Galway's heavy defeat to Limerick in the All-Ireland MHC semi-final a fortnight ago didn't come as a surprise to one worried supporter.

In a letter published in this week's Connacht Tribune newspaper, Ballinasloe man John Molloy expresses grave concerns about the state of Galway hurling, suggesting that county chairman Noel Treacy and hurling committee chairman Joe Byrne will need to show "plenty of testicular fortitude if progressive structures are to be set in place".

Molloy also criticises six-time All-Ireland minor winning manager Mattie Murphy for talking up his players in the build-up to the Limerick defeat and is calling for all Galway hurling teams to be included in Leinster competitions.

"Galway hurling is in crisis. Chickens are coming home to roost following the appalling mismanagement of the promotion of the game over the past 20 years," he wrote.

"The 20 or so Galway supporters looking out from the Cusack Stand last Sunday week witnessed one of the worst performances by a Galway minor team to grace the hallowed Croke Park sod. And this after manager Mattie Murphy inexplicably proclaimed to all and sundry that he was heading to Croke Park with a really strong squad.

"The unanimous clamour among the small band of supporters in Croke Park was that the time had definitely come for Mattie to depart the scene gracefully and make way for a new management team who, hopefully, would restore some atom of respect for future Galway minor teams."

He added: "Restoring the game to competitive inter-county level - forget All-Ireland titles - will not be easy, given the restrictions of a reputed €5 million debt imposes on the county and hurling committees.

"Noel Treacy and Joe Byrne need to display plenty of testicular fortitude if progressive structures are to be set in place, and beneficial decisions taken, so that Galway hurling can be rescued from the morass it now finds itself in."

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