Search Results for 'Kevin Walsh'

Galway are expected to beginthe hunt for their fourth football manager in five years following the expected end to Joe Kernan’s brief reign last evening.

Galway can have absolutely no complaints after their one-point defeat last Saturday evening to a vibrant, fit, and tremendously committed Sligo outfit.

The Galway footballers will head up the N17 next Saturday to Markievicz Park (6pm kick-off) knowing that only a big improvement all around the field will see them getting to a Connacht final date with Roscommon on July 18.

Joe Bergin (Galway) v Tony Taylor (Sligo)If Michael Meehan does not start, then the experienced Joe Bergin will wear the captain’s armband. A powerful display by Bergin would go a long way towards inspiring Galway to victory. He was man of the match against Tyrone in the league and another display like that would be just what is needed this weekend.

Galway are fancied by most of the national media and pundits to defeat Sligo this Sunday in Pearse Stadium (2pm) and go on and win the Connacht title. However, it is not a sure bet, as Sligo will be coming to Galway full of confidence and belief, expecting victory.

It seems now that Mayo's dreadful display against Cork in the league final earlier this year was not a once off, but a fair reflection of where this team and management currently stands. In that final we played like a division four team. We looked every inch a division four team again last week. I realise that winning performances are not always associated with dazzling displays of individual or team brilliance. A winning performance is achieved by relentless work, harrying, hitting, running, tracking back, tackling, winning dirty balls. This is a basic requisite to be successful in championship football. That's what we wanted from our evening in Sligo. As a result of the defeat Mayo has also missed out on an attractive home tie against our old friends, Galway, in a few weeks’ time. It was planned to coincide with the official opening of the new stand, but that too must be shelved for the time being. This missed opportunity also means a very significant loss of revenue for the County Board and another hit to local businesses.

Galway have been warned.

Sligo 0-15

Mayo will give a championship bow to four new players on Saturday evening against Sligo. Coming into the side for their first starts in championship action are Belmullet's Chris Barrett, Breaffy's Seamus O'Shea, Aghamore's Alan Freeman, and Garrymore's Enda Varley in a new look Mayo side. There are five changes from the team that lost to Cork in the National League final, with a fit again duo of Keith Higgins coming into corner back for Liam O'Malley and Ronan McGarrity replacing the injured Alan Dillion. Tom Cunniffe will replace Trevor Howley at the lynchpin centre half back position, with O'Shea moving to centre half forward.

Irrespective of the result in Markievich Park tomorrow evening, you will meet the happy chap who will have consoling words for the losers along the lines “it's not the end of the world”, “you always have the back door”, and “anyway where were we going this year?” These platitudes may all be wonderful to the guy who hasn’t prepared for a match of this magnitude, but try telling that to the players or management of the losing side and I can guarantee you it will sound very hollow!