Shefflin will have Galway primed to have right cut off Limerick
Win over green machine with two best players out would bode well for summer
Galway and Limerick. A tale of two semi-finals. Back in 2022, during his first year in charge, Henry Shefflin brought his men to Croke Park. The Tribesmen went to war with the champions, pushing them right to the line.
The impression after the game was that they could go and challenge for silverware again.
Last year, it was much the same during the opening half of their rematch, Galway going toe-to-toe with Limerick in the All-Ireland semi-final. But then, of course, they capitulated, buckling under the weight and relentless pressure of the green machine.
We’re now into year three of King Henry’s reign. What can we expect? It’s hard to say with any confidence how their summer will play out. Can they realistically win their first All-Ireland since 2017?
In the end, they were comprehensively beaten by Limerick last year and you have to wonder if there’s genuine belief among supporters that they can rise to the champions’ level in 2024. One thing is certain: Henry is hell-bent on delivering an All-Ireland during his tenure and he’ll fully believe he can close the gap and get this group up the steps of the Hogan Stand.
But there are lots of rivers to cross before that.
Winning a Leinster title will be high on their agenda and securing silverware will be demanded, not only by Galway supporters but by Shefflin himself. Henry looks to be leaving no stone unturned in his approach this year. Bringing in Eamon O’Shea is a massive plus.
During his time at Tipperary we saw the influence O’Shea had in players’ movement, with a view to creating space up front, opening up avenues for more green flags.
Galway certainly have the personnel up front to excel with O’Shea’s guidance – players who can all move at pace and take on a score.
But to go the distance, Henry and his management will have to squeeze every last drop out of his elder statesmen who, let’s not forget, have the experience to get over the line at the top level.
David Burke is back from injury and his presence will delight Henry. Going on his club form, he’ll be a massive addition this summer. Speaking of players returning, the talk that Johnny Glynn has taken part in training with a view to coming back into the squad for the championship could be massive.