MICHEÁL Donoghue hadn’t been a hostage to fortune in relation to Galway’s travails during the Division 1A hurling league campaign and he wasn’t about to blow his lid after their heavy 12-point defeat by Cork on Saturday night.

Back at the Galway helm by popular demand, Donoghue has tended to keep a sense of perspective regardless of the team’s results – three wins and three losses – this spring.

The Clarinbridge clubman is content that Galway achieved their main priorities of staying in the top-flight of league hurling, while running the rule over the bones of 40 players.

Donoghue is building for the future and though some natives might be impatient with that strategy, there is broad consensus that the personnel in the Galway squad needs shaking up.

Naturally, Donoghue was disappointed with Saturday’s result. “I thought in the first half we were really competitive. Firstly, you must acknowledge we’re up against one of the top teams in the country there and we know where we’re at. The league has been a bit up and down for us.

“I think the most positive thing for us throughout the league is we got an opportunity to see everyone and blood a lot of new young players. I thought in the first half we created a lot of chances. Our efficiency was not as high as theirs, and I think they showed their quality then when we made a few mistakes, they were able to go from back to front very quickly and punish you with goals.”

The Galway boss accepted some early misses set the tone for the outcome against Cork. “I thought the lads were working really well, creating great opportunities and they just didn’t take them. Similar enough to the Limerick game so that is a work-on for us. As I said, I can’t fault their attitude and effort. The boys stayed at it, up against a top team.

“It’s evident that they’re a few years ahead of where we want to be. For us the league has been up and down, but the big thing is we got to see the whole squad and we have a few weeks to keep the head down and be ready for championship.

“We’ve a month now to work really hard. We can’t really feel sorry for ourselves after tonight. We have to get back on the training ground and stay working and look forward to the start of the championship in a month.”

Donoghue admitted that having to play four of their six group games away from home put them at an immediate disadvantage and given that background, staying in Division 1A

Pictured: Galway team manager Michéal Donoghue who has kept the Tribesmen in Division 1A despite suffering 12-point defeats to Tipperary, Limerick and Cork.