Galway boss Walsh braced for much tougher challenge against Tyrone
RESOURCES may have been depleted for a number of reasons, but as the Spring breaks, it’s been a case of ‘so far, so good’ for Galway’s footballers as they try to maintain a clean furrow in Division 2 of the National Football League.
Success in the Connacht FBD league, even allowing for its modest gait, was a timely boost for Kevin Walsh and his team, with the follow-up National League victory over Laois now setting them up nicely for Sunday’s tilt with Tyrone at Pearse Stadium (2pm).
It can be assumed with some certainty that Tyrone will pose a far more serious test in Salthill than a poor Laois outfit did in O’Moore Park, but for all that, Mickey Harte’s side were put to ‘the pin of their collar’ by Cavan on Sunday last.
By all accounts, that northern derby was a shockingly dour affair – are there are other types? – with scarcely a goal chance created over the 70 minutes, but significantly Tyrone did miss a lot of point chances.
Tyrone do fancy themselves as a team that should be in Division One of the league, with the aim of preparing for a decent assault on the All-Ireland over the coming couple of years, so they should provide an accurate barometer for measuring Galway’s progress so far this year.
Galway do seem to be missing a stack of players that should be pushing for county places but the reality of the situation is that a surprisingly high number of club footballers have turned down the chance to join the panel.
Back the decades, it was considered a huge honour to be ‘given a run with the county’ but over recent years, many club players who might – or might not – make it at inter-county level, have decided to stay outside.
The huge commitment involved at inter-county level – as well as other factors such as the lure of summer work in the United States for the ‘younger lads’ – has added to a slightly worrying trend for the game in Galway, and indeed other counties as well.
Be that as it may, Kevin Walsh has to work with what he has, and so far he’s had no reason to gripe about the work ethic and enthusiasm shown by his squad since they came together last backend.
Injuries have also contributed significantly to reduced options in team selection in the early season period with Shane Walsh, Finian Hanley, Danny Cummins, Gary Sice and Paul Varley, the Sweeney brothers Patrick and Cathal, all on the treatment table.
Shane Walsh though did make a return on Sunday as a second half sub against Laois while there is also encouraging news about the other players on the injury list, something that will give Kevin Walsh and his selectors more choice as the bigger names in Division 2 line up through the mid-Spring period.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.