New Galway boss Donoghue sees his charge edge out DCU at Duggan Park

NEW Galway boss Micheál Donoghue acknowledged his senior hurlers are playing catch-up in their National League preparations after watching his side’s final quarter fade-out in their Walsh Cup opener against DCU at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe last Sunday.

Outscored by nine points to five in the closing 15 minutes, 14-man Galway were left clinging on to victory over the resurgent students, who, understandably, seemed to have the legs on their hosts in the home stretch.

Galway’s plight wasn’t helped by the dismissal of All-Star David Burke just before half-time on a second yellow but, afterwards, manager Donoghue expressed his delight at holding on for a 1-16 to 0-17 win and getting the year off to a winning start.

“It was a good start,” he began. “Conditions were very hard and we didn’t make life easy on ourselves going down to 14, although I thought the lads’ attitude was really good. Their application, in fairness for only being out for the second time on a pitch together, we were happy enough with it.”

Galway commenced the game with just five starters from their All-Ireland defeat to Kilkenny last September – Johnny Coen, Burke, Andy Smith, Jason Flynn and Joe Canning – although Aidan Harte was also introduced – and impressed – in the second half.

2015 captain David Collins also started the contest while, further up the field, Oranmore/Maree forward Niall Burke made a welcome return when he was introduced with 15 minutes go after a lengthy period on the sideline last year due to injury.

Donoghue was without a number of players who were tied up with their colleges, including NUI Galway quartet Padraig and Cathal Mannion, John Hanbury and Conor Whelan – all four starters in last year’s All-Ireland defeat to the Cats.

However, the Galway manager, who confirmed Turloughmore’s Francis Forde and former Portumna trainer Noel Larkin as his selectors/coaches last week, was to get an opportunity to run the rule over these – along with his panellists – when his side played NUIG in the second round of the Walsh Cup at Duggan Park yesterday (Wednesday) evening.

He admitted it was an important fixture in terms of seeing where his panel would be heading. “It is a big game for ourselves, but as I said, this was only our second turnout today so we are not going to put huge emphasis on it either.

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