Gearoid McInerney and Galway gunning to get back on track against Cork after Leinster final disappointment

Galway seemed to be tipping along nicely in Leinster, quietly going about their business with an unbeaten run in the round robin.

The fact they were yet to compile a 70-minute performance was also encouraging in its own way. Henry Shefflin could reasonably believe his side had saved their best hurling for the business end of the summer.

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That notion was shattered in the Leinster final, as they tamely succumbed to Kilkenny, 0-22 to 0-17.

"It was a disappointing performance," Gearoid McInerney said.

"We didn't really reach the levels we expect of ourselves. I suppose we're not trying to think about it too much, but at the same time you need to take your learnings from it and move onto the next game.

"On the day it just didn't go our way. We were just below par. It can happen in sport. It's more important trying to get it right for the next day.

"It does hurt, of course, losing a final. But the fact is we're still in it.

"So it's important to train your way out of it."

Cork stand in their way of a place in the All-Ireland semi-finals. The Tribesmen face the Rebels in Thurles on Saturday afternoon.

In 2020, Galway bounced back in similar fashion from a Leinster final defeat to the Cats, by beating Tipperary in an All-Ireland quarter-final one week later.

"The main thing is to try and get the performance," McInerney noted.

"When you get the performance, you're 90 per cent there. You put yourself in a good position to win the game. So the best we can do is focus on getting our performance right for the next day.

"It's great the way the games are coming thick and fast. In that sense, you can move on from it. You're not dwelling on it too long."

After two Covid-impacted seasons, Galway are looking to reap the benefits of a return to normal.

Henry Shefflin has had more opportunities than his predecessor Shane O'Neill to blood young talent.

"The squad is changing, evolving year on year. I suppose no more so than this year," McInerney said.

"There's a few new faces in and people performing very good in training and matches, so it's great to see a few new faces coming through. Very important to have that strong 26, people trying to break into that.

"The great thing about being a new player this year, or someone coming into it, you're going to get plenty of games. So that's plenty of games to improve your game to get to the intensity. Where some other years, you mightn't have that opportunity, you have to be going off training form and all that.

"Now you're getting them championship games in and them caps up."