'I'm serving my penance' - Conor Whelan vows to learn from dismissal as he sits out Limerick showdown

The Tribe skipper will be joined by Daithi Burke in sitting out the game as both received straight red cards against Dublin.

Fri, 15 Mar, 2024 - 07:38

Paul Keane

Galway captain Conor Whelan says missing tomorrow's crucial Allianz NHL clash with Limerick is his 'penance' for last weekend's red card against Dublin.

Whelan will be joined by Daithi Burke in sitting out the Salthill showdown - the winners will be guaranteed a league semi-final place - as both received straight red cards.

In Whelan's case, it was a pull across Dublin full-back Paddy Smyth that earned the sanction though manager Henry Shefflin noted afterwards that the All-Star gets plenty of 'punishment' and he queried if there was enough 'protection in advance' of the flash-point.

Whelan declined to go down the road of blaming the opposition or match officials and said he has to simply take the suspension on the chin.

"Look, upon reflection, I probably would have handled it differently," said Whelan at the launch of Insomnia's five-year partnership with the GAA and GPA. "I'm serving my penance for that now.

"Some days it goes for you and some days it doesn't. It probably just boiled over a little bit. So yeah, I'm serving my penance really."

Asked if had been targeted during the game as Shefflin suggested, Whelan shook his head.

"No, I just think, personally speaking, it's my responsibility. It's the learning you take from it."

There is a possibility that Whelan may not have been available this weekend anyhow due to a hand injury suffered in midweek training.

"Nothing major, just a bit sore," he assured.

It appears that the final round encounter with old rivals Limerick will also come too soon for Johnny Glynn to have any involvement. It's five years since the towering targetman last featured for the Tribesmen but he has been recalled by Henry Shefflin in a surprise move that will add a significant new dimension to their attack. At this best, the 30-year-old powerhouse can be virtually unmarkable close to goal.

Galway will have a warm-weather training camp later this month and Glynn is due to be part of the travelling group.

Glynn is based in New York and captained their football team last year during the historic Championship win over Leitrim. He later lined out against Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park in June's Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final encounter.

"He's back training with us (since) last week," said Whelan of his 2017 All-Ireland winning forward colleague. "He's gone back to New York this week. Johnny's a phenomenal guy, won an All-Ireland with him in 2017, know him personally as a friend as well.

"We've always stayed in contact. He played very well for his club last year. The guys wanted to see what he had to offer. He's in very good shape. We're hoping he's going to be part of the group."

Whether Glynn commutes back and forth from New York, as he has done in the past, remains to be seen.

"He'd probably want to move home to give himself the best chance of playing but there's lots of moving parts to that," said Whelan.

On the issue of the league and whether Galway are keen on advancing to the last four, or even the final, given the proximity to the Championship and that training camp too, Whelan said it's pretty black and white for him.

"Competitive games are always the target," he said. "Your focus is building towards the Championship and I think we've played over 30 players in the league so far. You've players coming from a multitude of areas. You've St Thomas' lads coming off the back of their campaign. There's lads who were off travelling, like myself. You've Fitzgibbon Cup lads. So it's just trying to get them all up to the same level and a semi-final would be a great opportunity."

Whelan spent three months over winter in New Zealand, Australia and Japan. He used the time to help research a PhD on mental health and the wellbeing of athletes, interviewing people from various different sports.

The obvious question is how he feels the GAA shapes up in terms of looking after its players' mental health.

"I think there are significant gaps in terms of players being aware of what they're experiencing and the second part then is getting help for that," said Whelan.