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Fine-tuning the Galway team began at the back of a classroom 35 years ago

Selector John Concannon says injuries had stretched the squad but it meant so many players got game-time and are now in contention for places

Galway’s selector John Concannon and manager Padraig Joyce. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Galway’s selector John Concannon and manager Padraig Joyce. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
John Fallon
Wed Jul 24 2024 - 06:00

When Pádraic Joyce and his selectors sit down this week to pick the Galway side to play Armagh in Sunday’s All-Ireland final it will be the pinnacle of a process that began at the back of the class in St Jarlath’s College 35 years ago.

Joyce went into first year at the famed Tuam nursery the same time as selectors John Divilly and John Concannon – he got to know the fourth selector Micheál O Domhnaill when they were on the Galway squad together – and from the outset the football fanatics were selecting imaginary teams to represent the sides they were involved in.

“We went to school in first year together and we have been best friends ever since,” said Concannon. “We were always picking teams at the back of class. We played football, all our underage careers all the way up together and we kept in touch.”

Concannon said previously that all through their playing careers they always reckoned that one day they would take charge of the Galway team. And while they sit down this week to select a team for the biggest day in Gaelic football, it’s a process they have been fine-tuning for three and a half decades.

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They would start with the most important team of all, the St Jarlath’s College senior team, who should be on it, what was a guy’s best position and so on. Then they would progress to club teams, Divilly’s Kilkerrin-Clonberne, Concannon’s Milltown or Joyce’s Killererin. From there the Galway team would be selected, updated with each match, positions argued over and debates about who should be in.

The trio made the breakthrough on a superb St Jarlath’s team which won the 1994 Hogan Cup and also included the likes of Michael Donnellan, and Declan and Tomás Meehan, who went on to win the 1998 All-Ireland senior title.

“It worked out great. We now have a bench that is performing every day. It wasn’t ideal so many players were gone for the games in the league because it was a struggle in some of them. And Division One status is massive in Galway, and we wanted to ensure we maintained our Division One status.

“But it was great for the younger lads to get that game time and the experience of the league, but it wasn’t ideal having some of the big-name players not available. But maybe looking back the break and the rest has done them the world of good.

“Also, we have 39 serious players now. Not saying we hadn’t 39 two years ago, but it was very inexperienced, sort of a younger group. But even then some of our more experienced players, they had never played in a semi-final or a final before. So now we have that experience. I think in all the tight matches so far that experience has helped us get over the line, especially against Dublin and even the last day against Donegal as well.”

Failing to beat Armagh in their final group game of the All-Ireland series for the second year in a row meant having to go the long route and playing three games in 14 days, but after getting over Monaghan, Concannon felt it was to their benefit that they drew reigning champions Dublin in the quarter-finals.

“Well, being honest, probably Dublin was the best draw because the guys didn’t need any motivation obviously to play Dublin. because everyone knows you have to perform at your best to beat the best. So, like, in relation to the motivation stakes in that, I’d say the minute Dublin came out of the draw the sore bodies and the stiffness and everything went out the window and people were just chomping at the bit to get to play in Dublin.

“And that worked out great because as we all know, like, the three games in three weeks, the stats aren’t very good for the team that has to do that. But thankfully, you know, it worked out great for us on the day,” added Concannon, who is an area manager with Permanent TSB in Galway.

The target they set for themselves with St Jarlath’s has continued into the Galway set-up and now they are just 70 minutes away from achieving it. “The target every year is to win the All-Ireland and we are still there,” added Concannon.