'Struggling' Galway need to find a spark in order to overcome Armagh
Former Mayo captain Keith Higgins feels neighbours Galway need to find their "spark" if they are to defeat Armagh and keep their championship hopes alive.
Speaking on RTÉ's The Championship, Higgins cited the returning Damien Comer as being the potential level-raiser hiding in plain sight.
"From a Galway point of view, maybe he [Damien Comer] has a couple more weeks training done since coming on against Derry," said Higgins.
The Annaghdown clubman was an impact sub in the draw with Derry a fortnight ago, scoring one point from a mark. Now as Pádraic Joyce's men look to keep their season alive, Higgins believes Comer could be the saving grace.
"He might be a bit sharper, and you might get a bit more impact off him, but Galway just need to find some bit of a spark.
"If Galway could get some type of a result here, it could kickstart their season again", claimed the Mayo man.
Galway venture up to Kingspan Breffni Park to renew an old rivalry with a familiar foe. The Tribesmen were narrowly pipped by Armagh in last year's All Ireland Final, following a drawn group stage tie. A year prior went the same way in the group stage, while back in 2022, Matthew Tierney was the hero as Galway edged McGeeney's men on penalties in an epic encounter.
For Higgins, its finely poised to be another rip-roaring contest.
"This is the one that sticks out.
"There's been so much talk in the last couple of years in terms of the system and format and the lack of jeopardy, but we're looking at jeopardy here now for Galway. It's a huge game for them", Higgins told RTÉ.
"Looking back on the last couple of games, the second half of that Connacht final when Mayo pushed up on them, Dublin came to Salthill and pushed up on them and Derry really went at them up in Celtic Park a couple of weeks ago.
"I don't think Armagh will play that type of a game, they will be more inclined to sit back into their defensive shape, so it could suit Galway a small bit more", Higgins added.
"It will be a big test but it's great to see the jeopardy finally kicking in."
Galway enter the game knowing a win would keep them in the hunt for at least another week, whereas Armagh are guaranteed top spot and qualification for the All-Ireland quarter-finals courtesy of wins over Derry and Dublin.
However, if their four previous meetings in the last four years are anything to go by, Galway will need to be at their very best for 70 minutes in order to overcome the Orchard County.
Follow a live blog on the All-Ireland Football Championship on Saturday on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.30pm.
Watch an All-Ireland Football Championship double-header, Monaghan v Down and Donegal v Mayo, on Sunday from 1.30pm. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game at 9.30pm.
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The Irish Sun
39 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Shane Walsh the hero as Galway rise from the dead to stun Armagh and save summer
COMETH THE hour, cometh Shane Walsh. 2 Shane Walsh starred for Galway in a classic clash on Saturday evening 2 Galway scored a last-gasp winner to beat the reigning All-Ireland champions The Tribes came back from the dead to stun Kieran McGeeney's men in Cavan - and rallied to steal third spot in the group of death despite missing TWO first half penalties. Second half goals from the superb John Maher and Rob Finnerty set them alight as McGeeney's men wilted coming the stretch - before Walsh's dramatic winning free after the hooter sealed it. Maher was sublime and led the charge, while Sean Fitzgerald had a game for the ages and totally nullified Armagh hitman Andrew Murnin. But Galway were hanging by a thread at the break. A disastrous opening half saw Matthew Tierney and Finnerty both miss from the spot as the Orchard ran riot. read more on gaa Armagh were already through to the last eight, but approached the game otherwise. Ethan Rafferty lorded Breffni with three two-pointers as Ross McQuillan won his epic battle with Sean Kelly and scored 0-3. Niall Grimley grabbed his shot with both hands in the middle and scored 0-3 to give boss McGeeney plenty to think about for the next fortnight. Most read in GAA Football They led 0-15 to 0-7 at the break, and 0-13 of that came from play. If Armagh dominating was bad, missing two penalties was worse as Tierney's first effort was saved by Rafferty and Rob Finnerty blazed his kick over the bar. GAA fans 'loved seeing and hearing' the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh as he features in RTE documentary Hell for Leather The magnificent Rafferty set the tone with their first two-pointer in the third minute as McGeeney's men cut through the Galway defence time and time again, as Jaly Óg Burns made huge inroads off both flanks and runners from deep finished the job. He laid one on a plate for Rían O'Neill to stretch their lead despite being well marshalled by Cillian McDaid before Peter McGrane quickly followed suit. Galway were at sixes and sevens, but were handed a lifeline when Burns fouled Finnerty - but Raferty denied Tierney and Maher fired wide from the rebound. But Walsh got into the game from here and never left it. He fired over a pair of beauties off each foot after Peter Cooke's whopping two-pointer, but the Armagh train was in top gear. They kicked 0-5 on the bounce in a ruthless second quarter as the superb Grimley nailed a two-pointer before Turbitt, Ross McQuillan and Cian McConville turned the screw. Peter Cooke boomed over Galway's only orange flag of the half but Darragh McMullan hit back with an even better one at the other end to make it 0-11 to 0-4. Walsh was fouled by Burns for penalty number two, but Finnerty overcooked it and it flew over the bar. 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'We got ourselves back into a good position again and gave it away and probably a wee bit of an eye in with the free at the end, but as I said, we have loads to work on.' Galway 2-22 Armagh 0-27 ARMAGH: E Rafferty 0-7, 2tpf, 1tp; P Burns, B McCambridge, P McGrane 0-1; R McQuillan 0-3, T Kelly 0-1, J Óg Burns 0-1; J Duffy 0-1, N Grimley 0-2tp; D McMullan 0-2tp, R O'Neill 0-1, J McElroy; C McConville 0-3, A Murnin 0-1, C Turbitt 0-1. Subs: T McCormack for McCambridge 20mins; G McCabe for P Burns HT, S Campbell 0-1 for Duffy 54, C Mackin for Grimley 59, O Conaty for McMullan 63, S McPartlan 0-1 for McConville (blood) 65 GALWAY: C Flaherty; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly, L Silke; P Cooke 0-3, 1tp, J Maher 1-0; C McDaid 0-2, R Finnerty 1-4, 0-1pen, C Darcy 0-2; M Tierney 0-1, S Walsh 0-9, 1tpf, 1f, M Thompson. Subs: P Conroy 0-1 for Tierney 33mins; D O'Flaherty for Silke HT, C Hernon for Fitzgerald 47 (blood), C Sweeney 0-1 for McHugh 54, Tierney for Cooke 59, J Heaney for McDaid REFEREE: N Mooney (Cavan)
Irish Times
41 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Dublin dump Derry out of the championship with narrow win in Newry
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Derry's Conor Glass and Ethan Doherty in action against Dublin's David Byrne. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho 'It's another tough one to take,' lamented Derry manager Paddy Tally. 'Coming out the wrong side of another tight game. 'We were pretty good for most of the match. We had a poor start but then by half-time we looked really back in it. There was a crucial time in that second half where Dublin got out to four, or maybe up to five points. 'We missed a couple of opportunities, we missed a goal chance but we can have no real complaints, the players played as well as they possibly could. That was a serious game of football.' Dublin finish second in the group and so will have a home preliminary quarter-final against one of the third placed teams. The draw takes place on Monday morning. 'Compared to what I saw from Dublin (against Armagh) they're like a different team today,' added Tally. 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Irish Independent
43 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Déise delirium as Waterford book place in minor hurling decider at Kilkenny
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