Inside Track with John McIntyre

THE gloves are off and the big stuff is about to begin for the Galway hurlers and footballers. It’s only mid-April but the county’s two flagship GAA teams could be quickly on the backfoot if things don’t go to plan over a 24-hour period this weekend. Micheál Donoghue’s hurlers are first into action when they travel to Nowlan Park on Saturday for their clash with provincial champions Kilkenny and your guess is as good as mine as to who will make up the Galway 15. So many players were used in a disappointing league campaign that even the management must be struggling to arrive at their starting formation.

Though the Tribesmen must be given credit for preserving their Division 1A status, heavy defeats to Tipperary, Limerick and Cork – each by a dozen points – are definitely a red flag for Galway’s prospects heading into the championship. And after last year’s summer troubles that should come as no surprise.

Remember, Galway didn’t even emerge from the province as a fortunate draw with an injury-hit Kilkenny at Pearse Stadium was followed by defeats to Wexford (1-28 to 0-23) – the first time they lost to the Slaneysiders in championship hurling in 28 years – and Dublin (2-27 to 1-24). Those poor results also signalled the end of Henry Shefflin’s managerial reign.

Though Donoghue was on the Dublin sideline against his native county in 2024, it was always likely that he would be the chosen one to fill the Galway vacancy given his stewardship of the county’s only All-Ireland senior triumph over the last 38 years. He wouldn’t have walked back into the Galway job with his eyes closed and has been careful about making any bold predictions.

The notable success of Galway’s league programme was how Gavin Lee thrived in the number six jersey, and in different games, the likes of Anthony Burns and Declan McLoughlin made big scoring contributions, but is either of them guaranteed to start on Saturday? That might come as a surprise given that the team’s attack as a unit has been unconvincing so far.

Pictured: AT LAST: Rory McIlroy after completing the Majors’ Grand Slam in the Masters at Augusta on Sunday.