Joyce commits to Galway for 2012

New Galway football manager Alan Mulholland has received a huge boost with former Footballer-of-the-Year Padraic Joyce committing to another season with the Tribesmen.

The 34-year-old met manager Mulholland last week and wants to keep his inter-county career going for at least another season.

It is a massive boost to Mulholland who can count on Joyce’s vast experience as he infuses the Galway side with the young players who won the 2007 All-Ireland minor title and last season’s U-21 crown.

Joyce has had to battle back from injury in recent years, including a troublesome Achilles problem, but has committed to the cause for another season.

He will undergo afitness campaign over the next few weeks and is likely to feature in thelatter stages of the Allianz Football League campaign. Joyce, an All-Ireland medal winner in 1998 and 2001, is Galway’s longest serving player having captained the county for four seasons over the past decade.

Galway, who opened their league campaign with a 1-15 to 1-11 win in Derry on Sunday, will be hoping to build on that when they host Louth in Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

That game, which will start at 2.30pm, will now be part of a double bill with the Bord na Mona Walsh Cup hurling final between Galway and Kilkenny taking place at 12.45pm.