Mulholland says performance against Laois ‘was not good enough’

Galway manager Alan Mulholland said that everyone involved in the county’s football set-up – including players, management and officials – were only too keenly aware that the level of performance last Saturday night against Laois was ‘not good enough and unacceptable’.

He said that some of the supporters who travelled to O’Moore Park last Saturday night had ‘made their views known to him’ after the match, and he fully understood their frustration.

“Our performance, especially over the last 40 minutes, was just not acceptable. I can understand the frustration that supporters felt who had travelled to Portlaoise last Saturday – they deserved better than what they got.

“All of us (panel and management) had a meeting on Sunday which was honest and open. Like the supporters, we too feel very frustrated – a huge effort is being put in. I cannot complain about that, but we’re just not delivering the results or performance levels that we require,” said Mulholland.

He accepted that in the wake of three successive defeats, confidence levels were very brittle, but now it was a matter of dusting themselves down and preparing for a big effort next Sunday against Down in Tuam Stadium.

“The lads themselves are very disappointed, especially in the context of the effort that they have put in. Over recent weeks, we’ve travelled to Ballyhaunis (the Connacht centre of excellence) to get a better pitch after all the bad weather – anything I’ve asked these lads to do, they’ve done it,” he said.

Looking back at the Laois match, he said that everything seemed to hinge on a short spell before half-time when Galway should have scored a goal, but then ended up a number of minutes later, conceding one themselves.

“One of the main issues that we are trying to address is the reason for such fade outs after one or two things go against us. We might have beaten Meath, we fought back strongly in the second half against Donegal, but in the second half last Saturday night, we were just blown away. Only ourselves can put this right,” said Mulholland.

Galway’s immediate target will be to get something from their clash with Down in Tuam Stadium on Sunday (2pm), although James McCartan’s charges will be ‘full of beans’ after their 4-16 to 0-9 demolition of Louth last weekend.

On the following Sunday (March 16), Galway travel to Drogheda for what looks like being a bottom of the table clash against Louth – after that, it’s Armagh in Pearse Stadium on March 30 and Monaghan in Clones on April 6.

 Galway expect to have Finian Hanley back in the frame for the Down match after the calf injury he suffered against Donegal and that should be a help in bolstering up a very leaky defence so far this year.