Galway anxious to exploit their 'shot to nothing' chance

FRANK FARRAGHER

IT hasn’t been a road without its bumps, but two months on from Galway’s first furrow being turned in Division 2 of the National Football League, they find themselves in a straight knock-out chance of a final place against Tyrone and promotion to the premier division when they face Kildare in Pearse Stadium on Sunday (2.30) .

There has been something of a rollercoaster feel to Galway’s league campaign. It began with a morale inspiring victory against Derry, there were serious dips against Louth and Westmeath, but plenty of encouragement to follow against Meath, Tyrone and Monaghan.

In a curious kind of way the league campaign could not be ending any better for Galway. Most pundits regard Kildare as the second best team in the division behind Tyrone, so if Galway are serious about getting up to, and holding their own, in Division One of the league, then they need to be snapping at the heels of Kieran McGeeney’s side.

The first target of the season has been achieved for Galway, namely that of staying in Division 2 for next year, and their quite remarkable second half comeback against Monaghan in Longford last month, has put them within touching distance of a serious late Spring sporting prize.

Alan Mulholland has given youth its fling during the league but he has also been mindful of keeping a vein of experience there as well, for as Galway hurlers have discovered to their cost, there’s always a core of ‘ould dogs’ needed to add a bit of guidance to the younger hands.

Consistency has been Galway’s biggest problem through the league and even in their last match against Monaghan, they looked in serious trouble in the first half, before finding another gear in the second period to put together some flowing passages of football.

One thing they can be sure of on Sunday, is that if they repeat that easygoing first half against Kildare, then the outcome of this game will be done and dusted by the time Laois referee, Eddie Kinsella, sounds the interval whistle.

Under McGeeney, Kildare are a serious team and they really ‘went ape’ last time out against Westmeath clocking up a massive scoreline of 3-23, but a better barometer for Galway might be a quick look at how they fared against Tyrone in early February.

Kildare went down to Tyrone on a 2-11 to 0-12 scoreline as compared to Galway’s 1-14 to 0-13 loss against the Northerners – after those respective games, both losing managers could justifiably point to clear-cut missed goal chances that could have swung the ties their way.

That very rough guide indicates that there shouldn’t be that much of a gap between the sides.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.