Cooney eager for Galway to front up against Dublin foes

GALWAY and All-Ireland champions Dublin clash in the LGFA National League at Parnell Park on Sunday (2pm) and, although this will be the first meeting of the sides since last September’s All-Ireland decider, vice-captain Charlotte Cooney believes this tie “is not going to be anything like the final”.

With both teams fielding very different teams so far in the league — due to the unavailability of key panellists — it means many of the marquee players who graced Croke Park last September will not be on view this Sunday.

These include Galway’s All-Star sisters Louise and Nicola Ward, both of whom are recovering from injuries at present, and Clonbur’s Mairead Seoighe, who is currently playing AFL in Australia, as are a number of Dublin’s players, most notably Sinead Goldrick and Niamh McEvoy.

That said, Dublin will still not be lacking quality, with the likes of goalkeeper Ciara Trant, defenders Niamh Collins and Martha Byrne, midfielder Lauren Magee and forwards Carla Rowe and Lynsey Davey featuring in the Dubs’ narrow loss to Cork in the last round.

“This is going to be a very difficult game; it is going to be our biggest contest this year so far,” says Cooney. “I think both teams will be trying a lot of players — it is not going to be anything like the All-Ireland final — but I am still looking forward to it, if only just to see where we are at. So, it is going to be a massive challenge for us.”

Already, Galway have been on a rollercoaster ride in the opening stages of the National League, conceding five goals against Waterford, and still only losing by a point; defeating Westmeath with a polished display; and accounting for Donegal last day out, despite conceding another four goals.

Over the last two weeks the set-up has been endeavouring to fix their defensive frailties and, in light of this, one wonders has the Dublin fixture come a game too soon? “We have been very inconsistent in front of the goals but if we were to compare ourselves to last year, our scoring rate has gone up. So, ultimately, it is trying to find the balance between your defence and attack.

“Our defence, though, is something we are going to have to prioritise the next day, keeping the goals out. We know from playing Dublin, if they turn you over, they will always punish you. And more often than not with goals. So, it is priority to focus on that. We have worked very hard on it in training and on video analysis. Hopefully, it will work out for us on Sunday.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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