Clash with the Rossies opportunity for Galway redemption

AFTER just one National Football League game, it’s incredible that the discourse should be about relegation, but that is the reality for Galway senior footballer as they face Roscommon in a crucial second-round fixture at Pearse Stadium on Sunday (2pm).

Given Galway’s sizeable scoring deficit following their 4-21 to 0-11 loss to Kerry, they will now have to win their remaining games against Roscommon and Dublin if they are to avoid dropping into a relegation battle against one of the bottom sides in Division 1 North.

Yet, relegation threat aside, the Tribesmen have to come with a performance this weekend and repair some of the damage, psychological and otherwise, that they have suffered in not only their defeat to Kerry last Saturday, but also to Mayo (twice) and Dublin late last year.

Noticeably, those four losses were against the top three teams in the country and, if they are looking to return to winning ways, then a Connacht derby against Roscommon, who lost to Dublin on Sunday, might just be the fixture to turn things around.

Of course, these two are also primed to meet in the Connacht semi-final in early July. If this was any other National League campaign, they would loathe to show their hand, but with Division 1 survival on the line, this will not be the case here.

Galway boss Padraic Joyce will have to shake things up this weekend. Sean Kelly, Kieran Molloy and Finnian Ó Laoi all showed something when coming on against Kerry while two others who could also start are midfielder Ronan Steede and forward Robert Finnerty.

It goes without saying that Galway must stop haemorrhaging big scores – as they did against Kerry and Mayo in National League fixtures – and they have to find a way to clog up the channels to opposing teams.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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