Pádraic Joyce credits Galway’s recent experiences in important matches for helping them secure a place in yet another All-Ireland final. Having been defeated by Kerry in the 2022 final, The Tribesmen used their experiences to their advantage, successfully clinching a win against Donegal during the heated All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park on Sunday.
With a tie of both sides at the 61st minute, Galway managed to pull ahead in the remaning time, scoring 0-2 and leaving Donegal scoreless. In fact, Donegal was only able to add two points from the 48th minute till the end of the match.
Joyce reflected on the victory, attributing it to the numerous difficult matches Galway has faced. Their journey included matches with Mayo in the Connacht final, a challenging semi-final with Sligo, as well as encounters with Derry, Armagh, Westmeath, and Dublin.
Donegal had an easier journey through their last two games, easily beating both Clare and Louth. Joyce noted that this lack of challengers was evident in their game against Armagh, where the latter had a clear advantage and managed to hold on to their lead.
Jim McGuinness, the manager for Donegal, concurred with Joyce’s assessment. Examining the statistics of the match, he noted, “We realised a conversion rate of five out 14 in the latter half, compared to 10 from 14 in the initial half.” He lamented Donegal’s lack of intensity towards the end and commended Galway’s experienced and toughened squad, suggesting that their past experience was advantageous.
Although the Ulster champions were hoping to advance to their first All-Ireland final since 2014, their performance was fairly forgettable.
On this poignant day at Croke Park, a video tribute was presented for John O’Mahony, who managed Galway to All-Ireland championships in 1998 and 2001. During the tribute, the Galway team assembled respectfully in a V shape.
Joyce expressed profound sadness following the news received last Sunday morning. Such was the impact of this man on Joyce personally, and the Galway players, that they were visibly moved, communicating their sorrow through their active WhatsApp group.
“He meant so much to us and his loss is heartbreaking. He was a wonderful manager, a superb friend and a mentor to me. His advice and phone calls will be deeply missed,” Joyce commented.
In the semi-final, Galway achieved a victory over Donegal with a score of 1-14 (17). In O’Mahony’s era, Galway managed similar successes in their finals, scoring 1-14 in 1998 and 0-17 in 2001. After defeating Dublin, Galway also faced the challenge of maintaining their focus and enthusiasm for their semi-final match against Donegal.
Joyce said, “We could not have let the thrill of defeating Dublin turn into a setback if we had lost today. We enjoyed our victory on that Saturday night, but the team were back at work the next morning at Blackrock and Salthill for a recovery session.”
Despite their progress this season, Donegal’s failure to secure victory, especially with Dublin and Kerry out of the equation, marks a missed opportunity. McGuinness, the manager of the Donegal team, avoided being overly critical, but suggested that some decisions during the match were not favourable for them.
“Ryan McHugh was halted in the first minute by two men, but was penalised for overcarrying. There were multiple instances where we were discontented with the referee’s decisions, but that’s just the nature of the game,” said McGuinness.
Seán Kelly, the team captain of Joyce’s team, is hoped to be fit for the final match. Kelly, although named to play against Donegal, didn’t feature due to an ongoing hamstring problem. Joyce noted that Kelly’s injury was of a muscular nature, making it difficult to risk for high-speed games.
The championship of 2024 took an unexpected turn as Galway and Armagh both qualified for the unique All-Ireland finale. During the group stages of this championship, Armagh successfully mounted a late comeback resulting in a draw. This outcome saw Armagh top the leaderboard, subsequently leading to Galway having to play in preliminary quarter-final.
When asked at an after-match press interview on Sunday whether Joyce had anticipated the two would meet in the All-Ireland final following their game four weeks prior, Joyce responded with a cryptic reference to a message sent to Kieran McGeeney on the night of their game, suggesting he foresaw this eventuality. As it turns out, Joyce expected his team to be in their current position.