Galway centre back and captain Gary O’Donnell will become the only player to have started every single championship game under manager Kevin Walsh when he runs on to the pitch in Castlebar against Mayo on Saturday (7pm). The Tuam Stars club man is one of only 3 players to have started and one of 7 players to have played some part in all 11 championship games in the last 2 seasons under the current Galway manager, but is the only one named in the starting team for this weekend. Fiontan O’Curraoin and Finian Hanley were the only other players to have started every game in the last 2 years, but apart from Micheal Lundy who is in New York, the others will all make it 12 out of 12 on Saturday as Tom Flynn, Danny Cummins and Damien Comer are all selected to start. Interestingly, Bernard Power becomes the 4th Galway goalkeeper in senior championship football in that time and Adrian Varley looks set to continue his role as ‘super-sub’, having started in last year’s All Ireland quarter final defeat to Donegal, but came on as a substitute 8 times in the previous 10 games. In all, Kevin Walsh will have used 43 players by the start of Saturday’s semi final, with that number likely to increase by the finish.
Galway footballers championship appearances 2014-2015 (appearances as sub in brackets)
Goalkeepers (x 3): Manus Breathnach 4, Brian O’Donoghue 4, Tom Healy 3
Defenders (x 15): Gary O’Donnell 11, Finian Hanley 11, Gareth Bradshaw 10 (2), Johnny Duane 7, Paul Varley 7 (2), Cathal Sweeney 6, Liam Silke 6, Sean Denvir 6 (2), Donal O’Neill 5, Aengus Tierney 2, Daithi Burke 2 (2), Joss Moore 2, Keith Kelly 1 (1), Paddy Naughton 1 (1), Declan Kyne 1 (1)
Midfielders (x 4): Fiontan O’Curraoin 11, Tom Flynn 11 (2), Paul Conroy 10 (1), Greg Higgins 2 (2)
Forwards (x 16): Danny Cummins 11 (1), Damien Comer 11 (3), Micheal Lundy 11 (1), Shane Walsh 9 (2), Adrian Varley 9 (8), Michael Martin 8 (4), Eddie Hoare 7 (3), Gary Sice 6, Peadar Og O’Griofa 6 (2), Patrick Sweeney 5 (4), John O’Brien 5 (4), Sean Armstrong 4 (4), James Kavanagh 3 (1), Cathal Mulryan 3 (3), Eoin Concannon 1 (1), Enda Tierney 1 (1)
Galway’s Championship record so far under Kevin Walsh:
2014 (Pld 5 W3 L2):
Galway 3-17 v London 0-7: Manus Breathnach; Donal O’Neill, Finian Hanley, Johnny Duane; Gareth Bradshaw, Gary O’Donnell, Paul Varley; Fiontan Ó’Curraoin, Tom Flynn; Micheal Lundy (0-1), Shane Walsh (1-6, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45), James Kavanagh; Michael Martin (1-3, 0-1 free), Eddie Hoare (0-3), Danny Cummins (1-3). Subs: Greg Higgins for Ó Curraoin; Damien Comer for Lundy; Adrian Varley (0-1) for Martin; John O’Brien for Flynn; Cathal Mulryan for Bradshaw; Eoin Concannon for Hoare
Galway 0-16 v Sligo 0-11: Manus Breathnach; Donal O’Neill, Finian Hanley, Aengus Tierney; Gareth Bradshaw, Gary O’Donnell, Paul Varley; Fiontan O’Curraoin, Tom Flynn; Micheal Lundy (0-1), Shane Walsh (0-6, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45), Damien Comer (0-1); Michael Martin (0-2, 0-1 free), Eddie Hoare (0-2), Danny Cummins (0-4). Subs: Paul Conroy for Hoare, Adrian Varley for Martin, Sean Armstrong for Cummins, John O’Brien for Comer, Cathal Mulryan for Lundy
Galway 0-16 v Mayo 3-14: Manus Breathnach; Aengus Tierney, Finian Hanley, Donal O’Neill; Gareth Bradshaw (0-1), Gary O’Donnell, Paul Varley; Fiontan O’Curraoin, Tom Flynn; Micheal Lundy (0-1), S Walsh (0-7, 0-5 frees), Damien Comer; Paul Conroy (0-4), Eddie Hoare, Danny Cummins (0-1). Subs: James Kavanagh for Comer, Daithi Burke for Tierney, Sean Armstrong (0-2) for Cummins, Greg Higgins for Hoare, John O’Brien for Lundy
Galway 4-17 v Tipperary 4-12: Tom Healy; Donal O’Neill, Finian Hanley, Joss Moore; Gareth Bradshaw, Gary O’Donnell, Paul Varley (0-1); Fiontan Ó’Curraoin (1-0), Tom Flynn (1-0); Micheal Lundy (1-1), Shane Walsh (0-5, 0-3frees), James Kavanagh; Michael Martin (0-3), Paul Conroy (0-3), Danny Cummins (1-1). Subs: Daithi Burke for O’Donnell, Sean Armstrong (0-2) for Cummins, Adrian Varley for Martin, John O’Brien for Lundy, Damien Comer (0-1) for Kavanagh, Eddie Hoare for Walsh
Galway 2-10 v Kerry 1-20: Tom Healy, Donal O’Neill, Finian Hanley, Joss Moore, Gareth Bradshaw (0-2), Gary O’Donnell, Paul Varley, Fiontan O’Curraoin, Tom Flynn (1-0), Micheal Lundy (1-1), Shane Walsh (0-5, 0-3 frees), John O’Brien, Michael Martin, Paul Conroy (0-1), Danny Cummins. Subs: Sean Armstrong for Cummins, Damien Comer (0-1) for O’Brien, Keith Kelly for Moore, Eddie Hoare for Martin, Cathal Mulryan for Varley
2015 (Pld 6 W4 L2):
Galway 2-18 v New York 0-8: Tom Healy; Johnny Duane, Finian Hanley, Cathal Sweeney; Liam Silke (0-1), Gary O’Donnell, Sean Denvir (0-1); Fiontan Ó’Curraoin (0-1), Paul Conroy (0-1, capt); Gary Sice, Shane Walsh (1-4, 0-1 free), Eddie Hoare; Peadar Og Ó Gríofa (0-4, 0-2 frees), Damien Comer (1-4, 0-2 ’45), Danny Cummins (0-1). Subs: Paul Varley (for Denvir); Tom Flynn (for Conroy); Michael Martin (0-1 for Sice), Micheal Lundy for Hoare; Adrian Varley (for Comer); Paddy Naughton (for Cathal Sweeney)
Galway 1-12 v Leitrim 0-8: Brian O’Donoghue; Johnny Duane, Finian Hanley, Cathal Sweeney; Liam Silke, Gary O’Donnell (0-1), Sean Denvir; Fiontan O’Curraoin, Paul Conroy (capt 0-6, 0-5 frees); Gary Sice, Shane Walsh, Micheal Lundy (0-1); Peadar Og O’Griofa (0-1 free), Danny Cummins (0-2), Damien Comer (1-1). Subs: Patrick Sweeney for Walsh, Tom Flynn for O’Curraoin, Adrian Varley for Cummins, Michael Martin for Ó Griofa, Declan Kyne for Sweeney, Gareth Bradshaw for Denvir
Galway 2-8 v Mayo 1-15: Manus Breathnach; Cathal Sweeney, Finian Hanley, Johnny Duane; Liam Silke, Gary O’Donnell, Seán Denvir; Fiontán Ó Curraoin, Tom Flynn; Gary Sice (1-3, 0-2 frees), Paul Conroy (capt. 0-3 frees), Michael Lundy; Patrick Sweeney, Danny Cummins (1-1), Damien Comer (0-1). Subs: Peadar Ó Gríofa for Conroy, Eddie Hoare for Flynn, Gareth Bradshaw for Silke, Adrian Varley for Sweeney
Galway 1-12 v Armagh 0-12: Brian O’Donoghue, Johnny Duane, Finian Hanley, Cathal Sweeney, Liam Silke (0-1), Gary O’Donnell, Gareth Bradshaw, Fiontan O’Curraoin, Tom Flynn, Gary Sice (0-3, 0-2 frees), Paul Conroy (0-4 frees), Sean Denvir, Peadar Og O’Griofa (0-1), Damian Comer (1-2), Micheal Lundy. Subs: Danny Cummins (0-1) for Denvir, Adrian Varley for O’Griofa, Patrick Sweeney for Sice, Paul Varley for Cathal Sweeney
Galway 1-11 v Derry 0-8: Brian O’Donoghue; Johnny Duane, Finian Hanley, Cathal Sweeney; Liam Silke, Gary O’Donnell (0-1), Gareth Bradshaw (0-1); Fiontan Ó’Curraoin, Tom Flynn; Gary Sice (0-7 frees), Paul Conroy (0-2 frees), Micheal Lundy; Peadar Óg Ó’Griofa, Damien Comer, Danny Cummins (1-0). Subs: Patrick Sweeney for Ó Gríofa; Shane Walsh for Conroy; Sean Denvir for Lundy; Adrian Varley for Comer; for Cummins
Galway 0-11 v 3-12 Donegal: Brian O’Donoghue; Johnny Duane, Finian Hanley, Cathal Sweeney; Gareth Bradshaw, Gary O’Donnell, Liam Silke; Fiontan Ó’Curraoin, Tom Flynn (0-1); Gary Sice (0-4 frees), Paul Conroy (0-1), Micheal Lundy; Danny Cummins (0-1), Adrian Varley (0-2), Damien Comer (0-1 free). Subs: Shane Walsh (0-1) for Varley, Patrick Sweeney for Conroy, Peadar Og O’Griofa for Cummins, Sean Denvir for Lundy, Michael Martin for Flynn, Enda Tierney for Sice.