Inside Track with John McIntyre

Can local GAA fans remember a biting cold and windy day at Croke Park in March of 2006? It was the first and, so far, only time that Galway captured the All-Ireland Club hurling and football titles in the same year thanks to the exploits of Portumna and Salthill-Knocknacarra,

The hurlers of Portumna got the ball rolling with a 2-8 to 1-6 success over Cork’s Newtownshandrum, and the O’Connor brothers, on St Patrick’s Day at Croke Park before Salthill-Knocknacarra followed suit by edging out St Gall’s of Antrim (0-7 to 0-6) in the football showdown.

In total, Galway have captured 14 All-Ireland club hurling titles since the championship started in 1971, while the county has lifted the Andy Merrigan Cup on seven occasions, with Corofin (five times), Salthill and the Meehan-inspired Caltra footballers all going the whole way.

Maybe, it’s a bit premature to be suggesting that there’s a fair chance of only a second Galway All-Ireland double in January, but the prospect is there. For starters, Loughrea have been drawn against the Ulster champions in the All-Ireland semi-final which should, on paper at least, ease their task in claiming a first national title.

That game does come with a health warning, however, as Athenry, Portumna and Sarsfields have all been beaten by Northern opposition in semi-finals, so Loughrea can’t afford to get ahead of themselves. Still, Tommy Kelly’s team do have a genuine chance of lifting the Tommy Moore Cup.

Their Galway football counterparts, Maigh Cuilinn, have a more arduous road to travel. They have still to play a provincial semi-final against Leitrim Gaels, while Roscommon’s St Brigid’s remain a formidable force in Connacht. Even conquering the west can’t be taken for granted by Cathal Clancy’s charges, but if they do come through, Maigh Cuilinn will be a serious challenge for any of the other three provincial winners.

There was a lot to like in the way they pulled away from Shamrock Gaels of Sligo at the weekend. They have a hard core of experience, lots of mobility and an in-form sharpshooter in Dessie Conneely. When you throw in quality of the Kelly brothers, Fionn McDonagh, Niall Walsh, David Wynne and Seán O’Connor, the Galway champions do tick a lot of boxes. And Peter Cooke’s availability from here on is another major plus.

So, if the hurlers of Loughrea and the footballers of Maigh Cuilinn do pull off the All-Ireland club double at Croke Park in January, remember when you first heard that prospect being mentioned!

Pictured: The Divilly sisters, Niamh, Olivia and Siobhan, and their dog Toto enjoy the celebrations after Kilkerrin-Clonberne captured their eighth consecutive Connacht Club Ladies Senior Football title in Castlerea on Sunday. Photo: Joe Keane.