Glynn shows Galway are no one-trick pony
JONATHAN Glynn’s X-rated interview in t he aftermath of Galway’s SHC quarter- f i nal win over Cork garnered much attention, but the young man had a point when suggesting the idea of a one-man Galway attack is ‘f****** b*******’.
The l azy accusation that Anthony Cunningham’s men are reliant on Joe Canning holds less water than ever and that is largely thanks to Glynn’s performances in the half-forward line.
The 22- year- old has been knocking around the Galway team for four years now and, after struggling early on, it is noticeable how much sharper his all-round hurling ability is this season.
He is a big lad with pace and, as his amazing goal against Cork proved, he now has the ball skills to go with his natural assets.
It would be great to see Glynn on the edge of the square, but Cunningham is utilising him in the half-forward line as he positions Canning at full-forward.
The Portumna talisman was playing out the field when Glynn came through and I liked the look of him closer to goal.
The Ardrahan man holds the hurley in his left hand, which makes him an awkward proposition for the full-back. He is right-handed but a southpaw, holding the hurl in his weaker hand, and it allows him to keep opponents at bay.
Pádraic Maher struggled against him in l ast year’s qualifier clash between the two counties and Glynn plundered two goals before James Barry was switched on to him.
His fielding ability is still a big asset out the field and he has been acting as a link man this summer, the most regular target for Colm Callanan’s puck-outs.
Glynn is a handful and you can see he is enjoying himself and playing with confidence. He f eels himself that very few halfbacks would be able to handle him and, having failed to register a score against Dublin and Laois, Glynn has been on target in Galway’s last two games, benefiting from a far more cohesive Galway unit this year.
From what I gather — and from what my sources tell me — there is harmony for the first time in three years under Cunningham.
It has been a problem in Galway that players from different clubs don’t gel, a problem various managers have wrestled with. However, it is a happy camp now and from day one against Dublin you could see the hunger and aggression they are playing with. Nowhere i s this new attitude and togetherness more evident than in t he f orwards, where the form of Glynn, Jason Flynn and Cathal Mannion has taken the pressure off Canning.
They are all independent, stylish hurlers who can do their own thing. It is no longer the case that an opposing team can l ook to shut down Galway by putting the shackles on Canning. Of course, he is still the key man for Galway, and on his day Canning is all but unmarkable, but Glynn and the new generation coming through will offer a serious test to Tipperary.