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The Irish Sun
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Rob Finnerty predicts challenge Dublin will bring to Galway as he's wary of wounded animal in group opener
ROB FINNERTY has revealed Galway are braced for a Dublin backlash today. The Tribe dethroned Dessie Farrell's All-Ireland champions last season and Meath ended their 14-year domination of the Leinster SFC last month. Advertisement An epic quarter-final last June saw the Connacht giants defeat the Sky Blues. And three weeks ago, the Royals served up a similar shock with a 0-23 to 1-16 victory in Portlaoise. Dublin have been licking their wounds since, while Finnerty was helping his county conquer Connacht for a fourth year in a row with victory over Mayo. And the Salthill-Knocknacarra man knows the downtrodden Dubs will be out for blood in a first-ever Championship game between the counties at Pearse Stadium. Advertisement Read More On GAA The All-Star hitman said: 'They definitely will. They're a really hungry group and they obviously still have so many top players. 'They'll probably get a few more bodies back, but you can only imagine what their training's been like since that defeat to Meath — I'd say they're raring to go. 'When you look at their team sheet, there's so many players there with so many All-Irelands so it's hard not to rate them very highly, especially with the extra lads back as well. 'They were missing three or four starters against Meath, and I know maybe two or three of them were only just back on that day. Advertisement Most read in GAA Football 'So maybe they were caught on the hop.' Galway lost the All-Ireland final to Armagh last July and want to right a few wrongs themselves. Louth GAA homecoming in Drogheda after Leinster final win over Meath They will face another battle with the Orchard in round 3 of the group of death next month but back-to-back Championship wins over Dublin is the Tribesmen's first target. Key duo Damien Comer (hamstring) and Shane Walsh (back) are back in Joyce's squad for today's clash after missing their entire Connacht SFC campaign. Advertisement And Finnerty admits topping Group 4 and going directly into the last eight is vital after doing things the hard way in 2024. Pádraic Joyce's side missed out on top spot when they drew with Armagh in the last round. 1 The marksman was speaking at the launch of Harvey Norman's new sponsorship of GAA Hawk-Eye They dismissed Monaghan in the preliminary quarter-finals before taking Dublin's scalp, but played three games in as many weeks. Advertisement Finnerty said: 'Yeah, it's obviously ideal if you do that because you're in that flow of a game every two weeks, so that would be the best-case scenario. 'Last year we played three weeks in a row, Armagh then Monaghan then Dublin. They were all really tough battles. 'It's just the worry that you're more likely to pick up a niggle and if you pick up a small knock in that first game, you might miss three Championship games and then your year is over. 'So obviously we'd like to just keep on this two-week-on, but it's going to be difficult with this group. Advertisement 'We've been in some massive Championship games over the last few years, so we probably do have that extra bit of experience and thankfully we're getting used to getting over the line in those situations.' ROB FINNERTY was speaking at the launch of Harvey Norman's new sponsorships of GAA Hawk-Eye, official stats sponsor for the Men's Senior Football and Hurling Championships and also the Camogie Association stats sponsor. With 18 stores across the island of Ireland and 290 stores worldwide, Harvey Norman is a leading retailer of furniture, bedding, electrical and computers
The Irish Sun
08-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Galway GAA star Rob Finnerty admits timing of All-Ireland draw ‘doesn't make sense' after being placed in group of death
ROB FINNERTY feels that the All-Ireland SFC group stage draw should not have been made until after the provincial finals. The groups making up the 16-team race for Sam Maguire were 2 Robert Finnerty, right, admitted the All-Ireland draw did not make sense Credit: GAA 2 The draw took place before Galway beat Mayo in the Connacht football final Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile Finnerty helped the The victory Galway will host the Sky Blues at Pearse Stadium on May 17 at 5pm after their hurlers' Leinster SHC clash with Antrim at 2.30pm. Finnerty cannot wait for the Salthill double-header but reckons the draw was made unnecessarily early. Read More on GAA He said: 'All we were thinking about was winning another Connacht title. It wasn't ideal that they did the draw beforehand. 'Even this weekend after the Ulster and Leinster finals would be ideal, just do it on TV after. 'It doesn't really make much sense in my eyes, knowing where you're going to be and who you're facing. 'But I think we did a good job of just staying focused on Mayo and on winning a Connacht Championship. Most read in GAA Football 'The double-header will only add to the occasion and hopefully as many Galway people as possible can get down to it.' Galway led by eight points at the break last Sunday but Mayo staged a spirited comeback. Owen Mulligan teases Lee Keegan over hilarious contrast in how their inter-county GAA careers ended Kevin McStay's men thought they had taken the lead when Ryan O'Donoghue's two-point free effort sailed over — only for it to be reduced to one when Tribe stopper Connor Gleeson got a touch to it. The hosts protested that the ball had already gone over the bar as Galway went on to win by two. And Salthill-Knocknacarra man Finnerty admits the rule is bizarre, despite his team benefitting from it. He said: 'It is weird and it's a strange rule because it obviously halves the reward which I think is probably a bit crazy. 'If you can get the ball over the bar from 50 or 45 yards, I don't see why you wouldn't get the reward of the two points. 'Obviously it worked in our favour at the weekend so we'll take it.' TEAM NEWS Key men Shane Walsh (back) and Damien Comer (hamstring) missed the win at MacHale Park. The pair are in a race against time to face Dessie Farrrell's Dubs and Finnerty is uncertain if they will feature alongside him. He said: 'I'm actually not sure. I'd say it mightn't be too far away but I'm not sure they will make that Dublin game.' The GAA confirmed the fixture details for the first round of group stage clashes yesterday. In Group 2, Kerry will host Roscommon in Killarney at 2.30pm on Saturday, May 17 before Galway's mouth-watering Group 4 showdown with the Dubs at 5pm. Both games will be shown live on GAA+. Clare will host Down at Cusack Park in Ennis in a crucial Group 3 game on Sunday, May 18 at 2pm. Mayo entertain Cavan in Group 1 at 2.30pm at MacHale Park. l ROB FINNERTY was speaking at the launch of Harvery Norman's new sponsorships of GAA Hawk-Eye and their roles as official stats sponsor for the Men's Senior Football and Hurling Championships and also the Camogie Association stats sponsor. With 18 stores across the island of Ireland and 290 stores worldwide, Harvey Norman is a leading retailer of furniture, bedding, electrical and computers.
