Time for Galway footballers to circle the wagons

THE National Football League has thrown up more than its fair share of surprise results over the past couple of months with some teams badly beaten one week coming out seven days later and leaving that form way behind. Going into the final round of group matches only one county, Westmeath, was protecting an unbeaten record as inconsistency seemed to be rife in the four divisions.

Unfortunately, that plague has affected Galway more than most. After the county received a timely lift when the Ian Burke inspired Tribesmen’s U-21s recorded a battling extra time triumph over Roscommon in the Connacht final at Hyde Park on Saturday evening, less than 24 hours later the seniors’ limitations were again plain to see when coming up well short against Armagh at the Gaelic Grounds.

Understandably, with their Division Two status already secure and only having a very slim chance of winning promotion, Galway would have struggled in the first place to match the motivation of the home team who were still in relegation trouble, but the 0-21 to 1-12 defeat still represented a disappointing outcome as Alan Mulholland’s squad finished their seven match programme with three wins, three losses and a draw in their account.

That’s moderate form in anybody’s language, especially as Galway had begun their campaign with a heartening home victory over Derry. Subsequently, their displays were largely a mix of sub-standard and erratic efforts which was reflected in poor defeats to both Louth and Laois. In other games, Galway showed glimpses – especially in the closing quarter against Wexford – that when the mood caught them, they could still be a potent force, but Sunday’s struggles in Armagh was more reflective of their overall standing in Division Two. They can’t afford to continue to play in fits and starts.

Sure, it would be easy to hide the general assessment that Galway simply doesn’t have enough quality players at present, while they continued to be crippled by a lack of physicality, particularly around the midfield sector, but the team must still aspire to a higher quality of football. There is little doubt that Galway remain in a rut, confidence is brittle and most supporters have lost faith in them but, occasionally, all it takes is one big summer performance to spark a sustained renaissance.

They will have that opportunity in little over five weeks time when Connacht champions Mayo roll into Salthill and though James Horan’s outfit showed that they may be hitting form at the right time with a sterling comeback win over Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last Sunday to earn a place in the league semi-finals. they are hardly world beaters and, traditionally, Galway have no fear of them either.

For all that, Mulholland and his management team have big problems to address, notably the chronic inconsistency in their ranks. Against Armagh, they were 0-8 to 0-2 behind in the first-half and in all kinds of trouble only for a breakaway Conor Doherty goal to pull them back into the contest. They still trailed by four at the break but with wind advantage to come, Galway were close enough to pull off a successful comeback. They made a lightning start to the second-half with a brace of points from both Sean Armstrong and Michael Meehan drawing them level.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.