Galway must plan without midfielder Fiontán Ó Curraoin
The Michéal Breathnach’s clubman, who won All-Ireland U21 medals in 2011 and 2013, has been troubled by hip injuries over the past couple of seasons and is now looking at taking an extended break from the game to try and resolve his problems.
Galway manager Kevin Walsh said the county management and medical staff had been working closely with Ó Curraoin (23) in a bid to find the best solution.
Ó Curraoin took a month out from inter-county activity in a bid to resolve the issue but following discussions between the management and himself, they feel the best option is to take an extended break.
“We always believe in putting the person first and we will monitor things with Fiontán and see where we go from there,” said Walsh. “Fiontán has worked extremely hard to deal with these injuries over the past couple of years, but we feel that this is now the best option and that he will come back stronger next year for Galway.”
It is expected that Ó Curraoin, a secondary school teacher, will depart for the US for a number of weeks and may play some football there, depending on how his injuries progress.
Defender Cathal Sweeney is Galway’s only major injury concern ahead of Saturday’s Connacht semi-final Mayo. The Killannin club man is battling a shoulder injury as the Tribesmen bid to down the champions.
“It’s touch and go whether he will be involved and we will wait until later in the week before making a call on him,” said Walsh.
Meanwhile Gary Walsh has returned to the Laois senior football panel ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC qualifier against Armagh, following clear-the-air talks with manager Mick Lillis. Walsh apologised to Lillis for using “threatening behaviour” towards the manager following the Leinster SFC quarter-final defeat to Dublin at Nowlan Park. Walsh was visibly aggrieved after he was taken off against the Dubs and in a statement issued on his Twitter page recently, he revealed how he “let a few f***s out of me” following his substitution.
Walsh also insisted that he was dropped from the senior panel, and hadn’t removed himself from the squad following the Dublin loss. But Walsh issued another statement on Saturday, thanking “Laois management for meeting me today and allowing me the opportunity to unreservedly apologise for my threatening behaviour towards my manager Mick Lillis in Nowlan Park”.
News of Walsh’s return was confirmed by the player yesterday as he revealed: “I just the call that I’m back on the panel so I’ll leave it at that.”
