Kernan makes mark in Galway

CONNACHT LEAGUE SF GROUP B: Galway 0-11 Sligo 0-5"IT'S GOOD to get out anyhow," remarked a Galway man leaving the stadium and that was probably the general verdict. Joe Kernan began his life as Galway manager with a forgettable win against the Yeats County and as the teams trooped off the field, everyone seemed content.

On this evidence, the latest rule experiments will not change the game. The mark did not feature until the second half and the removal of the controversial square-ball rule made no discernible difference to the fare. Footballers from both counties were too busy trying to reacquaint themselves with the basics, like catching and kicking, to worry about the finer points of the rulebook. All in all, it was a typical January game. Galway auditioned a gallery of young players and won the game fairly comfortably. Nickey Joyce, one of the established summer cast, looked as fleet as ever operating out of the full-forward berth, flashing over a series of handsome points throughout the course of the game and generally keeping himself entertained.

Alongside him, Eoin Concannon caught the eye by clipping a pair of quick, opportunistic points and Fiachra Breathnach seemed to enjoy his role at centre-half forward. This was a noticeably big Galway team and early on, the long, diagonal ball that became a trademark of Armagh’s play in Joe Kernan’s team was in evidence. But nobody could predict how he might shape his latest team on this display.

“I’m pleased with the effort,” said Big Joe.

“Abysmal, to be honest,” was the bluntly cheerful summary that Kevin Walsh afforded his Sligo team. The Yeats County turned out a more recognisable team and played some nice football in their approach to goal but their shot selection and finishing was atrocious; two frees was their return from the second half. Charlie Harrison had an outstanding game and Johnny Davey looked sufficiently conditioned for championship fare but as Walsh pointed out, Sligo were just getting used to playing on grass again. The big man also admitted that he has reservations about the mark and cannot see it having a major bearing on the game

“It didn’t really affect the game. I always thought that coming down and breaking free was always part of the skill of catching the ball – you kind of had to wiggle free once you made the catch and I am not sure about taking that out. Maybe if they had allowed just one player to mark the guy who has caught the ball or something just to keep the continuity there. But I think it is going to have a very limited influence because so few marks are made.”

For the opening period, the mark, forwarded as the great solution to the disappearing skill of the high fetch, was nowhere in evidence. The absence of the square-ball rule encouraged no radical tactical advances either. Fears that county managers will scour the county in the hope of discovering the physiological equivalent of Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain to loiter on the opposition goal line proved unfounded.

Still, if Walsh, who has changed little since his days as a Galway midfielder and Sean O’Domhnaill, his former centre-field partner in maroon and now part of Joe Kernan’s backroom team, had posted up at either end goalmouth, the big men could have caused havoc. It may be that all managements know that the square-ball rule will be back in operation for the championship and thus pay little attention to its absence.

The main development of the first half, apart from a couple of eye-catching scores from Joyce, was the injury suffered by Galway centre-back John Mullahy. The Salthill man was one of the few established panellists to start the game but his day was ruined after an unfortunate clash.

It was a rough turn for a player who, like the many others, was hoping to convince Kernan that he was good value for a regular team place. Instead, he left Tuam in an ambulance.

“I felt sad for poor Darren because he was just back after an ankle injury and he is one of those lads that will always give 100 per cent. It is his collarbone and I don’t know yet how long he will be out. But it is very disappointing, a bad start for him,” said Kernan.

The old stadium was sufficiently quiet that Big Joe’s yells of encouragement and consternation were heard throughout the afternoon. The other constant noise in terms of the acoustics was the referee’s whistle: 36 frees in the first half alone is hardly an encouraging statistic for those charged with making Gaelic football a more free-flowing and open sport.

Both teams ran their benches with impunity as the day wore on. Anthony “Toto” Griffin made an appearance in the second half and won a throw-up which resulted in the best point of the day – a looping handpass from Cillin De Paor which Declan Meehan, still motoring at a ferocious pace along the right wing, fired over the bar on the run. Stuff like that kept the home crowd in a good mood and by quarter to four, they were all back in their cars, catching the tail end of Gay Byrne’s jazz show.

GALWAY: E O'Conghaile; J Murphy, E McDonagh; D O'Neill, D Meehan (0-1), D Mullah; JP O'Connell (0-1); M Lydon, C Healy; N Coleman, F Breathnach, C De Paor; E Concannon (0-2), N Joyce (0-7, 4 frees), M Clancy. Subs: G O'Donnell for D Mullahy (11 mins inj.), A Griffin for M Lydon (37 mins), M Martin for M Clancy (38 mins), T Fahy for JP O'Connell (44 mins), P Kennedy for N Coleman (50 mins).

SLIGO: P Greene; C Harrison, N Maguire, B Kennedy; J Davey, M Quinn, D Rooney; T Taylor, E Mullen; M Brehony (0-4, 3 frees), F Quinn, J McPartland; P McGoldrick, K Sweeney (0-1), A Marren. Subs: S Gilmartin for T Taylor (30 mins inj), P Clarke for J McPartland (43 mins),P McTiernan for A Marren (44 mins), J Murphy for E Mullen (50 mins), B Murphy for N Maguire (55 mins).

Referee: M Daly (Mayo).