'Go-to guy' Evan Niland backed for breakout year for Galway hurlers

A standout talent at minor and post-primary level, Niland, though still only 23, has taken slightly longer than expected to climb to a point on the Galway ladder where he is now seeing game-time with each outing of Shane O’Neill’s side

Sat, 03 Jul, 2021 - 06:55

Eoghan Cormican

Whether it be as a first-team regular or coming off the bench, former Galway hurler Cathal Moore and the county’s U20 manager Jeffrey Lynskey have backed Evan Niland to make his mark on this summer’s Championship.

Having started three of Galway’s five games in Division 1A and finished as the county’s top League scorer (0-42, 0-30 frees, 0-2 65s), Niland can perhaps count himself unfortunate not to have been included in the starting line-up for Saturday’s Leinster semi-final against Dublin.

No question but he’ll be one of the first called down from the stand at GAA HQ, with the challenge then to replicate his League form in the far more “ruthless” and unforgiving Championship environment.

Both Lynskey and Moore, who have had front row seats to his development over the past 10 years, agree it is a challenge Niland is more than capable of rising to. He’s ready, is the unanimous response.

Lynskey’s relationship with Niland stretches back to the county’s all-conquering minor campaign in 2015, in which the latter top-scored of course. More recently, and this time in the colours of NUIG, the pair worked together at Fitzgibbon Cup level.

For Cathal Moore’s part, it was at Presentation College, Athenry, where the now principal first bore witness to Niland’s scoring prowess.

With a minute of normal time remaining in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, Niland, on the field no more than 60 seconds as a replacement for the injured Joe Canning, took responsibility of a free inside his own team’s 65-metre line. Trailing Limerick by two and with the clock fast approaching time added on, Galway needed Niland to find the range from distance with his first touch of the sliotar.

That he did didn’t surprise either Lynskey or Moore in the slightest.

Similarly, neither is at all surprised at the ease with which Niland has gone from bit-part player last winter - he wasn’t used off the bench in the Leinster final and saw less than half an hour of game-time across their remaining three Championship outings - to regular first-team involvement in 2021.

“Evan was our most effective player in school all the way through. He was the go-to guy, the one you wanted standing over the clutch free late on. Evan has always had the ability and temperament he showed against Limerick last year, but what is impressive this year is he is also contributing from play,” remarked Cathal Moore, who was present at most of Galway’s League games as part of his TG4 co-commentary duties.

“Evan has played in the centre-forward position which, looking at his stature, you mightn't think he’d be suited to. But the way the game has changed and the emphasis on possession, the position seems to suit him. His link-up play has been very strong.

“Whether it is from the start or whether it is coming in as a sub, Evan has proven in both scenarios that he is able to have an impact at senior level.”

All-Ireland-winning minor manager Lynskey reckons the Clarinbridge clubman has benefited hugely from not having been thrown in at senior level in the three years after he vacated the minor ranks.

“He had to go through the pathway of the ups and downs, it is not going to be linear. He is mature enough now and ready for the mental side of it, more than anything else.”

The Galway U20 boss added: “The next phase for him is evolving his game where he becomes more of an assist player, creating more chances for his teammates up front.

“Over the last couple of years, Galway's forwards have been six-foot merchants, but there is room for a shooter in there, a really smart player that'll hit pockets of space and really hurt teams. Evan will do that.

“Free-taking duties or not, he'll do his job for the team. Whatever is asked of him in a Galway jersey, I know he'll do it.”