Joyce was probably GalwayÕs greatest since Purcell

THINKING of the great Gaelic footballers over the past 40 years, the names of Pat Spillane, Jack O’Shea, Larry Tompkins, Peter Canavan, Maurice Fitzgerald, Trevor Giles, Colm Copper and Bernard Brogan readily come to mind, but right up with the best of them was Galway’s Padraic Joyce, who has finally called time on an illustrious inter-county career.

Texaco Footballer of the Year in 2001, the legendary Killererin man bows out of the highest level at a time when, sadly, Galway’s stock is close to a modern-day low following humiliating recent championship exits to the likes of Westmeath, Wexford and the minnows of Antrim last summer. Joyce had fought valiantly against the rages of time and an understandable increased proneness to injury, but at 35 years of age he had nothing left to prove.

Naturally, debate will be intense about Joyce’s true standing in the game, but he was surely the most influential footballer to line out in the maroon jersey since Seán Purcell. Apart from the consistent quality of his own performances, he quickly developed into Galway’s on-field general and, like most of the game’s legendary figures, he possessed extraordinary vision.

He had burst onto the inter-county scene in 1998, along with the likes of Michael Donnellan, John Divilly, Declan Meehan, Paul Clancy and Derek Savage, and under the astute management of John O’Mahony, the Tribesmen went on to end a 32-year famine by defeating Kildare in the All-Ireland final. Galway played some swashbuckling football during that campaign and Donnellan’s epic run in the build up to Seán Óg de Paor’s first-half point against the Lilywhites remains one of my favourite sporting moments ever.

Joyce scored a vital second-half goal in that final, finishing off a Donnellan pass with the coolness of a seasoned veteran rather than somebody who was completely new to the pressures of All-Ireland final day. Galway had some fine players around that time with Kevin Walsh, Ja Fallon, and de Paor already established in the maroon jersey. It was no surprise when a second All-Ireland title followed in 2001.

Meath had hammered Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final that year and were the favourites to carry the day. There was nothing between the teams at half-time (0-6 each), but Joyce took over on the resumption in turning the final into his own personal property. He finished the match with ten points (five from play) as Galway stormed to their ninth All-Ireland title on a 0-17 to 0-8 scoreline. Joyce was magnificent in that second-half and left the Meath backs chasing shadows.

At the time, it was assumed that Galway had the talent to stay at the top for a few more seasons but, incredibly, they have failed to reach an All-Ireland semi-final since while even the county’s appearances in Croke Park have been few and far between. Without a provincial title since 2008, morale around the county’s football heartlands is, not surprisingly, exceptionally low and Joyce’s retirement hardly helps that mood even though he was a peripheral figure for Galway this year and his best days were clearly behind them.

Three All Stars awards, two All-Ireland senior football medals, an All-Ireland Colleges triumph with St. Jarlath’s, six Connacht titles and five Galway Footballer of the Year accolades are a fitting testament to Joyce’s outstanding career, but he was a great clubman too, being a pivotal figure in four Killererin county championship successes. He was also the Irish captain in the 2004 and ’05 International Rules series against Australia.

Of course, Joyce wasn’t without his critics. As the quality of players dropped around him, he sometimes cut a frustrated figure and, perhaps, tried to take on too much on his own. He had no hesitation in bending a manager’s ear either and some thought his influence on sideline mentors was unhealthy, particularly later in his career. Yet, it was also a sign of a man who cared deeply about Galway football’s standing.

Joyce had an exceptional ability to read a game and had strong opinions about what was best for the county team. He was hugely competitive, possessed a winning mentality and his contribution to Galway football will never be forgotten. The longevity of his 15-year inter-county career is an exceptional time span in the current era and over that period he landed some breathtaking scores.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.