Galway will have another chance of putting their senior and minor disappointments behind them when they take on Cork in the under-21 hurling final at Thurles on Sunday but they will have to overcome two serious problems if they are to do so. As things stood last night, when the team gathered for a training session in Athenry, the chances of being able to field their strongest team looked slim.
Right corner back Kevin Broderick and left half forward Finbar Gantley were both doubtful because of hamstring problems and it will probably be later in the week before the team will be finalised.
The loss of players of this calibre - both are regular seniors - would be a severe blow to Galway's hopes but, with several other players of senior class in the squad, the two are not totally irreplaceable.
Yesterday Phelim Murphy, the current president of the Connacht Council, said that, in spite of the defeats of the senior team in the quarter-final by Kilkenny and the minor team by Clare in the All-Ireland final on Sunday, Galway hurling was "in good heart".
"There is very little between the two teams. We met Cork twice at minor level in recent years and there was never more than a couple of points between us. I don't think it will be any different on Sunday. Most of the players involved on Sunday were on those minor teams and know each other very well. No doubt it will be just as close again," he said.
Galway have two other regulars from the senior side in action on Sunday namely Eugene Cloonan and Alan Kerins, both in the attack, and the bulk of the squad are all experienced campaigners at senior club level.
Meanwhile, Galway's Joe Cooney has been called into the Rest of Ireland team to play Clare in Cusack Park, Ennis against Clare in the annual match in aid of GOAL, the Third World charity. He replaces Johnny Dooley of Offaly. The match is scheduled to start at 5.30 and local knowledge suggests that early arrival would be wise in view of quite extraordinary euphoria in Clare hurling circles.
The Rest of Ireland team will be managed by Tipperary's Len Gaynor.
Fears are growing that the Games Administration Committee of the GAA will impose severe penalties on both Clare and Tipperary and their respective managers, Ger Loughnane and Len Gaynor, for breaches of regulations in Sunday's All-Ireland final.
The GAC may also take a dim view of controversial comments made by various people following the match. Ger Loughnane can scarcely expect to escape censure when he, while officially confined to the team bench in the Clare dug-out, actually ran straight across the pitch in the second half.
Both Ger Loughnane and Len Gaynor had been summoned to a Munster Council meeting to explain their behaviour during the Munster final between the two teams only for the council to postpone the meeting until October.
Further transgression against the guide-lines during Sunday's match may now pile up against both managers with grave consequences both in regard to possible suspensions and heavy fines.
Kilkenny should have a new senior hurling boss within the week. Six people have been nominated to fill the position vacated by Nickey Brennan and the County Board hopes to fill the vacancy immediately.
The six people nominated by clubs were: Brian Cody (James Stephens), Kevin Fennelly (Young Ireland), Martin Fitzpatrick (Fenians), Christy Heffernan (Glenmore), Diarmuid Healy (Conahy Shamrocks), and Noel Skehan (Bennettsbridge).
Brennan and his fellow selectors Richard Power (Carrickshock) and Pat Aylward (Shamrocks) resigned three weeks ago after being abused by a section of the crowd following Kilkenny's defeat by Limerick in the NHL semi-final.
The Tyrone Senior Championship final, postponed at the weekend as a result of the tragic deaths of Galbally club members Ciaran and Michael McGeary in a car crash, has been refixed for this Sunday. The game goes ahead at Edendork at 3.45, with Errigal Ciaran taking on Galbally.
Errigal Ciaran and Gabally are both expected to field the sides selected for the game scheduled for last weekend. That means Peter Canavan is set to make his return to the Errigal team after missing much of the season through injury.
Saturday
All-Ireland B Football: Carlow v Limerick, Carlow, 3.30, T O'Rourke (Kildare); Clare v Longford, Ennis, 3.30, G Hough (Limerick); Louth v Sligo, Dundalk, 3.30, B Gorman (Armagh).
All-Ireland Under-16 C Hurling: Antrim v Mayo, Croke Park, 2.0, A Murray (Westmeath).
All-Ireland Minor C Hurling: Longford v Mayo, Croke Park, 3.30, G Devlin (Armagh).
Sunday
All-Ireland under-21 hurling final: Cork v Galway, Thurles, 3.30, P Horan (Offaly).
Longford County Football Final - Fr Mannix Gaels v Longford Slashers, 4.0, J Bannon; MF: Granard v Northern Gaels, 2.15, M Kenny.
