Pádraic Joyce: Galway players loved John O'Mahony. Tears were shed
Galway manager Padraic Joyce with his daughter Jodie and Shane Walsh with Charlie Joyce after the All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Donegal. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
The late John O’Mahony was honoured with a video tribute just before the national anthem rang around Croke Park. From there, it fell to the Galway footballers to honour him with a win.
The 1-14 tallied was the exact same total as Galway kicked to win the 98 All-Ireland under John’O. It was sufficient for victory here too. And once The Saw Doctors had finished ringing out around the stadium, it fell to Pádraic Joyce to honour and pay tribute to a “brilliant man” and “super friend”.
“When the news came last Sunday morning, we were obviously heartbroken,” Joyce began.
“Obviously shed a tear because the man has meant so much to me personally and to Galway players. Our WhatsApp group from 98 and 01 was hopping. Lads were just really, really heartbroken, and you can't be heartbroken unless you love someone.
“We loved him as a man. He was a great manager. He was a brilliant friend. Really good mentor as well to me over the last couple of years and I'll miss talking to him, I'll miss his phonecalls, I'll miss his advice. Obviously I take a bit from him, he was ahead of his time as a manager in our time.
“Our thoughts are with Gerardine and the kids all week. It was a tough, tough week, to be honest, but we had to try and separate the emotion of that and get prepared for the game, which I thought we did well.”
Joyce, the same as O’Mahony did in 1998 and 2000, has succeeded in driving Galway to the last stop on football’s championship road twice in three seasons. Reaching the destination on this occasion was rooted, insisted the Galway manager, in being more “battle-hardened” than Donegal.
“If you look at the games we played, Mayo in the Connacht final, the Sligo game we were in trouble in the semi-final but we found a way to win it, and then we've had Derry, Armagh, Westmeath, a tough game as well, and Dublin the last day.
“Donegal, their last two games, they've coasted through probably Clare and Louth easier than they would have liked. It showed again, even Armagh were the more battle-hardened team in the game last night, and they found a way to stick it out. I think that was probably the difference.
“Our lads were probably a little bit more mature and we're probably further down the track than Donegal as a developing side.”
Battled-hardened, but also battle-wounded. The injury plagued Shane Walsh and Damien Comer were both so peripheral to this contest. Neither lasted the distance. Beside them, Rob Finnerty drifted out of proceedings after a very busy opening quarter.
The full-forward line’s contribution of 0-3 from play was dwarfed by the 0-4 from defenders Dylan McHugh and Liam Silke. Galway have depth where they did not two years ago.
“It’s just great to be winning the games without Shane or Damien kicking big scores,” Joyce continued.
“The development of our squad is a big one. The impact probably wasn’t there in 2022. But it is there now. We had no choice but to develop it earlier in the year. Shane did well again today to get the hour into his leg. We couldn't chance him any longer than that.
“Dylan McHugh and these lads at the back were just outstanding, Seán Mulkerrin, brilliant lads. It's just reward for the effort our lads have put in. I've seen first-hand what they've done since last November and the heartache during the year from injuries and lads getting hurt. It's up and down and you were getting criticised for the whole league.”
And irrespective of what they do against Armagh in a fortnight, at least they cannot be criticised for not following up on their slaying of the champions two weeks ago.
“It's huge. After the emotion of beating Dublin, it would have been a damp squib had we lost today. We spoke a lot about that with the lads.
“It’s going to be a novel pairing in the final. Football needs this. Two teams are going to go at it hammer and tongs. May the best team win.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
