High stakes in football double header

WHEN the county senior football championship started up back in May, it was expected that a city club with players from outside the county would still be in the reckoning at the business end of the campaign.Early favourites Salthill- Knocknacarra are gone, dispatched by a gritty Killererin side in a replay last weekend, but NUI Galway have kept up the mantle by reaching this weekend’s semi-finals.NUI Galway’s best championship run in over three decades has been the story of the year so far in Galway club football and, like them or loathe them, they are in the semi-finals on merit.While some observers are unhappy that a 'hotch potch’ mixture of players from Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, and a number of local junior and intermediate clubs are on the verge of the final, who can blame the students for trying their best to go all the way in the competition?They have beaten St. Brendan’s, Cortoon Shamrocks, and Micheal Breathnach to face the tiny 'Joyce Country’ club in the first part of Sunday’s attractive double-header at Tuam Stadium.Neutrals may hope that….