Every sporting journey must start somewhere, and last Sunday in Enniscrone, Tomás Ó Flatharta’s reign with Galway got off to a winning start, which is always a positive.
It was not pretty and when the Tribesmen found themselves 1-5 to 0-2 behind at half-time, it looked likely that a green flag or two would be needed if the two FBD points on offer were to be collected.
Thankfully the experienced Seán Armstrong came up with the scoring goods in the second half and after being repositioned closer to the danger area he notched a personal tally of 2-3.
With the wind at their backs and the tall and powerful Cillian De Paor on the edge of the square, and Fiontáin Ó Curraoin (Micheal Breathnach’s ) who came on at half-time, winning some good ball, Galway peppered the Sligo full-back line with high ball and no more than against Roscommon’s Donie Shine in last year’s Connacht final, the all-black full-back line was found wanting.
Con Davey who was at full-back for Sligo last Sunday did not look comfortable with the aerial bombardment, and with regular full-back Noel McGuire at number six, the full-back position is one that Sligo will have to try and find the right man for.
And quickly.
Sligo manager Kevin Walsh will not be too upset by a narrow defeat in an FBD game in early January as he will be focussing mainly over the next few weeks on getting his team right for what will be a very tough NFL for them in Division two.
Sligo’s first two games in the 2011 NFL are away to Donegal and Meath, and if they are not in good order for those, they could easily find themselves pointless after 140 minutes of action. They then face Tyrone in round three in Markievicz Park.
On the home front, another positive for Galway from this tie was the blooding of players to senior action like Kieran McGrath and Michael Kelly (Caltra ) and Ó Curraoin.
Others like Alan Glynn and Eddie Hoare (both St. Michaels ) and Jonathan Ryan (Kilkerrin/Clonberne ) have been involved in the past few years in national league action and they now have another opportunity to try and become established players for the new season.
Galway supporters can see the new look team in the flesh this Sunday at Tuam stadium, when they take on NUIG at 2pm in round two of the Connacht league.
GALWAY -- P Lally; K McGrath, F Hanley, A Glynn; D Reilly, N Coleman, G Sice; E Hoare 0-1, G O'Donnell; M Clancy 0-1, C De Paor 0-2, S Armstrong 2-3 (0-1f ),; B Flaherty, C Healy, J. Ryan (0-2, 1f ) . Subs: M Kelly for Flaherty (24 ), F O'Curraoin for Healy (h-t ), A. Burke for Reilly (56 ), C. Ó' Cualáin for Hoare (60 ).
