Bergin aware long layoff excuse won’t wash again

IN Joe Bergin’s mind the reason for the paucity of quality in Galway’s first-half performance against Sligo last Sunday is clear.

Despite operating on home soil, Joe Kernan’s charges fumbled their way through the opening 35 minutes producing a disjointed and incoherent display of football.

They trailed 1-8 to 0-2 at the break and were staring straight at a humbling early provincial championship exit. But Bergin points to the eight-week hiatus they had endured from competitive football since their opening round win over New York, which was in stark contrast to the three-week gap since Sligo’s quarter-final battle with Mayo.

In addition, college examinations had precluded the likes of Gareth Bradshaw and Sean Armstrong from making the trip Stateside, and Bergin feels the GAA authorities fixture scheduling counted against Galway.

“There were a lot of signs of rustiness there. We hadn’t played in eight weeks, for some reason the GAA decided that we’d play at the start of May and not put us out again until the end of June. The first-half in particular, our handling was bad, our decision making was bad and our ability to get up to the pace of championship was poor. There’s no substitute for championship intensity. I think that was really evident in our first-half performance, it was dire to be honest. We’re glad to be still in the championship but we’ve to go to Markievicz now and try to beat Sligo. We’ve to improve everywhere.”

The fixture break may have hindered Galway’s chances beforehand but the decision of Meath whistler David Coldrick to dismiss Armstrong during the game was one Bergin did not find endearing either.

“I thought it was a bit harsh. I’m not too sure who went down but I think they made a bit of a meal out of it. I didn’t think it warranted a second yellow card to be sent off.

“But we showed plenty of steel when it was 14 men against 15. We never said die. At half-time we just had to keep plugging away and get point after point. The longer went on, the more obvious it became that we needed a goal. In fairness Eoin Concannon took it very well, but it was a good team move. That was a great relief when he scored.”

Tradition dictates that Galway should be heavy favourites entering a Connacht senior football championship tie against Sligo, but Bergin rubbishes notions that complacency clouded their focus before the game. The Mountbellew-Moylough man insists they respected the standing of a Sligo team that have made rapid improvements under the tutelage of former iconic Galway midfielder Kevin Walsh.

“We’re always wary of our opponents, especially after the year Sligo have had this year with their performances. They’re an in-form team and were very strong around the middle third. We’ll just have to work and hopefully turn it around. But we’re confident in our ability and that if we perform, we’ll really put it up to Sligo. There must be a different Galway there, who are more up to the pace of championship football.”

In Galway’s favour is that the drawn game showed that the class and predatory instincts of Padraig Joyce still endure close to goal. Even after carving a reputation as one of the most celebrated attacking forces in Gaelic football, Joyce continues to embellish his reputation with a second-half masterclass last Sunday.

A further heartening factor was the nerve showed by a young player like Gareth Bradshaw who displayed a glacial coolness to land the injury-time free that tied the game.

“Padraig came up trumps big time, and kicked a few vital scores. You can’t beat a bit of experience. People talk about him coming to the end of his career but he showed last Sunday that he’s certainly not. Brads then is an all-rounder who can play anywhere. It was no problem to him slotting that ball over the bar. We’re still in there and you’d hope that last Sunday will bring us on that 15% that we need.”