Galway U21s face formidable test in Connacht decider

 Dara Bradley

THE Galway U21 football management trio has just one injury doubt ahead of their Cadbury’s Connacht final date with Roscommon at Hyde Park on Saturday (6pm) when provincial silverware and a place in the All-Ireland semi-final is at stake.

Galway are aiming to win the Connacht U21 championship for the first time since 2011, when they fairly hammered the Rossies at Pearse Stadium, while the home team, All-Ireland runners-up last year, are looking to win the county’s first ever back-to-back Connacht championships.

Dual player Daithi Burke, who was a late inclusion the last day against Mayo and turned out to be one of the stars of the Galway defence, is an injury doubt ahead of this weekend as the Corofin clubman grapples with a hamstring strain – his positional sense and ball winning ability from kick-outs and breaking ball would be sorely missed, and he did a right good marking job on Mayo marksman Cillian O’Connor.

Burke replaced Philip Ezergailis just before throw-in the last day but the Moycullen man is fully fit and is back in contention for a starting berth against Roscommon, although there are other backs reportedly ‘going well’ in training who could fill the defensive void should Burke not make it.

Alan Flynn and his selectors, Declan Meehan and Paul Clancy do have some welcome selection conundrums ahead of naming the team on Thursday night as several of the substitutes that came on in the semi-final impressed when given the opportunity.

St Michael’s forward Shane Maughan, in particular, caught the eye when introduced – he’s a big strong man who is capable of winning high balls in around the square and he knows where the posts are, too. The likes of Ian Burke (Corofin) and Conor Rabbitte (Kilkerrin/Clonberne) didn’t disappoint either. The management has made fairly good use of the squad, however, and in both games to date has used five and four substitutes, something that is likely to happen again on Saturday.

Flynn readily admits that in a sense, Galway were lucky that Mayo weren’t firing on all cylinders a fortnight ago in Tuam Stadium, and they missed a few frees that normally would have been converted. But he said he was impressed with the Galway defensive effort especially in the second half of the two points win, 0-9 to 0-7, and he feels the forwards have scope for improvement.

“We were giving away silly frees in the first half but in fairness, they tightened up in the second half and got it right. Shane (Walsh, top scorer against Mayo who landed six of Galway’s nine points) did well the last day but we know we need more of a range of scorers and in fairness I think they’re capable of that, we’ve got good forwards and they showed that as well against Sligo (when they scored 1-20).”

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.