A Galway footballer has shared some behind the scenes details of a major personnel change that is sure to impact the team heading into next season.
Insofar as it hadn’t been reported or even rumoured before it happened, Cian O’Neill’s switch to the Kerry senior management for 2025 came out of the blue. Hence it was reported as a ‘surprise move’.
Unfortunately it was revealed earlier this month that his right hand man and assistant coach, Cian O'Neill, would leave the management team to join the Kerry set-up as head coach.
According to Connor Gleeson, though, Galway were always under the impression this season, which culminated in their second All-Ireland final loss in three years, would be O’Neill’s last, whatever his subsequent movements would be.
“No, I think this was going to be his final year,” said the Galway goalkeeper yesterday.
“I’m not sure was it decided, but I think this was going to be his last year. Travel commitments were a lot – I don’t know if that was part of the reason. But that was going to be it for Cian and us.
“He was brilliant. Once he came in, a very hands-on coach. I think all the players took to him straight away, so really enjoyed the three years under him – [we] wish him the best in the future.”
Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson stated this week that the team and management were always aware that Cian could be leaving, despite the fact many fans were caught off guard.
The star goalkeeper described O'Neill as a “brilliant hands-on coach” who the players took to straight away.
Connor added that himself and all of the team wished the best for O'Neill in the future.
Cian O'Neill's Impact on Galway Football
The impact of O'Neill's coaching has been significant. He has helped guide Galway back to Division 1 of the National Football League, as well as three consecutive Connacht championships. The Tribesmen have also been to two All-Ireland finals under his guidance, falling just short of the title on both occasions.
Connor Gleeson's Perspective on the 2024 Season
In other GAA news, Connor Gleeson shared his highlight of the 2024 season while also revealing why the 2024 All Ireland defeat to Armagh hurt “different.”
Gleeson enjoyed a stellar season for the tribesmen but couldn't stop Galway from suffering another All-Ireland Final defeat, this time by a single point to Armagh.
Speaking about the 2024 loss, Gleeson said: “A final like that is different because the season is completely ended.”
“So, I haven't watched it back, I've watched back certain parts from my game, that I've analysed, and will analyse with the goalkeeping coach when we get back for pre-season.”
“You just have to get on with it, you've the club season which came around three weeks later.”
Gleeson’s performance throughout the season was impressive, particularly in the All-Ireland semi-final, where his long kick-outs caused Donegal major problems, even contributing 0-5 to Galway’s score. He was also the last man back in a defence that conceded only two goals in a championship summer that clocked in at 10 matches.
The Aftermath of a Season
That, it seems, has been the only news to seep from the Galway camp since July 28 when they were beaten, excruciatingly, by a point by Armagh. Otherwise, not a peep. Whether by collective agreement or just a shared mindset, Galway have taken a vow of silence.
Even yesterday, despite presenting for media interviews promoting Pinergy’s deal to become the energy partner of Connacht GAA, Gleeson seemed especially keen to say as little as possible, particularly about Galway.
It’s only four months since he was hoisted, shoulder high, and brought around the pitch by adoring Galway supporters after kicking the winner in a Connacht final against Mayo.
It may as well be a different lifetime.
“It’s hard. The way the season is, it’s hard,” he said when asked whether it is possible to derive satisfaction from any element of a season that ends in a loss.
“The way the provincial championships are, you don’t have time to be celebrating as such. We were straight back the following Tuesday, Wednesday. It’s hard to celebrate them really.”
Which is a shame. After that Connacht final, Pádraic Joyce spoke about how Gleeson had been “ridiculed and laughed at here in Galway over the last couple of years”.
He has had to listen to a well-aired theory that the best goalkeeper in Galway, Conor Carroll (a graduate of Oranmore-Maree), was currently playing for Roscommon.
It’s an occupational hazard. Gleeson runs a coffee truck. The thing about running a coffee truck is there’s no office in the back in which to hide from the public.
“You’d like to get away for a few weeks,” he says of the aftermath of the final. “I didn’t have that luxury. Me and a friend are running a local coffee truck, so I was straight back into it the following week.
“That can be good and bad because you’re getting all the questions out of the way, but you’re hearing it while it’s still raw. I suppose, for me, this year, I got over it a bit quicker because you got all those questions out of the way.
“You didn’t have too much time to be thinking about it yourself.”
A Look Back at Gleeson's Journey
Gleeson is a former Galway United player, who was called into the Galway panel by Joyce in 2020 at a time of great flux and uncertainty around the goalkeeping position. This year was easily his most assured in the role, regardless of that Connacht final intervention.
All in all, it seems weird to be reflecting on all of these things through the prism of one, albeit painful, result.
“That’s just the way football goes,” Gleeson shrugs. “You’re going to have good with bad. It changes awful quick. It could be going… that time I was talking to you [after the Connacht final], things were going really well. You’re riding that wave for a few weeks.
“Then things weren’t going well. Then going well again. Then the season ends the way it did. That’s just football.”
The Future of Galway Football
O’Neill’s departure is a significant loss for Galway. He was a key part of the team’s recent success, but now the focus is on the future. Manager Pádraic Joyce will have his work cut out for him, and Connor Gleeson’s comments suggest the team is ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. With the strong foundation built by O’Neill, the future of Galway football looks promising.
