Comer unlikely to be fit for Galway next week

Pádraic Joyce says Damien Comer is unlikely to be available for Galway's All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final next weekend as a result of the knock that kept him out of their victory over Armagh on Saturday.

Joyce had originally named Comer in the matchday panel submitted ahead of this weekend's crucial final group clash but shortly before throw-in at Kingspan Breffni Park against the reigning All-Ireland champions, news filtered through that Comer would not ultimately be involved.

Galway did eventually edge past Armagh, who were already assured of a place in the last-eight to book their own place in the championship knockout stages but manager Joyce all but ruled Comer out of contention for the Tribesmen's preliminary quarter-final due to injury sustained in midweek.

"Poor old Damien again, he's picked up a nick there on Thursday night in training and just wasn't fit to come today," he told RTÉ Sport.

"Probably won't be available either next week as well I'd say."

On the much-needed win over Armagh, Joyce was particularly pleased with how his side finished the game, capped by Shane Walsh's last-gasp free.

"I thought it was really good of the lads. We got caught in the last two games in the last play whereas we learned the lesson from it this time," he said.

"We got our kickout to Céin Darcy and it was a great catch and Paul (Conroy) won the free eventually and then Shane (Walsh) was a brilliant kick.

Shane Walsh with supporters after the match

"It was a special kick from Shane. They're hard kicks, the ones that are right in front of the goal. If there's a bit of an angle, it's not too bad.

"It was probably three or four yards to the right of the right post. But super kick. He was kicking well all day in fairness so great to get out of it."

However, the manager still feels his side have gears to go up if they are to get back into another All-Ireland final, with the opposition in the next round not determined until the draw is made on Monday on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland after the 8.30am news.

"I still think we're not where we should be to be honest. We're struggling to get over the line to win games at times," said Joyce.

"But I'm happy to still be in the last 12. Obviously, whoever gets us (in the preliminary quarter-final round) won't want to get us because of where we're coming from.

"But we'll just have to keep going, get the head down. The final is on in six weeks, so our aim is to still be there. But we've three tough games to get over the line to get there."

Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney, left, and Galway manager Pádraic Joyce shake hands after the game

Meanwhile, Armagh counterpart Kieran McGeeney remained upbeat after what he termed a "cracking game" between both teams in Cavan.

The Sam Maguire holders topping their group means they skip the preliminary quarter-finals and have a two-week cushion before they return to action in the last-eight.

And McGeeney feels his team have plenty to work on despite decent form.

"We'd be disappointed that we gave the ball away so much, (Galway) upped the aggression stakes and the frees seemed to fall their way then and we just got caught doing silly stuff," he said.

"We got ourselves back in a good position again and gave it away, so probably a bit annoying, and then with the (Walsh) free at the end, so loads to work on."

Watch an All-Ireland Football Championship double-header, Monaghan v Down and Donegal v Mayo, on Sunday from 1.30pm. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game at 9.30pm.

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