THE SHIFT IN Galway hurling has been seismic.
The panel that carry the county’s hopes of claiming a first All-Ireland senior hurling crown in 24 years in next Sunday’s replay against Kilkenny in Croke Park is unrecognisable from that which exited the last two championships at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage.
Of the 19 players that featured at some juncture when Galway lost by 3-17 to 3-16 in July 2010 against Tipperary, only nine will be part of next Sunday’s squad.
Of the 20 players that played a part when Waterford got the better of the Tribesmen by 2-23 to 2-13 in last year’s quarter-final clash in Thurles, only 13 are members of next Sunday’s panel.
There were 15 players who lined out at some stage for Galway at some stage in the 2010 and 2011 championship campaigns, that are no longer involved part of the current panel.
Retirement, injury, emigration and squad omissions are some of the reasons which have contributed to their departures.
Here’s a guide to the team that could have represented Galway next Sunday.
