Cunninigham's clear out of the old guard

STEPHEN GLENNON

TWO former Galway captains and a plethora of high profile names, including a former All-Star, are among the casualties – an incredible 11 in all – who have failed to make the new Galway senior hurling panel announced by manager Anthony Cunningham last Saturday.

No doubt, the make up of the squad named by Cunningham and his selectors, Tom Helebert and Mattie Kenny, has caused shock waves around the county after putting their trust in a youthful squad of 37 players.

However, it has been the release of 11 players from this year’s panel that has proved to be the main talking point, although it must be noted that Liam Mellows Aonghus Callanan was invited into the squad but could not commit as he is taking a year out to go to Australia.

Among the ‘big names’ dropped from the set-up are 2011 captain Damien Joyce, 2010 captain Shane Kavanagh – who led Galway to the National League title that year – and Castlegar’s prolific sharpshooter Ger Farragher.

Farragher, who has struggled with injury in recent times, has been one of Galway’s most central players in the past decade and, indeed, his return to the Tribesmen’s starting line-up was pivotal in the county securing championship victories over Clare and Cork in the qualifiers earlier this year.

Among the other city club casualties is Farragher’s Castlegar team-mate, Donal Barry, while Liam Mellows John Lee has also failed to make the cut under the new management.

Others not to be recalled are Clarinbridge duo Eoin Forde and Alan Kerins, along with Adrian Cullinane (Craughwell), Colm Callanan (Kinvara) and Joe Gantley (Beagh).However, Galway manager Anthony Cunningham insi

sts it is an open panel and it will be revised again before the 2012 National League campaign. Consequently, player performances during club and college competitions will be closely monitored over the coming months.

In the interim, the management will be meeting with the players this Saturday [November 26], at which time they will outline individual gym conditioning and fitness programmes for the players to work from until the commencement of collective training in January.

“Firstly, I would say that Shane Kavanagh and Damien Joyce have certainly given wonderful service to Galway and that it is not a closed door. If someone plays well for their college or club in the spring – be it Shane or Damien or anybody else – then those players could be called in.

“As for Aonghus, he was invited into the panel, but he is taking a year out. We have had discussions with him and he felt that by taking a year out, it would also give him an opportunity to clear up the injuries he had been carrying.”

A number of senior members though have survived the cull, including Fergal Moore, Kevin Hynes, David Collins, Tony Óg Regan, Iarla Tannian, Cyril Donnellan, Eanna Ryan and Portumna trio Andy Smith, Damien Hayes and Joe Canning.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.