Inside Track with John McIntyre

MAYBE it’s for the best what happened to Galway’s footballers at Croke Park last Sunday. It could be a timely wake-up call for the men in maroon, and at least means that they will head into the championship without the blinkers on.

The squad are in the Algarve this week on a warm weather training camp, where the Padraic Joyce-led management will probably focus initially on something of a below-par effort in their defeat to Mayo before getting down to work in preparation for the upcoming Connacht campaign.

Naturally, the players and mentors would prefer to have been heading to Portugal with a spring in their step, but the Division One league final loss is hardly going to define their season. Remember, Galway fought their way to the 2022 All-Ireland final in the wake of falling to Roscommon in the Division Two decider 12 months ago.

Still, given that Joyce had made no secret of his desire to win the league after a 42-year famine, it was surprising the team didn’t bring their A-game to Croke Park. Mayo were much quicker into their stride, with goalkeeper Colm Reape emerging as the key player on the field.

It was a battle which hardly set the pulses racing. For the most part, it was a grim affair and though the rival teams lacked nothing in bite, the modern-day scourge of Gaelic football – resorting to mass defence when teams are not in possession – ensured free-flowing exchanges were at a premium.

Galway were off the pace early on as Mayo surged into a six-point lead. That’s when the damage was done. Losing Johnny Heaney, who had been typically industrious, to injury was a blow after being floored by Reape during one of the team’s numerous goal chances. They took none.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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