Padraic Joyce’s Galway will be looking to make it three wins from three when they face a winless Offaly in Pearse Stadium on Sunday (2pm ).
The Tribesmen will be hot favourites in this round three Allianz Football League fixture given the contrasting form of both counties.
With stormy weather predicted for the weekend, we might see action similar to that of the opening fixture against Meath in Pearse Stadium where possession of the football was imperative.
Weather has been a testing factor on both of Galway’s opening fixtures, and in each Joyce's charges have adapted to the elements better than their opponents, which has been an impressive aspect of their game to date. Perhaps this ability to manage the game better has been developed on the training ground by Joyce’s work with coach Cian O’Neill as his side has controlled games well so far this season, even dating back to the FBD league.
The availability of players is something of an unknown at this stage, however, given that a number of his squad were competing in the Sigerson Cup final last night in Carlow where University Limerick and NUI Galway went to war.
Captain Seán Kelly, Paul Kelly, Tony Gill, Tomo Culhane, Cathal Sweeney and Matthew Tierney are all part of the NUI Galway contingent while goalkeeper Conor Flaherty is between the sticks for University Limerick. As these players have clocked up a lot of miles over the past month in both National League and Sigerson Cup action, Joyce may have no option, or may well be best served, to give some of these players a rest in order to protect them for the season ahead.
As well as Sigerson Cup duty, there are three players, Johnny McGrath, Liam Costello and Conor Raftery on Trench Cup duty with GMIT going up against TUS Midlands.
McGrath was impressive in the victory over Down in Páirc Esler and would be a massive loss if college duty rules him out. However, it would give others in the squad, which on paper seems extremely competitive, the chance to stake a claim for a jersey.
Offaly have ensured a difficult introduction to life in division two following their promotion from division three last year. Two losses on the spin appears to have the Faithful County in a relegation battle early doors, and going to Salthill is a daunting task against one of the form sides of the division.
Manager John Maughan will require a huge performance from his players who have shown glimpses of their quality in the first half of their opening fixture versus Clare in Cusack Park. However, the performance against Derry in O’Connor Park almost a fortnight ago will not be sufficient to take two points off Galway, or many other teams in the division for that matter. It is a massive fixture for both counties with different aspirations, but both vying for two crucial points.
