With thanks to Galwayman for the tip-off, the Tribesmen have tonight named their starting fifteen for Sunday’s Connacht first round clash with our lads at Salthill. For the record, here’s the team that Alan Mulholland has selected for Sunday:
Galway (Connacht SFC v Mayo, 19/5/2013): Manus Breathnach (An Spidéal); Johnny Duane (St. James), Colin Forde (Killererin), Gary Sweeney (Mountbellew/Moylough); Gareth Bradshaw (Moycullen), Keith Kelly (Ballinasloe), Gary Sice (Corofin); Niall Coleman (Annaghdown), Fiontan O’Curraoin (Micheal Breathnach); Thomas Flynn (Athenry), Paul Conroy (St. James), Conor Doherty (Tuam Stars); Sean Armstrong (Salthill/Knocknacarra), Michael Meehan (Caltra), Danny Cummins (Claregalway).
As that link above to the Galway GAA site makes clear, the Galway team named tonight contains a number of changes from the last team the county put out in the championship, which was in that qualifier defeat to Antrim last July. I’ve no idea, though, how many of the fifteen named are championship debutants – can anyone from the county confirm this?
The last time we played the Tribesmen in the championship was at Castlebar on that miserable, cold and wet day in late June 2011 where, after a fairly major first half scare, we ended up winning by six points. Galway’s team for Sunday contains just five survivors from that day – Duane, Forde, Bradshaw (who captains them on Sunday), Sice and Conroy. Meehan and Cummins also featured as subs that day.
No Finian Hanley??? Sweeney is from Killanin. John Duane will be centre h.back
Willie Joe – I’m open to correction on this – but to my knowledge there is just 1 championship debutant in that starting fifteen namely the goalkeeper Manus Breathnach.
It is Gary Sweeney’s first championship start but he came on as a sub against Antrim last year in the qualifiers.
I’m pretty sure all the other players have started in the championship before.
Gary Sweeney is not from Killanin. He is from Mountbellew.
You are mixing him up with the Sweeney twins – Cathal & Patrick – from Killanin.
I assume Hanley has not been selected because he is just coming back from injury.
He did play the second half of a challenge match against Clare last Wednesday night but I assume they are worried about his match fitness so did not risk selecting him from the start.
From what I can see, Shot Stopper, Gary Sweeney is from Mountbellew (actually Mountbellew-Moylough). Are you thinking of Cathal Sweeney from Killanin? It didn’t help, by the way, that Galway GAA didn’t list the players’ clubs when issuing the team this evening; I had to go hunting round the place to find them all.
As far as I know, Finian Hanely is injured at the minute but I’ve no idea what’s up with him or whether or not he might yet feature on Sunday.
Thanks for those clarifications, Galwayman. Interesting that you’re likely to have just the one championship newcomer on Sunday – we’re likely to have one or maybe two ourselves by the looks of it.
Compared to teams in the past that team is not a Galway team that would strike fear into anyone. Mulholland giving youth a chance by starting a number of their 2011 U-21 team. No harm that Shane Walsh isn’t starting he would have caused more damage than some of those forwards named as would Nicky Joyce who doesn’t want to play for Galway anymore.
MO2013 you are pretty much on the button in that there is a good spread of 2011 u21 all-ireland winners on that line out. Apart from Fintan O’C and Flynn no one else from the 2013 winners. There are two from that team in the squad with bench places likely including Shane Walsh. There is general consensus here in Galway not to rush the u21s and in fairness with the Mgt overlap i believe they know what they are doing. Also it is the first time in 3 years that Michael Meehan is championship fit although from the league performances does not appear to retain the same burst of pace he once did. All in all we know where we are…slowly on an upward curve. Our time may not be now but it is coming. Gaillimh Abú
Hi,
Team named,. The O’Sheas in the centre. Cillian at chf. Varley, Coen , Freeman and Coen in the FF.
SFC v Galway) – David Clarke; Kevin Keane, Ger Cafferky, Keith Higgins; Lee Keegan, Donal Vaughan, Colm Boyle; Aidan O’Shea, Seamus O’Shea; Kevin McLoughlin, Cillian O’Connor, Cathal Carolan; Enda Varley, Alan Freeman, Darren Coen. Subs: Kenneth O’Malley, Tom Cunniffe, Alan Dillon, Shane McHale, Michael Walsh, James Burke, Jason Gibbons, Richie Feeney, Alan Murphy, Andy Moran, Conor O’Shea.