By Paul Keane

Want to know just how important a player Matthew Tierney has become to Galway in their pursuit of the Sam Maguire Cup?

Take a look at each of Padraic Joyce’s team sheets so far this year, from the start of the FBD Connacht League against Leitrim in early January, on through the National League and right up to the present last 12 stage of the Championship.

Tierney has been there every step of the way, a starter in every single one of those games. Only Joyce and his backroom know for sure but the Oughterard man must be one of the first names on the team sheets these days. For the record, Johnny Heaney is the only other player who has lined out in each of those 15 matches.

Another intriguing statistic about Tierney is that he has scored in each of the games – registering 6-28 overall, or just over three points per outing – bar one. The National League final against Mayo.

Sunday’s rematch in Salthill is an opportunity to atone then, not just for his shut out in front of the Croke Park posts in that Division 1 decider but also for the eventual defeat.

“I suppose I’ve had a few good games,” said Tierney with typical understatement of his campaign to date. “The Connacht final was probably my best game. They don’t come around too often but I’m trying to get them a little bit more consistent, if I can. I’m enjoying it at the moment.”

If Tierney can find that consistency he’s searching for, to take him on to a new level of performance, then Galway really will have some player on their hands. There isn’t a whole pile he hasn’t won as it is; an All-Ireland intermediate club medal in early 2020, All-Ireland U-20 success later that year, his various senior honours with Galway throughout 2022 and last year’s Sigerson win with NUI Galway too, when he was captain.

In the TV analysis of last month’s Connacht final demolition of Sligo, one of the pundits made the point after watching Tierney strike 2-7 on his own that he should now be considered a marquee attacking talent, like Shane Walsh and Damien Comer. Mayo will certainly have their homework done on the powerful half-forward.

“Lucky enough to be on such successful teams,” offered Tierney. “Great people around me, and great managers. I have definitely been lucky and I’m trying to go one step further now hopefully.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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