Gaelic Games NFL final: The one weevil burrowing through Galway's biscuit in the county's successful modern era has been inconsistency. Capable of playing thrilling and devastating football, John O'Mahony's team have equally been prone to severely disappointing displays, such as the quarter-final departure in the two years since winning the 2001 All-Ireland.GAA Correspondent
Within this context captain Seán de Paor has been less inclined than many team-mates to wildly fluctuating form. A regular on the left wing of the defence, his game is based on defensive reliability and attacking flair. Since making his debut in 1992 he has missed only a handful of championship matches and now in his 30s bucks the trend of the modern player's dipping age profile.
"Everybody goes through troughs and peaks," he says of the team's inconsistency. "You play well for a while and then not so well. As regards criticism of the team last year, by virtue of the fact that we won the All-Ireland in 2001, people expect certain things from the team and I suppose we were fair game.
"You can't keep performing at those high levels all the time. It's only an amateur game. I wouldn't say it's harder to prepare. Before 1998 we didn't know what it took to win an All-Ireland or National League whereas now we know how fit you're supposed to be, know what our goals are."
On Sunday de Paor can pick up one of the few honours to have eluded him when Galway go after their first National Football League title in 23 years. Last Sunday the team finally emerged from a classic replayed semi-final taken twice to extra time by All-Ireland champions Tyrone. Next up is Kerry - who defeated Galway also after a replay - in the 2000 All-Ireland final.
Tyrone's success in the league over the past two years has done much to restore the standing of the competition, which had acquired the unhappy reputation of jinxing its winners' chances of championship success. But now with the championship a more arduous challenge requiring the ability to play more matches, the benefits of establishing a rhythm early in the year are becoming evident.
It's certainly a good way to conclude the spring for a team that was within a couple of scores away from being relegated at the end of the league group stages. But de Paor is still cautious.
"It does add a fair bit to your confidence," he says. "At the same time there's enough of us around to know that you're only one game away from a kick in the behind again. It was great to win but at the same time we wouldn't be getting carried away with it."
A feature of recent matches has been the performance of Paul Clancy at centre back. A converted forward, he has shown promise in what has been a troubled position for O'Mahony who has never quite settled the selection since the retirement of Tomás Mannion. Playing beside Clancy, de Paor is encouraged by his development over a short period of time.
"He's certainly improving with every game. It's a new position for him and he should be judged after 10 or 12 games there rather than two or three. He's moving in the right direction. I actually taught him for two years in school. I knew he was capable of playing there, that he has all the attributes. I've seen him play there and on hurling teams. He reads the game well."
De Paor's enduring appetite for the fray may be at odds with modern trends but players who experience success later in their careers tend to retain their hunger for longer. He acknowledges the contribution made by a disciplined lifestyle.
"Break it down and you can see the percentage of time you spend during the week training is less than 10 per cent. You're over 90 per cent of the time on your own and you have to look after yourself. It gets a bit easier because in your early 20s everyone wants to go out and about the town but when you get into your 30s you slow down a bit, and anyway you're more used to it.
"I've looked after myself but I've had a bit of luck as well because I've had no serious injuries over the 12 years."
