Reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin will travel to Pearse Stadium on March 16, in what will be another important game for the Tribesmen.
Galway currently have five points and sit fifth in the table with Tyrone, Roscommon and Monaghan below them. They are still not clear of relegation - and to avoid needing other results to go their way, will require points from their remaining games against Dublin and Kerry.
Dessie Farrell's Dublin side have lost two games already in the league against Monaghan, and more recently, Mayo. However, they have also produced the league's best performance in their 10-point hammering of Kerry in Croke Park.
Con O'Callaghan has been in exceptional form during the competition, adding real a potency to Dublin's attack. Galway's defence will need to be vigilant to curtail his influence. Dublin are currently second in the league on six points.
Galway have put themselves in a decent position to avoid relegation after their second victory of the league came against a limited Monaghan side in Clones last Sunday. Three first half goals in a clinical 10 minute period put Monaghan to the sword.
Cathal Sweeney scored his side's first goal which was soon followed by an Andrew Woods black card. The Tribesmen capitalised on this to outscore their hosts 2-1 to 0-3 before half time. Galway’s second and third goals came from the impressive Rory Cunningham, and Céin D’Arcy who scored his second goal in two weeks for his county.
All three goals came from a long ball being delivered in before breaking to a maroon jersey, something Joyce alluded to after the game. ‘We’ve a big man in there, Niall Daly, 6ft 4, and we got a bit of ball into him today and got the breaks off it.’
Rory Cunningham, making his first start in the league for Galway impressed with a personal haul of 1-3 from play, continuing the form he has shown for his club over the last number of years.
Joyce admitted he would like to have some of his more experienced players available to him, but was keen to stress his side were focusing on further down the line, while also stating the value of getting minutes on the pitch into younger players. ‘But at the same time, you’re getting more game-time into the young lads, Cillian Ó Curraoin, Liam Ó Conghaile, Patrick Egan. You can’t buy that in training.’
With All-Ireland champions Dublin up next, followed by a trip to Killarney, Galway aren’t yet out of the woods.
Yet with his injured players nearing a return and his younger players improving week on week Joyce is looking forward to the visit of Dublin on St. Patrick’s weekend. ‘ It’s a brilliant test for us. We’re really looking forward to it... We're playing the best team in the country at the minute. We’ll get the strongest team out that we can and try to get another point or two.’
