All-Ireland ambition keeps Padraic Joyce in Galway dugout

Galway manager says decision to return was driven by unfinished ambition after two All-Ireland final defeats

Pádraic Joyce admits the decision to return for a seventh season as Galway senior football manager was not one taken lightly. After six demanding years at the helm, and two All-Ireland final defeats that cut deep, the Galway boss stepped back at the end of last season to consider whether he still had the appetite to continue. In the end, it was an unfinished ambition — and an enduring grá for the job — that drew him back.

Joyce, a two-time All-Ireland winner as a player in 1998 and 2001, is now chasing a third Celtic Cross in a very different role. Having guided Galway to four successive Connacht titles and All-Ireland deciders in both 2022 and 2024, the Tribesmen remain among the game’s elite. But the biggest prize continues to elude them.

That, Joyce admits, still gnaws away. “It took me a long time to decide whether I was going back or not,” he said. “It’s my seventh year now. The grá was slow coming, but it’s back again now, thank God. Once you’re back in the mix and playing games, it comes quick enough. You realise how privileged you are to be involved.”

Joyce said his annual end-of-season review process played a key role in the decision. As always, it involved honest conversations with players and backroom staff, and a clear-eyed assessment of where Galway stand. “I do it every year,” he said. “I always review the year independently with the players and the backroom team. The reason I’m involved with Galway is for the betterment of Galway football, not for the betterment of me. So I did pause on it for a while, but after talking with the players, we agreed to stick at it.”

There is no sense of Joyce returning to settle scores or to “set the record straight”. Instead, he believes Galway remain a work in progress — close, but not complete. :When I set out on the job, I made my statement from day one about what my ambition was,” he said. “We still haven’t got there yet. It’s a new challenge again. Players change over the years, but the enthusiasm is there in the backroom team. While we might not have got to the top table in terms of winning an All-Ireland, we are being talked about as one of the top teams in the country — which hadn’t been the case for a long number of years.

“There has been a lot of progress made. We’ve a great group of players. Now it’s about finding that little bit extra to get us over the line.”

Joyce is under no illusions that standing still is not an option. Galway’s near misses have prompted a fresh look at how they can evolve within a rapidly changing game. “There will be changes,” he said. “We have to change something because what we’re doing hasn’t been good enough to get us over the line. Last year was different with the first year of the new rules, but I thought we adapted quite well. There are more tweaks again this year — certain aspects of the rules have changed slightly — and it’s about understanding those and getting the best out of ourselves.”

The modern game, Joyce believes, has moved well beyond traditional positional structures. “The game is no longer six defenders, two midfielders and six forwards,” he said. “It’s three in the full-back line, eight in the middle third and three up top. That’s how teams are being picked now. The numbers on the backs won’t mean much this year. It’s about style of play and how teams adapt to the rules — that’s going to be the big thing.”

One of the most notable changes this season is the addition of renowned performance coach Darragh Sheridan to the Galway setup. The former Aston Villa apprentice has built an impressive CV through his work with the IRFU and brings elite-level conditioning expertise to both the footballers and hurlers.

“Darragh is a Galway man,” Joyce said. “I’ve known him a good few years and worked with him myself over the last couple of seasons. He was involved with the hurlers last year as well.

“He stepped down from his role with the IRFU, so he was available. We got in contact with the county board and now he’s looking after both teams. He’s a big help.”

Joyce believes Sheridan’s influence will extend beyond fitness alone. “That’s his remit — high performance,” he said. “He’s been heavily involved in the cultural development within the IRFU and worked very closely with coaching teams there. He’s been to New Zealand and has seen how elite environments operate. He’s a very educated fella and brings great freshness. He’s also a great voice for the players to learn off. The fact that he’s one of our own is a big plus.”

On the playing front, Galway will be without Matthew Thompson for the Allianz League, with the young midfielder heading to Berkeley University to continue his studies. “Matthew’s heading to Berkeley next week,” Joyce said. “It’s a big opportunity for him. He’s had a super year with us and he’s in great shape at the minute. He’ll be a big loss, but hopefully when he comes back he’ll be in good condition for the rest of the campaign.”

Peter Cooke’s availability remains uncertain, with Joyce confirming the forward’s commitment will depend on whether he is based at home.

“If Peter is to commit, he’ll have to be at home,” Joyce said. “I’ve spoken to him a couple of times. We’ll know more in another week or two. He won’t be able to commit if he’s travelling back and forth from London.”

Despite the focus on the All-Ireland, Joyce insists Galway will not downplay the importance of Connacht — even with the prospect of a fifth title in a row.

“I wouldn’t see five in a row as a massive thing,” he said. “It was great to win four, but I put huge value on the Connacht Championship. It’s a brilliant competition.

“If you win your province, you go into the All-Ireland series with confidence. If you lose a final, it can be difficult to regroup.

“Our players don’t want to lose games — not to Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo or Leitrim. We’ll put a big emphasis on it. If we get five, brilliant. If not, we’ll take it on the chin and move on.”

Pádraic Joyce was speaking at the launch of the 2026 FBD Connacht League. FBD, proud sponsors of the Connacht League.

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