GAA TIPP TEST TALL ORDER FOR TRIBES

IF GALWAY are to extend their season this weekend, it's likely they'll lean on a player that Fintan Burke describes as one of the county's best ever.

- BY PAT NOLAN

Cathal Mannion has already almost single-handedly brought Galway back from the brink after a loss to Kilkenny this year, and he may be required to do the same against Tipperary on Saturday.

Their Leinster campaign started with a 12-point loss to Kilkenny and ended with an eight-point reverse to the Cats in the recent provincial final, but Mannion's form has held up whatever the outcome.

He took his tally for the Championship to 2-55 from five games with 0-11 in that Leinster final and if there was a player of the year award for the provincial series, it would surely be his.

"I suppose it's probably people outside the county probably would have forgotten the level of hurler he is and in fairness to us in the group when you see him day in, day out and week in, week out doing it in training you're not really surprised, to be honest," noted his team-mate Burke.

"I'd have him as up there as one of the best ever that's come out of Galway.

"Even he got a point there out under the Cusack Stand [in the Leinster final], we were kind of under the cosh, he kind of fell over like.

"You wouldn't do it if you were in the pitch on your own.

"That's just the magic of Cathal, in fairness."