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Mulholland to use Galway's early matches to work out his options

NEWS: Tonight’s selection to face Sligo IT reflects new Galway manager’s desire to experiment, writes IAN O'RIORDAN

Wed Jan 04 2012 - 00:00

NEWS:Tonight's selection to face Sligo IT reflects new Galway manager's desire to experiment, writes IAN O'RIORDAN

AS FRESH starts go Galway’s first football assignment of 2012 couldn’t be much more pristine.

A new manager, a practically new team, and a date in this evening’s FBD League first round that helps mark the opening of the Connacht Council’s new Centre of Excellence.

It is, however, just the first small step in the far longer-term and higher ambitions of Alan Mulholland – who takes charge of Galway’s senior footballers with a record and indeed reputation for already guiding their minor and under-21s to All-Ireland titles.

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There hasn’t been much talk of a senior football All-Ireland in Galway for a number of years, but all such goals must start somewhere. For Mulholland that means this evening’s game against Sligo IT, which not surprisingly he’s describing as the first in a “series of trial matches”.

Mulholland’s first team selection reflects that: there are only four members of the Galway team that actually started in last July’s All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Meath – a game that brought to an end the reign of his predecessor, Tomás Ó Flatharta, after just one year in charge.

Among those getting a starting place this evening are Keith Kelly from Ballinasloe, Donal O’Neill from Cortoon Shamrocks, Conor Halloran from Salthill/Knocknacarra, Joe Joe Greaney from Oughterard, and Shane Maughan from St Michael’s.

There are more familiar names listed among the substitutes – including Gary Sice and Thomas Flynn – although such open experimentation is not entirely by design. Like other intercounty managers in their first season in charge, Mulholland has found himself a little handicapped and frustrated at the lack of full player access due to the GAA’s two-month winter training ban – which only expired on January 1st.

“It has been very restricted, alright, in that it is not allowed at all,” said Mulholland. “We have groups doing work in Tuam and Galway city as well as other areas, but our field time has been zero. So we’ll be using the FBD League as a series of trial matches. We have had about 40 lads doing training plans, and they will all want a crack at a start.”

Mulholland has deliberately held back on finalising a Galway squad for the more important Allianz Football League, and will continue to work on an open-door basis for the rest of month. However, among those he’s now likely to be welcoming back is forward Nicky Joyce, a cousin of former footballer of the year Pádraic, who opted out last year, and also the versatile Niall Coleman, who also ruled himself out last year due to work commitments, yet now looks set to recommit for 2012.

However among the notable absentees, for the foreseeable future, is forward Michael Meehan, who started against Meath last July but retired after just 24 minutes with a shoulder injury. That necessitated an operation, but Meehan’s more pressing concern appears to be the ankle injury which has troubled him for the last two years, requiring two operations, and continues to block his return to a full training programme.

Mulholland won’t be rushing him or anyone else – as his main priority will be restoring consistency to Galway football. He was given a three-year term in October, naming Alan Flynn and Donal Ó Flatharta as his selectors – two men who also worked with him when guiding the Galway under-21s to the 2011 All-Ireland title.

The intention, naturally, is to break the recent trend of Galway senior football managers which saw both Joe Kernan and Tomás Ó Flatharta let go after one year, while before them Liam Sammon managed just two seasons in charge before exiting.

In the meantime, this evening’s game at the Connacht Council’s new Centre of Excellence at Ballyhaunis is a part of an opening double bill – with Galway playing Sligo IT at 6.30pm, followed by Sligo against NUIG at 8pm. The €10 million facility is still some ways off completion, but the new 3G pitch along with floodlighting is operational.

This evening’s games will be preceded by a small ceremony at 5.30pm to announce an extension of FBD’s sponsorship of the Connacht Football League, which this year includes the inclusion of London – and after 16 games across the two divisions, will see the top team in each division qualifying for the Home Final on January 29th, with the winning team there earning the trip to play New York on October 7th.

GALWAY(SF v Sligo IT): Brian O'Donoghue; Keith Kelly, Colin Forde, Donal O'Neill; Conor Halloran, Gareth Bradshaw, Damien O'Reilly; Fintan Ó Curraoin, Paul Conroy; Cathal Kenny, Cormac Bane, Michael Boyle; Adrian Murphy, Joe Joe Greaney, Shane Maughan.

FORMERGAA president Seán Kelly, MEP, is lending his support to the European County Board which has submitted a motion to this year's annual congress seeking the appointment of a delegate for Europe on Central Council.

“Currently, Britain, New York and North America all have delegates, so it is only right and fair that Europe should be represented, given its proximity, close economic and cultural ties and the enormous growth in GAA on the Continent in recent years,” said Kelly.