Why has Donoghue become the tinkerman?

Following three championship campaigns where the Galway management’s consistency of selection was near impeccable, the county’s hurling team no longer picks itself. More worrying still for followers of the maroon and white is that Micheál Donoghue appears to no longer know what is his strongest 15.

As the national anthem rang around Pearse Stadium prior to Galway and Wexford throwing in a fortnight ago, members of the press room were busy trying to identify which two players from the team printed in the match programme had been relegated to the bench. Seán Loftus and the returning Joseph Cooney, wearing number 18 and 24 respectively, were clearly visible on the 45-metre line where the Galway team stood to attention for ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’, meaning two named starters were not indeed starting.