THE GALWAY FOOTBALLERS have had a lift ahead of the 2024 season, as they welcome the return of some key players from injury and travelling.

Kieran Molloy, Seán Mulkerrin and Liam Silke are all back in the fold having all been absent for long spells.

Molloy has recovered from an ACL injury which he suffered on club duty with Corofin in 2022, while Silke returns from his time spent in New Zealand where he was working as a doctor.

Seán Mulkerrin suffered a serious knee injury in January 2022 during a Sigerson Cup game, and is a significant addition to Pádraic Joyce’s defensive options for the season ahead.

“It’s great to have them and it’s a real boost for us,” Galway star defender Seán Kelly said about the return of the trio after their lengthy absence. “It takes a while to get going again but it’s a big boost because they’re putting in a tough pre-season and have a real hunger for it so that drives us on too.  

“They’re all back training now and, in fairness to them, putting in a lot of work.”

There have been doubts over the availability of Peter Cooke due to work commitments, and Kelly says the Moycullen man’s situtation remains uncertain.

“I think management were chatting to him. He was gone away working in New York for the last while so I’m not fully sure exactly what has happened. I’ll have to meet him soon enough because I didn’t get a chance to see him over Christmas. Hopefully he’s around, but, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure right now.

“I’ll try to meet him now in the next couple of days and I’ll hopefully see then what his plan is. He’s a kind of a free bird, he does his own thing. It would be great to have him involved, but who knows right now.”  

Kelly struggled with injury during the 2023 season, picking up an ankle problem in the championship against Armagh. The Galway captain subsequently started at full-back in their All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final defeat to Mayo, which he admits may have been a regrettable decision. 

“It was one those that was always catching me,” he recalls. “I was able to jog and run but it was never fully right. It’s probably something I look back on now and say I shouldn’t have played. But at the time you want to play every game that you can.  

“As a player you don’t want to be missing out on these big games, a sell-out in Pearse Stadium against your arch rivals, that’s something you don’t want to miss out on because your career doesn’t last that long. I’ll always try to put myself in the best position to play and the fact we didn’t get over the line that day made it even worse.”

Additionally, Kelly is currently nursing a hamstring injury which he picked up before the county final with his club Moycullen against Corofin. His training with University of Galway is restricted for now ahead of the Sigerson Cup but he is hopeful of a swift return.

“I’m not back running yet, but hopefully soon, and I’ll be able to kick on then.  

“It’s one of those where I have to play it by ear and see how I get on and hopefully there will be no set-backs in finishing the rehab process. I’ve been going alright and it’s getting a lot better.  

“I haven’t been back running yet but hopefully that comes next week or the week after, I’m not entirely sure, but hopefully I can get back on the pitch soon as long as my tests go well.”

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