Henry Shefflin insists he won’t panic despite watching his Galway team receive a Walsh Cup walloping from Dublin.
The Kilkenny legend accepted Galway hurling will be “hurting” after the 19-point defeat at Parnell Park but vowed it’s early days in the new regime.
Shefflin said: “Dublin were definitely further down the road than us and it is concerning because we’re trying to find players and stuff like that. Look, it’s about learning and growing and taking these defeats and we will not panic yet
“Are we disappointed? Of course we’re disappointed. I’m sure Galway hurling is hurting as well because Dublin were just streets ahead of us and it’s a long way to go.
“Look, to be honest, last week [against Offaly] there was a bit of excitement around things and a bit of expectation that had built up, I’m not quite sure why.
“Last year, and the last couple of years, Galway haven’t been where they were at previously and today is another disappointing step.”
An experienced and hungry Dublin side seized the opportunity to lay down an early season marker and ran amok at times, carving out six goal chances in the first-half alone.
They finished with three goals in the end from Rian McBride, Chris Crummey and Paul Crummey while Donal Burke oozed quality with 18 points, 10 from placed balls.
The big win matches Dublin’s Championship triumph over the Tribesmen of last summer and means they’ve now registered back- to-back wins in the pre-season competition ahead of their Round 3 trip to Offaly next weekend.
Dublin : S Brennan; J Bellew, E O’Donnell,
A Dunphy; J Madden, P Smyth, D Gray; C Crummey (1-2), C Burke; C O’Sullivan (0-3), R McBride (1-1),
D Burke (0-18, 9f, 1 65); A Mellett, C Currie, F Whitely (0-1). Subs: C O’Callaghan (0-2) for Madden 35+1,
R Smith for Gray h/t, R Hayes for Mellett,
A Considine for Whitely 47, D Keogh for C Crummey 52, P Crummey (1-0) for C Currie 55, J Hetherton (0-1) for O’Sullivan, J Malone (0-1) for McBride 56,
S Moran for Dunphy 63, L Walsh for Bellew 66.
Galway : E Murphy; S Barrett, G McInerney,
J Grealish; S Bleahane, D Morrissey, TJ Brennan;
S Loftus (0-1), C Walsh; C Fahy (0-1), N Burke (0-2),
R Glennon (0-1); E Niland (0-5, 2f), K Cooney, D O’Shea (0-3, 3f). Subs: P Mannion (0-1) for Bleahane 30, C Mannion (0-3) for Walsh h/t, T Monaghan (0-1) for O’Shea 45, J Hastings for Fahy 52, C Caulfield (0-1) for Glennon 56, T Killeen for Brennan 58, I McGlynn for Barrett 67.
Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).
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