Hayes hoping to be involved in crunch Tipp clash

GALWAY’s two-time All Star Damien Hayes is hoping to be included in the Galway panel for Sunday’s AllianzDivision 1 clash with Tipperary as he attempts to overcome a persistent knee injury.

The Portumna man hasn’t played for six months because of a ligament problem which has left him with a sizeable cyst on one side of his right knee. He underwent surgery on both joints before Christmas and has been doing rehabilitation work in the gym, recently beginning straight lane running.

If his knee specialist gives him the all-clear later this week he will make himself available to John McIntyre for a game which, if Galway win, will put them into a second successive league final.

“It’s got bigger (the cyst) as well,” said Hayes, pointing to his knee. “I’m still getting physio on it. I’m trying to be a sub the next day if I can. I’m doing a lot of rehab, work on the quads, hamstrings and calves, building them up”.

Hayes hasn’t ruled out returning to his strenuous routine of last year, which saw him travel to and from Salthill (a two-hour return drive from Portumna) for physio on an almostdaily basis. So eager was the 28-year-old to shake off the problem, he took days off work with his car sales company to ensure he addressed the issue as best as possible.

That Galway are winning in his and his club-mate Joe Canning’s absence makes it a bit easier. “We’re all in it together and it’s great to see themwinning.”

Another league title would be no bad thing either, insists Hayes. It might not be the ultimate prize but he’s not one to turn his nose up at a national honour. “At the end of the day, when you look back on your career you want to know what you’ve achieved and it was great winning the league.”

Galway’s latest win was a snatch-and-grab job, Eanna Ryan’sinjury-time goal stinging Dublin who should have coasted to a win but for their 19 wides.

After being knocked out of the championship at the All-Irelandquarter-final stage by late points the last two seasons, teams seem to begetting a taste of their own medicine from Galway. However, Hayesmaintains the camp haven’t put any emphasis on finishing games strongly any more than they already try to.

“It’s not something we’ve discussed or anything. The game was in the melting pot and we were just lucky to get the two goals in the second-half. Dublin missed a lot of frees and they know that themselves. They missed a lot of easy scores in the first-half but then again we gave them a 0-5 to 0-0 head-start so there are lots of things to work on with both sides. Lots.”

Hayes has also welcomed players from the county’s All-Ireland champions Clarinbridge into the panel.

Contrary to popular opinion against the team, he was certain the club would go on to win the title after coming out of Galway.

“I was the only one that tipped them from the start. I said in an interview in November that they would go on and win an All-Ireland but nobody agreed with me. But they won it and they won it easy.”