Meehan set to start for Galway

FRANK FARRAGHER

GALWAY footballers are hoping that Michael Meehan will start – and that Nicky Joyce could be introduced at some stage – during Saturday evening’s Connacht semi-final replay against Sligo in Markievicz Park (6pm).

While both players are ‘going easy’ on any training this week, the Galway management are hopeful that when they sit down tonight (Thursday) to pick the team, the high scoring duo will be okay for the weekend.

Meehan seems pretty certain to start, with his knee problem having cleared up completely, although there are always concerns over hamstring trouble in the aftermath of such injuries.

The Caltra player, while not figuring on the scoresheet when coming on last Sunday in Pearse Stadium, certainly set off the alarm bells in the Sligo defence and was fouled for the last free which led to Gareth Bradshaw’s equalising point.

Joyce’s damaged kneecap is also reported to be responding well to treatment and if he doesn’t ‘make the start’ on Saturday, he certainly could be sprung at some stage.

Galway will be hoping for a massive improvement from last Sunday, after pulling off one of the most audacious draws of recent times, having trailed by nine points at half-time, and five points with full time almost up.

While the possible return of Meehan and Joyce will be a major boost to their attack, Galway’s main area of homework this week will be to try and remedy their midfield problems which were at their most acute in the second quarter of the match.

If Galway can secure a decent supply of primary possession, then the forward zip is definitely there with Padraic Joyce in great form last Sunday.

Galway selector Seán Ó Dómhnaill – and midfield kingpin along with Sligo manager Kevin Walsh in the ’98 All-Ireland success against Kildare – feels that last Sunday’s match will bring on the team a long way.

“Of course we were disappointed with the performance last Sunday but we really have been starved of competitive matches and a game like last Sunday is invaluable to us.

“Training has gone well and we’ve played our challenges but there is really no substitute for competitive games – the team that improves most this week will win Saturday’s evening’s game, and I believe that will be Galway,” said Ó Dómhnaill.

He also emphasised that Sligo probably weren’t being given enough credit for their progression as a good team over the past few years.“They have won back to back league titles over the last two years, they were within a kick of the ball of beating Kerry last year, and they had a convincing win over Mayo in the first round.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.