Date Published: 15-Jun-2011

STEPHEN GLENNON

WHILE Galway supporters may be frustrated with their county’s recent performances, team captain Damien Joyce has assured hurling followers that the Tribesmen will not be found wanting in either honesty or commitment when they field against Dublin in the Leinster semi-final in Tullamore on Saturday.

It may still be June, but Galway’s showdown with reigning National League champions Dublin could well define their year. A lack of fluency for the majority of Galway’s League campaign, concluding with a disjointed display against Waterford in their final League game, was followed by a lacklustre effort in the 4-17 to 2-14 victory over Westmeath in their championship opener.

Consequently, the pressure is on John McIntyre’s charges to deliver a performance of substance against the Dubs this weekend – a feat which should well be within their remit given the Tribesmen’s propensity to conjure up mesmeric displays out of the blue in recent times. Consistency, though, has been their Achilles heel.

“I can understand completely that supporters have been frustrated by the performances of this team, but that is not something we can control,” said team captain Joyce. “From our point of view, all we are trying to do is go out there and give as honest and as committed a performance as we can. We will be trying to do our best for the maroon and white jersey; that is what we will be trying to do.”

In many respects, supporters’ frustration is as much borne out of the lack of Liam McCarthy success over the past two decades as it is out of this side’s present flaws. After all, the current class has been very competitive in an ultra competitive environment in recent years; they have just failed to back this up with the consistency required to make the breakthrough.

“At the same time, we have to be realistic when we look at things as well,” continued Joyce. “Our first aim has to be to try and progress in the championship before we talk about winning anything. We haven’t played beyond July since 2005, so moving a step further has to be the more immediate goal. To get past that will be progress straight away.

“So, we are looking at things short term; focusing on the next game and what is right in front of us. Looking down the line is naïve really; it is taking our eye off the ball completely. If something happens later on in the year, that would be great, but for now it is all about us taking it one step at a time. You will probably say that is a bit of cliché, but that is the way we are looking at it.”

In truth, Dublin have been the form team so far in 2011, defeating Kilkenny in both the Walsh Cup and National League finals. Ironically, their only competitive defeat of the year was to Galway in the round robin stages of the League, but that by no means colours the challenge facing Joyce and company on Saturday.

“Dublin have been a good team in the League over the last couple of years and they have been very hard to beat, especially up in Dublin,” said the Cappataggle defender. “This year, I suppose, they have added more forwards to their team and they have obviously kicked on and won the League final as a result of that.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.