Galway’s problems run too deep to be solved with quick fix

CONNACHT SFC SEMI-FINAL:

Galway football has traditionally been a county that could hold its own with most. The All-Ireland success back in 2001 over Meath, backed up the 1998 win, and an appearance in the 2000 final.

And while the 1970s and ’80s had no senior All-Ireland successes, the county featured in four finals and at least there was a prospect of winning the Sam Maguire.

However, that was then and this is now.

Since 2001, there has not even been a flicker of early September, or even mid August action at senior level.

The county has not won a Connacht senior title since 2008, or even contested a final since 2009. Those facts ask their own questions — however, the answers are not so easily found.

Football people in the county are genuinely apprehensive about the trip to Markievicz Park tomorrow and many are asking simple questions. How have Galway fallen from grace so quickly at senior level over the last decade or so? How can that free-fall be turned around?

Three-time All Star Pádraic Joyce, who also won four senior county medals with his club Killererin, believes the standard of club football has deteriorated considerably in the past decade or so, and that is a significant issue.

“Corofin are odds on [4/5] to win the club championship in Galway already, and there are 20 other senior teams in the competition,” he said.

“There used to be five or six senior teams that would have fancied their chances of success on any given year, but Corofin are colossal favourites for a reason. A lot of clubs have gone back a lot. The standard of senior club football is not good and that has obvious implications for the county team.

“However, we are not alone in that in Galway. The strong clubs and strong counties are getting stronger all the time and the weak are being left behind. You only have to look at how far ahead Dublin are in Leinster. The resources that some counties and clubs have is serious.

“A lot of clubs in Galway and the West in general, have been badly hit by unemployment and emigration. Tuam Stars as an example are down six or seven of their starting senior team this year and that is being mirrored in lots of clubs around Galway.”

Joyce works in the construction recruitment business and is based in Dublin three or four days a week as that is where most work is.

“Lads have to travel abroad for work and every club has been hit by it. There are loads of Galway lads in London alone and many of them are not able to, or not willing to commit to coming home for games. That all feeds into falling standards of football in the county. Unless there is an upsurge in employment prospects, there is not much that can be done about that.”

Former Mayo star Maurice Sheridan, who won an All-Ireland club medal as team captain in 2006 with Salthill-Knocknacarra, echoes Joyce’s point about the poor standard at club level. He also believes there are too many senior sides in the county.

“There are 21 [including NUIG] teams in the senior championship and that is far too many. Some of the teams that are competing are not good enough for the senior ranks and there is no possibility of them having any chance of competing with the top few sides. Having sides that are not good enough for senior, in that grade, does little to promote ambition or high standards.”

There is also a serious issue at school level in the county and both men agree on that point.

Joyce is certain the Galway football county board will have to take a strategic view and focus their efforts on coaching and supporting coaches in the schools and colleges in Galway.

“A strong St Jarlath’s is vital for Galway and they have not been doing well now for a few years.

“The county board have to realise that they have an enormous role to play in helping schools to try and develop the players while they are in their formative years.”

Sheridan, who is a teacher at the newly opened Claregalway College concurs, and believes there is a huge requirement for high-quality coaches to support the work being done by teachers in schools.

“There is only one Galway school in the Connacht colleges senior A grade [St Jarlath’s] and that is not good enough. Schools like St Mary’s, Garbally College, St Enda’s, Mountbellew could all benefit from coaching support.

“Strong schools feed into county U16 and minor teams, and onto the likes of NUIG and GMIT. That is not happening currently and football is losing ground as a result. The structures are not good enough. Teachers’ roles in schools have changed drastically and there is a void in many Galway schools that the football board has to try and help fill.”

Sheridan also believes much more needs to be done to try and stem the drop off in players from U16 to U21 involved in football.

“The drop off in playing numbers in Gaelic games is startling. The IRFU, in particular, is working hard on the ground in Galway to try and capitalise on the glamour currently attached to the Irish, Munster and Connacht teams.

“It is a very competitive market for talented young sports people and the GAA at all levels in Galway and elsewhere have to be aware of how much harder they have to work to keep these youngsters engaged with GAA. Proper structured competitions is also vital to avoid that drop off.”

He gives a concrete example of how things should not be run.

“The Galway U21 West board county championship started in February, ran until May and is now on hold until September or October. That is far too convoluted, and young players will not stay involved for four or five competitive games over almost an entire calendar year. The season for those competitions needs to be very well defined and adhered to.”

Joyce also feels that NUIG and GMIT can have a major role in helping Galway football stage a revival.

“The Galway third level colleges need to focus and commit more resources to football. I was at the NUIG game with DCU this year and it was like a minor team against an U10 team. Galway were beaten by 16 points and Tom Flynn and Fiontán Ó Curraoin were on the DCU subs’ bench.

“A strong and successful college team helps to develop the players into better inter-county players and also helps promote the games for all GAA players on campus. If the key schools in a county are not going well, and then there is no real promotion or success at third level either, a lot of talented players will be lost to the county pool.

“We need a lot more top-quality coaching, with the emphasis on skill-based coaching. Improved coaching at all levels is essential if Galway is to come back to the top tier. The football board need to commit as many resources as they can to that at schools level. It is the starting point and that foundation block will feed into third level and clubs.

“Hard work at all levels is what is needed, if we are to get back to where we were.”