Galway romp home in league opener as wretched Wexford hit rock bottom

Galway 1-24Wexford 0-6

STEPHEN GLENNON

CHAMPIONS Galway began the defence of their National League title in satisfactory manner when dismantling an uninspired and inept Wexford outfit – this was the worst display ever submitted by the Slaney outfit in the top flight in living memory – in this one-sided opener at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

No more than 700 dedicated followers turned up at the City venue, with, no doubt, the televised coverage of the game, along with the fact that Ireland and France were playing in arguably the rugby tie of the Six Nations at the same time, obviously proving a far greater attraction for sporting enthusiasts.

In fact, GAA headquarters should be held in contempt for their scheduling of last Sunday’s NHL matches, and, if anything, it just underlined their total lack of competency and understanding in promoting their own games – first round of the National League or not – to the sporting masses.

Of course, the powers that be will point to this weekend when the Dublin hurlers and footballers play in an attractive double bill at Croke Park, but how that can be seen as relevant to GAA supporters in Galway, Leitrim, Fermanagh, Donegal, Clare? In other words, outside the pale and the immediate counties involved.

Unless the GAA starts marketing and promoting their games like other codes do, particularly rugby, then a lot more stadiums around the country will be empty in the coming weeks and months.

In any event, the no-show supporters, on this occasion, saved themselves the admission price on a game that had descended into a farce by the time Liam Mellows’ Aonghus Callanan blasted home the tie’s only goal on 48 minutes.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.