going against you and it is difficult to arrest that, no matter who you are.
“It didn’t work out, you make the calls, you make the plays and you take your chances but unfortunately today we just couldn’t get there.”
Farrell admitted that it could well be the end of an era for certain senior players in a side that has dominated the game for the past decade, however, he will leave it up to all those involved to ponder their future involvement with the county.
“It could be an end of an era for some of those Dublin players,” said Farrell. “I’m not going to pre-empt anything, but if it is, they have been wonderful servants and they died with their boots on.
“We’ll all take stock and see where we are at,” added Farrell.
“It was a disappointing finish to the season, but there is some room for hope and optimism for what lies in the future, whoever may be involved at that point in time.
“We’ll reflect on things and see where we are and I’m sure many of the players will have a think about their own futures as well.”
