The carnival weekend surrounding St Patrick’s day kicks off this Saturday, as Galway welcome the two All-Ireland champions to Pearse stadium. It is a double header that is sure to bring a packed crowd to the Salthill venue.
The hurling throws in at 1.15pm, where Henry Shefflin’s side face the five-in-a-row chasing Limerick in the hope of making a league semi-final.
At 3.15pm, the footballers face the in-form All-Ireland champions Dublin, knowing that a win will all but guarantee their division 1 status for 2025. This is an achievement not to be underrated, especially considering the depth of talent that has been unavailable to Padraic Joyce so far this year.
Coming off their decisive win against a struggling Monaghan side, Joyce’s team will be hoping to continue their growth in confidence. They will need a strong performance against a side who boast a rejuvenated Con O’Callaghan.
Dublin sit one point in front of Galway in the table with three wins in a row, after their back to back losses in the first two rounds. A win for Dessie Farrell's side would all but ensure a league final spot.
While Dublin have been extremely effective as a whole in the last three games, the influence of O’Callaghan's return to full forward has been a huge reason as to why they have won consecutively. The Cuala club man has the pace, power and talent to nullify most defences, and rarely struggles when one-on-one in front of the opposition goal. Thus, whoever is chosen to mark O'Callaghan can nail down their place on the Galway team going forward with a strong performance.
Johnny McGrath has been given the man-marking jobs on the oppositions' most influential forwards so far. However, with O’Callaghan so adept under the high direct ball, Joyce might opt for Seán Fitzgerald, who has impressed recently at full back.
In attack, Joyce will be expecting more of the same from his players who were much more clinical against Monaghan than in previous games. In all facets of play, Dublin have proven themselves as a well oiled machine. Therefore, Galway will not be able to waste any chances this Saturday if they are to claim victory.
Niall Daly’s positioning under the high ball proved problematic for the Monaghan defence two weeks ago. If Daly is to get his third league start in a row this weekend, each of the Galway forwards will need to be ready for breaking ball. They must also ensure that it is not the only route the Tribesmen can take in providing scores.
Welcoming the All-Ireland champions in both codes to Pearse Stadium on the same day makes this a huge occasion for Galway GAA. It is sure to bring an incredible atmosphere to Salthill this weekend, which will only be enhanced by the crowds around the city for St Patrick’s weekend.
