7 days ago
Galway set for underage shakeup, FRC to continue trials with sandbox games
Galway GAA are set to invite expressions of interest for three of their four underage teams ahead of the 2026 season.
Following a County Board meeting on Tuesday night, the positions of Galway U20 hurling and football manager, as well as minor football manager, will be opened up for expressions of interest.
Galway U20 football boss Derek Savage has already confirmed he will step down after two years in charge. It follows a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw the Tribesmen miss out on a place in the Connacht championship top three.
Fergal Healy's U20 outfit bowed out in the Leinster semi-final against Dublin last May. The Galway football minors, under Neil McHugh made it to a Connacht semi-final where they were beaten by Mayo.
Pádraic Joyce's future is yet to be resolved with discussions expected to take place in the coming weeks. Speaking after their quarter-final exit to Meath, the Connacht four-in-a-row winning boss said he would take his time before making a call.
'We've just gone out of the Championship so I'm not going to make any rash decisions. We'll sit and chat. There's a lot of lads in there with decisions to make about next year as well, as we have as a management, so we will do that in due course.
'The county board have always been very supportive of me and the players so we will sit down and get things properly organised.'
Meanwhile, the Football Review Committee are set to host another series of sandbox games as they move towards a final report on the new Gaelic football rules.
The first game is scheduled to take place in Dublin this weekend with a few adjustments to existing enhancements expected to be trialled.
Special Congress will take place in October to agree on the final amendments.
'I think overall the rules have worked well,' said FRC member James Horan, speaking on the Irish Examiner Gaelic football podcast.
'They are not perfect in any way, there is maybe things that need to be looked at. But overall, I think it has been hugely positive.'
