Galway senior football manager Alan Mulholland, who was a selector with the u-21 management team, will not be rushing the youngsters into senior championship action.
Four of the u-21 panel are already involved in the senior set-up and will be available to feature against Mayo on Sunday week if selected - Fiontán Ó Curraoin, Tom Flynn, Shane Walsh and Tom Healy - but none of the other players is expected be involved.
However Mulholland, u-21 manager Alan Flynn, and selector Donal Ó Fatharta, hope to be able to call on some of the panel for the remainder of the inter-county senior championship, if available. Some, like Ian Burke, James Shaughnessy and Paul Varley, have already made plans to go away for the summer months.
Speaking to the Advertiser Sport, both Mulholland and Flynn said it was important the u-21 stars were available and able to play with Galway over the next decade. Giving them a chance to develop and mature as players and individuals, rather than rushing them into the senior ranks for the Mayo game, is the approach they want to take.
After that game, they will reassess and, if the likes of Adrian Varley, Cathal Mulryan, Damien Comer, Mark Loughnane, Seán Moran or Daithí Burke are available or needed, they will be asked into the senior panel.
