Galway on right road again after reacting to Kerry flop

BY STEPHEN GLENNON

GALWAY manager Padraic Joyce acknowledged that there was a measure of soul-searching undertaken last week, noting that a defeat like the one inflicted by Kerry does hurt a proud footballing county.

In their victory over Roscommon at Pearse Stadium last Sunday, the Tribesmen exorcised some of the demons from the previous week’s heavy loss, but the challenge for Joyce’s charges will be to bring that intensity and purpose every game they play.

“That’s the challenge now,” agreed the two-time All-Ireland winner, speaking to the media afterwards. “One swallow doesn’t make a summer. It’s one league match won. We know where we’re going, so we just have to keep the level of intensity up every day we go out.

“We’re from a proud footballing county and, at the end of the day, I’ll take responsibility for the way the team performs on the pitch, on good days and bad days. Look it, we were poor last week (against Kerry) and it wasn’t acceptable what we did.”

He noted the players were just as disappointed with the Kerry result, given the body of work they had put in prior to that game. He said they were anxious that this work would not go to waste again against Roscommon.

“We didn’t see that performance coming against Kerry but, in fairness, they knuckled down, they got the head down and they worked hard for one another. Today, they did set out with a bit of intent – and even all our subs who came on the pitch made a big difference.

“None of them were sulking, the lads who didn’t start, in fairness to them. They were encouraging fellas all the time – Gary (O’Donnell) and Johnny (Heaney) and them lads. They were really positive all week, as everyone was, and it showed there today.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite  HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.