Galway county football team facts for kids
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| Sport: | Football | ||
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| Irish: | Gaillimh | ||
| Nickname(s): | The Tribesmen | ||
| County board: | Galway GAA | ||
| Manager: | Pádraic Joyce | ||
| Captain: | Seán Kelly | ||
| Home venue(s): | Pearse Stadium, Salthill | ||
| Recent competitive record | |||
| Current All-Ireland status: | Connacht W in 2024 | ||
| Last championship title: | 2001 | ||
| Current NFL Division: | 1 (6th in 2024) | ||
| Last league title: | 1981 | ||
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The Galway county football team represents Galway in men's Gaelic football. It is managed by Galway GAA, which is the local sports board. The team plays in three big yearly competitions: the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Connacht Senior Football Championship, and the National Football League.
Galway's home stadium is Pearse Stadium in Salthill. The team's current manager is Pádraic Joyce.
Galway was the first county from the Connacht region to win an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC). They have won nine All-Ireland SFC titles. This is the third-highest number of wins, after Kerry and Dublin. Galway won three All-Ireland SFCs in a row in the mid-1960s. They also won two more titles between 1998 and 2001. The team last won the Connacht Senior Championship in 2024. Their last All-Ireland Senior Championship win was in 2001. The National League was last won by Galway in 1981.
Contents
History of Galway Football
Starting Out in Gaelic Football
The very first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) happened in 1887. In the early days, a county was represented by its best club team. Galway's own championship didn't start until 1889. This meant Galway didn't have a team in the first few All-Ireland SFCs.
Galway was supposed to play its first All-Ireland SFC match in 1887. They were set to play Wexford, but Galway didn't show up. Wexford won by a "walkover," meaning they advanced without playing. In 1888, Galway was the only team in the Connacht area. This meant they would have gone straight to the semi-finals. However, the championship was cut short that year.
In 1890, Galway again got a "bye" to the All-Ireland SFC semi-final. They were drawn against Wexford once more. But just like before, Galway didn't play. Wexford moved on to the final without a game.
A new All-Ireland SFC format started in 1900. Provincial champions would play in a "Home" championship. The winner would then play London in the All-Ireland SFC final. As the only Connacht team, Galway reached the "Home" semi-finals. This time, Antrim didn't play, giving Galway a "bye." This meant Galway reached the "Home" final without playing a single match! In 1900, thirteen years after the first championship, Galway finally played its first game. They lost the final to Tipperary by a score of 2–17 to 0–1.
The first Connacht Senior Football Championship (SFC) was held in 1901. Galway beat Roscommon in the semi-final. But they lost to Mayo in the first Connacht SFC final. From then on, a Connacht SFC was held almost every year. The winner would go to the All-Ireland SFC semi-finals.
Galway didn't truly earn the Connacht title until 1911. They beat Roscommon by just one point. Galway then lost to Cork in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final. They also won the Connacht SFC in 1913 and 1917. But they couldn't win their All-Ireland semi-final matches.
First All-Ireland Win (1919–1925)
Galway reached its first All-Ireland SFC final in 1919. After beating Cavan in a semi-final replay, Galway lost the final to Kildare.
Galway won its first All-Ireland SFC title in 1925. This championship was a bit confusing! The Connacht final wasn't played on time. So, Mayo was chosen to represent Connacht. Mayo won their semi-final. But then, both Kerry and Cavan were disqualified for using players who weren't allowed. Mayo was declared champions without a final.
However, Galway then beat Mayo in the delayed Connacht SFC final. This caused a lot of confusion. Mayo's win was taken away, and Galway was declared the winner of both the Connacht SFC and the All-Ireland SFC. The GAA then ordered replays of the semi-finals. Kerry refused to play, so Cavan went to the final. Galway beat Cavan in that final. The whole thing was so messy that the final wasn't played until January 1926! Officially, the GAA said there was no championship in 1925.
More All-Ireland Wins (1925–1938)
Galway's next All-Ireland SFC title was much simpler. In 1934, they beat Dublin in the final. This was the first time the Sam Maguire Cup came to Connacht since it was first given out in 1928. Four years later, in 1938, Galway won its third All-Ireland SFC title. They had to replay the final against Kerry after it ended in a draw. Galway won the replay.
A Golden Era: Four All-Ireland Titles (1956–1974)
Galway's fourth All-Ireland SFC title came almost twenty years later, in 1956. They beat Cork at Croke Park in the final.
The 1960s were a very successful time for Galway football. They won the Connacht SFC in 1960. They reached the All-Ireland semi-finals but lost to Kerry.
Galway won its fifth All-Ireland SFC title in 1964. They then won a second title in a row, and their sixth overall, in the 1965 final. Galway beat Kerry in both of these finals.
The year 1966 was perhaps Galway's best ever in football. They won the Connacht SFC by beating Mayo by just one point. In the All-Ireland semi-final, they had a tough game against Cork but won. Meath was the favourite to win the All-Ireland final against Galway. But Galway played brilliantly, beating Meath comfortably. This victory sealed a huge achievement: their third All-Ireland SFC title in a row!
Galway tried to win a fourth title in a row in 1967 but lost to Mayo in the Connacht semi-final. They won the Connacht title again in 1968 but lost in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Galway won more Connacht SFC titles in 1970, 1971, 1973, and 1974. They reached the All-Ireland SFC final several times in the early 1970s. However, they lost each time, to Offaly in 1971, Cork in 1973, and Dublin in 1974.
The 1980s: Connacht Success and a Controversial Final
Galway won five Connacht SFC titles in the 1980s. However, they only reached one All-Ireland SFC final during this time. They came very close to reaching the final in 1982 but lost to Offaly.
The 1983 All-Ireland SFC final was the one final Galway played in the 1980s. Their opponent was Dublin. This match became famous for some rough play. Dublin scored a strange goal early on. Then, several players were sent off for foul play. Dublin ended up with only twelve players on the field, while Galway had fourteen. Even with this advantage, Galway lost the game. After the match, several players and even the Dublin manager received bans.
Galway lost to Kerry in the 1984 All-Ireland SFC semi-final. They also came close in the 1986 semi-final against Tyrone and the 1987 semi-final against Cork. After 1987, the team had a quiet period in the Connacht championship.
Winning Again: Eighth and Ninth All-Ireland Titles (1989–2004)
Galway didn't win another Connacht SFC title until 1995. They beat Mayo in the final but then lost to Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final. Mayo then beat Galway in the next two Connacht SFCs.
But Galway didn't have to wait long for their next big win. In 1998, with manager John O'Mahony, Galway won the Connacht SFC. They then beat Derry in the All-Ireland semi-final. In the final, Galway faced Kildare, who were coached by the famous Mick O'Dwyer. Galway was seen as the "underdog" (less likely to win). But players like Jarlath Fallon and Michael Donnellan played brilliantly. A young Pádraic Joyce scored a key goal. Galway won the final, and captain Ray Silke lifted the Sam Maguire Cup. It was Galway's first All-Ireland SFC title in 32 years!
Galway started the new millennium strongly. They won the Connacht SFC in 2000 and reached the All-Ireland SFC final. They played Kerry, and the first game was a draw. Galway lost the replay.
Galway bounced back the next year, in 2001. A new rule allowed teams that lost their provincial championship to still play in the All-Ireland SFC. This was called the "back door" system. Roscommon knocked Galway out of the Connacht SFC. So, Galway had to use the "back door." They won tough games against Armagh and Cork. This meant they reached the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals.
In the quarter-final, Galway played Roscommon again and won. They then beat Derry in the semi-final. This made Galway the first team to reach an All-Ireland SFC final without winning their provincial championship. Many people thought Meath would win the final, as they had beaten the previous champions, Kerry, very easily. But Galway surprised everyone! After a close first half, Galway dominated the second half, scoring many points. They won the final by a score of 0–17 to 0–08. Pádraic Joyce scored ten points and was the top scorer in the competition. This was Galway's second All-Ireland SFC title in four years. Gary Fahey was the captain who lifted the Sam Maguire Cup.
Galway won more Connacht SFC titles in 2002 and 2003. However, they lost in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals both times. In 2004, Mayo beat Galway in the Connacht semi-final. Later that year, manager John O'Mahony left after seven successful years.
Recent Years (2004–Present)
Kevin Walsh became the new Galway manager in 2014. In 2015, Galway had a mixed league season. They won some games and stayed in Division 2. In the Connacht SFC, they lost to Mayo in the semi-final. They then won some All-Ireland qualifiers but were eventually knocked out by Donegal.
In 2016, Galway faced their rivals Mayo in the Connacht SFC semi-final. Galway was not expected to win, but they played very well. They were down by four points but came back to win by three points. It was a big surprise! Galway then played Roscommon in the Connacht SFC final. The first game was a draw, but Galway won the replay easily. This was Galway's 45th Connacht SFC title and their first in eight years. However, they lost to Tipperary in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final.
In 2017, Galway aimed to get promoted to Division 1 of the National League. They succeeded after winning five games. They also won the Division 2 final against Kildare at Croke Park. In the Connacht SFC semi-final, Galway beat Mayo in a close game. But they lost the final to Roscommon. Galway then beat Donegal in an All-Ireland qualifier. They reached the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final but lost to Kerry.
In 2018, Galway won the Connacht SFC again by beating Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon. They then played in the "Super 8s," a new group stage for the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals. Galway won against Kerry and Kildare but lost to Monaghan. They reached the All-Ireland SFC semi-final but lost to Dublin.
In 2019, Galway lost the Connacht SFC final to Roscommon. Their All-Ireland SFC journey ended after losing to Mayo in their first game. Kevin Walsh then stepped down as manager.
Pádraic Joyce, a former Galway player, became the new manager in 2019. His goal was to win an All-Ireland SFC. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Galway reached the Connacht SFC final without playing any games. They lost to Mayo by just one point in the final. There were no All-Ireland SFC qualifiers that year.
In 2021, Galway beat Roscommon in the Connacht SFC semi-final, which was Joyce's first championship win as manager. But they lost to Mayo in the final, even though they had a good lead at half-time.
In 2022, Galway won the Connacht SFC, beating Roscommon in the final. They then played Armagh in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final. It was a very intense game, with a big fight at the end of normal time. Galway won on penalties! They then beat Derry in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final. This meant Galway reached the All-Ireland SFC final for the first time since 2001. There was a small problem with the "Hawk-Eye" score system during the semi-final, but it was fixed. Galway lost the All-Ireland SFC final to Kerry on July 24, 2022.
In 2023, Galway won the Connacht SFC final against Sligo. However, they lost to Armagh in the All-Ireland SFC group stage. They then lost to Mayo by one point in the preliminary quarter-final, ending their championship run.
In 2024, Galway had a strong Connacht SFC campaign. They beat London easily and then had a close win against Sligo. In the Connacht SFC final, they played their rivals Mayo. Galway won their 50th Connacht SFC title thanks to a last-minute point by Conor Gleeson! The final score was 0–16 to 0–15.
Team Rivalries
Galway has some exciting rivalries with other county teams:
- Dublin
- Kerry
- Mayo
- Cork
- Kildare
- Roscommon
Current Players
Here are the players on the Galway team for the 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final:
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Team Management
The current management team for Galway football includes:
- Manager: Pádraic Joyce
- Selectors: John Concannon, John Divilly, Micheál Ó Domhnaill
- Coach: Cian O'Neill (since 2022)
- Bernard Dunne (since 2022)
Mick O'Dwyer, a famous Gaelic football manager, once said that managing Galway is the third most desired job in Gaelic football, after managing Dublin and Kerry.
Famous Players and Families
Many great players have played for Galway. Some families have had several generations play for the county team.
- Joe Duggan played in the 1940s. His son, Jimmy, played in the 1970s.
- John "Tull" Dunne won two All-Ireland SFCs in 1934 and 1938. His son, Cyril Dunne, was part of the team that won three All-Ireland SFCs in a row in the 1960s. John "Tull" Dunne even managed that team!
- Michael Donnellan was on the 1925 and 1934 All-Ireland winning teams. His sons, John Donnellan and Pat Donnellan, were on the three-in-a-row teams of the 1960s. In 1998, his grandson Michael made a key pass that helped Galway win another All-Ireland SFC.
The Donnellan family is well-known for having three generations of players on the county team.
Galway's Team of the Millennium
In 1999, a special panel chose the best 15 players who had played for Galway since the GAA started in 1884. This was called the "Team of the Millennium." Players whose names are in bold were also chosen for the All-Ireland Team of the Millennium.
| Goalkeeper | |||
| Johnny Geraghty (Father Griffins) |
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| Right corner-back | Full-back | Left corner-back | |
| Enda Colleran (Mountbellew–Moylough) |
Noel Tierney (Milltown) |
Tom Dillion (Ahascragh & St Grellan's) |
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| Right half-back | Centre-back | Left half-back | |
| John Donnellan (Dunmore McHales) |
Tommy Joe Gilmore (Cortoon Shamrocks) |
Seán Óg De Paor (An Cheathrú Rua) |
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| Midfield | |||
| John "Tull" Dunne (St Grellan's) |
Mattie McDonagh (Ballygar) |
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| Right half-forward | Centre-forward | Left half-forward | |
| Cyril Dunne (St Grellan's) |
Seán Purcell (Tuam Stars) |
Séamus Leydon (Dunmore McHales) |
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| Right corner-forward | Full-forward | Left corner-forward | |
| John Keenan (Dunmore McHales) |
Frank Stockwell (Tuam Stars) |
Brendan Nestor (Dunmore McHales) |
Team Colours and Sponsors
Galway's traditional colours are maroon and white. In the early days, teams wore the colours of the local club that won the county championship. But in 1936, Galway officially chose maroon as its main colour. A crest was added to the jersey in the 1950s. The football team and the hurling team now use the same jerseys and crest.
The first sponsor for any Galway team was Tommy Varden's Catering service in the 1980s. In 2008, Aer Arann became the sponsor. But they had to stop sponsoring the team early. In 2011, the football team's jersey had the name of a charity, Cancer Care West. This was the first time a GAA team showed a charity name instead of a company.
Since 2013, Supermac's, a fast-food chain, has sponsored both the football and hurling teams. They announced a new sponsorship deal in 2022 that will last until 2027.
| Years | Sponsor | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sponsor | |
| 1880s–1983 | O'Neills (since 1918) | No Sponsor |
| 1983–1989 | Tommy Varden Catering | |
| 2008–2011 | Aer Arann | |
| 2011–2012 | Cancer Care West | |
| 2013– | Supermac's | |
Team Honours
Galway has won many titles in Gaelic football:
National Titles
- All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
- Winners (9): 1925, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1998, 2001
- Runners-up (15): 1919, 1922, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1959, 1963, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1983, 2000, 2022, 2024
- National Football League
- Winners (4): 1940, 1957, 1965, 1981
- Runners-up (6): 1966, 1984, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2018
- All-Ireland Junior Football Championship
- Winners (4): 1931, 1958, 1965, 1985
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
- Winners (5): 1972, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013
- All-Ireland Under-20 Football Championship
- Winners (1): 2020
- All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
- Winners (7): 1952, 1960, 1970, 1976, 1986, 2007, 2022
Provincial Titles (Connacht)
- Connacht Senior Football Championship
- Winners (48): 1900, 1902, 1911, 1913, 1917, 1919, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1945, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Connacht FBD League
- Winners (10): 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022
- Connacht Junior Football Championship
- Winners (22): 1915, 1919, 1931, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1994, 1996, 2003, 2018, 2019
- Connacht Minor Football Championship
- Winners (29): 1932, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1952, 1959, 1960, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
- Connacht Under-21 Football Championship
- Winners (19): 1964, 1965, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2017
- Connacht Under-20 Football Championship
- Winners (2): 2019, 2020
Images for kids
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The Galway team in 1919, who played in their first All-Ireland SFC final.
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The Galway team that beat Dublin in the 1934 All-Ireland final.
