1600km in six days but just getting going: Inside Henry Shefflin's drive to thrive 

The demands on inter-county managers are more intense than ever but as he throws everything into his task in Galway, Shefflin charts his own journey 

Galway manager Henry Shefflin before the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A match between Limerick and Galway at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

On Monday evening just before 5pm, Henry Shefflin arrived in Loughgeorge in Claregalway. The extended panel had a field session while the main squad were in the gym. Shefflin was back in Galway again on Wednesday and Friday night before hitting the road again early tomorrow for Pearse Stadium. That will be 1600 kilometres clocked in six days. Relentless.

Despite the heavy toll and long-distance haul, Shefflin often turns up just for gym sessions. His great friend and Galway head coach Richie O’Neill does a lot of the driving, but that still doesn’t dull the ache of the near six-hour cross-country trip.