IT’S time to crank up the pressure on Salthill-Knocknacarra footballers after the group draws were made in the Raidió na Gaeltachta studios in Casla on Monday night.

With six players on the match-day squad for Galway’s clash with Armagh in the All-Ireland championship last weekend surely the city club is primed to strike for the Frank Fox Cup in 2025.

Former Galway and club stalwarts, Finian Hanley and Seán Armstrong, will hardly thank us for putting the spotlight on the team they manage, but Salthill-Knocknacarra have been under-achieving for too long.

Take last November’s county semi-final against Corofin at Tuam Stadium, for instance. Salthill-Knocknacarra were an abject disappointment, failing to score from play in the opening half in falling to a 1-11 to 0-5 defeat.

Remember, this is a team which has John Maher, Rob Finnerty, Cathal Sweeney, Matthew Thompson and Daniel O’Flaherty – all saw action against Armagh – and Tomo Culhane in their ranks.

That’s nearly half of their club team and unless the rest of them are Junior B players dressed up as seniors, Salthill-Knocknacarra should be setting their sights on a first county title since 2012

They came up agonisingly short against Maigh Cuilinn in the 2020 decider when edged out on a 1-10 to 1-9 scoreline, but Salthill-Knocknacarra clearly have the capacity to go one step further in the months ahead.

Bookmaker Paddy Power doesn’t think so, however, as Maher and company are only rated third favourites (4/1), behind title holders Corofin (17/10) and Maigh Cuilinn (13/5) to win the county title.

These two teams have been the most consistent in Galway for the past few seasons. Maigh Cuilinn were appearing in their fourth final in the last five years when losing to Corofin in 2024,

Goals from Jack McCabe and veteran Gary Sice proved the difference in a 2-9 to 0-9 victory and Corofin, who have won nine of the last 12 county championships, remain a formidable force.

Tuam Stars shouldn’t be discounted from the title speculation either as they pushed Maigh Cuilinn all the way in last year’s semi-final, only to be undone by some wasteful shooting.

The 2024 semi-finalists were seeded for Monday night’s draw, with Group 3 probably the toughest as the Stars will have Claregalway, Dunmore MacHales and Annaghdown for company.

Again, there are four groups of four in the senior championship, with St Michael’s replacing demoted Caherlistrane. Three teams from each section advance to the knock-out stages, with the table toppers going straight into the quarter-finals.

The second and third placed teams in each group will contest the preliminary quarter-finals. The bottom teams contest relegation semi-finals.

The provisional start date is the weekend of August 3, but that will be pushed out by a fortnight if Galway reach the All-Ireland Final in late July.

Meanwhile, the concluding stages of the county leagues are being reached. Division 1 will see semi-finals between Corofin and Oughterard, and Tuam Stars against Salthill-Knocknacarra this weekend, with the Division 2 semi-finals featuring Maigh Cuilinn against Monivea-Abbey, and Naomh Anna Leitir Móir doing battle with Annaghdown.

Pictured: Galway’s Matthew Thompson aiming for the Armagh posts during last Saturday’s All-Ireland Senior Football Group 4 tie at Kingspan Breffni. Thompson is one of six Salthill-Knocknacarra players on the Galway squad.