Latest loss leaves Galway hurlers well grounded for summer battles

Inside Track with John McIntyre

THE suspicion that Galway hurlers would find 2018 a lot more challenging than their all-conquering season of last year has quickly become a reality. The National League title is already gone and they will also have no momentum heading in the upcoming round-robin Leinster championship which starts with a potentially tricky assignment against Offaly in Tullamore in mid-May.

Nobody is pressing the alarm bells, but Galway have work to do. Taken in isolation, losing narrowly to a very committed Wexford team in last Saturday’s league quarter-final is no reason for panic, but coming in the wake of squandering a winning hand against Limerick in their previous outing, together with some struggles in each of their contests with Antrim, Laois and Dublin, the Tribesmen have to at least heed the warning signs.

An understandable belated return to the training ground following their extended post All-Ireland celebrations has obviously been a big factor in Galway’s difficulties, but the camp shouldn’t become a hostage to fortune by blaming all their ills on trying to play ‘catch up’ on their rivals. A few key players from last year remain out of form, while the team is not nearly as cohesive so far as was the case in 2017.

In mitigation, Joe Canning and David Burke missed much of the league campaign; injured goalkeeper Colm Callanan was sidelined for it all; while All Star full back Daithí Burke only played against Antrim before his football commitments for Corofin took precedence. His return will be critical for a Galway defence which has lacked security and authority this Spring, while Jonathan Glynn’s imminent return will be a boost too at the other end of the field.

Perhaps, more critical to Galway’s summer fortunes will be the form of the unrelated Cooneys, Conor and Joseph. The former struggled for traction in the league, but he had a great championship last year and removed some of the heavy lifting off Joe Canning’s shoulders up front. Conor Cooney didn’t score against Wexford last Saturday and was peripheral to the action, but the All-Ireland champions need him to explode back into life.

Joseph Cooney, who had a terrific outing against Laois last month, also has massive potential and with injury forcing him to miss the Limerick match, it may have accounted for the Sarsfields’ player becoming a diminishing influence in last weekend’s league quarter-final. Both Cooneys have the capacity to win their own ball and Galway won’t retain the All-Ireland without them being close to their best.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.