Donoghue faces anxious wait over Canning and McInerney
THE Galway physio table will be in overdrive this week as Tribe boss Micheál Donoghue sweats on the fitness of Joe Canning and Gearóid McInerney ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final replay with Clare in Thurles (2.0).
Galway held on to their All-Ireland SHC crown for at least another week, but they resembled the walking wounded at the end of a pulsating extra-time draw which leaves Donoghue in a race against time to ensure his top stars make the rematch.
Much has been said of the solidity Gearóid McInerney provides the Tribesmen with at centre-back, but the OranmoreMaree defender hobbled off in the middle of the second half with what looked like a serious calf injury and the All-Star was limping heavily in the aftermath.
McInerney faces a race against time with just six days to go as Galway missed his driving presence, with Peter Duggan causing them all sorts of headaches at half-forward.
Canning carried on despite falling heavily on his knee late in normal before being called ashore in extra-time, while Conor Whelan, Adrian Tuohey and David Burke also watched the closing stages from the stands.
Whelan, Burke and Tuohey aren’t expected to be serious doubts for the Semple Stadium clash, but having come through the Leinster round-robin stages unscathed, their injury fortune has taken a turn for the worse.
Donoghue had little to offer on the nature of the injuries and their expected recovery times after the game. “It’s too early yet, I’ve hardly even seen them yet. We haven’t had time, so hopefully nothing too bad,” he said.
Galway’s substitute bench has been lauded over the past 18 months, with Niall Burke and Jason Flynn often helping them over the line, but both may be forced to start the replay.
The re-introduction of both Conor and Joseph Cooney in extra-time also suggests that the Tribesmen may not have huge strength in depth, with Donoghue expecting them to call on all their experience the next day.
“They’ve massive experience and they’ll draw on it and they’ll be ready to go again. It’s a game of massive magnitude, the prize is huge and I’ve no doubt next week will be the same again,” he said.
Clare came through with no major injuries and their clean bill of health combined with Galway’s woes see them shortened to 7/4 for the replay (Galway 4/7), with another draw available at 9/1.
Replay attendances are not typically on the same scale as the drawn affair (54,191), but a bumper crowd of 30,000-plus is expected in Thurles on Sunday for the next instalment.