"The defending starts from the front" is the most apt old saying that applies to modern day hurling and while not quoting him directly that’s basically what Andy Smyth says Galway need to do to have a chance of beating Tipperary.
Without knowing Smith personally, his playing style suggests no fear of hard work and a want to self improve, even if it does mean taking refuge behind the couch when watching back clips carefully cut out by the video analyst. “Sometimes it’s cringe worthy looking at your own clips”, he says.
As hard as it can be to watch, the midfielder views video analysis as part of training the mind and views it as important as physical training. “Sometimes it’s nearly better than a training session. Analysing team plays and seeing how you cut out space is a big side of the game now and that’s just how it’s gone”.
In their two matches so far Tipperary scored a combined total of 4-44. “We’re going to have to be touch tight up on their backs (defenders)” says the Portumna (a village seperated from Tipperary by only the Shannon) man who knows that to the stop the current Munster champions forward unit functioning, you have to stop or lessen the quality of the ball going into them. “They’ve serious shooters and we can’t given the time and space”.
The Connacht men have some shooters themselves though racking up an average of 3-21 in their 5 games so far. The individual tallies are impressive too with Cathal Mannion accounting for 3-15, injury returnee Jason Flynn grabbing 1-14 and Joe Canning notching up 4-37 while July’s player of the month Jonathan Glynn grabbed 1-2 and lets not forget Connor Whelan who is already on 1-2 after just one game in Maroon.
Smith is no stranger to scoring either with five points so far this summer and the also industrious Cyril Donnelan has chipped in with nine points. Like Smith, his style is more about creating scores and space for others but he is partial to taking the odd shot.
Four All Ireland club titles with Portumna hasn’t curbed Smith's enthusiasm for wearing the jersey with pride something which is summed up by his profile on the county board website. He refers to playing for Galway as “an unbelievable honour as only a small percentage of players get to represent their county” .
The percentage of players who have won senior all Ireland's with Galway from 1989 onwards is even less and that’s something you feel drives the 31 year old on. We don’t know if he’ll help end a barren spell for Galway this year but if it doesn’t happen it won’t be for the lack of trying from Smith.
Smith spoke to Sean Walsh of Galway Bay FM
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