By Declan Rooney

Galway manager Kevin Walsh says it's high time the Tribesmen were back top of the pile in Connacht, but he knows Roscommon are fired-up to topple them after the Tribesmen dethroned Mayo.

Galway last reached a Connacht final in 2014, but were comfortably beaten 3-14 to 0-16 by reigning champions Mayo at MacHale Park.

Mayo's hopes of an historic six in a row in Connacht came to anend when Galway shocked them, with Tom Flynn's goal helping them to a three-point win at in Castlebar on June 18.

Walsh, an All-Ireland minor medal winner in 1986 before collecting senior titles in 1998 and 2001, believes Galway need to convert the U-21 titles of 2011 and '13 into senior success.

"After 11 years with Galway I had only won one Connacht title before 1998. That wasn't a very good innings for that time either.

"You'll have your lull periods that just goes back to the sustainability again. How do we ensure that doesn't happen, it is something you have got to look at in a big county like this.

"Structures, environments, cultures and stuff all over the county is vital. It is vital for every county looking to stay at the top. It is a long period for Galway, it is too long, it was too long in my day as well," he said.

Walsh was part of the Galway team that hammered Mayo 0-17 to 1-7 in the 1995 Connacht final. Back then Galway were made to wait eight years for that success at provincial level and it was a breakthrough moment for that Galway side.

Now as this group of Galway players look for their first Connacht success at senior level since 2008, also eight years, the three-time All Star Killannin clubman says this game could be a breakthrough for his team, but it won't break them if they don't beat Roscommon at Pearse Stadium.

"It's a huge opportunity for us and it's a huge challenge as well. We're aware of that. If we could get silverware it would be brilliant for Galway, particularly where we've come from in the last few months.

"But we're not looking at silverware, we're looking at the process that we're going to bring to the table and what the players are being educated on and what systems and things we're looking at.

"That's improving, if it's good enough it's good enough. If it's not, we'll get back and work on it. If it gets us over the line, it gets us over the line," he said.

 

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