Galway footballer Seán Kelly pictured at the announcement of Allianz’s new sponsorship of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The three-year deal also sees Allianz become Official Sponsor of the Camogie Association and Official Sponsor of the GAA Museum at Croke Park.
By John Harrington
Sean Kelly was back in Croke Park on Tuesday and as he looked around the place some recent memories came flooding back.
He was there to promote Allianz’s sponsorship of the All-Ireland SFC, but his mind quickly turned to the last two matches he’d played at headquarters.
Galway’s defeat to Kerry in last year’s All-Ireland SFC Final and his club Maigh Cuilinn’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Glen in January.
Two defeats by very fine margins that could easily gnaw away at you, but Kelly’s attitude is that your energy is better spent learning from these experiences rather than regretting them.
“Two tough losses to be honest and it was a good year, All-Ireland finals is where you want to be, but obviously we (Galway) didn’t get the job finished so there’s still disappointment and even more hunger in the group now,” he says.
“It’s about taking the next step and improving on everything. We can’t do the same, we have to do better this year in terms of training or away from training and what matters in games.
“We didn’t cross the line, we didn’t finish what we started last year so hopefully we can go again this year and have that chance again.”
Galway looked like a team strained every sinew last year to get as far as they did, so the reality that they’ll have to somehow find at least another 10 per cent if they’re to win the All-Ireland this year must seem a bit daunting?
“It would be but in fairness it’s something you should thrive off as well, really,” says Kelly. “Try to get better and better no matter what you’re doing. It’s something we look to do. It’s not an easy job and there’s a lot of honest conversations whether it’s with team-mates or yourself.
“It’s those conversations that are needed, those tough talks are needed to improve a team and get better and that’s something we will look to do to try and improve.”
A dejected Seán Kelly of Galway after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Kerry and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
As part of the leadership group within the Galway panel, Kelly is very much to the fore when it comes to initiating those sorts of conversations, and also hopes he can embolden others to share their own thoughts.
“There would be a leadership group but obviously we need fresh voices and leaders all over the field,” he says. “It’s a bit of a cliché but you do need 15 leaders on the pitch all the time. You can’t shy away from talking or voicing your opinions.
“Nobody is going to hold anything against you or judge you for what you say. It’s something you need in the group, basically. Obviously just add fresh voices and honest opinions.
“If you’re thinking something, say it. If you’re wrong, you’re wrong. If you’re right, it’s a conversation to have. It should be in every group, really. It’s tough to get it out of everyone, obviously. Not everyone is comfortable speaking in groups or whatever it is so it’s trying to get that out of everyone and push yourself on.
“When I first got into the panel it's something I probably didn't have at the start. You're a bit shy a bit whatever it is. But as you go along you learn, it's just life.
“There's always young lads coming through and even whether it's just a one on one conversation with them and, 'what are you thinking?'”
With two brothers on the Galway panel, Paul and Eoghan, Kelly certainly doesn’t lack for any honest feedback or open conversations himself.
“That's it, yeah”, he says. “If you think there's something you need to improve on you can just ask each other.
“Or if it's a hard conversation about you need to work on this then it can be said and you don't really hold much grudges.
“You might have a little argument or whatever, but we're not going to hold it against each other for life. It's fine, we do get on, so it's not too bad.”
Seán Kelly of Galway celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Mayo and Galway at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo.
You can be sure the Kelly brothers had a few honest chats after Galway’s last Allianz Football League outing when they were pipped by Connacht rivals Roscommon.
With one point from two League matches they’re well aware they could do with their first win of the campaign over Tyrone on Sunday.
“In fairness, it’s been tough,” says Kelly of Galway’s seasons thus far. “Tough training and trying to get things right. We made similar mistakes in the first two games so it’s trying to fix those and trying to work on ourselves really.
“We were close but at the same time we didn’t really perform to where we want to perform so there’s definitely room for improvement.
“The Maigh Cuilinn contingent, a good few of us missed a lot of pre-season so it’s kind of catching up on training whether it’s skills or fitness or strength-wise. Hopefully, we can push on now and get better results in the coming weeks.”
