Damien Hayes: Galway ‘way ahead’ of Limerick
Micheál Donoghue’s charges have already beaten Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds this spring — 0-24 to 1-18 it finished in their Division 1B clash three weeks ago — and Hayes is predicting another Galway victory at the venue as he believes the westerners are “way ahead” of John Kiely’s side.
“I’d feel Galway are way better than Limerick. I’d feel Galway have a way better squad and a better-settled team,” the three-time All-Star recipient insisted.
“I will be shocked if Galway don’t make a league final and I will be shocked if they don’t beat Limerick. I think Galway are way ahead of Limerick.”
Galway haven’t contested a league decider since 2010, falling at the semi-final hurdle in 2013 and 2014.
Hayes hit 1-1 during that 2010 final triumph over Cork to pick up his second league winners medal. He played in three Division 1 finals in total and says the current crop would benefit from a meeting with either Tipperary or Wexford at the end of this month.
It would also cut their break to their championship opener against Dublin on May 28 to just four weeks.
“Missing out on promotion back to Division 1A was disappointing. It was definitely their objective to get promotion. They probably felt too they were well capable of getting promoted. It hasn’t happened. To be in the semi-final is a boost towards preparation for championship. They finished fierce strong against Waterford in the quarter-final and ended up giving Waterford an awful shock.
“It is vital they take this opportunity to get to the final and put themselves closer to silverware. It is vital for confidence.
“Silverware is hugely important. My motto when I was hurling was to try and win as much as you could when you can. Any year you win something is a successful year. Look at Clare last year, they won the national league. They mightn’t have gone on to do very well in the championship but the way they can look back on 2016, and the way I always looked back on it, if you had silverware then it wasn’t a wasted year.
“Brian Cody always said the league was the second biggest competition in the calendar year. Any time you get an opportunity to win silverware for your club or county, you should try and grasp it.”
Although management has looked at 33 players across their six games to date, the stat showing 16 players to have started four or more of those league fixtures would suggest they’re pretty close to nailing down their strongest XV.
Johnny Coen’s days at corner-back are behind him having started all six games at midfield, while defender Adrian Tuohy, who started every game bar the win over Laois, has bounced back from the dislocated elbow which forced him out of last August’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Tipperary.
There’s also Johnny Glynn to factor into the mix, the 6ft 5in forward returning to the scene after spending 2016 in New York.
“He will be a huge addition back into the squad. He is a great player. He is a great ball-winner, a great player to give a pass and get a score. His attitude is top-class. He is a real good guy who will add to the set-up.
“Micheál knows his best players. It has to be good that a manager knows who his top players are and that he’s putting his trust in them.”
Hayes’ club-mate Joe Canning — the pair hit the crucial scores in securing Portumna a share of the spoils in their Galway SHC opener last Saturday — has clipped 3-31 in the maroon shirt since returning from the hamstring injury sustained during the 2016 semi-final defeat.
“It is great to see Joe back and hurling great stuff. That is all anyone wants,” Hayes said.
“All Joe wants to be doing is hurling well. It is great to see him get over his injury and that the injury wasn’t as bad as people anticipated.
“The break will have done him good, especially for players who have mileage on the clock. It is like a good rest. You find you are renewed and you have more energy when you come back. Joe is no different.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
