The Galway senior hurlers get back to competitive league action this Sunday when they take on Wexford at Pearse Stadium at 2.30pm.
John McIntyre’s side will be expected to win this tie with a bit in reserve and are down as 1/8 favourites with the bookies to collect the two points.
The sides met in last year’s Leinster Championship quarter-final when Galway produced one of their better performances of the season to defeat a 13-man Wexford by 11 points.
Wexford lost to Laois in the Walsh Cup recently and their manager Colm Bonnar will be hoping the return of the Oulart the Ballagh players after their club defeat to O’Loughlin Gaels will strengthen his hand.
Galway have a host of injuries to some of their more established players and that will give the management team an opportunity to give some game time to some fringe players hoping to make the breakthrough this season. Some of those players got a few games in the Walsh Cup and they will be keen to impress if given more chances to do so.
On the injured list currently are Fergal Moore, Joe Canning, Damien Joyce, Kevin Hynes and last year’s team captain Shane Kavanagh, who will be out for the entire league campaign. Former All-Ireland minor star Richie Cummins is also a long-term casualty.
Galway will be keen to get their league season off to a positive start and they will have targeted retaining the league title again this season.
Despite their long list of absentees, they should be well capable of collecting the points on offer this Sunday.
Galway’s NHL programme for 2011
Rd 1 – v Wexford this Sunday
Rd 2 – v Offaly (away ) Feb 20
Rd 3 – v Cork (away ) March 6
Rd 4 – v Kilkenny at home March 13
Rd 5 – v Dublin (away ) March 27
Rd 6 – v Tipp at home April 3
Rd 7 – v Waterford at home April 17
