'I wouldn't say we were ever off-track'

Pádraic Joyce feels Galway were never "off track" in their All-Ireland SFC quest after seeing his side emerge from a testing preliminary quarter-final against Down with a spot in the last-eight.

The Tribesmen held on for a two-point victory in Newry on Sunday, having come through a tough run of games in the round-robin phase.

And there will be little time to rest on their laurels with a quarter-final against Meath to come this weekend following Monday morning's draw for the latter stages. So Joyce is putting freshness at the top of the agenda in their preparation.

"We'll meet on Tuesday night and Thursday night and we'll play at the weekend but we'll assess what lads need," Galway manager Joyce told RTÉ Sport's Siobhan Madigan as he reflected on getting past Down.

"Some lads need a bit of work, some don't, because it's just the recovery and to get them fresh for Croke Park because they'll need every ounce in Croke Park with the size of the pitch and obviously we're going to be playing a team that's been sitting at home for two weeks and fresh and ready to go.

"So we've a bit of work to do but the big thing for us is to get everybody as fresh as we can next Saturday or Sunday or whenever we're playing."

Joyce added that he never felt his side were "off track" despite a mixed group campaign which saw them lose to Dublin, draw with Derry and edge past Armagh.

"I've learned an awful lot about our players' character and their personas in those games so I wouldn't say we were ever off-track.

"We are in the last eight, we always wanted to be there and we'll aim to be in the last four for next Sunday as well."

As for the game itself, Joyce paid tribute to Down for the way in which they pushed his side throughout the contest.

"It was a super game, probably another close one for Galway to watch. It finished up a huge high-scoring game but delighted to get out the right side of it because Down were fantastic," he said, adding that the Mournemen would be "a force to be reckoned with in the future" under Conor Laverty's stewardship.

"They had brilliant support here, great crowd here, great atmsophere, pitch is in brilliant condition and refereed really, really well I thought. So we're happy out to get out of here with a two-point victory. We would take it all day long, so we're happy."

One area of concern during periods of the match were their own kickouts, Joyce admitted.

"We looked at probably maybe putting in another keeper in as well, Connor (Gleeson), he has a bit more distance," he said.

"But look, in fairness to Conor Flaherty, he gathered himself up there really well and we got control of it near the end again but we were under a bit of pressure in fairness."

Shane Walsh celebrates after kicking a two-point score which would prove crucial

Meanwhile, Galway forward Shane Walsh contributed a haul of 1-07 and like his manager, he felt that their difficult run of games in the All-Ireland series to date has been proving beneficial.

"We're edging up as time goes on. I think the three games in the group have stood to us. They were three really tough games," he said.

"Derry are probably the most unlucky team in the country, not to be still in the competition given the games they put up. That was the most ferocious game I think I've ever played in, up there.

"Obviously, you're probably delighted in a way because you don't have to see them again. But at the same time, you'd hate to be in their position because they were so unfortunate to go out."

Walsh was also pleased that he and his team-mates were ultimately able to withstand Down's stirring comeback in the latter period of the game.

"No lead really is safe in football these days," he said.

"Every team, when you get momentum, it's about trying to kill that momentum. It's so hard, the game has gotten so quick.

"It's so dictated on the kickout. If you get on top of a kickout for a couple of minutes, you can make hay."

The praise was not just one-way with Down manager Conor Laverty tipping Galway to be contenders once again as the championship enters its most intense period on the road towards Sam Maguire.

"Galway have been knocking on the door for a number of years, have a lot of experience in their team. They've got a brilliant management team and I think that once they get out of this now and once they get to Croke Park, I think you'll see an even different side of them," he said.

As for his own team, Laverty expressed mixed emotions but pride in his players was right towards the top of the concoction.

"We did not want today to be our last day, that's the truth. We talked all week about that," he said.

"But I'm massively proud of the group of players, where they've come from to put that level of performance in, to never say die, to keep going. You couldn't be anything but proud of them.

"And even in that, I still think there's more levels in this team as well, even for key learnings at different times as well but listen, we're gutted now.

"It's heartbreaking stuff to lose that game that way."

Click here to read article