Ford banking on Galway youngsters
If former Mayo footballer Peter Ford is to win the Connacht SFC title in his first season in charge of Galway, his youthful selection for Sunday will be championed.
Lose this weekend's Salthill clash with Mayo, however, and the critics will already be on the back of Ford - the man who took control of the Tribesmen from long-standing boss John Maughan in October.
Ford has included five under-21 players in his side for the Connacht decider, and although admitting it was a gamble at yesterday's final preview at Bank of Ireland headquarters in Dublin, he is backing his youngsters all the way.
"The full-back (Finian Hanley) we've brought in is tall - he's 6ft 2in - and while he may have no senior experience, he was full-back on the All-Ireland winning under-21 side and is a good player," said Ford.
"If he didn't go in this year, he'd definitely be there next year. You never know when is the right time, and we're taking a gamble on him on Sunday, but I think he'll do a good job.
"We have five under-21s, which is probably more than any of the remaining counties. But all those under-21s have good experience, they're all good players and know how to win an All-Ireland."
Hanley beat off stiff competition from Tomas Giblin (Mountbellew/Moylough) and Caherlistrane's Clive Monaghan for the full-back role. A sixth under-21 - Sean Armstrong - looks destined to come off the bench, having shifted the mumps and a slight injury niggle.
Sunday's opponents, the reigning Connacht champions Mayo, who beat Galway in last season's semi-finals to go on and lift the JJ Nestor Cup, name their XV later today.
Manager John Maughan was a defensive colleague of Ford when Mayo lifted the All-Ireland Under-21 crown in 1983.
