Connacht SFC: First round - Galway v New York, Tuam, 7.30

NB: Saturday - Only two players from last year, Gary Dowd and Martin Slowey, remain on the New York team which comes to Tuam …

NB: Saturday - Only two players from last year, Gary Dowd and Martin Slowey, remain on the New York team which comes to Tuam this evening. The difficulties of some of last year's team in negotiating the US exit/entry requirements have been well documented, but a couple of challenge matches between those who prudently stayed behind and those who travel this weekend ended in decisive wins for the absentees. Needless to say Galway can't lose this match, barring some long-term injury disaster, but John O'Mahony will be on the lookout for signs that key players are in better form than during last year's unsuccessful All-Ireland defence. Michael Donnellan and John Divilly can be expected on the field at some stage but the team's ability to cope without Tomas Mannion will hardly be tested. Although the management hasn't given up on Kevin Walsh's ability to recover full fitness and come back into the team, there will be anxious monitoring of debutant Joe Bergin's centrefield partnership with Sean O Domhnaill. O'Mahony feels that the collective appetite has returned after the disappointment of last year. That remains to be proved but Galway should eat well this evening.