Close encounter on the cards in intriguing U20 A showdown
REIGNING county champions Salthill/Knocknacarra take on Claregalway – the side they lost to in the minor final two years ago – in what is sure to be a keenly contested county championship ‘A’ football decider at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe on Sunday (1pm).
If this is to be the last fixture to be played in the 2019 Galway GAA calendar, then it is certainly a good one to draw down the curtain on the year. Quite simply, there is nothing between these two teams in terms of quality, footballing ability, or playing resources, with both clubs having squads the envy of the county.
For Salthill/Knocknacarra’s part, they are pulling out of three minor sides that have contested the last three minor finals, winning two of them (2018 and 2019). Their most recent minor victory was against Caltra in the Autumn, a game they won 3-12 to 1-6.
Of that side, Cathal Madden, Niall Hanahoe, Aidan Halloran, Cathal Sweeney, Tomo Culhane and Eoin Tinney were among those to feature, with Halloran, Sweeney and Tinney also seeing senior action against Corofin in this year’s county semi-finals.
Indeed, Salthill/Knocknacarra had five U20 players — David Connaughton, Eoin McFadden, Paddy Culhane, Sweeney and Tinney — who started against Corofin in the SFC semi-final, while another three were introduced, namely Robert Walzer, Mikey Culhane and Halloran. It is great experience to have backbone an U20 outfit.
This figure could arguably have been more had the talented Evan Murphy not sustained a cruciate injury while another bright, young prospect for the club out injured at present is Ultan Sheeran, who is suffering from a hip injury.
That said, manager Sean Armstrong has plenty of talent at his disposal and he admits one of the difficulties he and his management of Des Sheerin, Noel Tyrrell and Gerry Sweeney have had is selecting their best side.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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