Title defence begins

THE Galway U21 footballers’ defence of their All-Ireland title starts on Saturday (4.30pm) with a tricky away assignment against Leitrim in the Connacht semi-final at Carrick-on-Shannon.

Galway defied the odds last year to claim the title, beating several favourites on the way, including Kildare in the semi-final and Cork in a pulsating final in Limerick in May; it was the county’s second U21 title in three years.

 As is always the case at underage grades, the talent moves on, and this season just seven from the panel that started in the All-Ireland final, and four substitutes that day, are available to the management at the beginning of the 2014 campaign.

 The likes of ‘keeper Thomas Healy, corner back David Cunnane, the entire half-back line of Mark Loughnane, Daithí Burke and Paul Varley, as well as full-forward Adrian Varley, are all over age this year.

 The biggest loss is the midfield pairing of Thomas Flynn and Fiontán Ó Curraoin, two talismanic leaders who have served the county so well together at centre-field for the past three years at this grade.

 Experienced full-back James Shaughnessy (Ballinasloe), who seems to have been around for quite some time, is still underage and is the obvious choice to take over the captaincy from Ó Curraoin.

 Defender Eoin Walsh (Moycullen), as well as five of the six forwards who started the final in 2013 – including Cathal Mulryan (Cortoon), Séan Moran (Claregalway), Damien Comer (Annaghdown), Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin/Clonberne) and Ian Burke (Corofin) – are all also available, and on paper, Galway certainly pack a potent punch up front.

 Galway could shoot the lights out if those forwards click but there are injury concerns over Walsh and Comer, who have been sidelined for the county’s senior squad, and a decision won’t be made on their inclusion until after training on Thursday night.

 How Galway fills the midfield void will be interesting. Michael Day from Headford is a big strong versatile footballer who has been showing well in training and could be in contention, while the likes of Comer, if fit, city man Shane Maughan, and possibly Enda Tierney (Oughterard) provide options.

 Manager Alan Flynn (Tuam Stars) is in charge once again this year but with two new trusty lieutenants, Terry O’Regan (St James’) and Noel Meehan (Caltra), and they’ve managed to assemble a squad of 33 with around 14 different clubs from around the county represented. 

 Among the newcomers drafted into the U21 set-up are Joe Donnellan (Cortoon), dual player Eamon Brannigan (St Michael’s), Kevin Nally (Caherlistrane) and Brian Shaughnessy, a brother of James. Rory Lavelle (Renvyle) and Darren McDonnell (Tuam Stars) are the two goalkeepers.

 Flynn said the character-building experience of winning an All-Ireland title will stand to the players who featured in last year’s campaign, and he hopes they will draw on that against Leitrim.

 For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.