Galway star relishing Kilkenny challenge in Nowlan Park this weekend

After failing to qualify from last year’s round-robin in the Leinster Championship, Galway will travel to the Marble City this weekend with huge motivation.

All-Ireland winning boss Michael Donoghue has replaced Shamrocks and Kilkenny legend Henry Shefflin at the helm of the team and they will be looking to back up their league victory over the Cats a few weeks ago.

“We are under no illusions what we are heading into on Saturday and it’s the only game we can be focussed on for now and we have to embrace it.

“We beat Kilkenny in the league and it was important for us to perform that day after we lost to Tipperary a week previous but we know it will be a much different beast this time around and we’ll have to raise our level again.

“It’s a huge game for us but it’s one we knew was coming and maybe the fact that it’s the first round and in Nowlan Park it feels maybe bigger than usual.

“It’s a challenge we are ready to embrace and try go after it,” Galway star Cianan Fahy said when speaking at the launch of this year’s Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in UPMC Nowlan Park.

The Tribesmen were in league final contention right up to the final day before a loss to subsequent champions Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Notable wins over Kilkenny, Wexford and Clare looks to have the Connacht side in good shape with the team using a huge amount of players in anticipation of this big championship opener.

“Giving ourselves the opportunity of getting to a League Final was a positive and looking back at the campaign it was kind of up and down so we still have learnings to take from it.

“We’ve discussed a few things since the league finished and we’re trying to bring them into championship now.

“We had a big enough panel at the start of the year and it was very important that we blooded some new players which we have done in the league and it gave lads a taster for inter-county hurling.”

Fahy is in his fourth year on the Galway squad and he talks about his workmate and fellow county colleague David Burke and how much of an influence he is in the dressing room and how he always anticipated him returning in 2025 after he got a red card in last year’s final championship game with Dublin.

“David Burke is a huge leader for us on and off the pitch and he'd do anything for you as he has huge experience.

“It’s great the way he interacts with us as players nearly in a mentor role on occasion and he connects very well.

“He still has that bit of magic on the field as well and he can change a game whether be it for 35 minutes or a full match.

“He’s full of grit and full of determination so it’s no surprise that he made the decision to stay on again,” the Ardrahan man commented.

In his relatively short spell with the senior squad, Fahy has played anywhere from the backs, midfield and the forward line and he admits that he’s a big fan of the championship layout even if he’s not looking beyond Kilkenny.

“We want to play games as soon as we can and as often as we can and I think the schedule works well albeit you are trying to keep that bit of freshness as well and it’s no harm to be playing games week on week as it’s what we want as players.

“Waiting for long periods in between games is not great and especially if you can get a bit of momentum going, it can take you a long way.

“The most important thing for us is nearly the next training session or the next game so we don’t tend to look too far ahead.”

The clash of Galway and Kilkenny takes place on Saturday and is live on RTE 2 at 3.45pm.