New York and Galway square off on Sunday at Gaelic Park in the first round of the Connacht Senior Football Championship. Initially this game was scheduled in 2020 but was postponed because of Covid. By any rational analysis this is a very daunting challenge for the Big Apple footballers, and definitely fits seamlessly into the David versus Goliath narrative. The Tribesmen have recently contested two All-Irelands, though losing against the Kingdom, 0-20 to 0-16, with Shane Walsh(0-9) and Cillian McDaid(0-4) being their chief scorers. Last year, though underperforming, they just came up a point short, 0-13 to 1-11 for Armagh. Here their principal flag-raisers were Paul Conroy(0-3), Cian Darcy(0-3), Cillian McDaid(0-3) and Shane Walsh(0-2).
Galway started the National League very impressively with comprehensive wins over Mayo, Armagh and Donegal. However Tyrone and Derry slowed their momentum by holding them to draws. Meanwhile the general consensus of the sporting scribes was that Galway was adapting well to the new rules, especially with the two-point conversions. However their armor was further dented as they lost the last two games in the league. First they succumbed to the Dubs, going under by 2-13 to 2-22. Then Kerry outshot them by 3-24 to 2-19. Their top scorers were Robert Finnerty(1-6), Matt Tierney(1-3), Paul Conroy and Kieran Molloy(0-2). Through the League, a notable feature of the Tribesmen’s performance is that they have a plethora of scorers, in fact nine hit the target in the last game and, ten in the second last game. These statistics do not bode well for New York.
This will be the fifth occasion for these teams to meet in the Connacht Championship. The first meeting was in Tuam in 2000, New York lost by a score of 1-15 to 1-5, with Michael Slowey our top scorer with 1-3, and Ja Fallon struck 1-2 for Galway. I remember this game well because I was the manager, with Leslie McGettigan as trainer and Pat Scanlan as selector. Prior to the game there was a debate about whether we should travel to fulfill the fixture. A few players had difficulties with Immigration coming back from the Mayo game the previous year. Naturally a number of players were unavailable due to Immigration fear and I struggled to get a full panel of players.
Eventually it was decided to go despite not having a full panel available. Well the short-handed squad got a boost when I drafted in Mikey Coleman from Philadelphia. After the game I made a visit to the Galway dressing room and it had the aura of a mortuary. Several dour faces assessed the severity of Padraig Joyce’s injury as he lay stretched out on a medical table. The Galway forward had come out second best after a robust challenge with Keith Murray. I definitely felt a persona non grata in that morose environment.
The next encounter was in a rain-soaked Gaelic Park in 2005, with Galway having a facile victory, 3-11 to 0-6. PJ Ward(0-4) was New York’s chief scorer while Michael Meehan(2-1), Paul Clancy(1-2) and Mattie Clancy(0-3) did the business for Galway. Five years later the Big Apple squad came up with their best performance as they troubled the Tribesmen for most of the game before going under on the scoreboard by 2-13 to 0-12. Indeed Galway were just two points ahead going into added time though New York had played most of the second half with thirteen players due to two players getting braces of yellow cards. Top marksmen for Galway were Padraig Joyce(1-6), Nickey Joyce(0-4) and Cormac Bane(1-1). Dan Doona(0-5) and John Murtagh(0-4) were New York’s most prolific players. The last outing in 2015, it was back to the all too familiar drubbing 2-18 to 0-8. The bulk of Galway’s scores came from Shane Walsh(1-4), Damien Comer(1-4) and Padraig O’Griofa(0-4), while PJ Banville(0-7) accounted for all of New York’s scores except a point which JJ Mathews(0-1) registered. Incidentally New York’s current manager Ronan McGinley lined out as a defender in that game ten years ago, plus he had been a regular for much of that decade.
New York have been involved in the Connacht Championship since 1999 and had the unwanted distinction of being winless until 2023. Granted they came close a few times, most notably in 2003 when Leitrim needed extra time to scrape by. Then in 2016, Roscommon got by with a one-point victory, 1-15 to 0-17. Indeed the end could have been very different if a New York forward had taken a few more steps and blasted under rather than over as scarce time ebbed away. Injury or added time seemed to have been scarce on the ref’s watch plus he was also oblivious to a good pull on the jersey that would have generated a close in free for New York.
Well the distinction of being winless in Connacht changed once Mikey Brosnan blasted his shot to the net in 2023 in the penalty shootout after extra time had failed to determine a winner between Leitrim and New York. Well if Bobby Thompson’s home run in 1951 to win the National League pennant is regarded as the shot heard around the world, Mikey’s peno was the shot heard around the GAA world in 2023. Johnny McGeeney and his troops had crossed the championship Rubicon. The fallout or aftermath of such a historic victory was counter-intuitive. In essence this should have been the spring board or catalyst for further advancement of New York football. In fact it had the opposite effect, and perhaps a title of a song by the Ramones, “Here Today Gone Tomorrow” sums up the after effects. Once victory was achieved, mission was accomplished, the team disbanded.
However the show had to on with Mayo being last year’s opponents. The incoming manager Alan O’Mara could just draw on a few of the starters from the victorious team, plus a total of 17 had left the panel, purportedly due to injuries, retirements, relocation and job requirements. Meanwhile New York got a baptism of fire in championship football as Mayo led by 1-11 to 0-2 at half time last year’s game. Despite the deficit New York rallied in the second half and hit Mayo for two goals, Jamie Boyle and Frank 0’Reilly got the majors. Still Mayo coasted to victory, 2-21 to 2-6. The New York lineout was: Joe Grace, Shane Bolger, Jamie Boyle(1-0), capt). Tadgh O’Riordan; Shane Brosnan, Cian O’Dea, Rob Wharton(0-1); Jack Walsh, Eamon O’Conghaile; Tiarnan Mathers, Frank O’Reilly(1-2), Pierce Lillis; Sean Reilly, Mike Argue, Killian Butler(0-2). Subs used Liam Kearney, Adam Loughlin-Stones, Mikey Brosnan(0-1), Israel Ilunga and Jordan Ajani.
The Tailteann Cup game against Laois in Portlaosie was much more competitive 1-13 to1-9 with a late goal getting Laois over the line. New York led most of the way and there were about a half dozen changes from the Mayo game. New York lined out as follows: Joey Grace(0-1), Jamie Boyle, Noel Hatton, Shane Bolger; Shane Brosnan(0-1),Cian O’Dea, Rob Wharton; Liam Kearney, Eamon O’Conghaile; Tiarnan Mathers, Mikey Brosnan, Eoghain McElligott, Killian Butler(0-5), Jack Reilly(0-1), Bobby Regan(1-1). Subs used Jack Walsh, Adam Loughlin-Stones, Niall McCarthy and Sean Reilly.
According to reports preparation has gone very well with a fit and committed squad fired up for action. I’m sure if these players adopt a page from manager Ronan McGinley’s player manual, they won’t standing on ceremony for their more vaunted opponent. The rest of the backroom team includes Dean O’Donnell, Jeff Farrell, David McNamara and Eamon Fitzgerald. Though the bulk or the core of the team are still on board, there will be a number of new prospects jockeying for positions. As we go to press the lineout or truncated panel has not being released. Joey Grace will be starting in goals while Cian O’Dea, Noel Hatton, Donal Hunt, Jamie Boyle, Matthew Queenan, Rob Wharton, Tadgh O’Riordan, Israel Illunga Sean Wilson and Jack Walsh will be vying for defensive slots. In line for the midfield pairing are Eoghain McElligott, Kieran Murphy, Mick Argue and Connall Kennedy. Upfront the sextet should come from Bobby Regan, Frank Reilly, Jack Robinson, Killian Butler, Tiarnan Mathers, Joe Hagan, Shane Brosnan(capt), Jack Reilly and Adam Loughlin-Stones. Of course New York’s biggest handicap is lack of matches while their opponents have seven games under their belt, winning three, drawing two and losing two. In addition the new rules maybe confusing, while dissention is costly.
Players and officials would be well advised to nearly take a monastic vow of silence when it comes to disagreement with match officials. Naturally New York are very much the underdog in this encounter, with most pundits predicting a facile victory. Indeed some are suggesting that Galway may rest some of their key players to avoid the risk of injury and ensure they are healthy for later on in the championship. This confidence or arrogance smacks of the caricature of some alleged Kerry supporters, “Ah sure we’ll wait for the final”. Galway lineout against Kerry: Conor Gleason, John McGrath, Sean Fitzgerald, Daniel O’Flaherty; Kieran Molloy(0-3), Liam Silke, Sean Kelly; Paul Conroy(0-2), John Maher; Matt Tierney(1-3), Cillian McDaid(0-1), Finnian O’Laoi(0-1), Cillian O’Curraoin(0-1), Damian Comer(0-1), Rob Finnerty(1-6). Subs used: Cian Darcy, Cathal Sweeney, John Heaney(0-1), Jack Glynn, Jack O’Neill and Cian Hernon Hopefully the Big Apple squad will give the Galwegians something to think about on Sunday other than the next game.
