Sunday January 29

Connacht FBD League Final

Roscommon v Galway, Kiltoom, 2pm

At this exact stage a year ago Galway made a quiet, but important statement when beating Roscommon in a keenly contested affair at Tuam Stadium.

Two early fisted goals from Damien Comer gave a youthful Galway outfit something to protect against a Roscommon team that was primed to make an impact in Division One of the Allianz Football League.

David Wynne, Declan Kyne, Eoghan Kerin, Johnny Heaney, and Eamonn Brannigan all starred during Galway’s 2016 Connacht FBD League campaign.

By the time the Championship rolled around Walsh continued to keep faith with them and was rewarded with Galway’s first provincial title since 2008.

This year Barry McHugh and Cillian McDaid have demonstrated their ability in the group stages, while the return of Fiontan O’Curraoin and Sean Armstrong boosts the panel further.

Roscommon beat IT Sligo and NUIG before leaking three late goals to lose against Mayo at Kiltoom last Sunday.

That Andy Moran inspired Mayo win didn’t overly concern Roscommon manager Kevin McStay, who feels his team are progressing ahead of the League. "Week on week since we started, the standard is improving," is McStay’s assessment.

"The standard of the opposition is improving. Our response to that standard of opposition has improved as well. Our defence isn't strong enough yet. We need to tighten it up a bit and yet individually they weren't too bad at all," McStay remarked following the Mayo reversal.

Enda Smith is motoring well, while the availability of Kevin Higgins is an important thing too for Roscommon ahead of what promises to be a lively tussle.