Gaelic Games News round-up: Given his boxing background it's probably unwise to upset Galway manager Peter Ford. Although he still looks like he could throw a mean punch, Ford wasn't getting too worked up about certain criticism of his team's semi-final win over Mayo in the Allianz National Football League. Ian O'Riordan reports

"We obviously don't have much style according to the Mayo management," said Ford. "I'm aware what was said there, and they're entitled to say what they want. But I think it's ill advised to talk like that. It's not doing the Mayo players any good and I don't think the Mayo supporters are happy to hear people whingeing like that. I think they'd prefer if the management got on with their job and stopped talking like that."

Mayo's apparent unease with Galway's tactics in Castlebar last Sunday was expressed earlier this week by team trainer John Morrison, who accused them of "destroying skill" while suggesting they "won't win the All-Ireland playing like that".

Ford seemed content to keep his anger in check: "Sure he's that type of personality. He's enthusiastic and he's outward and I suppose he's always going to talk controversial. If that's the way he feels, fair enough, but I think he's reading the situation totally wrong.

"I know some people were talking about all the bodies we had behind the ball on Sunday. But that wasn't a deliberate plan on our behalf. The way Mayo play, their half backs are flying forward the whole time, and we had to follow them. They're a running team, so we had to follow them or else they were going to open us up big time.

"I mean Galway's style isn't defensive, as everyone knows. We set out to play as good football as we can, but sometimes teams will dictate how you play as well, and obviously if a team like Mayo are pushing everyone forward then we have to follow, and maybe that's why it looked like we had so many people behind the ball."

Yet there was some genuine anger at yesterday's league press conference in Dublin, where the managers of Galway, Kerry, Louth and Donegal shared thoughts on Sunday's Division One and Two finals. Beyond their obvious desire to win on Sunday, each of them agreed they should be playing in Croke Park, the home of so-called meaningful competitions.

"By the time we get back on Sunday night it will be midnight," said Ford, whose Galway team has a 5.30pm start against Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. "Players have to work the next morning, it's the same with families travelling and kids going to school the next day. It's way too late."

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor agreed: "We'd be more disappointed with the timing of the match. I mean I can't envisage a big crowd at that time on a Sunday evening. To me the Saturday evening would have made a lot more sense. Or else put it back another week."

Even more regretful were the Division Two managers, Eamonn McEneaney of Louth and Brian McIvor of Donegal, who head to Breffni Park in Cavan for a 3.30 throw-in - a direct clash with another high-profile game in Dublin involving an oval ball.

"I think it's a downgrading of the competition that it's not in Croke Park," said McEneaney. "It's every player's dream to play in Croke Park, and a National League final should be one of those days."

McIvor agreed: "We've no problems with Breffni Park, but I think the National League has taken on a totally new life over the last four or five years, so it was with total disbelief that I discovered the game was being switched out of Croke Park."

When the talk eventually moved on to Sunday's finals both Ford and O'Connor continued to agree: now that they've come this far winning the title is really all that matters.

"It's been an interesting league for us," said O'Connor, "up and down. The funny thing is we played better football last year and didn't qualify, but then we haven't really been extending ourselves in training yet this year. We're still only doing one night a week.

"But we were disappointed to lose to Tyrone. We then scraped a draw against Dublin, and I think were mentally right going into the Laois game last Sunday, although I don't think they were firing on all cylinders. Sunday will give us a good idea of where we stand, and we're very happy to get the two extra games, because we really need those games at this time of the year."

Ford goes into Sunday's game finally clear of the shadow of his predecessor John O'Mahony, and poised to deliver his first national title with the senior team: "When I started into 2005 the spine of that old team was gone - Gary Fahy at full back, Tomás Mannion at centre back, Kevin Walsh and Seán Ó Domhnaill at midfield, and Ja Fallon at centre forward. We still have five or six of the experienced players, but I would never compare myself to what John did. I've a new team and just want to do as well as I can."

Ford has made his mark on this Galway team, shifting Declan Meehan to corner back, Paul Clancy to midfield, and Derek Savage to centre forward: "Well it wasn't an inspired move or anything like that. Some of it was necessary because of players missing, but good players can play anywhere. If you give any of these Galway players a job to do they're just happy to do it for the team.

"And the important thing is I have a fair idea of my championship team at this stage, whereas this time last year I wouldn't have had a clue. It really wasn't until the Connacht final that we got our team together. So I'd be confident at the moment that things are well advanced on last year."