SHANE WALSH WAS in contact with Paul Conroy yesterday morning.
He wanted to check in on his progress as the Galway midfield stalwart begins his arduous recovery from the double leg break he suffered on Sunday against Kerry.
Conroy was wheeled off in the first half in Croke Park after suffering the severe injury and will have to watch on for the remainder of Galway’s 2018 campaign.
Walsh knows they will miss his services on the pitch but feels the experienced figure, who joined the Galway senior setup after captaining the county to 2007 All-Ireland minor glory, will continue to play an important role in their squad for the rest of the season.
“I keep on slagging him, he was doped up on morphine. He’s coming around but obviously it’s a difficult time for him because we’re in the business end of the championship and he would like to be heavily involved.
“Your heart can’t but go out to him because you know how much he’s put into the training, one of the most dedicated lads over the last 10-12 years with Galway.
“It’s unfortunate, he’s probably had that kind of year that not too many players would want to have in that he picked up that injury against Mayo, he’d a bit of an ankle injury against Sligo.
“He hadn’t much football played coming into the Connacht final and then the game the last day, he was probably showing form again and that happens. It’s highly unfortunate.
“He’s a leader in the dressing-room and no doubt he’s a big voice as well for us as a team because he’s an experienced player in the group so he’ll be looking to bring that on, add on his bits of advice and bits of encouragement to us.
“It’s an awful thing to happen to him but I know he’ll have a big impact on us going forward off the pitch.”
Conroy is the latest Galway midfielder to succumb to injury with Ciaran Duggan, man-of-the-match in the opening victory in Connacht against Mayo, also out injured at present due to a broken wrist.
But Walsh is confident that they can cope and points to the return of 2013 All-Ireland U21 winning captain Fiontán Ó Curraoin as a boost to their prospects in that sector.
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Good to see Sammy putting in good performances. He could turn out to be an excellent Internation too. Great to see strength and depth at centre in Munster too, Scannel, Farrel, Taute, Arnold and even Goggins.
It would be nice to see some Munster developed players break into the national team, and stay there. It has been a long time since Conor Murray and Simon Zebo did so. There are a number of players in the background but they really need to start producing more for Ireland.
@grandslamkbo: O’Mahony? I agree that we could do with more lads breaking in for regular games but there’s such a log jam of Leinster players…
@EnKy: POM, of course. My error, I meant backs. No reason to drag thinly veiled hostility towards Leinster in this. What Munster-developed players do you think are being unfairly kept out of the first team or regular squad positions for Leinster players? As an Irish supporter, I want to see the best for the national team. Every team has to do their part.
@grandslamkbo: last weekend there were 3 Leinster starters, 2 – munster, 1 Connacht and 1 Ulster. For the next match it’ll be 3 munster, 2 Leinster, 1 Connacht and 1 Ulster. Not sure how you figure munster should be doing more.
@Jim Demps: It was a pretty poor attempt at trolling
This guy has got some serious acceleration.
The abuse joe get and yet the work he puts into these younger players and bringing them through slowly but making sure each part of the foundation is rock solid. Those who buy into this learning set up and do the required work will become far better players for us in the medium and long term.
@Chris Mc: where you seeing all this abuse for Joe?
@Jim Demps: Ahhhh c’mon now… Even Ive hurled the odd bit of abuse at him. And i think he’s flippin great.
The criticism from fans is constant. No matter what he does there will be those who think he shouldve done differently. That’s just the territory of being a head coach. Everyone has an opinion, so no matter what choice Schmidt makes, someone will disagree
@Jim Demps: I just made it up
@Rudiger McMonihan: ya ur probably right. I’m always dumbfounded that he goes with toner.
Fine player with a big future ahead for Munster and Ireland.