Galway selector John Concannon pictured ahead of the All-Ireland SFC Final. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
Sport is always on the agenda in St Jarlath's.
In the 90s a particularly exciting crop were being developed. Three of them will stand on the line at Croke Park on Sunday. Padraic Joyce, John Divilly, and John Concannon are still serving the game in Galway.
During those years boys were brought to Jarlath's and Galway matches to watch and observe the skill and invention. Concannon was crafty, skilful and prolific in equal measure.
The Milltown clubman's senior inter-county playing career didn't go according to plan. As a selector, though, Concannon is contributing. There is solace in that.
It is a tale of friendship, fun, and football. "Myself, Padraic and John Divilly, we went to school in first year together and we've been best friends ever since," Concannon says.
"We played football all our underage careers, all the way up. We've kept in touch even when the lads went to college. We are best friends and football was always there. We were picking teams at the back of class. Picking Galway teams, picking Jarlath’s teams, picking Galway minor teams and we were doing that all our lives."
Now, they are doing it on the grand stage for Galway alongside Mícheál Ó Domhnaill and Cian O'Neill. "We have a brilliant relationship," Concannon adds.
"The last five years, there has been strains. There has been tough times. If you lose, you're always wondering, should you be here? Should you not be here? Is the friendship a distraction? Is it a hindrance? Thankfully, so far, it's worked out."
Galway selector John Concannon and full forward Damien Comer celebrate following the All-Ireland SFC Semi-Final at Croke Park. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Valuable lessons have been learned throughout the stint. "The first year, it started off great," Concannon recalls.
"It was open, flowing football. The first three or four years, it was on fire. We started off great. Then Covid hit us badly. Thinking back, not that we didn't prepare or train as good as we could, but there were so many restrictions and it was so hard to do anything.
"We came back from that Covid period. Mayo beat us and that's well documented in Tuam Stadium. That was a massive blow to us.
"Once the Covid era was over, then we got back on the horse. Again, Cian O'Neill came in and just brought a bit of freshness to the group and gave his experience and expertise to us. That helped significantly."
Injuries have disturbed Galway throughout the current campaign, but during the Allianz Football League emerging and returning players were afforded opportunities.
Ultimately, Galway's substitutes contributed handsomely in the closing chapters against Dublin and Donegal. "After 2022, the narrative out there, and it was probably correct that we didn't have a bench to beat Kerry," Concannon says.
"We were level with seven or eight minutes to go. The narrative was we didn't have the bench to win it. Kerry had a few lads come off the bench, they got a point here and a point there. We did work on it from then on.
"A few lads left the panel and a few more lads came in, a few younger lads came in this year as we know. It was something that we needed to work on, and we did in fairness. So far so good, it's working out."
