Sean Kelly wasn’t on the field last year when Galway collapsed in the second half of their Connacht final defeat by Mayo at Croke Park.
He’d gone off injured in the first half.
And Galway skipper Kelly was only a late sub when the Tribe were walloped by Kerry in the 2021 National League, shipping four goals in a 22 point loss.
Read more: Former Antrim ace Owen Gallagher plotting All-Ireland success with Tribesmen
The Moycullen man has struggled with hamstring injuries, but he’s avoided them this year, and is one big piece of the Galway jigsaw.
Some of the other pieces include the addition of Cian O’Neill, a burgeoning defensive system with fit again John Daly at the heart of it, Shane Walsh’s deadeye free-taking and Damien Comer (left) back to his absolute peak.
There’s rarely one reason why a county goes from also rans to serious contenders.
What it shows though is that keeping your best players fit is absolutely vital for any county.
Galway still have their injuries though. With Sean Andy O Ceallaigh not in the picture and Sean Mulkerrin sustaining a serious knee injury at the start of the year, Galway had no full-back.
Step forward Kelly, the ultimate utility man, settling into one of the most important positions in the game.
He’s done a serious job for Galway, shackling the superb Rian O’Neill and the dangerous Niall Loughlin in the wins over Armagh and Derry.
Some will no doubt point to the three goals Armagh got off high balls in the All-Ireland quarter-final and look at goalkeeper Conor Gleeson and full-back Kelly.
Two of those landed right on the bar and were incredibly difficult to deal with. The other was a goalkeeping error. That experience was more of a freak than a regular occurrence.
“Obviously we have been working on it in training,” said Kelly, who wasn’t on the field for one of Armagh’s high ball goals, after being sent off following the full time melee, before having the red card overturned.
“It is something we have confidence in. It is not something we are scared of, but if they do (Kerry hit high ball), they do.
“It is a good tool. Armagh got joy out of it. If it happens we will do our best to deal with it.”
Jack O’Connor sides have gone for the jugular early on in All-Ireland finals – to test the opposition’s pulse as they say in Kerry. Mayo in 2004 and 2006 spring to mind immediately.
Galway had better brace themselves as their goal is very likely to be peppered early on with high ball, even if Kerry don’t have a Kieran Donaghy or Tommy Walsh in there any more.
Survive the early onslaught, or turn the tables and go for the jugular themselves with Comer, and Galway will be in business.
You can be fairly sure Kelly, who is likely to pick up David Clifford, has been paired up with Comer in training over the past
fortnight with plenty of high and low ball launched in on the pair.
As preparation for big games – and Clifford – goes, it doesn’t get much better than that.
“We mix it up in fairness,” says Kelly. “There are numerous forwards that are a threat.
“For example, Damien would be bigger and stronger, Shane (inset) faster. Even a couple of my club lads, Dessie Conneely – smaller with sharp turns.
“Then going into games, if you know who you are picking up, you can find that man in training.
“Similar enough players, match up with them to get ready for the weekend.
“It is always changing. There are very good players all through the panel. As a defensive unit we get great benefit from that.
“Damien would be a strong winner of the ball with sharp turns. The benefits we get from that is major.
“You want to be marking the best players and if you mark them in training you get ready for that then in a game. There is a huge benefit out of it.
“He (Comer) is such a threat, a strong and good scoring forward. It’s great to have him fully fit (and) getting a good run of games.”
It is what every player wants. It is what you want off every player – the strongest players playing as much as they can. It is horrible to see injuries. So it is great to have him.”
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