Galway's senior football manager, Pádraic Joyce, has claimed that eroding the soft underbelly that the Galway footballers had and replacing it with a tougher mental edge has been key to their All-Ireland push this year.
The Tribesmen have reached the Sam Maguire finale by beating the likes of Donegal and defending All-Ireland holders Dublin this year, but the ability to win big games and prizes has been lacking in the football-mad county since 2001. They were also runners-up in 2022 to Kerry.
This weekend, Galway will take on Armagh in Croke Park.
Joyce, who has masterminded Galway's return to the All-Ireland final, claims that making the team mentally stronger has been key to this campaign.
“We looked to get a bit more of an edge into Galway," said Joyce. “We would probably have been seen as something of a soft centre over the years, but I think the lads have proven in the last couple of years that there is a good edge to them and they can mix the game either way they want.
“Even when I played myself in my own time, we lost a lot of games by a point coming down the stretch with teams we shouldn’t be losing to, but we did. And I think teams have been pressing, "Let’s get Galway down the stretch, and they will wilt or they will fold," but thankfully, I think that perception is gone now because we have gone down the stretch, particularly this year, with some of the top teams in the country, and we stuck it out.”
Galway Bay FM truly lapped up the sensational win over Dublin
pic.twitter.com/5PhJHc0ydH— OurGame.ie (@OurGameHQ) June 29, 2024
Elite-level sports management can be difficult at the best of times, but selecting and cutting players before a final can be one of the toughest tasks a manager has to undertake. Joyce admits that he knows players will accept his decisions, but also admits it's never a nice feeling for coaches and players.
“Very difficult,” he added. “I’d be getting phone calls as to "why I’m not on and why I should be on," which is great. Over the years, you wouldn’t get as many of them, but the lads themselves know that it is really hard.
“John Daly was an All-Star centre-back two years ago; Kieran Molloy should have gotten an All-Star. They can’t even make the six at the back at the minute. It’s great. Brilliant competition in the squad and brilliant for management, but, have to say, the lads understand that and realise that, but there is still great competitiveness there. When the lads are playing, those that aren’t will shake their hands and wish them well.”
The All-Ireland final between Armagh and Galway will take place on Sunday at 3.30 pm at Croke Park. You can watch it live on the RTE player and RTE TWO.
