'Could the league be fewer games?': Maher favours season tweaks over date changes

STANDING TALL: Galway's John Maher powered his side's Tralee comeback last Saturday and now he's hoping to build on that with two points against Connacht rivals Roscommon on Saturday night. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Galway captain John Maher would prefer to make the most of the current inter-county window rather than extend the current season.

The All-Ireland senior football final will return to August in 2027 if a motion is passed at Congress in February. 

Speaking ahead of Galway’s Allianz League clash with Roscommon this Saturday, Maher said he is content with the current calendar and suggested there are ways to make improvements within it.

“I'm happy with how it is. I don't have a massive opinion on it, to be honest. It works. I don't want to say something because I actually don't have a solution.” 

The Salthill-Knocknacarra man suggested a similar format to the current hurling league could be beneficial for Gaelic football.

“Could the league be fewer games and more intense, quality games? You could start the season a bit later. You start it in mid-February, and then you actually have a pre-season. That's the only practical thing that I've ever thought of.

“I don't know how you rearrange the groups now. I am just hypothetically speaking. You have six teams rather than eight teams, and you just play five games. All of a sudden, we have created a lot of time.

“I don't know if moving dates creates time or just takes it from the club season.” He continued: "You look at really good championships like the Six Nations in rugby. When it is six teams, every game carries so much weight as well. I know the league is brilliant for learning and all that stuff, so there is a huge benefit to having eight games as well.” 

The All-Star and 2024 Footballer of the Year nominee returned from injury last weekend as Galway came back from 12 points down to secure a draw against Kerry.

Maher suffered an ankle injury in the Galway SFC semi-final last October as Salthill-Knocknacarra downed reigning champions Corofin. He was sidelined for the decider against Maigh Cuilinn and watched from the stand as his side suffered a two-point defeat.

“It was a long few months, especially the first two, when I actually had a broken finger along with a broken ankle and I couldn't even kind of do a bit of gym work or anything,” he explained.

“I was quite debilitated now.

“So there was a big challenge in that along with a mental challenge, just as much as the physical one. Just to be patient, try not to be frustrated. I kind of joined the group at the end of November, the start of December and was back able to do some gym work then. That was brilliant. I've just been building steadily from there. On New Year's Day, I was actually back running. And yeah, haven’t looked back.” 

What do you put those injuries down to? Bad luck, poor practice or something else? In Maher’s mind, there are several contributing factors.

“No, it is a bit of bad luck and I'd say the season as well, the length of the season. I originally injured a finger and then I couldn't do my gym work. I feel like I wasn't doing these primer sessions that I was doing ahead of games on Thursdays and I actually didn't do that session.

“I hadn't done that session in maybe three weeks because of my finger and then I felt that my finger was okay and I could go back to the gym ahead of that Corofin game. I probably shouldn't have done that gym work because I probably left it a few weeks, my body had adjusted and then I went out on the Thursday training beforehand and tweaked my hammer.

“I didn't even know if I was going to be able to play the Corofin game, so now I'm breaking down. Then look, it was my left hamstring and then I just jumped and landed awkwardly on my left ankle.” 

That is why an improvement of the current calendar, rather than more date changes, would be beneficial.

“It was nearly one injury was leading to the next. I suppose my body was breaking down.”