Galway have made life unexpectedly difficult for themselves in their quest to end a 22-year wait for Sam Maguire this year.
Entering the championship summer as many's favourites to take the big prize in July, Galway responded to their league final defeat to Mayo by winning the Connacht championship in resounding fashion, and were two from two in the opening stages of the new round-robin format.
However, a dramatic defeat to Armagh on the final weekend of the group stages means Galway now have a tricky preliminary quarter-final assignment to face this weekend, once again against arch-rivals Mayo - who themselves have made their path to the All-Ireland unnecessarily tricky.
Though Galway remain heavily favoured in many quarters, they have a few more awkward questions to answer now.
If they are to go all the way, the form of corner forward Shane Walsh will be crucial.
24 July 2022; Shane Walsh of Galway kicks a free during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Kerry and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Walsh, along with Damien Comer, has emerged as the star of this Galway team, and the 30-year-old earned huge plaudits for his barnstorming performance in last year's All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry.
That All-Ireland final performance had many placing Walsh in the same category as the likes of David Clifford and Con O'Callaghan - but Mayo legend Lee Keegan believes that he is a bit off that level just yet.
READ HERE: Ex-Ireland Rugby Captain Explains Why He Wanted His Son To Play GAA
Galway: Lee Keegan questions Shane Walsh's "elite" standing
Writing in his weekly Gaelic football column for RTÉ, Lee Keegan focused on this weekend's mega Connacht clash between Galway and Mayo, and eventually came to the subject of the Tribesmen's corner forward Shane Walsh.
Walsh missed a free with the last kick of the game in Sunday's defeat to Armagh - a free which, if it had landed, would have tied up the game and secured Galway automatic progression to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Instead, they are resigned to a preliminary quarter-final - and Keegan believes it is this supposed lack of "killer instinct" which has Walsh a level below the likes of Clifford and O'Callaghan:
After last year's All-Ireland final display, Walsh has been grouped alongside David Clifford and Con O'Callaghan as one of the elite forwards in the game.
But he's not there yet. Clifford and O'Callaghan are cold blooded killers. Compared to those two, there's a lack of consistency and killer instinct.
I can already hear Galway people complaining at me saying this. But if you look at his overall career, he hasn't delivered consistently at the highest level. He does it in flashes but not often enough. His form this season has been patchy.
Based on this year, Shane McGuigan has a stronger claim to being considered on a par with Clifford and Con.
Walsh is undoubtedly one of the finest forwards in the modern game, but the distinction between him and Clifford in particular is facinating, given their tit-for-tat duel in last year's thrilling final at Croke Park.
There is every chance they will meet again in the All-Ireland decider on July 30, but Galway's path looks that little bit trickier now after their slip-up in the round-robin.
They will face Mayo on Sunday afternoon at 3pm in Salthill, with the game live on RTÉ Two.
SEE ALSO: 'People Ask How I Ended Up Playing Rugby But I Was A GAA Player'
