Quote from: Maroon Manc on March 27, 2024, 12:55:54 PMToo many injuries for Galway, only saving grace is there's likely 6 championship games to be played before they play knockout football but I don't hold any hope.
Form the team that started the 2022 All Ireland Final (all of them are on the panel) 4 haven't started a league game, 3 have started one league game and Tierney has started 3 league games. Throw in the likes of Hernon & Cooke who both look like good division 1 players but decided not to commit then Galway are missing far too much quality, staying in the division is a good achievement.
There's a lot of lads on their first year on the panel who've got game time, there's a few others outside of that who aren't upto to this level but their size and physicality has been needed at times. Mulkerrins & Molloy have both found it very difficult coming back from serious injury, have my doubts about Mulkerrins anyways.
McGrath has been superb, Maher has been good but both were below their best and looked tired against Kerry. They've both played a lot of football during the league and it began to show.
Keeper had a nightmare 2nd half, Joyce has been very loyal to him but surely that can't continue. He just lost the plot.
The Galway team that played in the 2022 semi-final and final have basically never played with each other since due to injuries. That was the one year they kept everyone fit and available (apart from Cooke who was away). Last year Silke was away. Molloy out for the year. And Comer and Sean Kelly got injured. This year a clatter of them have been out injured. Patrick Kelly started the 22 semi-final and final and has barely kicked a ball since since due to injury.
It's all very well lads being fresh for championship but there comes a tipping point where even if you get these players back on the field they are running out of time to get up to match fitness and match sharpness required for championship football.
Best Galway can hope for is that they can muddle through the Connacht championship (on the easier side of the draw). Reach a provincial final and whether they win or lose it will have them in the AI group stages. Hopefully they might get a few bodies back by then.