Tuam Stars aiming to push on in Galway Senior Football Championship
TUAM STARS have consistently been at the business end of the championship under Dave Donnellan. Donnellan has led Tuam Stars to county semi-finals where they have narrowly been defeated by Maigh Cuilinn in the last two seasons.
His team have been drawn in group four of the Galway Senior Football Championship alongside Oughterard, Annaghdown and St James.
“It is a tough group, there’s nothing easy there, we seem to always get in a tough group. We’ll enjoy this now, straight into championship mode then next week because the reality is all the other teams had a two-week head start on us there, so we’ve a bit of making up to do and get ready for Oughterard,” said Donnellan after Tuam Stars win over Corofin in the Division One League final on last Friday night.
Dara Heneghan and Shay McGlinchey who were part of the Galway senior football panel this season made their return to club action for Tuam Stars last Friday evening.
“There’s a great buzz around the place, two quality players obviously when they’re in the county squad, they’re two huge players for us. It’s great to have them back,” said Donnellan.
“It’s great, historically they haven’t come around too often. It’s 1980 since (Tuam Stars) won back-to-back league titles if I’m not mistaken. It’s a great achievement for these boys, they should be delighted with themselves, obviously it’s not the main goal for the year.
“It is one target we set out at the start of the year, to try and win it and thankfully we have managed it. It just shows that we are fairly consistent at this stage, we’ve been in four finals, we won the last two, we’re in a good place.”
Tuam Stars edged past Corofin 2-12 to 1-14 in the Division One League final. “A great battle as it always is against Corofin, we missed a fair bit, they did as well I’m sure. Thankfully, we just got there in the end by the skin of our teeth.”
Substitutes Jack Heneghan and Luke Higgins added valuable insurance points for the county semi-finalists deep into the second period of extra time.
“The boys made a huge impact off the bench, it’s great to see Luke Higgins, Jack Heneghan, Jack Cryan and these boys coming on, all making a huge difference. They’ve been doing that the whole league, it’s great getting a taste of it. Onwards and upward for these fella’ heading into championship. Hopefully, they can make an impact there as well,” concluded Donnellan.