Footballers away to Laois in opening game of league

Galway’s Gaelic football and hurling supporters have plenty of travel ahead of them for the 2016 Allianz National Leagues, with the footballers on the road for four of their seven games; while the hurlers have home advantage for just two of their five games.

Kevin Walsh’s footballers the county’s national league action underway on the last Sunday in January when they travel to O’Moore Park to play Laois on Sunday January 31; and the also face away games against Derry (Sunday Feb 28), Armagh (Sunday Mar 13) and Cavan (Sunday Apr 4).

They have been handed three home fixtures with the games against Tyrone on Sunday February 7 and Meath on Sunday March 6 scheduled for Pearse Stadium in Salthill. Their third home fixture will be played on Easter Sunday, March 27, and will see Fermanagh make the trip to Tuam Stadium in the penultimate league fixture

All games, bar the away fixture with Armagh, have 2pm throw-ins – the game in the Athletics Grounds throws-in at 2.30pm.

The hurlers will open their league campaign on Sunday February 14 when they welcome Cork to Pearse Stadium; while they will also host Tipperary at the Salthill venue in their penultimate league games on Sunday March 13.

Their other three games are all away from home, starting with a trip to Parnell Park on Saturday February 20 for a game under lights against Dublin, which has a 7pm throw-in. The make the trip to Nowlan Park a fortnight later to take on Kilkenny on Sunday March 6; and they wrap-up their league campaign with the long trek to Walsh park to take on Waterford on Sunday March 20. All four Sunday games have a 2pm throw-in.

Meanwhile, the times and dates for the 2016 FBD Insurance League have also been finalised, with Galway drawn in Section B with Sligo, Leitrim and GMIT; while NUI Galway have been grouped with Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo IT in Section A.

The league kicks-off on Sunday January 3 and sees Galway host Sligo in Tuam; while GMIT travel to Cloone to take on Leitrim. The opening games in Section A sees NUI Galway travel to McHale Park to take on Mayo; while Roscommon host Sligo IT.

The second round will be played on Sunday January 10 and sees NUI Galway face Roscommon in Ballyforan and Mayo take on Sligo IT in Ballina in Section A; while Galway head to Ballinasloe to take on Leitrim while Sligo host GMIT in Colooney.

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