Anthony Cunningham's young commandos up and running

By NOEL CARNEY Galway 0-20  Dublin 0-13 GALWAY HURLERS got their Allianz National League campaign off to a flying start at Pearse Stadium on Sunday when their youthful side convincingly defeated the title-holders Dublin in front of a fine crowd of over 5,000 spectators. The victory comes with a caution though, as the losers failed to live up to their reputation as genuine contenders for Championship silverware. With a new compact Division 1A comprising only six teams and five games, it was crucial to get a home win on this opening day of the campaign and they duly did so in impressive fashion. It marked another successful weekend for team manager Anthony Cunningham who is busy getting ready for two national finals â€â€ Interprovincial Hurling with Connacht and All-Ireland Clubs Football with Garrycastle â€â€ and who is also, of course, starting a busy and hopefully long year with Galway hurlers. With a trip to Nowlan Park, Kilkenny for the Martin Donnelly Cup (formerly the Railway Cup) next week looming, and tough away games against Tipperary and a rejuvenated Cork on March 11 and 18 there is no honeymoon period for Galway and their mentors. Anthony Cunningham and his selectors Mattie Kenny and Tom Helebert can be happy with this victory but they know that huge challenges will confront them in the coming weeks. Although it would be foolhardy to get carried away after one encouraging performance on a slow, wet surface in February against opposition that was a long way short of the fired-up power displays of last year, there was a refreshing work ethic, energy and no little skill about this Galway team that pleased their management and supporters alike.