Minors hope to spring a semi-final surprise

The Galway minor footballers’ quest for a first Connacht title in eight years begins this Saturday, and it doesn’t get any tougher than this: Stephen Joyce’s charges face reigning provincial champions, Mayo, in their own back yard of Castlebar with a 6.30pm throw-in.

It is a must-win Connacht semi-final, and the losers do not have the safety of a back-door and will be out of the competition.

Roscommon and, in particular, Mayo have reigned supreme in Connacht since Galway’s last provincial success at this level – captained by Paul Conroy, the Tribesmen went on to collect the Tom Markham Cup in Croke Park later in the summer of 2007.

But ever since, Mayo has claimed five provincial titles (2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014) and Roscommon has won the other two (2011, 2012), as Galway has suffered some agonising defeats.

None more so than last year against Saturday’s opponents.

Second favourites for the All-Ireland before a ball was kicked in 2014, Galway was cruising, playing some fine football, and were six points to the good at half-time against Mayo in Tuam Stadium last year. But matters spiralled downhill when a series of events conspired against them.

Some of it was of their own making – a lacking of ruthlessness in front of goal – combined with the concession of a ‘soft’ penalty and the controversial and harsh sending-off of midfielder Michael Daly culminated in a 3-7 to 1-12 victory for the visitors.

A one-point defeat is never easy to take, and given the circumstances, must still rankle with the players who are still underage and on the panel again this year.

It is another motivating factor, if one was needed, but not a huge one given there has been a big turnaround in players and just three survive: Liam Ó Ceallaigh (An Spidéal) and goalkeeper Ronán Ó Beoláin (Micheál Breathnachs) featured against Mayo in 2014 and Conor Marsden (Kilconly) was a substitute. The Galway captain this year is Michael Boyle from Killererin.

The league meeting between these two teams earlier in the year would suggest that Galway has slipped back considerably since last year, and Mayo has improved.

At Tuam Stadium in April, Galway were hockeyed by Mayo by 15 points, 5-7 to 0-7. On that basis alone, you’d have to fear for Galway heading to the lions’ den of McHale Park.

Galway’s overall league form was fairly sporadic in March and April – as well as losing to Mayo, they beat Longford comprehensively (4-16 to 2-7) lost to Sligo (1-9 to 0-9), hammered Roscommon (5-9 to 2-7) and drew with Leitrim in their last outing (0-11 to 1-8).

On a more positive note, the Galway minors beat Kildare fairly well in a challenge match in Ballinasloe a fortnight ago and by all accounts they looked very lively against a side that has reached the Leinster final.

But as with league performances, when Leaving Cert disrupts preparations, it’s hard to read too much into challenge matches.

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