Galvin not approached by Kerry hurling boss Meyler
Yes, you might have to call the fire brigade occasionally but Finuge’s finest brings a lot more than fire and brimstone to the table.
Because what you have in Paul Galvin is the prototype of the modern footballer.
He’s an athlete of the highest quality, powerful, skilful, intelligent but most of all he has that intangible something, that ability to lift his teammates and to deflate the opposition.
In spite of an eight-week suspension, Galvin is actually eligible to play for a county team the weekend after next, a team which on the weekend after next faces into an All-Ireland final and would surely benefit from his presence.
We’re talking about the Kerry senior hurling team who face Westmeath in the Christy Ring Cup final on Saturday week.
Galvin’s football ban was imposed after a post-match enquiry into an incident during Kerry’s Munster senior football semi-final win over Cork in which – and not for the first time – Galvin’s input was pivotal; he is still eligible to play inter-county hurling, however, and while it may be little-known outside the county, Paul Galvin is also a top-class hurler and has three senior county medals with Lixnaw, the parish hurling club.
So, has he been approached by John Meyler, manager of the Kerry senior hurling team?
“No. He was considered way back when we first sat down but he was ruled out because of his football commitments.
“He would be a huge asset, we know that – I saw him against Kilmoyley in a county final back around 2002. Ah, he’s an excellent athlete, you’d love to have him, guys like him and the O Sé brothers Marc and Tomás, corner-back, wing-back, driving forward, very athletic, very strong, very dynamic – they’d give any team a real physical presence. But, we haven’t considered him. We’ve had our panel in place since last October and we’re staying with that panel.”
To some that may appear short-sighted, passing up on an opportunity to have a proven winner at inter-county level – albeit in Gaelic football – in your side for what’s going to be a crucial game.
It’s the opposite, says Meyler. It would be short-sighted to parachute someone in at this late stage, someone who would be gone again as soon as his suspension was up.
“We have a five-year programme going here, and that might sound like bulls**t but it’s not. We played a challenge match against Carlow (a Liam MacCarthy Cup team) last weekend with four 19-year-olds – two wing-forwards, two in the corners, and won, 0-19 to 1-2.
“The centre-forward also, he’s only 22, the full-forward is only 25. That’s our focus, to stay with guys like this.
“It’s far more important to us that those four guys are still hurling in five years’ time, we’ll know then we’re going in the right direction. We’re trying to set the ground for these fellas, give them quality games in the Kerry jersey. They’ll be playing in Division Two next year against the likes of Clare, Limerick, Laois and strong teams.”
They have to become aware of what’s needed to succeed at the highest level, in hurling or football. You look at the likes of Paul Galvin, the O Sé brothers – it took them many years to develop to the stage they’re at now. You have to be physically strong, mentally tough, you have to take whatever is thrown at you and respond.
“Kilkenny have it in hurling, in abundance, they have the players and that goes back to Brian Cody and those who developed that system down there. We’re going to have a few bumps and bruises along the way, but that’s the path we’re on, and we can’t be distracted.
“We didn’t discuss this with the panel, we made the decision ourselves. When Paul lost out after the football against Cork it was an obvious thought, to bring him in with the hurlers. But no; we have our panel, the fellas who have been there for the last six months and we’ll be sticking with those.
“Next year maybe, if he makes himself available!”
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