Galvin wants Limerick to focus on performance
Former Limerick footballer John Galvin, right, and former Kildare player John Doyle, with the Tailteann Cup. AIB will bring an added layer of excitement as the season nears an end with the return of the Volunteer VIP competition for the third time. For updates on the matches, Volunteer VIP competition details, exclusive content and behind the scenes action from the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, follow AIB GAA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
By Paul Keane
John Galvin has urged the Limerick footballers to chase a huge performance in the Tailteann Cup final. After that, the prize of silverware and a place in next year's race for the Sam Maguire Cup would be a welcome bonus.
Former midfielder Galvin, a three-time All-Star nominee, reckons that winning the title, something that has never been done before by a Division Four team, is important but that the top priority should be to deliver their best display of the season.
"It's not critical that they win but I do think that it's critical they perform," said AIB GAA ambassador Galvin. "Can I put it that way? They just need to have that big performance. They are already after getting promoted to Division 3 this year.
"So even if they don't win this weekend, as long as they give a very good performance, I think they can then mark it down as a very good year. That's my opinion. They can start back next year and really work on solidifying their place in Division 3.
"But yeah, I would be more worried about not performing than whether they win or lose. I just want to see them perform."
It's a bonus territory mentality that could just free up the Limerick players to truly express themselves and to play with freedom on the big stage. Galvin is optimistic about their chances of delivering that five-star display having reached the final with five wins from five.
"Limerick took to the new rules," said Galvin, explaining why things have been going so well this year. "I don't know did they just take to the rules very fast or what, it just really has benefited them more than a lot of others.
"And then you get a couple of wins under your belt, confidence gets going and they just build on that from there. I think they've just kind of got a winning mentality and just built on it. Same way that in 2024 they got on a run of losses."
Players like James Naughton, Danny Neville and Emmett Rigter have certainly thrived on the license to attack afforded to Limerick under the new rules.
Galvin pointed to the fact too that manager Jimmy Lee has been able to retain a strong panel, something that wasn't always possible in the past.
"The turnover of players in previous years has been massive," said Galvin. "It's not that long ago, wasn't there over 50 players that turned down the opportunity to play for Limerick one year?
"Now there's 37 players on the Limerick panel, well, it's actually between 37 and 42 depending on the development players and stuff.
"If people are happy with the system and happy with the management, and the training, and if they're winning something, that turnover of players is going to go down automatically.
"Your turnover of players ideally should be just retirements. When players want to retire, they want to retire. But you shouldn't be losing players because they're either not happy with the setup or they're not happy with not winning.
"And look, even this season alone, after this season they're going to have no problem with any turnover of players next year. That's the effect of a really positive year."
Limerick's James Naughton with supporters after a Tailteann Cup game. Photo by Tom Beary/Sportsfile
If Limerick could pull it off, and claim the title as the only undefeated team in this season's Tailteann Cup, it would be a giant boost to football in the county.
"It's going back to that thing about turnover of players," said Galvin. "I mean, winning reduces the chance of turnover of players and then pulls in a couple of more players who want to come in.
"Even back in my day, it was the same thing, when you have a decent bunch of players in Limerick, your whole thing is to try to hold on to them, to keep them together as much as you can for as many years as you can, not lose them to other sports or just out of a lack of interest.
"It's about the next generation too. We need players to want to play for Limerick. You've probably seen it around the county, that it's been a while since the 'Best of luck to the Limerick footballers' signs were up around the place.
"There's a pile of Limerick flags out on the roads now. They're going to be playing in Croke Park again on television for the third time this year. I can't remember the last time that happened. I played for 15 years and I think I only played in Croke Park three times in my 15-year career - and they're going to do it in one season! So it's massive promotion for football around Limerick.
"As I say, they just need to go up there and have a big performance in Croke Park on national television. That's what we're looking for."
