EYE CATCHERER

STANDING out as a minor is never a guarantee of becoming a star at senior level, especially in Galway. The county is littered by underage success in both codes that hasn’t really translated on to the bigger stage. Thomas Monaghan (right) looked an exceptional talent on the Galway minor side that captured the AllIreland title in 2015. Within 18 months, Micheál Donoghue had given him his senior debut and, by the end of that season, the Craughwell native had an

All-Ireland, Leinster and national league medal (as well as a Fitzgibbon with Mary I). And he was still only 19. The world seemed his oyster, only for his progress to stall. Injury ensured that he failed to build on the promise of his debut senior season and he fell down the pecking order under Shane O’Neill, to such an extent that he dropped off the panel in February 2020. However, he has been reborn under Henry Shefflin. Galway’s Leinster opener in Wexford Park saw him make his first championship start, and he repaid Shefflin’s faith by scoring four points from play. Last weekend against Laois, he nailed six points from play and he’ll be a key weapon in attack when Dublin visit Salthill this evening. He has become a vital cog in Shefflin’s side.