Date Published: {J}

STEPHEN GLENNON

FRESH from their Walsh Cup final victory last weekend, Galway senior hurlers’ remain largely unchanged for the county’s National League opener against a new look Limerick side in Kilmallock this Sunday (2:30pm). The one exception is that Cappataggle’s James Skehill replaces Kinvara custodian Colm Callanan, as the management continue on with their goalkeeping rotation policy.

Galway, though, are not without their injury concerns either, with in-form midfielder Ger Farragher in a race to be fit after sustaining a hip injury late on in the 1-22 to 1-15 Walsh Cup win against Dublin. Farragher was hugely influential for the Tribesmen in their pre-league victories over Laois, Offaly and Dublin and his absence against Limerick would be a significant blow.

Simply, the Castlegar man has offered leadership, guile and potency in front of the posts, tallying 1-22 from dead ball situations and an impressive 1-28 in total. If Farragher is not passed fit to play – he faces a fitness test on Friday night – then his free-taking duties could fall to a myriad of players, with fellow midfielder Niall Cahalan and St. Thomas’ David Burke the frontrunners to take over this duty.

Of course, it does beg the question, then, who would fill the No. 8 jersey? The Galway management is not short of options, with half-backs Tony Óg Regan and Kevin Hynes both having lined out in this sector previously. This would present an opportunity for Fergal Moore, John Lee or David Collins to make their return to first team action to fill the vacant half-back berth.

The management’s reluctance, though, to alter a winning side is underlined by the selection of Portumna’s Niall Hayes for this one. Hayes – who made himself available to Galway for the Walsh Cup as he was suspended for his club’s semi-final victory over Dunloy last Sunday – was lively in the left corner forward berth against Dublin, showing well for possession and hitting a beauty of a point in the second half.

It is understood he was eager to get another game under his belt before he turned his attention to his club’s All-Ireland final meeting against Ballyhale Shamrocks of Kilkenny on St. Patrick’s Day – a decision which, no doubt, has pleased the Galway management.

Other than that, the team lines out with Damien Joyce, captain Shane Kavanagh and Pat Holland in the full-back line, with Donal Barry, Regan and Hynes named in the half-back berths. Farragher, if fit, and Cahalan form the midfield partnership, while Aonghus Callanan, Cyril Donnellan and David Burke make up the half-forward line. Inside, Aidan Harte, impressive full-forward Joe Gantley – who totalled 3-10 in Galway’s Walsh Cup campaign – and Hayes will be asked to provide the scores.

Speaking on the team selection for the League clash against Limerick, manager McIntyre noted: “We are still a bit tight on options, but we did feel following on from the victory against Dublin that the players who started showed the right application and they deserved to get another crack at it.”

That said, Galway – despite the absence of several key players, including the Portumna septet of Damien Hayes, Ollie and Joe Canning, Eugene McEntee, Eoin Lynch, Andrew Smith and Kevin Hayes – still have ample back-up, with defenders Moore, Lee and Collins and attacking duo Niall Healy and Iarla Tannian all named in Sunday’s squad.

For their part, it will be a new-look Limerick outfit that will field in Kilmallock. After dismissing 12 of his 2009 panel last October, McCarthy had to endure a mass walk-out by as many more over the ensuing months.

The latest player to quit the 2010 county set-up this week was goalkeeper Timmy Houlihan, which means there are only four players from last year’s squad left in the current panel, namely Brian O’Sullivan, Graeme Mulcahy, Paudie McNamara and David Moloney.

Consequently, Limerick will field without the likes of Brian Murray, Damien Reale, Stephen Lucey, Seamus Hickey, Brian Geary, Mark Foley and Andrew O’Shaughnessy on Sunday. It had been hoped a mediation process between the manager and players would be facilitated by Croke Park but this has been rejected by Croke Park officials, who are unwilling to become embroiled in the controversy.

In any event, the Limerick side to face Galway will be an unknown quantity, although Limerick did give a spirited performance in their Waterford Crystal Cup quarter-final defeat to UCC in late January. Indeed, despite losing 0-19 to 2-9, the Shannonsiders’ offensive unit was said to be impressive that day and could have posted a much greater tally had not UCC ‘keeper Anthony Nash denied them on several occasions.

More recently, Limerick produced another capable display against Clare in a challenge match, losing narrowly on a scoreline of 1-22 to 0-20. No wonder, then, Galway are wary. “They played a strong Clare side in a challenge in Newmarket last week and they came close enough in that game,” said McIntyre. “Yes, they have had their problems, but it shows Justin McCarthy has assembled a squad of very capable young players and we just can’t take them for granted.

“So, we have to make sure our players approach the game in the proper frame of mind and not be focusing in on what has been going on in Limerick. Everyone is talking about Limerick’s internal problems, but the reality is that Galway still has to go down there and beat them.”

Again, stressing that this is “a dangerous fixture” for his charges, McIntyre added: “The Walsh Cup win was a good boost to squad morale – it was good for Galway to win in a final and it gives us momentum going into the league – but we have to make sure we exploit that in Kilmallock.”