After last Sunday’s abysmal display and heavy defeat against Mayo, Galway face a big battle this Sunday against Monaghan to avoid finding themselves being plonked at the bottom of division one and looking over their shoulders.
Monaghan, under the guidance of Seamus McEnaney, have become a tough team to beat and they were unlucky to go down to Cork last weekend in Scotstown on a huge scoreline of 3-13 to 3-12.
The fact that they conceded 3-13 gives Galway reason to be positive and hopefully Michael Meehan will be able to make his first start of the season.
It was only when Meehan entered the fray last Sunday that Galway’s attack looked any way menacing.
The thought of entering big league games or God forbid, the championship, without the Caltra man in the forward division does not bear thinking about. Joe Kernan will know that he needs other forwards, especially Sean Armstrong and Nicky Joyce, to become much more consistent and reliable score-getters.
Last Sunday 10 different Mayo players got on the score sheet and they hit 2-10 from play, yet only four Galway players raised flags and the side could only muster 1-03 from play. That needs to change and Galway will need to have much more penetration up front to see off Monaghan and the likes of Cork (away ) and Kerry in the coming weeks.
For that to happen the problems at midfield must be addressed. We were wiped out there last weekend. To prove that point, I was in Celtic Park last Saturday night for the Derry and Tyrone game and there were only two marks awarded in the whole game.
Yet the next day in McHale Park, Galway allowed the rampant Tom Parsons, Ronan McGarrity and Seamus O’Shea get seven in the first half alone.
It was that complete domination of the midfield sector by that trio that laid the foundation for two easy league points for John O’Mahony’s men.
Mayo out-muscled, out-fought and out-thought Galway in the central diamond area of the field for far too long and if we are going to go anywhere, that cannot be allowed to happen.
If you are being out-fielded at midfield, you have to go to plan B and break the ball and work off carpet ball or get the keeper to come up with a few strategies and signals for wing-backs/wing-forwards to become more involved. There is no point in just hoofing out kick-outs if the ball is coming back to you just as quickly.
Galway need to work on improving things in that area, and come up with a few tactics quickly.
One other thing that must happen too is that Gareth Bradshaw, who was outstanding last weekend in the face of overwhelming odds, must be given a central position.
Monaghan have some very good players such as Tommy Freeman, Vincent Corey, Darren Hughes, Gary McQuaid (centre-back ), Dermot McArdle and they will be no easy push overs.
To stay in division one teams must win their home matches and Galway are no exception.
After last weekend’s anaemic collapse, Kernan was barely able to contain his disappointment, frustration and anger. He spoke of “commitment” being one of the key differences between the sides.
“A lot of lads will have to look at themselves after that performance,” he said.
Those who travel into Pearse Stadium this Sunday will anticipate a much higher tempo and more focussed approach to the task at hand.
It is crucial Galway are not relegated and in order to stop that becoming a live possibility, they need a win this Sunday. Let’s hope they get it.
