GALWAY HEAD INTO 2017 as the reigning Connacht champions, but the enduring memory for the Tribesmen is their quarter-final collapse to Tipperary.<\/p>\n
Tipperary stunned Kevin Walsh\u2019s side in the last eight clash at Croke Park, running out nine-point winners to make the semi-finals for the first time since 1935.<\/p>\n
\n Source: Tommy Grealy\/INPHO<\/p>\n
For Galway, much of their good work earlier on in the championship was undone and the year ended on a sour note.<\/p>\n
They defeated Mayo and, after a replay, Roscommon before going down to underdogs Tipp. They haven\u2019t won a game at Croke Park since their All-Ireland final win in 2001.<\/p>\n
Centre-back Gary O\u2019Donnell is still trying to put his finger on what went wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t had a huge opportunity to look through it,\u201d he said. \u201cBut obviously there was huge dissapointment, heads were very much down. Not that we took the game for granted but just the way we performed on the day, I thought we were very flat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first 10 or 15 minutes, things were going to plan and we were comfortable enough. I think we had four points on the board to one, and I just think we found it very difficult to get through the gears.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce the intensity of the game went up we needed to push through the gears but there was nothing really there.<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cIt\u2019s funny, it was the only game we lost in championship all year and then when it\u2019s over, it\u2019s over and lads go their seperate ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think we probably put a lot of effort and time into the Connacht championship and the fact it went to a replay as well.\u00a0It was probably a huge sense of relief and [we were] just very flat on the day [against Tipp].<\/p>\n
\u201cIt definitely puts a bit of perspective and motivation and hunger in for next year. So we have it all to prove again.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n Source: Morgan Treacy\/INPHO<\/p>\n
Still, perspective is important here. Galway ended Mayo\u2019s reign in Connacht, having spent much of the last decade under the Westerners\u2019 thumb.\u00a0Kevin Walsh is on-board as boss for another three-year term, with a young squad at his disposal.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though a few weeks after the Tipperary game it was all dissapointment, on reflection you\u2019d have to take a lot of positives out of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you were given a Connacht championship in January you\u2019d obviously have taken it with both hands so, we\u2019re going into 2017 defending the Connacht championship, which is very encouraging.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the work and improvements we\u2019ve made over the years has been down to Kevin and the management. The fact he got another three-year term is brilliant for us that he can bring forward and hopefully bring a bit of consistency to our performances as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Galway will play the winners of Sligo and Mayo in the last four of the province. A first Connacht two-in-a-row since 2003 is a realistic ambition, although they\u2019ll likely face a Mayo side determined to restore their dominance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve on the other side of it before, where we\u2019ve had a run of games. There\u2019s pros and cons to it. I suppose there will be a big gap between league and championship but it was something similar this year as well.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will probably give us a chance to get our house in order after the league depending on how that ends. And we\u2019ll look forward to that game whoever it\u2019s against.\u201d\n<\/p>\n