There’s plenty of life left in Galway’s Masters panel

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

They may not enjoy the profile of the great Galway football team of the 1960s but the county’s Masters will look to achieve their own memorable three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles when they face Mayo in the national decider in Clonberne on Saturday (3:30pm).

For Galway captain Richard Donovan, it certainly would mean just as much to him and his Over 40s team-mates, particularly given the reigning All-Ireland champions face their greatest rivals, Mayo in the decider.

“When it comes to Galway and Mayo, there is rivalry all over the place. I am married to a Mayo woman, a passionate Mayo supporter, and she has mixed feelings about the final. She said she would find it hard to shout against Mayo but since I was her husband she would give me a shout on the day,” laughs Donovan.

“That’s what makes it. We know so many Mayo people. They are our friends, they are our neighbours but once we put on the maroon jersey – and Mayo the red and green – the rivalries kick in. Friendships go out the window for 60 minutes and you give it socks. After that, let the better man win on the day.”

Training under floodlights in Loughgeorge, you could not be but impressed by the Galway Masters set-up. “Every night we would have 30 plus and we had a squad of 42 togged the last day against Leitrim for the All-Ireland semi-final. So, a huge squad of committed guys have the training done.”

In all, nine county teams took part in the 2014 series which began for Galway with an opener against Longford in August. By this time, they had already six weeks of training behind them, including challenge games against Athenry’s juniors and a Garda selection.

At any rate, Longford were subsequently put to the sword before the Tribesmen, jointly managed by Clonbur’s Stephen Joyce and Annaghdown’s Matt Duggan, recorded another impressive victory over Dublin on a scoreline of 2-9 to 0-7 in a physical game played at Clann na nGael’s GAA grounds outside Athlone.

This set up an All-Ireland semi-final against Leitrim, who had recorded wins over Tyrone, defeated by Galway in last year’s decider, and Dublin on route to the penultimate stages. “Leitrim, they gave us a tough game. Tougher than we anticipated,” acknowledges Donovan, who still plays junior football and hurling with Claregalway and Carnmore respectively.

“That was our own fault. We were probably complacent, expecting an easier game. We had the wind in the first half but they got a goal on us within a minute. That gave them confidence and knocked us back for 10 or 15 minutes. We never put the heads down though and battled hard.”

In the end, Galway emerged victorious by 3-12 to 3-5 while, on the other side of the draw, Mayo qualified for the decider with a 1-6 to 0-7 win over Longford. It sets up an attractive final which will be shown live on Irish TV (Sky 191) on Saturday.

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