With his return to Galway confirmed, what is expected of Micheál Donoghue now?

EXPECTATION: Micheál Donoghue must get together a management team to create a platform for a Galway team with high expectations on their shoulders. Picture: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

The network. Micheál Donoghue has spent two decades creating and cultivating his own valuable one. A huge part of his decision to take the Dublin job was a desire to stay plugged in. Four years was a long time to be outside of the intercounty scene.

Immediately, he looked to those closest to him, making the most of what he had at his disposal.

His right-hand men, Franny Forde and Noel Larkin, followed him in and out of the capital. Before his first stint with Galway, Donoghue spent two years with Tipperary working with Eamon O'Shea. The teacher became a reliable sounding board. O’Shea was a coach with Galway this year. His son, Donal, was on the panel.

His other son, Conor, is based in Dublin and familiar with their hurling scene. The platform for the good work done over the course of his two-year stint came from detailed conversations with O’Shea. That was the steer they needed.

Connections make or break coaches. Donoghue’s career started in 2004 shortly after he was forced to retire due to injury. Work colleague Vincent Mullins invited him to join his Railway Cup ticket. They led an all-Galway side, except for one Mayo substitute, to the interprovincial championship.

After delivering a long-awaited All-Ireland in 2017, Donoghue took to the stage in Pearse Stadium at the homecoming and went through his entire backroom team, name-by-name, spelling out their contribution to the group. Players within the dressing room describe the Clarinbridge clubman as the ‘CEO’. big picture.

That day in Salthill he revealed that Galway had been working with performance coach Ciaran Cosgrave. The Dubliner and son of former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, who previously worked with a range of clubs across the Premier League, international rugby and NBA, reached out to Donoghue at the start of his reign because he identified with the Galway hurling story.

He listed the selectors, strength and conditioning coach, doctor, physio, dietician and liaison officer. He finished with two driving influences in their triumph.

“Damien Joyce and Dave Morris, the analysis team, the work they have put in is hugely appreciated,” he said. “The rapport they built up, especially with the players, giving them the tools to go out on the pitch has been a huge asset.”

For Donoghue, as soon as Henry Shefflin’s departure was confirmed and his time in Dublin was officially concluded, the job started of putting together that team once again. Joyce and Morris are far more than stats men. Their analysis work with specific players started immediately post-match. Morris’ ability to coach the tackle is renowned.

The Corofin man runs one of the leading GAA analysis providers, GAA Insights. Joyce had hurled with Shefflin on the WIT outfit which won the Fitzgibbon Cup in 1999. They were originally part of his management team, but Morris left before last season. It is understood that they are both set to return.

On the ground, Galway has a depressing habit of devouring themselves after disappointing defeats. That process started in earnest last June. Snipe at players, slate the county board, demand structural reviews, declare the doomsday.

A void will be filled by something so Galway strived to provide some substance. They were never going to control the narrative but at least they could apply some shape to it. S&C coach Des Ryan took to local radio to spell out the athletic development partnership between Galway GAA and Setanta College, chairperson Paul Bellew went on a local podcast to address specific points of criticism.

The situation was complicated further by Donoghue’s own involvement in their downfall. His former captain David Burke was sent off during the loss to Dublin and Shefflin took issue with his opposing manager appealing for it.

It is entirely understandable that Donoghue would do everything he could to get Dublin over the line. It is entirely understandable that Burke and the men who soldiered beside him would be hurt by how it all played out. Donoghue is involved with Clarinbridge this season under former team-mate David Forde. His presence on the sideline while the cut was still raw was always likely to provoke a verbal lashing somewhere from someone.

They rode out the storm. Now is time to build. A four-year term ensures the necessary zoning land. Where does it start? Of the top nine teams in the 2024 championship, Galway had the lowest number of shots from inside the opposition’s 45m and the lowest number of goal efforts. Their ability to advance ball into the top third was abysmal.

Shefflin has been criticised for failing to reinvigorate the squad despite the fact his greatest successes came in this realm. Cianan Fahy has become a stalwart. Tom Monaghan and Jack Grealish justified their recalls. Darren Morrissey and Kevin Cooney both suffered season-ending injuries and were immense losses at opposing ends of the field.

There has been work done. There is much more to do. For too long, fringe prospects have come and gone, invited in for a short stint or rebounding in and out aimlessly. The current club championship is a testament to the reality that they are undeniably capable hurlers within the county. Look at the recent performances of players like Sean Loftus, Ronan Murphy, Dara Whelan, Alex Connaire and Tiernan Killeen. Galway routinely have the highest representation of players in the Fitzgibbon Cup. St Thomas' are current All-Ireland club champions. The potential is there. Donoghue’s challenge is realising it.

He must balance that with the urgent need to break a woeful Leinster run. Galway have one win from their last 12 games in Croke Park. They made their debut in the Leinster championship in 2009 and are now six years without a provincial title. The longest dry spell for Kilkenny, who have been in the competition since 1888, is five years.

An enhanced gameplan, a new transition, some silverware. This has always been the ask. It is now achievable.