Galway face eight-hour round trip for clash with fellow promotion contenders Derry

Galway senior Gaelic football manager Padraic Joyce expects a massive challenge against Derry this weekend in the penultimate round of Division 2 of the National Football League.

Topping the table after five wins from five rounds, the Tribesmen are in pole position to take one of the two promotion slots available, but they have a tough run-in away to fellow promotion hunters Derry this Sunday in Owenbeg (throw-in 1pm), and Roscommon the following Sunday in Dr Hyde Park.

Galway were sluggish in their six-point defeat of Clare at Tuam Stadium last Sunday, and the Galway boss knows that improvement is needed if his charges are to topple the Ulstermen in their own back yard.

“That’s going to be a tough encounter for us . . . we’ll have to up our performance for next week,” said Joyce of the Derry match.

“It’s massive. Obviously, every away game is difficult but the fact you’re playing Derry who are playing really, really well the last two years. They were a bit unlucky in the championship last year but in fairness to Rory [Gallagher], he has them in good shape.

“They play a great style of football, very defensive and very good attacking when they attack, so it’s going to be tough. It’s up in Owenbeg which is a good four-hour journey for us. Again, that’s what the challenges are about, game-on-game. We’ll learn more next week and see where lads are at for the championship,” he said.

That four-hour journey, and the earlier than usual throw-in, means Galway will travel north on Saturday, and stay over.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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