AVENGING their All-Ireland final loss to Armagh in the last game of 2024 wasn’t a consideration for Galway in the first game of this season.
The Tribesmen, who lost the Sam Maguire decider by a point last July, trailed their familiar foes by four points at midway through the first half but a series of frees from top-scorer Cillian Ó Curraoin saw them rally to take the lead by the break.
In the second half Ó Curraoin landed his county’s first two-pointer and after he said Galway are driven by achieving success this season, not settling old scores from the past.
“We weren’t going to avenge anything,” he said.
“We really just wanted to start off the League with two points. We weren’t planning on avenging anything or getting revenge or anything. That wasn’t our focus in the game. We worked hard throughout November, December and January and we’re here now, we got the win and the first two points.
“We played to the elements in the second half. In the first half, we really focused on getting the two points, getting the two points, instead of bringing it (the ball) in.
“There’s this kind of pocket in the ‘D’ that we weren’t using.
“Armagh were pressing out and we were taking on crazy shots - including one I took myself but in the second half, we played the elements.
“We were bringing it in, bringing it out, worked the scores, got it to the kickers. That was the difference in the end.”
The new rules have their critics but O Curraoin isn’t one of them. He believes the new three-v-three rule means there will be early ball coming his way and space to exploit as the season unfolds.
“For an inside-forward, they are unbelievable,” he said.
“I was looking forward to it for a long, long time. I went up and I watched the Inter-pros and I was really licking my lips.
“It was great to just come out in front of a crowd and just play. It’s great. Enjoyed it, everyone did.”
There was confusion at times on Saturday night. Armagh kicked a tap-over free for one-point, Galway got a two-pointer for the same offence… O Curraoin agreed that the regulations will take time to bed in.
“Everyone will take their own spin to it,” he said.
“Everyone is kind of sussing each other out. We saw that in the first half. What are they going to do with kickouts? What are they going to do with the press? It’ll take a while for everyone to get their own spin and dynamic to it. It’s exciting.
“We went from the old rules on Wednesday night (playing in the Sigerson Cup) to the new rules today. Even the last few weeks of Sigerson, we were going from the old rules to the new rules. It’s a massive contrast. You’d love coming back to Galway training sometimes, you’re so frustrated playing Sigerson because of the old rules.”
Galway travel to McHale Park to face neighbours Mayo who lost their Division One opener to Dublin by two points at Croke Park on Saturday. The Tribesmen haven’t won a National League title since 1981 and O Curraoin says their ambition is to end that drought.
A team packed with physical units includes some impressive kickers and the second half salvo of two-point shots on Saturday night quickly put daylight between Galway and Armagh.
“We’re blessed with kickers in Galway and we always were,” said O Curraoin.
“I suppose the last few years with blanket defences it was hard to use kickers, it was hard to use skilful players.
“But I think this is a really good chance for the likes of Paul Conroy, for the likes of Shane Walsh and any other forward in that dressing-room to really express themselves and use that two-point arc.”
