Galway's young guns will be put through the sort of ‘let it flow’ in-house games that Brian Cody used to build his All-Ireland winning teams.
Boss Henry Shefflin, who got off the mark with the Tribe when an experimental side beat Offaly 2-19 to 0-19 in the Walsh Cup on Sunday, insists internal matches will form a big part of what he does in Galway.
The Kilkenny legend, who turns 43 today, will also be placing a lot of emphasis on players being available for Fitzgibbon Cup action.
Galway have a big chunk of their emerging players in action for NUIG tomorrow in the higher education league final and Shefflin, who won two Fitzgibbon Cup medals with IT Waterford, said it is a vital part of a player’s development.
“It is trying to find the balance of playing some players and not overdoing it. Those players will get a break, they will get an opportunity,” he said. “I know myself first hand the importance of Fitzgibbon.
"It is very important when they get an opportunity to play in that competition that they are fresh. You have to give youth its chance.”
With Covid, club action and Fitzgibbon placing demands on players, Shefflin and his selectors Richie O’Neill, Damien Joyce and Kevin Lally intend to keep a large squad for the coming weeks.
He added: “Players will get an opportunity over January. As well as these games we will have internal matches. I’ve said to the lads that is where we will see people put their hand up.
“Everyone is going to get a chance. We have set out to find new players, that is what this competition affords you to do.”
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