The Irish Mail on Sunday

GALWAY READY TO WELCOME HOME THEIR PRODIGAL SON

- By Philip Lanigan

WOULD he have made the difference? Even just a single point that ultimately separated Tipperary from Galway at the end of last summer’s frenetic All-Ireland semi-final? The answer to that question has clearly been playing on the mind of Jonathan Glynn with the news that he is to try and perfect the art of bilocation to aid Galway’s All-Ireland ambition. In an interview last May, with the skyline of Manhattan behind him, just before the Ardrahan hurler was about to line out for New York against Roscommon in the Connacht SFC, he gave an honest answer to a straight question.

‘To think about it, it’d kill me not to go back. But I can’t do both – if I go back [to Ireland] I can’t come back here, and if I stay here I can’t hurl back there. It’s a hard one, between sleepless nights and thinking about it and phone calls home.

‘But I honestly think Galway are good enough to win an All-Ireland without me. I’m enjoying life, I’m enjoying work… I don’t know when I’m going home, I don’t know what’s going to happen, so I’m just going to play it by ear and see how it goes.

‘I came out here for a holiday two years ago and I loved the place. I said if I ever get the chance to come out, I’ll take it… I’m only 22, and the last four or five years have been dedicated to hurling. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it, but…

‘If you came up to Woodlawn where I live, it’s like walking down Shop Street in Galway! I’ve a brother here almost four years, and he had the foundation­s laid for me – I came out with my girlfriend Serena, I’ve an uncle here, friends, work has been great… if I was to walk away from that, I’d be walking away from a lot.’

Whatever sort of compromise has been reached, the news that he will play a part in Galway’s bid for a first All-Ireland since the double of 1987-88 evoked memories of Gerry McInerney (left) who made light of living Stateside to pop across the Atlantic and hurl up a storm at wing-back. It was 1985 when McInerney journeyed over to America, along with Seán Treacy and Pete Finnerty.

The original plan was to play hurling for the weekend. Instead, he took up work as a carpenter and put down roots.

It says everything about how the demands of the game have changed that he led a life that resembled that of a college student in reverse – heading to Ireland to play hurling for the summer. That he was able to slot straight back into the team and play a starring role hinted at an easier time. It won’t be that easy for 23year-old Glynn who last lined out for Galway in the 2015 All-Ireland final against Kilkenny. But his powerful, ball-winning presence was just the sort of thing his team needed when Joe Canning was forced off with a severe hamstring injury in last August’s AllIreland semi-final.

Last weekend, Glynn lined out for his club in the county senior championsh­ip and his inclusion in the squad is an indication that Galway manager Micheál Donoghue is prepared to do whatever it takes to finally bridge that long gap without a senior All-Ireland. If he felt that the mix up front was more than able to land the big one, then he’d hardly be entertaini­ng a player who will still spend a bit of time Stateside.

With Kilkenny limping out of the National League at the quarterfin­al stage, Leinster looks more wide open than it ever has in the last 20 years. At least on paper. Kilkenny, under Brian Cody, have made a habit of quelling any provincial coups though.

The close-fought nature of the Division 1B encounter against Limerick suggests today’s league semi-final too will be finely balanced, despite the assertion by former Galway player Damien Hayes that Galway are ‘way ahead’ and that he would be ‘shocked’ if they don’t win and set up a shot at a first title since 2010.

‘He will be a huge addition back into the squad,’ he said of Glynn. ‘He is a great player. He is a great ball-winner, a great player to give a pass and get a score. His attitude is top-class. ‘He is a real good guy who will add to the setup.’ ‘We will definitely be going for it,’ said Donoghue. ‘There are only three cups we can lift and it would be great to get to a League final. There will be nothing easy about this. Limerick will be coming out strong, but it’s another competitiv­e game ahead of the Championsh­ip. Our confidence is high and the morale is good in the camp.’ Especially, with Glynn part of the dressing room once again.

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 ??  ?? HIGH HOPES: Galway expect Jonathan Glynn back for the Championsh­ip
HIGH HOPES: Galway expect Jonathan Glynn back for the Championsh­ip

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