Seán Mulkerrin's return can't come quick enough for Galway

Building depth into their panel is really the only show in town for the Galway management during the early months of next season if the county is to return to the final in 2023

Tue, 26 Jul, 2022 - 08:00

Eoghan Cormican

Building depth into their panel is really the only show in town for the Galway management during the early months of next season if the county is to return to the concluding day of action in 2023.

Galway’s bench, as hardly needs restating at this point, brought nothing to the table when Pádraic Joyce began to call players down from the Hogan Stand from the 46th minute onwards on Sunday.

For the second game in a row and third in four outings, no Galway substitute found the target. That Finnian Ó Laoí’s quarter-final white flag was the sole score by a Galway replacement going right the way back to the Leitrim Connacht semi-final on May 8 is a damning indictment of the strength of the Galway bench.

Note also how Joyce once again didn’t use his full complement of subs despite Galway screaming out for increased freshness during the final quarter.

Whereas Jack O’Connor had three subs on the field by the 46th minute, Galway’s third man off the bench wasn’t sent in for another 17 minutes after that. And that was that from a Galway replacement perspective as the game was up by the time their fourth and final sub Niall Daly was ushered in in the fifth minute of second half stoppages.

Faith, or lack thereof, in the bench was highlighted by the fact that a struggling and energy-sapped Paul Conroy, instead of being whipped off earlier than was the case, was thrown in full-forward for a spell in the hope he might make some impact where he hadn’t made any out the field.

So, who have Galway to come back or come in that might leave an imprint on a game as strong as half-time Kerry sub Killian Spillane did on Sunday?

This strengthening of the bench is also required to improve competitiveness within the squad because while putting out the same team four games in a row speaks to its settled nature, it also speaks of a supporting cast lacking sufficient quality to force their way into the first 15.

Top of the list is 2021 first-choice full-back Seán Mulkerrin, who sat out this campaign because of the shattered kneecap he suffered during Sigerson Cup duty back in January.

Mulkerrin’s return to full fitness should see him reclaim the number three shirt next year, freeing Seán Kelly to go back out the field and play football. Kelly’s return further up the pitch means one player from the middle third drops to the bench, immediately bolstering their back-up options.

Last week, Pádraic Joyce said the number of players gone through during his three-year reign totaled 86. Only three of that figure were dropped. Of the remainder, there was a portion, although wanted, could not commit “for different reasons”.

Peter Cooke slotted back into the Galway team last year after a stint of travelling, but his decision to return to the skies earlier this year meant he wasn’t involved in 2022. If the Moycullen midfielder is at home in 2023, no question but management will be on the phone to Cooke.

Tomo Culhane, a leading member of the county’s All-Ireland U20 winning team from two years ago and NUIG Sigerson Cup winner earlier this season, failed to make the matchday panel for either the Derry or Kerry games.

He had featured earlier in the campaign and if the Salthill-Knocknacarra youngster can keep his graph on an upward trajectory, he’ll be an option of substance for Galway in the years ahead, ditto that for Paul Kelly.

Sunday, and the games before it, showed they are badly needed.