By DARREN KELLY

WITH the FBD League out of the way and silverware secured, the serious business for Galway’s senior footballers begins on Sunday (Pearse Stadium, 1.45pm) when they meet Mayo again in the opening round of Division 1 of the National League.

Both counties will have enjoyed last weekend’s workout but following disappointing conclusions to their 2025 championship campaigns, both will want to hit the ground running in the race for top tier survival.

Galway’s loss to Meath in last June’s All-Ireland quarter-final still hurts and that will be their motivation to try reach a third national decider in five seasons. Manager Padraic Joyce is now in his seventh year, the second longest in the country after Armagh’s Kieran McGeeney.

They’ve mingled established names with new players over their three-game January run with Conor Flaherty, Seán Mulkerrin, Cian Hernon, Kieran Molloy, Jack Glynn and the returning Robert Finnerty all playing a part in the FBD Final against Mayo.

“We’re delighted with the victory,” stated Galway selector John Concannon afterwards. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a game of tiddlywinks, Galway and Mayo is always going to be a big battle and both teams will want to win it.

“I would think so,” he continued when asked about changes ahead of this Sunday in Salthill. “I’d say a few of the players today will make the 26. We’ll see what today’s game takes out of them.”

Corofin duo Conor Carson and Brian Cogger started all three pre-season games and should have some league involvement. Their clubmate Molloy excelled in the captain’s role twice and will relish an opportunity to break back into the starting 15.

“It would be a childhood dream to beat Mayo in Tuam and lift a trophy so it’s a great day,” said Molloy about the honour of lifting the FBD League. “A few bits to tidy up on. A few handling errors and stuff like that.

“It is serious to try and get them two points and get a good start to the league as well. I think we’ve two on the bounce. It is important to hit the ground running and lads will be fresh.”

Shane McGrath, Ciaran Mulhern, Jack O’Neill, Fionn and Oisín McDonagh, Mikey Mulryan are others that might be kept on while Colm Costello, Daniel O’Flaherty and Cillian Ó Curraoin, who scored 0-8 in this league fixture last year, will look to establish themselves further.

A trip to Armagh follows six days later but first Galway will target repeating last year’s 10-point win over Mayo in Castlebar. Shane Walsh kicked four two-pointers that day but himself and Damien Comer won’t be featuring.

“Shane is still nursing a knock,” added Concannon. “Damien is still nursing a knock. We have a few other lads that are back, just on the pitch. We should have three or four players back that should be available whether they able to start or make the 26, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Until the team is announced, we won’t know for certain who has returned but Johnny McGrath, Finnerty, Sean Fitzgerald and Glynn will likely start. John Maher, Sean Kelly, Matthew Tierney, Cillian McDaid, Dylan McHugh, Liam Silke, Cein D’Arcy and Connor Gleeson are also due back.

Matthew Thompson is Galway’s standout absentee while it’s already being documented that Cathal Sweeney, Johnny Heaney and Tomo Culhane are out this season. There’s still no white smoke regarding the plans for Paul Conroy or Peter Cooke.

“We’re still waiting on decisions for that,” stated Concannon. “Hopefully in the next couple of weeks, we’ll have more on Paul and Peter.”

There’s been a feel-good factor in Mayo since legendary player Andy Moran took the bainisteoir’s bib, bringing Colm Boyle, Paddy Tally and Paul Durcan with him. And you could hear among the travelling support in Tuam that they are right behind the team.

Last year’s loss to Cavan was compounded by a late Ciarán Moore Donegal score sending Mayo out of the championship in the group stages. Even though he missed two games through health reasons, manager Kevin McStay still lost his job.

Another needless one-point loss wasn’t desirable for Moran’s group even if last Sunday’s result won’t factor heavily on this weekend or the year ahead. The injury to Dylan Thornton was a blow as was the departure of the impressive Cian McHale.

Stephen Coen, Sam Callinan, Fenton Kelly, Thornton and Jack Carney started from last year’s squad while Paul Towey and Fergal Boland came off the bench. But Mayo have been busy, beating Clare in a challenge match just two days earlier with a host of familiar names.

Rob Hennelly was in goal, while Enda Hession, Paddy Durcan, Rory Brickenden, Bob Tuohy, David McBrien, Ryan O’Donoghue and Aidan O’Shea were involved. Most of those will play in Pearse Stadium with Jack Coyne as captain.

Conor Loftus’ return to the squad having missed 2025 for personal reasons is a welcome boost. His Crossmolina club mates Jordan Flynn and Kobe McDonald are also set to feature, while Darren McHale and Davitt Neary will be in contention too.

Keeper Colm Reape has stepped away while Mayo’s management have confirmed that Donnacha McHugh, Matthew Ruane and Cillian O’Connor are ruled out for Sunday.

Goals from Eoghan McLoughlin and O’Connor gave Mayo a 2-12 to 0-10 victory when they last met in Salthill in 2024. Galway won their two Connacht Final meetings since, both literally decided by Gleeson interventions (a kick in 2024, fingertips in 2025).

Guessing match-ups is difficult but it’ll be interesting to see if Molloy and Carney clash again on the ’40; Galway’s midfield pairing will be noteworthy; where will Sean Kelly play; and who will step up in Thompson’s absence?

A sizeable support should arrive in Pearse Stadium on Sunday, even with rain expected. A new competition begins and Galway must forget about the one just completed. Another win over their rivals is the preferred start to a new National League campaign.

Pictured: Galway’s Brian Cogger escaping the clutches of Mayo’s Cathal Keaveney during the FBD League Final at Tuam Stadium last Sunday. Photos: Iain McDonald.