Galway the winners whatever the result

Interprovincial Hurling Final:If the GAA really wanted to drum up some interest in the M Donnelly Interprovincial series they should probably have moved the hurling final to Galway. As things stand, Saturday's games in Croke Park remain on course to be played in a near-empty stadium, and yesterday's press conference did little to change that.

In attendance was John Lee, one of Galway's most exciting young hurling talents, and centre back on both the senior team and last month's All-Ireland under-21 winning team.

Despite his best efforts to hype the interprovincial series, which features Connacht against Munster in the hurling final, it was obvious that the main purpose Lee saw in this game was the blooding of Galway's underage talents.

It's understandable, given Connacht's entire starting team is made up of Galway players, and they're being managed by Ger Loughnane, the current Galway manager.

There are two Mayo players and one from Roscommon on the Connacht panel, but they're unlikely to feature on Saturday, and instead it's essentially a trial match for the younger Galway players, especially those involved in that recent under-21 success.

"After winning the under-21 title this year, I know Ger is trying to blend in a good few players from that team," said Lee. "The likes of Seán Glynn was playing in the semi-final on Saturday, and got six points.

"James Skehill was in goal, Andrew Keary was wing back. And he brought on three under-21 subs as well. So there were seven Galway under-21s on the team before the end of the semi-final.

"And I think that is the future for Galway, with a lot of those under-21s already on the provisional panel. I think Ger wants to see what he can do with the younger lads at this stage, and bring them on.

"The under-21s did so well this year, and we've another good under-21 team for next year. It's the only way to go, in my feeling. Lads have to gain experience at some stage and, if they don't get that this year or the next, they might fall away."

It also telling that Loughnane's team doesn't feature many of Galway's more seasoned players, the likes of Eugene Cloonan, or Kevin Broderick - although Lee wasn't going as far as to say the future of Galway hurling was all about youth, although it could be.

"The older players will still be given their chance to prove themselves. And, at the end of the day, come the championship, he'll still put out his best team. And if that still means playing the older players, that's what he'll do. I know lads will be fighting for places, young and old.

"I've played two minor finals now, and have two under-21 medals. No matter who we were playing in those games, we always pulled through. We'd play for one another. At the moment there are at least 10 players from last year's under-21 panel, and that looks to be the way forward."

Galway, however, have yet to resume collective training, with the county hurling final played last Sunday. Victory there for Portumna means the big question of how soon Joe Canning will link up with them is put on hold until after their involvement in the club championship, which means February at the earliest.

While Lee admits 2007 was unquestionably a disappointing season for the Galway seniors, it wasn't entirely without use: "We'd only two real championship games, and lost them both. We put up a reasonable fight against Kilkenny, but, at the end of the day, they probably still feely they were only in third gear.

"But I still think by the end of the championship we were a settled team. Maybe we should have settled it a little earlier."

Finally, Lee did put some emphasis on Saturday's final, which the GAA are billing as the first hurling final to be played under the floodlights of Croke Park. It has a 7pm throw-in, with the football final, between Munster and Ulster, at 5.15pm.

"Of course it's important we win," said Lee. "We played Leinster in the final last year, under lights at Pearse Stadium, and were well beaten. It showed us how far behind the Kilkenny lads we were. Pride is at stake as well, and if we lose badly on Saturday it will hit the confidence, especially the younger lads."

WeekendFixtures

Friday

Dublin SHC Final: St Vincent's v Ballyboden St Enda's, Parnell Park, 8.30pm.

Saturday

Inter-provincial SF Final: Munster v Ulster, Croke Park, 5.15pm, M Deegan (Laois); Inter-provincial SH Final: Munster v Connacht, Croke Park, 7pm, D Magee (Down); Sligo SH Final: Tubbercurry v St Joseph's-Calry, Tourlestrane, 3pm.

Sunday

Leinster SFC First Round: Éire Óg (Carlow) v Tullamore (Offaly), Carlow, 3.30pm; Ulster SHC Final: Kevin Lynch's (Derry) v Dunloy (Antrim), Casement Park, 2.30pm; Kilkenny SH Final: Ballyhale Shamrocks v St Martin's, Nowlan Park, 3pm; Galway SF Final: Milltown v Killererin, Pearse Stadium, 3pm; Cork SF Final: Nemo Rangers v Llen Rovers, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.15pm; Meath SH Final: Kilmessan v Kiltale, Navan, 3pm; Roscommon SH Final Replay: Athleague v Pearses, Athleague, 3pm; Waterford SF Semi-finals: Stradbally v Ardmore, Dungarvan, 1.30pm; The Nire v Ballinacourty, Dungarvan, 3pm; Limerick SF Semi-finals: Monaleen v Drumcollogher, Kilmallock, 2pm; Adare v Ballylanders, Kilmallock, 3.30pm.

Monday

Dublin SF Final: St Vincent's v St Brigid's, Parnell Park, 7.30pm.