By DARREN KELLY

THREE weeks since their last competitive outing, the ‘real’ National Hurling League begins for Galway on Sunday when they travel to Offaly, seeking to gain their first points and commence their attempt at maintaining their Division 1A status (St. Brendan’s Park, Birr, 2pm).

The general chatter about Galway’s opening two games has been positive with young players getting a chance to shine.  Having played last year’s All-Ireland finalists, pressure wasn’t on for results against Tipperary and Cork, even if they were disappointed to let the latter slip.

Galway raced into a 1-9 to 0-6 lead against the Rebels in Pearse Stadium but couldn’t take advantage of scoring opportunities or the sizeable free count in their favour.  Two second half Brian Hayes goals gave the league champions the spoils.

But with three games in consecutive weeks, Galway’s targets now change. While the league mightn’t be the ultimate priority, maintaining their top flight position will be paramount for Micheal Donoghue’s charges.

Home games against Waterford and Kilkenny come over the next two weeks, both considered winnable. But first they must put aside Offaly who have returned to their ancestral home of Birr.

With Tullamore being the main county venue for both codes, battles down the R489 from Portumna have become a distant memory and this is the county’s first league collision there since 2001.

It wasn’t the ideal start for new manager Noel Lane as 19-year-old Damien Murray shot 14 points in Offaly’s 2-23 to 3-11 victory. Galway’s last success in St. Brendan’s Park was two years earlier as Eugene Cloonan struck 1-6 to inflict a 2-11 to 0-7 defeat on the reigning All-Ireland champions.

The Faithful County have fallen down the pecking order since but their 2024 All-Ireland under-20 title success, plus minor and under-20 final appearances in 2022 and 2023 respectively, provide hope that the good times can return.

Portumna’s Johnny Kelly has begun his fourth season in charge and knows this group might still need more time. But their promotion from Division 1B last year following their 2024 Joe McDonagh Cup win shows they’re going in the right direction.

Offaly have suffered three losses but bar the reversal to Tipperary (1-18 to 5-24), they were close to Kilkenny (0-16 to 0-20) and Waterford (0-16 to 1-19). As this is their only game in Birr, they’ll be extra motivated to take down Galway.

Nine of Offaly’s 2025 championship team featured against the Deise – keeper Mark Troy; defenders Ben Conneely, Sam Bourke, Dan and Ross Ravenhill; Cathal King, Oisin Kelly, Brian Duignan and Dan Bourke. Other ever presents this year include Ben Miller, Brecon Kavanagh and Luke Watkins.

And we haven’t even got to Offaly’s two biggest threats. Eoghan Cahill scored 0-10 when the sides last played in the league in 2022 (Galway prevailing 4-22 to 0-17). And University of Limerick’s Ashbourne Cup winner Adam Screeney is one of the most talked about hurlers in the country.

Pictured: Galway’s Darragh Neary aiming for the posts against Offaly’s Donal Shirley during their recent Walsh Cup clash at Duggan Park. The teams renew rivalry in Birr on Sunday.