The Galway senior footballers will be able to watch the St Patrick’s Day parade in comfort, or take in the club finals in Croke Park on Sunday as they are in action on Saturday night, against Laois in O’Moore Park at 7pm.
The team and management will be keen to build on their important win last Saturday over Longford (3-11 to 3-7 ) with another two points.
It is an incredibly tight division and only four points separate the top seven teams in division two. Westmeath are top with seven points, Louth are seventh on three points, and Longford are in dire trouble after their defeat last Sunday.
Galway selector Alan Flynn who is in charge of the u-21s on Monday, was impressed with Galway’s resolve last Sunday and wants to see more of the same this Saturday night.
“The game against Laois on Saturday is a vital game in the context of possible promotion or being dragged into a relegation scenario,” he says. “A win would put us right into the mix as possible contenders to get promoted, and that is what we are aiming for. However, a defeat would be a set-back.
“What was pleasing about the game last Sunday was that when we went behind to Longford, the lads showed the resilience and resolve to come back from behind and hit the winning scores. Our application and work rate was very good and that was very positive. Some lads stood up, opened their shoulders and showed the leadership we needed to get out of there with a win.”
The former Caherlistrane and Tuam Stars club manager says the mood is good in the Galway camp and the lads are knuckling down to be the best that they can be.
“We are all in this together. From number one to the last man on the panel, and we are trying to play the best football we can. It takes time to turn things around, but we are working as hard as we can to do so and Saturday night is another step on that road.
“We know that Laois are a good side, and in players like Brendan Quigley, Colm Begley, Ross Munnelly, John O’Loughlin and MJ Tierney, they have plenty of talent on board. However, we are targeting a win up there and hopefully we will get the performance all over the field that is needed for that to happen.”
The Galway team is due to be announced today, and is unlikely to have many changes from last weekend’s starting 15. That said, Galway did use five subs again and the likes of Sean Denvir, Seán Armstrong and Danny Cummins will all want to see some game time again in O’Moore Park.
