Mullins remains confident despite lack of competitive action

GALWAY readily appreciate what victory in Sunday’s Erin All-Ireland Under-21 hurling final against Kilkenny in the Gaelic Grounds would do for morale in the county and, of course, the self-esteem of a squad which includes four of the players who lost in Croke Park last weekend.

It would certainly be a boost for manager Vincent Mullins and the survivors from last year’s semi-final against Kilkenny, when they were victims of a powerful finishing surge which yielded nine unanswered points for the Cats.

A lack of serious preparation then had been a problem, as it is every season when Galway go into the All-Ireland semi-final ‘cold,’ without a competitive game to test them. Mullins says they are resigned to the current system, but it doesn’t mean they’d be opposed to a format which would allow them compete on equal terms with the Leinster and Munster teams.