Hope was in the Ballinasloe air on Sunday afternoon. Henry Shefflin’s first match in charge of Galway brought a dollop of excitement and even though the GAA year is only commencing a feel good factor exists in the west.
Just over an hour before before throw-in a curious crowd started to file through the Duggan Park turnstiles.
A Galway team packed with emerging players eventually took care of Offaly’s spirited resistance with Donal O’Shea’s 1-9, Ronan Murphy and Ronan Glennon’s enterprise, and Jack Fitzpatrick’s assured display among the post match talking points.
The chief topic of conversation, though, was Shefflin, who earned a victory over Ballyhale Shamrocks’ comrade Michael Fennelly. Offaly’s improvement under Fennelly is noteworthy, but even he acknowledged the excitement Shefflin’s appointment is generating.
“I actually missed him before the game, I was caught up with my own business, but it is great to have him on the sideline,” Fennelly said after the match.
“It is great to have him over Galway and involved. There is huge excitement around the whole country about him getting that job basically. It is going to be an exciting few months ahead for the hurling community around the country.”
When asked about the sold out crowd, Shefflin smiled. “I'm not surprised, it has got nothing to do with me, I think it is Galway hurling, that is what it stands for,” Shefflin says.
“Since myself and Richie [O’Neill] have arrived up here it has been very positive. I have always come up against Galway hurling and knew it was a proud hurling county. The welcome myself and Richie, the management team, and players have received since it has started has been so positive. It has been very, very warm.
“The winters are cold enough up here, but the reception we have received has been very warm. I am not surprised, it is a proud hurling county, they want to see their team doing well. That is why I am here to help out, but at the end of the day it is the players.
“Offaly gave us bother in the first half, but the players figured it out themselves which is a great sign and is very pleasing for myself and the management team.”
After being appointed Galway manager Shefflin wanted to keep a low profile. That was important to him. "I wanted to get to know the players first," he replied.
"It's important I get to know them. That's what we've tried to do over the last couple of months. The reception we've received from the general public has been very, very positive, and from the players themselves. They are very enthusiastic, mad keen, mad willing to learn and mad keen to hurl.
"We were doing some drills this morning - simple drills - and they're pushing each other, they're competitive. That's what you want to see. You want to see that enthusiasm.”
Shefflin spoke with the recently retired Joe Canning, who left the senior inter-county arena following the 2021 Championship.
"I was sure somebody was going to ask me the question did I chat to Joe? Yes I did chat to Joe, but Joe was very comfortable with his position,” Shefflin remarked. Canning is involved as a selector for Fergal Healy's Galway minor outfit.
"It was very positive for Galway hurling to see him going in with Fergal Healy in the management team with the minors," Shefflin added. "It is just a great sign. I have seen him in Loughgeorge on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10am, he is very much hands on and wants to do for the betterment of Galway hurling.
“Would I have loved to work with him? Of course I would have, he was a once in a lifetime, generational hurler. He will be a massive loss. It is over to the other players now. They will know that they have to fill that void. It is a massive void to fill, but they will have to fill it."
Shefflin also highlighted Aidan Harte's rich contribution in maroon and white during the past decade. "I will mention Aidan Harte, who stepped away," Shefflin says.
"What Aidan Harte and Joe Canning have done, what they have put their bodies through for Galway hurling is a testament to the character of both players. We are trying to find the newer players that are going to fill the vacancies left behind by them."
