Clutch of players return to training as Galway look to build momentum

Galway footballers embark on one of the most difficult missions of their Spring league campaign with a trip to Celtic Park (2pm) on Sunday to take on Division 2 tabletoppers Derry in a tie that will have major implications for the promotion prospects of Kevin Walsh’s charges.

The silver lining for Galway in the run-up to their northern trek this weekend is that a number of players – out on the long term injury list for some time – have returned to training although Sunday may be at least a week too soon for most of them.

An away win over an admittedly weak enough Laois team and a two point home defeat to promotion favourites Tyrone does represent a reasonable start to the league campaign for Galway and especially in the context of so many ‘regulars’ being ruled out of contention.

The second tier of league football, though, is highly competitive and while Galway might have been nurturing promotion thoughts in the wake of their 3-12 to 1-10 victory Laois in Portlaoise at the end of January, survival in Division 2 could represent a reasonable return come early April.

Although Tyrone looked to be stronger team for large chunks of Galway’s last match in Pearse Stadium, manager Kevin Walsh was happy with the level of fighting spirit shown by his charges during that game.

“We probably paid a high price for little lulls we had in the middle of both halves, but I took a lot of encouragement from the manner in which the lads fought back near the end.

“They just never gave up and in the end came very close to getting a result out of that game – if we now get a bit more consistency over the 70 minutes against Derry, then I believe that we’ll give it a good shot,” Walsh told Tribune Sport.

He is heartened by the return to training of a number of panellists who either haven’t figured at all so far this season or who have made short appearances due to injury problems.

“I would have to say that looking ahead to the medium, long term period it is very positive to see players like Gary Sice, Cathal and Patrick Sweeney, Finian Hanley, Shane Walsh, Danny Cummins, Paul Varley and Gareth Bradshaw coming back into training.

“However the next couple of matches will probably be a bit soon for those players but at least they are on the mend and that will boost our panel as we go through the latter stages of the league and look forward to the championship,” said Walsh.

He knows though that the Derry challenge on home soil will be a formidable one given the impressive start of Damian Barton’s side so far this season.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.