AIB launched its 10th year sponsoring the AIB GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championships, as #TheToughest players in Gaelic Games set their sights on All-Ireland success. Galway forward Rob Finnerty pictured at the launch.
By Cian O'Connell
"They're definitely going to see me, not Anthony," Galway forward Rob Finnerty laughs about so many family members travelling over to New York for this weekend's Connacht SFC clash at Gaelic Park.
The totemic Anthony Finnerty is part of the Dancing Like A Star Galway GAA fundraiser in the Hammersmith Ballroom alongside Nicola Comer. "There is a good crew going," Rob Finnerty adds.
"William is actually in Vancouver, he is going from there, and the rest are all going from home. We've some family over in New York, and they will all be there. So, it is a good crew and it is exciting."
The games in London and New York provide opportunities in different ways and Finnerty is fully aware of that aspect. "It is a really nice trip for people to go to," he says.
"I know we were in London last year and there was a massive Galway support and they always seem to enjoy it massively. Again, just from talking to people from my own club and around Galway, there is a good crowd travelling. It is really exciting for them as well as us."
Former Salthill-Knocknacarra colleague Donie Hunt, a Kerry native, is training with New York. "I was talking to him a few months ago, I haven't been talking to him since," Finnerty says.
"He was saying he was considering going in playing with New York. That will be cool. It is less than two years ago that Donie was playing with our club. He's a great lad, we'd all be really friendly with him.
"He was in playing with the Galway Development Panel for a year. It is interesting now that he will be playing against us, it is cool and I'm delighted for Donie. Hopefully he will be playing."
Following last year's championship Finnerty underwent knee surgery. "I got the surgery done not too long after the All-Ireland, I got it done fast enough," Finnerty says.
Galway's Rob Finnerty in Allianz Football League action. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfil
"So, I was out for about eight weeks of the club season, I missed a good bit of that. I got back, maybe played one game with the club, but didn't play much.
"Again, I probably had a good block of rehab to do then after that before going back playing with Galway. I didn't do much of the pre-season challenges, my first game was Mayo in the league.
"I played in that and have been working it up with game time going from 20 minutes, to playing a half, and I played my first full 70 minutes in the last Kerry league game. We've timed it pretty well coming into the Championship."
Considering that Finnerty started so brightly in the decider against Armagh, it must have been tough to watch the rest of the match unfold? "Yeah, it was really difficult," Finnerty replies.
"I was obviously nursing the injury throughout the last three or four championship games. It happened in that Derry group game, there always was that chance you could get a knock in it and it might flare up or you might have to go off.
"It was really difficult, you feel so hopeless on the bench, watching in, especially when it is taken away from you after 10 minutes. It was really tough, but I'm delighted to be back playing now."
Ultimately, Finnerty is encouraged about the fact that Galway have been prominent on the national stage recently. Even when players were unavailable in the 2024 and 2025 Allianz Football League due to injuries, Galway coped adequately. "Of course, there is massive depth," Finnerty remarks.
"We did have a good few injuries throughout the league, especially at the start of the league. We were down a number of experienced bodies, but it didn't really seem like that.
"I don't think people even noticed because so many younger guys were stepping up, performing well. It is in a really good place. Even just making the 26 at this stage, it is really competitive. That is good, it is a sign of a healthy panel, and we're in a good place."
