Glennon is big doubt

GALWAY forward Davy Glennon is doubtful for their opening National Hurling League game against Leinster champions Dublin at Pearse Stadium on Sunday (2pm).

The Mullagh man scored the only goal in Connacht’s five-point win over Munster in the Inter-pro semi-final at Duggan Park last Sunday but was forced to withdraw late on due to an ankle injury. Glennon will be disappointed if he misses this rematch of last year’s ill-fated provincial final.

He joins Cyril Donnellan and Shane Kavanagh – both long term injury victims – on the treatment table while Oranmore/Maree sharpshooter Niall Burke will also be absent after undergoing an operation on a troublesome calf injury last Thursday. He is targeting the Tipperary game (March 16) for his return.

No doubt, Galway will be buoyed by their victory – in the guise of Connacht – last weekend and certainly there were plenty of positives to be taken from that encounter against a star-studded Munster line-out, which included four 2013 All-Stars.

The crucial period was the third quarter when the Tribesmen tallied 1-8 to overturn a 0-10 to 0-5 interval deficit. From there on in, Galway commanded the contest, backboned by a strong defensive showing, and Anthony Cunningham’s charges ran out 1-18 to 0-16 winners.

It was important, though, that the players responded to the 1-24 to 0-15 defeat to Kilkenny in the Walsh Cup semi-final a fortnight previously, particularly with the lack of depth in the squad being questioned in the absence of the club-tied Portumna contingent.

In all, Cunningham has used 26 players in the first three games of 2014 with a number of new additions showing some promise. Turloughmore’s Ronan Burke is growing with every game at full-back while defenders Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore/Maree) and the classy Daithí Burke (Turloughmore) should benefit from the game time they have received so far.

Up front, Cathal Mannion – a player with an abundance of skill – has justified his inclusion by scoring in all three games so far, despite the Ahascragh/Fohenagh man flitting between the various offensive lines on the field.

Tommy Larkins Jason Flynn has also offered a glimpse into his potential. Scoring when coming off the bench against Offaly, he repaid the management for his first competitive start of the year with three points against a high profile Munster defence.

While the danger is that the Tribesmen will read too much into last weekend’s win – a provincial side does not enjoy the same tight-knit dynamics of a county set-up – it does appear as if the team is beginning to take shape.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.