Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson is in that peculiar position where he and his team had a hugely successful season, but the disappointment of losing the final almost washes over all of that.
Only Armagh can say that they enjoyed a better campaign in the All-Ireland series, as the Tribesmen conquered Connacht, beat defending champions Dublin and marched into their second final in three years.
It's no secret that Galway were decimated with injuries throughout the league and championship, with key players like Shane Walsh, Sean Kelly and Damien Comer all picking up serious knocks that meant they had to miss games, or play in matches despite not being fully fit.
However, the reason they reached the final was because others managed to step up and take on more responsibility, and Gleeson did just that by becoming one of the free takers.
Speaking on The Puke Football Podcast at the launch of a three year partnership between Connacht GAA and Pinergy, Ireland’s energy transition company, the shot stopper details some of the secrets behind his kicking technique.
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Galway senior football team goalkeeper Connor Gleeson pictured at the launch of a three year partnership between Connacht GAA and Pinergy, Ireland’s energy transition company.
This is only my first year taken frees for Galway, and the way that I'm looking at these frees, and I could be wrong, maybe some kicking coach or psychologist will tell me I'm wrong, but I try not to be 'outcome' focussed.
"So I'm concentrating on getting a clean strike, rather than the outcome, so if I connect it clean and it goes over then brilliant, and it's as simple as that, I just concentrate on striking it clean.
"You be studying other free takers, just like you would be studying other goalkeepers, their kick outs and all of that, and you do try and rob a few things of them - there have been a few free takers that I have been trying to mimic, and maybe it's worked.
"I kicked in rugby when I was growing up, playing underage for my local club but if I'm going to continue to kick frees maybe a kicking coach would help me a small bit, we'll see.
"I'm kicking well in practise, I'm missing a few for the club, but we'll see, I'll maybe knock over a few at the weekend."
The Puke Football Interview: Connor Gleeson
Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson joins Lee on the show as they discuss:
- Becoming a goalkeeper 🙌
- Kicking routines ⚽
- Not getting an All-Star nomination ✖️
- The emotion of hitting that winner in the Connacht final 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Rxu7eJw5BX— Lee Costello (@PukeFootballPod) September 27, 2024
Gleeson has been involved with the Galway senior squad for years, but this is only his first year taking frees, a gamble that paid off massively when he stroked over the winner against Mayo late in the Connacht final last summer.
The Dunmore MacHales clubman explains how he managed to climb the pecking order in the county set-up.
I was probably well down the line in the options, but Shane Walsh and Matthew Tierney, the way their injuries were in the league, they were advised not to be striking off the ground to agitate them.
"Johnny Heaney was taking them so it was between me and Johnny, and I think I got the nod on the day, and I had only started practising on the Tuesday, hit seven or eight out of 10, and that was it, I was on them for the weekend."
Gleeson and Galway will be hoping that they will have all of their kickers available and healthy next season so they can attack the All-Ireland series without as many injuries hampering their campaign.
You can listen to the full interview with Connor Gleeson on The Puke Football Podcast for free right here: The Puke Football Interview: Connor Gleeson
