The Galway player’s longevity and resilience have been extraordinary, and it is 17 years since he captained the Galway minors to win the All-Ireland
Galway’s Paul Conroy scoring against Donegal in the All-Ireland senior football championship semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
There were two moments late in the game that expressed his guile and his guts. Galway led by a point and needed another. There were just three minutes left and it had reached that part of the game where the ball circulates for longer in fretful attacks until somebody decides that another safe pass is tantamount to cowardice.
Galway’s Paul Conroy and Eoghan Kelly celebrating victory over Donegal at Croke Park. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Conroy’s longevity and resilience have been extraordinary. It is 17 years since he captained the Galway minors to win the All-Ireland and just a year later he made his senior debut, pitched in against Kerry in the 2008 All-Ireland quarter-final, the youngest man on the field.When they met Kerry in the Super 8s in Croke Park 10 years later he suffered an horrific injury. On a wet day he slid in for a loose ball and collided with Sean O’Shea.
Sunday was Conroy’s 65th championship appearance, 10 more than Shane Walsh, 19 more than Damien Comer, more than twice as many as Sean Kelly. From that cabinet of senior ministers Conroy was the only one on the pitch at the final whistle yesterday.Kelly, Galway’s inspirational captain, wasn’t fit to start. In his absence around the middle third the burden on Conroy was greater. Walsh did some fine things and some useful things without being explosive or especially productive.
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