The Galway minors had a facile 4-13 to 0-11 victory over a limited Leitrim outfit in Carrick-on-Shannon at the weekend.
It was a game that had to be won and they will now face a strong Roscommon team in the Connacht final on July 17.
Regardless of who wins that tie, both sides will get at least another two games in the All-Ireland championship and that will give the Galway management team an opportunity to work and develop the panel which has plenty of genuine talent.
Tommie Joyce’s panel has an impressive array of attacking players and Shane Maughan, Ian Burke, Conor Rabbitte, Shane Walsh, Johnny Kelleher, Gearoid Armstrong, Pa Glynn, Seán Hughes, Gary Kelly, Cormac Lee, Seán Silke and Cillian Bohan are all capable of making positive contributions.
If those forwards can be fed enough possession, they would bother most defences.
Galway improved in the engine room against Leitrim when Claregalway’s Sean Moran, who was held back due to a knee injury, was introduced and it was good to see Killererin’s Adrian Nolan back in action after an ankle injury.
