Depleted Galway have a mammoth task against Cats

Date Published: 05-Feb-2009

HURLING followers in Galway should have a better understanding of the mammoth task facing the Tribesmen in 2009 after the visit of three-in-a-row All-Ireland winners Kilkenny to Pearse Stadium in the first round of the National League on Sunday (2.30 p.m.).

The team who have set the benchmark for everyone else might not be firing on all cylinders yet, but they once again showed their unbelievable hunger for success when cancelling out an eight point deficit before winning the Walsh Cup in extra time last weekend.

Losing that final in Freshford (after taking the Cats to extra time) has given Galway extra motivation, not that they needed any as they take on the best team in the land in the first home game under John McIntyre’s management.

It’s an experimental Galway side, with no less than four players – goalkeeper Colm Callanan, full-back Damien McClearn, corner back Ciaran O’Donovan, and wing back Martin Ryan – making their National League debuts in the home side’s defence. Up front, it’s also a first NHL outing for centre forward Cyril Donnellan, of Padraig Pearses, who impressed in the three Walsh Cup games last month.

There has always been a keen rivalry between these two counties, and even if it’s ‘only’ the League, there should be a decent intensity about a tie which…