Cummins’ goal proves decisive for depleted Galway

GALWAY 1-8 LEITRIM 1-5

THIS was wistful January football with all its warts as Galway and Leitrim slugged it out pretty unromantically in the FBD league at Tuam Stadium on Sunday. In the end, a vastly under-strength Galway side just about got the better of Shane Ward’s charges in a match saved from total anonymity by the honesty of the effort.

These are early days in the season with players getting the chance to wear the maroon jersey, and there’s nothing wrong with that either, but Galway will need to get a lot of bodies back before they meet Laois in O’Moore Park on the last Sunday in January.

Only one player, Adrian Varley, from the four teams that contested last year’s Galway senior club semi-finals – Corofin, Mountbellew, Salthill and Cortoon – featured in this match watched by a crowd of about 500 brave souls.

The team that could have – and probably should have – beaten Corofin in last year’s championship, Tuam Stars, also weren’t represented in the squad so it takes no rocket science to assume that many changes in personnel will be in place when the days lengthen.

Third level colleges’ commitments, injuries and players taking a break over the mid-winter period all contributed to the new names on the sheet while by contrast Leitrim seemed to have a more familiar look to them as they sought a much prized win over Galway.

Leitrim had Emlyn Mulligan back in their ranks on the ‘40’ and he looked the classiest forward on the pitch – settled on the ball, always making time for himself and capable of delivering that defence splitting pass. In the second half, Adrian Varley was about the only Galway attacker with that kind of vision, although Danny Cummins did liven up the forwards a lot when introduced for the last 20 minutes. Galway’s corner forwards –

Eamon Brannigan of St. Michael’s and Kilconly’s Paul Mannion – turned in very industrious first halves, with both given roving outfield commissions, although their contributions lessened significantly in the second half.

Rather worryingly, Leitrim won a lot of first half possession in the midfield zone – a large percentage of it broken ball – although the situation did improve for Galway in the second half with Paul Conroy coming more into the game.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.