Galway look serious contenders for Sam

Early days for sure but after three rounds we have enough of a sample size to draw some conclusions as to the prospects of the various counties as the National Football League season edges towards the more important business of the championship in the coming months.

Much of the story for many counties, as is always the case at this time of year, is who is available and who is not. For that reason, everything has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

But on the basis of who has been available – and who is to come back – there is reason for one county to be quite content with the position they are in so far.

Galway fell foul of the Meath juggernaut last summer and the manner of that championship exit, in such a disappointing fashion, will have rankled in the county over the course of the winter. Meath were impressive but Galway didn’t reach anywhere near the level they are capable of in that quarter-final.

There were doubts as to whether Padraic Joyce would remain on as manager, having already completed six seasons in charge. In two of those years, Galway reached the All-Ireland final and, while their defeat to Kerry in 2022 was disappointing, it was nothing compared to the sense of despair following their agonising defeat at the hands of Armagh in 2024.

Galway have achieved provincial superiority over Mayo in that period, too, so Joyce’s tenure can be deemed, on the whole, as successful, even if the man himself has stated that if they don’t win an All-Ireland he will feel as though they have underachieved.

Whether they can reach the Promised Land is the million dollar question but on the evidence of their first three league outings, Galway have the bit between the teeth to make 2026 a success.

Against Mayo, they fought back admirably to lose by three having trailed at one stage by eleven. Against Armagh, they somehow won by a point having fallen behind in the second-half on a couple of occasions and, against Kerry, they grabbed a point from the jaws of not just a heavy defeat, but a potential hammering.

The first three rounds of the league this season also underline the success of Joyce’s tenure when it comes to unearthing new talent.

Depth has been the buzz word around many of the squads in Division One, as the various counties assess those keen to make a breakthrough and stake a claim on a place in the team when the season enters the business end.

Galway have done a great job in recent years in building depth into their panel – and this season they might be about to reap the reward of that.

Last Saturday’s entertaining draw with Kerry was a decent result in coming from twelve points down in Tralee. But it was the manner of that comeback that will hearten Joyce and his backroom team, which now also counts ex-Cavan boss Raymond Galligan as part of its number.

They completed the comeback thanks, in part, to the contributions of some of the mainstays of the side. John Maher, on his return from injury, played a key role and his surging run to receive a pass before netting a goal late on typified the hunger and grit displayed by the visitors in the closing stages.

Sean Kelly has become a reliable force for the Tribesmen, as has Mattie Tierney.

But it is beyond the established players that you can find the biggest plus for Galway.

Cian Hernon has been in and around the panel in recent seasons, but he excelled in Saturday’s game, contributing a goal at one end for his team while also curtailing the impact of David Clifford at the other.

Shane McGrath is another that has threatened to make the breakthrough in recent seasons but, right now, he looks set to have a big year, perhaps even something similar to Mattie Thompson’s 2025 exploits. McGrath kicked the two-pointer to level the game late on, and contributed 0-5 in all. He has also excelled on the colleges front with the University of Galway in recent months and on all available evidence, he’s set to play a big part in maroon and white this season.

Others have done well in recent weeks, too, not least Ciaran Mulhern at centre-forward and Oisin MacDonnacha in the corner, while six-foot-six Fionn McDonagh offers Galway something different at the edge of the square.

Injuries have impacted the Tribesmen significantly in recent years, but with a fully fit squad available they are capable of winning this year’s All-Ireland.

Think of the players they have to come back in. Shane Walsh has seen some game time but Damien Comer hasn’t featured as yet. Paul Conroy, a former Footballer of the Year, is back training, while Mattie Thompson will be back for the latter stages of the championship.

Cillian McDaid played a good chunk of the game against Armagh but didn’t feature at all in Kerry. Sean Fitzgerald and Liam Silke also sat out Saturday's game.

That’s a nice collection of top players to return, and you also have to remember that the likes of Tomo Culhane, Johnny Heaney and Peter Cooke have all opted out or are unavailable for the upcoming campaign.

To come back to that key word, depth: there’s plenty of it in Galway.

The challenge now is to knit it all together. They don’t need to reinvent the wheel – it’s just over 18 months since they were within a kick of the ball of lifting Sam. Getting some luck with injuries will be a key part of any good run and Joyce and Co will be hoping they get that rub of the green this time around.

Their attack, on paper, is formidable and defensively they are well served by tenacious one-on-one defenders in Johnny McGrath and Jack Glynn, both of whom are well suited to the style of defending that is now regularly required under the new rules.

Early days, for sure, but the signs are good for Galway