Hurling
The story goes that a priest noticed that some of the Galway hurling team leaving mass early one Sunday morning, because they were on their way to Dublin to play a big match. He put a curse on them, that they would never win another All-Ireland (they were champions in 1923). Connacht's reaching the Railway Cup final in 1969 and holding Munster to a draw before succumbing in the replay boosted the game in the province but disaster followed, Galway losing to London in the 1969 championship and Connacht losing at home to Ulster in the preliminary round of the 1970 Railway Cup on a day they ran up 20 wides. By the time their hurlers were heavily beaten in 1975 and 1979 finals the curse was part of the folklore.
Then Castlegar won the All-Ireland Club Championship in 1980, Galway beat Munster in that year's Railway Cup final, in September Galway beat Limerick in a five-goal thriller to win the All-Ireland. John Fahy's Vocational Schools team won an unprecedented eight-in-a-row, Galway players won five more Railway Cups, Galway won minor titles in 1992 and 1994, under-21 in 1996.
The youth and skill of the team which won All Irelands in 1987 (adding the League and Railway cup as well) and 1988 was suggestive of more to come. John Commins penalty and race back to the line was one of the great images indicating the spirit of the team. Galway were narrowly beaten by Tipperary in a controversial 1989 semi-final and Cork in the final of 1990, while the brilliance of the 1993 final defeat by Kilkenny is sometimes forgotten because of the drama that ensued in the following years. Galway clubs took three successive All Ireland titles in 1992–94 and Athenry three in 1997, 2000 and 2001. For the 2009 Hurling Championship, Galway played in the Leinster Championship, starting a trial period of three years there.
In May 2010, Galway won their ninth National Hurling League with a 2–22 to 1–17 win against Cork at Semple Stadium.
Galway opened their 2010 Championship campaign against Wexford. Despite a second half surge by Wexford, Galway still won by 11 points. Galway then went on to play Offaly. The Faithful county gave Galway a strong scare in the Semi-Final. On the 20th of June, Offaly and Galway drew 3-16 to 2-19. Six days later, the Tribesman beat Offaly in the Replay to propel them into their first Leinster Final ever. Unfortunately, Kilkenny won their 20th Championship game in a row. They beat Galway by a scoreline of 1-19 to 1-12. Even though they lost, Galway was given an automatic All-Ireland Quarterfinal birth. In that All-Ireland Quarterfinal match, the Tribesman squared up against Tipperary. In a closely contested match all the way through, Galway fell short of the Semi-finals again losing 3-17 to 3-16. In the final seconds, Galway had a strong opportunity to at least send it to a replay. A high ball went in, and Galway allegedly got it while a scrum for the ball went on. Many expected a free or even a penalty to be called, but it wasn't. Tipp went on to upset Kilkenny (who were looking for their fifth championship in a row) in the 2010 All-Ireland Final.
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