Dioralyte Walsh Cup final
Galway 1-16 Dublin 2-13
* Galway win 2-1 on penalties
By Paul Keane at Parnell Park
Just 17 days into 2026 and already Galway have managed to get their hands on silverware, Leinster hurling’s Dioralyte Walsh Cup.
But a fifth pre-season title for the western county didn’t come without an epic and hugely entertaining struggle with penalties ultimately required to separate them from old rivals Dublin.
Conor Cooney’s levelling point four minutes into stoppage time sent the game to penalties – extra-time wasn’t played – and despite missing their first two attempts, Galway eventually overcame the hosts with successful conversions from rising star Ciaran Leen and Colm Molloy.
They were grateful also to goalkeeper Darach Fahy who pulled off two important saves to deny Dublin.
It’s Galway’s first Walsh Cup success since 2023 for Galway though boss Micheal Donoghue will be just as glad to get out of Dublin with no fresh injuries ahead of next weekend’s trip to Tipperary for their National League opener.
It was also a first piece of silverware for new Galway captain Darren Morrissey to lift having been installed as team skipper this week.
Evan Niland was Galway’s leading scorer with 0-7 and took the Man of the Match award while Conor Whelan struck their only goal in a gruelling contest.
Dublin will kick themselves for not holding out and taking a ninth title themselves as Donohoe had put them ahead before Cooney levelled at the death.
The bigger picture for last season’s All-Ireland semi-finalists is that it was their fourth game in the competition and amounted to more precious game time ahead of next weekend’s Allianz League Division 1B opener against Clare.
Both sides were down key players and took the opportunity to experiment a week out from the start of League action.
Dublin had already used 33 different players in the competition despite operating without experienced performers like Danny Sutcliffe, Fergal Whitely, Daire Gray, Paddy Doyle and John Hetherton.
As for Galway, we still haven’t seen Cathal Mannion in action while Loughrea’s All-Ireland club final contingent were absent again too.
Galway won a coin toss to advance beyond Kildare so only had a semi-final tie against Offaly.
They fielded 25 different players in that match, handing out a whopping 10 debuts, and Donoghue changed things up again for the decider.
Eanna Murphy returned in goals, Whelan made his seasonal return up front while there were starts for established players like Padraic Mannion, TJ Brennan and Niland.
In all, Galway retained just three players in their lineup – new captain Morrissey, rookie Cian Daniels and Declan McLaughlin – from the team that started against Offaly.
Galway racked up the wides initially, hitting as many scores, four, as wides in the opening quarter and find themselves on level terms at 0-4 apiece.
Dublin surged ahead with 1-1 in the space of 60 seconds or so shortly after, Ollie Gaffney first to react when Sean Gallagher’s long point attempt came back off the crossbar.
Then Conor Burke finished a terrific passing move that started with the Dublin goalkeeper to shove the Sky Blues 1-6 to 0-5 clear.
But six Galway points in a row approaching half-time left them with a narrow 0-11 to 1-7 interval lead.
Donoghue rang the changes again at half-time, bringing on three more players but things went Dublin’s way initially.
Donal Burke planted a penalty to the net two minutes after the restart and a point from Conor Burke shortly after left the hosts 2-08 to 0-11 up.
The game swung back and forth in an entertaining and hard-hitting second-half.
Burke was denied a second goal when he went for goal with a 39th minute free that he’d won himself.
Galway were on top at that stage but three Dublin points in a row from Donal Burke, Cian O’Sullivan and Conor Donohoe tied it up at 2-11 to 1-14.
Both sides held the lead in the closing 10 minutes and Dublin thought they’d surged to success following points from Conor Groarke and Donohoe which left them one up in the 64th minute.
Cooney tied it up right at the death for Galway though and sent the game to penalties, nailing a long-range free and punching the air in delight.
Galway scorers: Evan Niland 0-7 (0-6f), Conor Whelan 1-0, John Fleming 0-2, Paddy MacCarthaigh 0-2, Declan McLoughlin 0-2, Alex Connaire 0-1, Tom Monaghan 0-1, Conor Cooney 0-1 (0-1f).
Dublin scorers: Ollie Gaffney 1-0, Donal Burke 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Davy Keogh 0-2, Conor Burke 0-2, Cian O’Sullivan 0-2, Conor Donohoe 0-2, Conor Groarke 0-1.
Galway: Eanna Murphy; Ronan Glennon, Darren Morrissey, Seán Murphy; Padraic Mannion, Cian Daniels, TJ Brennan; Alex Connaire, Sean Linnane; John Fleming, Conor Whelan, Paddy MacCárthaigh; Evan Niland, Declan McLaughlin, Ciaran Leen.
Subs: Daniel Comar for Daniels h/t, Tom Monaghan for Leen h/t, Cillian Whelan for Connaire h/t, Darach Fahy for Eanna Murphy h/t, Conor Cooney for McLoughlin 45, Colm Molloy for Whelan 45, Daniel Loftus for Murphy 51, Daithi Burke for Mannion 51, Michael Power for Niland 57,
Dublin: Sean Brennan; John Bellew, Paddy Smyth, Cathal Kennedy; Andrew Dunphy, Sean Gallagher, Conor Burke; Conor Groarke, Conor Donohoe; Davy Keogh, Donal Burke, Darragh Power; Ollie Gaffney, Ronan Hayes, Cian O’Sullivan.
Subs: Tom Brennan for Donal Burke 45, Darragh Kenny for Gaffney 53, James Madden for Keogh 58.
Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).
St. Brendan’s Park, Birr
Sunday 22nd February 2026
2.00PM
Radio Commentary on Galway Bay FM
Tickets also available in Centra and SuperValu stores.
