Team manager Glynn praises players’ fitness ahead of Roscommon test

By Mark Walsh

SPORTING groups the length and breadth of the country did their best to stay connected over the lockdown through the virtual landscape, but during the months away from one another, it was essentially each individual’s responsibility in the main to monitor their own personal well-being and fitness.

Galway manager Alan Glynn noted the excellent physical condition of his squad of players in September, when they first returned to training. When they again met up on Thursday, December 3, following another COVID-19 enforced hiatus, the players were raring to go.

“They are very, very fit and that was really obvious,” said Glynn. “Leitrim really put it up to us and really asked a lot of questions of our lads. The fitness came to the fore and we were very happy with the lads we brought off the bench.

“Rory Donnellan came on, made a great catch, kicked a super point shortly afterwards. Gary Higgins kicked a super point. Maidhc [Mac Gearailt] laid on a great point for us and they were huge contributions. I suppose that shows the strength of the squad as well.

“We’ve had four trainings, having not seen ourselves for six weeks. We had five weeks prior to that, then we had four months off. Naturally enough, they’re not going to be playing as a team straight away and we’d be kind of foolish to think that that would happen, much and all as we would want it to happen. We would be foolish to think we would just turn on a light switch.”

Glynn was specifically pleased with how his side concluded the game. Adam Tierney’s sending off could easily have had an adverse effect on the group, but whatever was said to the players at the second water break, it worked a treat.

“As they grew into the game, they started playing the football we know that they can play and you can see, maybe, a really good team forming there which is quite pleasing for us,” continued Glynn.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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