Galway footballers aim to secure Division One status against Monaghan
THE GALWAY senior footballers will aim to take a crucial step towards securing their Division One status this weekend when they head to the the village of Inniskeen to take on Monaghan (3.45pm).
Padraic Joyce’s side have claimed a win against Armagh, drawn with Donegal and Kerry, and suffered defeats to Roscommon and Mayo in their opening five games to leave them sixth in the eight-team table: after Sunday’s game, they will wrap-up their league campaign at home to Dublin on Sunday week, March 22 (3.30pm).
Their league campaign hasn’t short of drama with plenty of highs and lows, but manager Joyce will be proud of the character his side is building in 2026.
Currently, Galway, Armagh, Dublin, and Monaghan are all aiming to avoid the drop to Division Two football. However, the Tribesmen know that a victory for them, combined with a Dublin win over Armagh, would guarantee their survival in Division One this weekend.
Their upcoming opponents, Monaghan, remain without a win after five games and sit bottom of the table with zero points and with a score difference of -55. The Farney county already look set for relegation with two games to go, relegation which could be confirmed before the TG4 cameras on Sunday.
For Gabriel Bannigan’s team, only a win over Galway will keep their hopes of staying in Division One alive heading into the final round.
Jack McCarron, Dessie Ward, Ryan O’Toole and Rory Beggan remain key players for Monaghan.
The Tribesmen have been without Shane Walsh, Damien Comer, John Daly and Cillian McDaid for the majority of the league. In their absence it has afforded Shane McGrath, Ciaran Mulhern, Oisin Mac Donnacha and Fionn Mac Donnacha the opportunity to step up throughout the spring.
"They’ve stood up in the whole league, people keep asking me about the lads that are injured. I always worry about the guys that there on the pitch. They’re fighting for the jersey, they’re showing great heart for it. Them guys are putting a bit of pride in the shirt which is great,” Joyce said after his side’s draw with Donegal in round five.
"It is in our hands, if you get relegated from any division it’s your own fault. You’ve seven games to get organised, we’ve two [games] left, we were never going to be safe up or down either way come the last two games. We’ve five played now two to come, away to Monaghan and home to Dublin, we are going to need results, we know that, again it’s in our own hands, we are happy enough where we are at,” added Joyce.
Robert Finnerty has been Galway’s leading scorer in the National Football League, scoring 1-17. Joyce’s side have registered ten two-point scores through the league.
The returns of John Maher and Cein D’Arcy, together with Paul Conroy’s decision to recommit, have provided a major lift for the Conncaht champions in recent weeks.