John Connolly slams unfair treatment of Galway

Galway great John Connolly has called for better treatment from the Leinster Council.

The Castlegar man wants to see the Tribesmen awarded home games in the senior championship as well as entry into the U21 and minor competitions.

That Galway have yet to stage a Leinster SHC game in Pearse Stadium irks Connolly. “It’s unfair, that’s the worst part of it,” he says. “Galway are making a big contribution to Leinster hurling. The fact we’re not at a level playing field is not fair. We were [disadvantaged] when we were playing that we would go into an All-Ireland semi-final and you would say ‘why didn’t we win when we were playing as much?’

“But when you think of teams and management now that make a big play after three weeks without a game. We were 12 months without a game and playing in All-Ireland semi-finals was almost impossible.

“But Galway in Leinster now, I think helps the game itself and I cannot see why Leinster wouldn’t treat Galway as fairly as everyone else. Galway should be allowed play home and away, and let the U21s and under-age enter Leinster also. What are they afraid of? Why aren’t they doing that? I would say that if they don’t Galway should take it further?”

Connolly also took aim at former Galway manager Ger Loughnane who on The Sunday Game blamed local club rivalries for holding back the county.

“I don’t agree at all with Ger Loughnane. I don’t know where he is coming from there. I think there’s healthy rivalry in Galway club hurling and that’s proven by the fact Galway have been very successful at club in the All-Ireland series.

“The difference between Kilkenny at underage and being successful coming on at senior and being successful at underage for Galway and coming onto the senior team; the underage fella coming on in Kilkenny comes onto a winning team with great men around him. A young fella can be brought on bit by bit and the established player and the star will win a ball, throw the ball to a young fella and make life easier for him because they’ve been there and done that. A young fella coming onto a Galway team has to play a man’s game straight away and be a star before he’s ready.”