Galway minor football manager Stephen Joyce.
By Cian O'Connell
A selector when Galway claimed All Ireland senior glory in 1998 and 2001, Stephen Joyce knows all about delivering at Croke Park.
Despite losing a couple of key players to injury at the start of the campaign Joyce has still guided Galway to an Electric Ireland MFC Semi-Final appearance against Donegal.
“We have a good group of players,” Joyce acknowledges. “Long term injuries have made a huge difference to us, we don’t have John Daly and Cian Darcy, who possibly would have been our midfield pairing.
“To be fair to the lads that have stepped in they’ve done very well and we are pleased with how they are progressing. If we had everyone available we’d be in a stronger position. Hopefully if we can get a performance the result will follow for us.”
Donegal will pose a stern test according to Joyce, who managed Clonbur to an All Ireland Junior Club title in 2012. “Having watched videos of them Donegal seem to play the same type of game as the senior team. They seem to like getting bodies behind the ball and then break at pace. They seem to have worked hard developing the same type of system and they have plenty of good footballers.
“It is a new challenge for us, something we haven’t come across much before. Donegal also have a bit of an advantage having played at Croke Park already. At this stage it is important because playing there brings a totally different dynamic.
“You’ve stands all around you, I know it is still a football pitch, but it takes a while to adjust to the surroundings there.
“Getting to Croke Park was what we wanted to do at the start of the year. Our aim was to win the Connacht Championship and we had a couple of good wins to do that.
“The last time out we didn’t play so well against Laois, but hopefully we are saving our best for Croke Park. We know it will be difficult.”
