Leinster Senior Hurling Championship: Dublin v Galway – five players to watch

Dublin and Galway meet at Parnell Park this Sunday in the final group stage round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.

In what is virtually a semi-final in all but name, the two counties are level on six points each, with Galway having a slight advantage in the sense a win or draw will see them advance to the provincial final.

That’s thanks to them having a superior points difference compared to Dublin thanks to their 28-point thrashing in their last outing.

Dublin simply have to win in order to reach the Leinster final against Kilkenny for the second year in a row.

Dublin and Galway both have one defeat to their name, which came at the hands of the Cats and have beaten Offaly, Wexford and Antrim going into this weekend’s clash.

The two counties have been impressive in this championship and it’s no surprise they are at the business end of the Leinster championship once again.

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship – Five Players To Watch

Seán Currie (Dublin)

Na Fianna clubman Seán Currie has been in red-hot form for Dublin so far this Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.

He is second in the scoring charts with 3-38 (47) points to his name from Dublin’s four previous championship games, with an average of 11.75 per game.

Currie has demonstrated he can score from open play and the dead ball as well as the ability to play anywhere on the forward line.

However, he is arguably most dangerous when playing in corner-forward; his personal tally of 1-11 in Dublin’s win over Wexford would back that argument up.

Currie said in an interview earlier in the week, Dublin have no interest in coming second or third. So rest assured, the talented forward will be doing all he can to keep Dublin’s Leinster title bid alive.

Cathal Mannion (Galway)

Galway’s top scorer, Cathal Mannion, returns to the county panel for this weekend’s clash after missing Galway’s demolition of Antrim in round four of the Leinster SHC.

Mannion has scored 2-35 while wearing maroon this championship and will be hoping to pick up from where he left off against a talented Dublin side on Sunday.

An impressive 20 of his points have come from frees, so Dublin will be looking to limit the number of frees they give away.

Given how clinical Mannion is from the deadball, it could prove very costly for Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s Boys in Blue.

Conor Donohoe (Dublin)

Since making his inter-county debut in 2022, Conor Donohoe has cemented himself in the starting 15 of the Dublin panel.

After enjoying a fairly decent league campaign, Donohoe has kicked on this Leinster campaign and proved himself in midfield.

He has been an asset to the strong Dublin attack with eight points so far, but isn’t shy of getting back to help out at the back too.

The 26-year-old will relish a midfield battle with Galway’s expected midfield pairing of David Burke and Tom Monaghan in what should be a fascinating contest.

John Fleming (Galway)

Back in the squad this weekend is half-forward John Fleming, who joins a list of talented names in the Galway panel starting 15.

With two points per game against Kilkenny, Offaly and Wexford, Fleming has proved himself to be a hard worker who can link up well with the Galway midfield.

As well as the ability to find himself scores, he works effortlessly alongside Mannion while helping the rest of his comrades in attack find scores.

Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin)

A key figure in the Dublin hurling set-up in recent years. O’Sullivan has the skill and experience to get Dublin over the line and into the Leinster final on Sunday afternoon.

Calm and composed in attack, he has the ability to point from play and also find the net.

After coming on late in Dublin’s first group game in this Leinster championship, he has gone on to score 2-11 going into this crunch clash with Galway.

Galway can’t afford to give him too much space, otherwise they could find themselves missing out on a place in the Leinster final.