Galway’s match-day panel at Omagh, as has been the case for most of the spring, will be without Corofin representation, but progression to the league decider on March 31 would enable the All-Ireland club winners who are part of Kevin Walsh’s squad to see game-time before championship swings around on May 5.

Ian Burke, the county’s sole All-Star in 2018, and Liam Silke featured for Galway earlier in the league and should slot back into the starting XV at the earliest opportunity. The picture is not as clear for their Corofin teammates who Ó Flatharta insists are hindered by the scheduling of the All-Ireland club championship. Dylan Wall, Kieran Molloy and Michael Farragher all started Galway’s FBD League semi-final win over Mayo in mid-January and will be hoping to work their way back into contention

now that their club season is at an end.

“The timing of the club championship is not fair on lads who are trying to break into the county team. It is one of the reasons why the club championship should be finished in the calendar year,” said former Galway, Laois and Westmeath boss Ó Flatharta, who was on co-commentating duties at Croke Park last Sunday for RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

“Corofin goalkeeper Bernard Power is in with Galway, but Ruairí Lavelle is number one at the moment. Kieran Molloy, who had a fantastic game the last day, will be in with a good shout. He has the strength and height for a wing-back position. But you also have to look at what he’s up against.

“You have the likes of Sean Kelly and Cillian McDaid, not to mind all the established players. It is not a matter of walking onto that Galway team.

There is plenty of competition there already. Galway have been going very well in the league without the Corofin lads. They will also have to get to know the Galway gameplan, which is very different from how Corofin operate.

“Jason Leonard had a fantastic campaign with Corofin and deserves to be considered. The same with half-back Dylan Wall. You also have the two Farraghers, Martin and Mike. They are fantastic footballers, so, so skilful and well able to finish. Any inter-county manager wants a forward who can win their own ball and be able to finish.

“Certainly, the two Farraghers, in high-quality games, have proven they tick both those boxes.”

The contrast between Galway and Corofin’s preferred approaches couldn’t be starker and while Ó Flatharta believes Kevin Walsh is beginning to strike more of a balance between defence and attack, he can’t see him reaching for the Corofin playbook any time soon.

“The type of game Corofin play, they are playing that game since they were 10-years of age. You go to a Corofin U10 or U12 game, you’ll see they play the same way as the club’s senior.

“With Galway, they play a very different game.

“They set up very well defensively, bring a lot of fellas back. But they are beginning to advance that approach, it is evolving. In recent games, you can see that while defence continues to come first, they are becoming more attack-minded. It suits them and they are doing well trying to marry both. They’ll be even more threatening up front when they have Ian Burke and Damien Comer inside.”

As mentioned earlier, Galway need to take care of business in Omagh and hope that Kerry claim at least a point from their trip to Roscommon.

Mayo, who host relegation-troubled Monaghan, are also in the hunt for a final spot and should Kerry, Galway and Mayo finish on 10 points, the Tribesmen would lose out by virtue of their inferior scoring difference.

Of the three games, Galway have the toughest encounter. Confidence in Tyrone will be very high after their win over Dublin.

"Galway will want to make a second successive league final. What better way to prepare for the Connacht championship than an extra game, in Croke Park, against a top-tier county.”