Some positives for team boss Mulholland

Meath 3-18

Galway 4-11

Disappointment at the eventual outcome but some positive signs for the future, summed up the attitude of Galway manager, Alan Mulholland, in the wake of his side’s four point defeat at the hands of Meath last Sunday.

Meath first, and then Donegal, certainly doesn’t represent anything by way of a ‘handy start’ to Galway’s Division 2 league campaign, but for a time on Sunday, Mulholland could see his side getting something from this match.

“We had fought back very well in the first half and if we had scored the penalty we’d have a five point cushion by the break, but I’d have to say that Meath were a lot stronger than us in the second half.

“Meath have obviously a lot of work done, and this was pretty close to their first fifteen for the championship – we were a bit behind them at certain stages during the game, but we are waiting for a few players to come back and we will be getting stronger as the year goes,” said the Galway boss.

The manager was very happy with the ‘blooding’ of younger players during the game stressing that there was ‘just no substitute’ for big game experience.

“That game today was played at a ferocious pace and players coming into inter-county football at national league level, need to experience that at first hand,” he said.

A final scoring tally of 4-11 did provide a few nuggets of consolation for the manager and he was happy with Galway’s attacking play.

“We did hit Meath hard on the break and when we moved the ball quickly, we created a lot of chances. It was a very open game of football – they could have scored a bit more but then so could we. There was some amount of chances created on either side.”

Like his team, Mulholland has little time to lick his wounds with All-Ireland champions of 2012, Donegal, riding into town this weekend after a big win over Laois in Portlaoise on Sunday, for what will be another extremely difficult challenge for Galway.

“Again, we will be really trying hard to get something from this match. We knew from the start that Meath and Donegal would be tough – now we just have to knuckle down to what’s in front of us at Pearse Stadium on Sunday,” added Mulholland.