Inside Track with John McIntyre

Most Galway GAA supporters thought it would end up the other way round: that the footballers would overcome arch-rivals Mayo in Salthill on Sunday, and the hurlers would lose to an apparently resurgent Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds the previous evening. So much for pre-match perceptions.

In the space of eight days, the county’s All-Ireland football dreams have been shattered. The rot set in with that unexpected loss to Armagh in Carrick-on-Shannon. Galway were below their best that day and had to field without Damien Comer and Dylan McHugh but should still have got a result. Goal chances were spurned and there were too many turnovers.

Despite it being their first loss of the campaign, finishing on the same number of points as Armagh in Group 2, and having a superior scoring difference, it was the Tribesmen who were suddenly on the backfoot. Few had imagined that they would end up in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals and, worse again, having to face Mayo.

Up to the Armagh reversal, Galway were the only team with a 100% record in the championship. Some pundits were understandably tipping them for ultimate glory. Despite injury woes, Padraic Joyce’s squad were shaping well. At least, they were the team which had the fewest question marks over them.

Fast forward barely a fortnight and Galway are left licking their wounds. The championship is finally getting going and they will only be bystanders. It’s an unexpected scenario and leaves the men in maroon nursing a heap of regrets. Going out of the title race in what was an avoidable fixture will torment them.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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