The safety net is no longer available. After three rounds of group action, the Galway Senior Football Championship moves into knockout territory this weekend with four preliminary quarter-finals down for decision.
These fixtures will determine who joins the expected three of Corofin, Salthill/Knocknacarra, Maigh Cuilinn, and surprise package Annaghdown in the last eight.
There are contrasting form lines among all eight teams in the preliminary round, from sides gathering momentum at precisely the right time to others attempting to rediscover theirs. From here, however, only the result matters as we enter the business end of the Frank Fox race.
Claregalway v Bearna na Forbacha
Claregalway appear to be moving in the right direction after recovering impressively from their opening loss to Corofin. Their 3-14 to 1-13 victory over Mountbellew/Moylough secured second place in Group 1 and showcased an increasingly potent attacking threat.
Jack Mullen's impact was particularly encouraging. Returning from injury, the young forward struck 1-3 off the bench, including 1-2 from his first four touches, while Ger O'Riordan and Daniel Fitzmaurice also found the net. Dara Whelan impressed driving forward from defence.
Bearna na Forbacha's trajectory has been less convincing. After a priceless opening round victory over Caltra, heavy defeats to Salthill/Knocknacarra and Milltown followed, with their return of just 0-9 against the latter highlighting their attacking difficulties. Cian Hernon's potential availability would certainly strengthen them having missed the last day for a side who rely heavily on Sean Dunne for scores.
But Claregalway look to possess greater momentum and scoring variety.
Prediction: Claregalway
Dunmore MacHales v Oughterard
The hardest of the four ties to call and has the potential to be the most entertaining.
Dunmore's attacking threat is undeniable. They struck four goals against both Monivea/Abbey and Leitir Móir and have 10 in total in their last three outings. Barry Murray and Colm Costello both netted twice against Leitir Móir, while Matthew Redington's driving influence from deep was central to a dominant opening half.
The obvious concern is at the opposite end. Dunmore conceded 72 points-equivalent across the group phase and have conceded 11 goals in the group. A signal of a porous rearguard.
Oughterard are therefore unlikely to fear them. Their championship has improved significantly since an opening defeat to Tuam Stars, producing a remarkable comeback against St James' before matching group winners Annaghdown in a 2-15 to 1-18 draw.
Niall Lee was outstanding in that contest, while Matthew Tierney, Ryan Monaghan and James Lowry give them several avenues to the posts in a tie where they had eight scorers.
There is very little between them, but Dunmore's greater capacity to manufacture goals earns them the most tentative of nods.
Prediction: Dunmore MacHales
Tuam Stars v Mountbellew/Moylough
On reputation alone, this looks the heavyweight encounter of the preliminary round.
Tuam were made to work extraordinarily hard to secure second place in Group 4, surviving St James' by a single point after conceding three goals in less than three second-half minutes. Their response thereafter was perhaps the most encouraging aspect, outscoring the Jimmies 0-7 to 0-3 and managing the decisive moments when their championship was on the line.
Their scoring threat is also nicely spread, with Jack Grugan, Luke Davin, Brian Mannion and Shay McGlinchey among those capable of doing damage. Jamie Murphy is still problematic for any defensive set-up.
Mountbellew/Moylough have lost their last two after an emphatic opening victory and were outplayed after half-time by both Corofin and Claregalway. However, the reunion of their 2021 county-winning full-forward line of Patrick Kelly, Eoin Finnerty and Barry McHugh makes them dangerous and if they click, they’ve the potential to be devastating.
Finnerty struck 1-2 against Claregalway and there is enough experience throughout Damien McHugh's side to make this extremely awkward for Dave Donnellan’s men. There’s certainly more in the likes of Ciaran Mulhern also.
Tuam, though, have shown more over the past few years and in championship thus far.
Prediction: Tuam Stars
Milltown v Monivea/Abbey
After beginning with defeat to Salthill/Knocknacarra and drawing a thriller with Caltra, Eoin Godwin's Milltown side produced comfortably their best performance when dismantling Bhearna na Forbacha 0-19 to 0-9.
Terry Godwin was outstanding, the Costello brothers Liam, Niall and Dara all impressed and their defensive intensity repeatedly forced turnovers. Eoin Mannion remains a reliable scoring presence up front in a team who continues to deliver year on year,
Monivea/Abbey arrive from the opposite end of the emotional spectrum after suffering a 19-point hammering against champions Maigh Cuilinn. That result should not completely define them, however. Glenn Kelly has been one of the championship’s standout forwards, racking up a whooping 2-26 across the group stage to make him the top scorer in the competition – nine points ahead of Maigh Cuilinn’s Niall Walsh.
This could be much tighter than their respective Round 3 results suggest, but Milltown's experience at this stage gives them an edge.
Prediction: Milltown
