HE’S THE SPECIAL WON
FRAN: OUR HUNGER’S NO ISSUE
FRANNY FORDE insists Galway’s appetite to go back to back can’t be doubted after surviving two replays en route to Sunday’s All-ireland final.
The Tribe just got over the line in the semi-final replay against Clare almost a fortnight ago, having been brought to extra-time in the drawn game. Earlier, a replay was needed in early July to decide the Leinster final – the first in 25 years – before Galway prevailed against Kilkenny.
For selector Forde (right with boss Micheal Donoghue) that underlined the hunger within the Galway players to emulate the county’s achievement of 30 years ago – when the Tribesmen lifted the Liam Maccarthy Cup in 1987 and ‘88. “We’d be delighted with the qualities our players showed when it was needed,” declared Forde.
“When it goes to 90 you just rely more on that sheer desire, resilience and that real want to win, on pure heart and desire.
“When you have that extratime and are into a replay a week later and it comes down the stretch, and it’s a really tight game again, you certainly rely on lads sheer hunger to get you over the line.
“Clare showed that in spades as well. Maybe just at the end we had that bit of luck.
“You certainly rely on your leaders on the pitch to stand up and they really stood up the last day.
“If they didn’t have that real raw kind of hunger to get over the line I don’t think I’d be here talking – it’s as simple as that.
“The lads have set their own standards in terms of what they demand from one another over the last couple of years. They have lived up to those standards.
“Number one when you go into our job, you want a team who will just fight for everything. Supporters will come to see a team that fights for everything.
“We wanted a Galway team the supporters would be proud of. In general, Galway have that. They were just willing to do whatever it took.”
Forde reckons the toughest question Galway faced this year came early in the second period of extra-time against Clare.
Aron Shanagher’s goal put the Banner a point ahead as the rain poured down at Croke Park and Galway had a stack of key players either off the pitch or not at full capacity.
“I wouldn’t have said that I ever doubted, because you just feel you still have the lads on the pitch,” he said.
“Maybe a lot of our really top players were up in the stand at that stage, but we just felt these lads had been through a lot together and were going to give it everything.
“They found a way to get back into it.
“The more battles you come through as a group, the more that spirit and that bond gets that little bit stronger.
“The positives of having come through those outweigh anything else.”