JAMES KAVANAGH BELIEVES he has another season or two of top football in him and that he can play his part and lead his adopted Galway to glory.
The former Kildare star made a stellar debut for Galway on Sunday, turning in a man-of-the-match performance as Alan Mulholland’s men got their FBD League campaign off to a flying start with a 3-10 to 0-8 win over Sligo.
He has strong Galway connections and has been living in Milltown in north Co Galway for over a year having married Linda Mullahy — a sister of former Galway player Darren — and having been transferred to Mill Street garda station in the city.
Kavanagh, twice an All-Star nominee, played for Milltown last year and said the welcome afford him by the club urged him to go a step further and throw his lot in with Galway.
“Milltown have been brilliant to me. I’ve been welcomed into Milltown by everybody. It’s great, you’re made feel so welcome. I was a bit anxious coming into Galway, you know, how the lads would see it down here, the current lads, but they’ve been so sound, very welcoming and there all good lads, no bother with them whatsoever,” he added.
He said that the warmth of the welcome offered to him by Milltown — the home club of former Galway stars Gay McManus and Tomas Tierney — who won their last of two county titles in 1981 was the start of a new journey for him and having been called into the Galway squad when they regrouped a few weeks ago, he said he was delighted to make his debut for his adopted county.
“I was happy to get the run out, first competitive match. It went well, I got myself on a good bit of ball and I suppose that’s what it’s all about this time of year, getting the eye in. But I enjoyed it out there and it’s nice to start off.”
His link with Galway started when he moved to the famed St Jarlath’s College for his final two years in secondary school and helped them win the Hogan Cup in 2002 with a side which included his new colleagues such as Michael Meehan, Alan Burke, Gary Sice and Niall Coleman.
“I was in Jarlath’s and I know a few of the lads playing here so that was the first connection I had. And then when I was down there I met my wife Linda, so I’m down here full time. I managed to get a move with the job so it made sense to me to come in and I wanted to come in and give it a go. I felt I still had a year or two to offer so that’s how it all came about,” said the 28-year old garda, who is stationed at Mill Street in Galway city.
