With Galway’s Leinster championship opener merely six weeks away, Sunday’s NHL contest with an already relegated Clare in Cusack Park might not be the most significant fixture, but Galway will be intent on ending the competition with victory.
Having impressed in the Waterford Crystal tournament, Clare have surprisingly failed to fire in the league, only managing to register one paltry point from their opening six matches.
While Galway have not thrilled in the league, they carried out their business with sufficient competence to avoid demotion to division two. Essentially that is every top-flight team’s remit, and the successes over Limerick and Waterford, in particular, were chiselled out against opponents that were eager those afternoons.
Last time out Galway were not permitted to hurl in the opening period against Tipperary, but then an enterprising burst gave them a five-point cushion shortly after the restart. Still Tipperary ploughed on defiantly, and annexed a win that was deserved even though Galway came close to netting a last-gasp winning goal.
Galway manager John McIntyre was reasonably impressed with aspects of that Galway display. The full back line of Damien Joyce, Eugene McEntee, and Damien Joyce dealt adequately with the different threats that were presented by the Tipperary attack.
McEntee’s emergence is particularly interesting as Galway crave solidity in the last line of defence, and with Joyce and Canning offering bite and bark in the corners, McIntyre is stitching a competitive side together. The similarly pacy Fergal Moore will almost certainly be accommodated in the half back line, and with Richie Murray benefiting from the game time, the Galway management should not be short on options in high summer.
Further up the field Galway have flickered with Niall Healy and Aonghus Callanan offering glimpses of their skill, while Joe Canning has the potential to accumulate hauls.
May 31 in Portlaoise is the task etched in the minds of the Galway players, who are striving to make a bold opening statement in the Leinster championship, and McIntyre will be aware that successful managers frequently strike in the first season.
Following the early loss to Dublin it was evident that Galway were not too fussed about winning the league title, but the couple of triumphs that were needed were recorded, and as the evenings lengthen, and the ground hardens, optimism is slowly returning ahead of the severe examinations that are imminent.
