Galway's Walsh relishing trip to Newry

Galway's Shane Walsh hit the match-winning score against Armagh which set up a Sunday's preliminary quarter-final against Down

Galway's Shane Walsh says he and his team-mates "know all about Down" as they prepare to hit the road for Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final in Newry.

The Tribesmen were forced to dig deep at the weekend to edge past Armagh and seal third-place in Group Four, a result which saw them through the knockout phase.

Walsh was in inspirational form with nine points, including the winner at the death, to earn himself the nod for Footballer of the Week.

Being drawn against Down means it is Ulster opposition for the third game in a row for Galway, having drawn in Derry before getting the better of the All-Ireland champions last weekend.

Walsh is expecting a hostile reception in Pairc Esler on Sunday, and is anticipating the Mournemen will be fired up with a place in the last eight on the line, but says he relishes such occasions.

"I know Down manager Conor Laverty is a gent off the field, but when it comes to football, he's very serious about winning. You know exactly what way he is going to create his atmosphere in Down this weekend," Walsh said.

"You embrace that because the more hostile environments - and it tends to be that way when you go across the border with the crowd involved a lot more - makes for a better atmosphere.

"When the game is in the melting pot, you can hear every breath from every supporter."

Walsh has experienced mixed fortunes at the Newry venue in the past, having been part of the Galway team that won a Division Two contest against Down in 2022, but then suffered All-Ireland Club semi-final heartbreak with Kilmacud Crokes against Glen two years later.

The 32-year-old is delighted to still in the championship as at half-time against Armagh, the exit door was staring Galway in the face.

Padraic Joyce's men rallied from eight down to claim an invaluable win and although their third-place finish means they are away from home this week, it is a scenario last year's beaten finalists are more than comfortable with.

"It's great to be here and that was the aim at the start of the game, to still be in the championship," said Walsh, an All-Star recipient in 2022.

"It didn't look good at half-time, but Padraic got behind us and demanded a bit more from us.

"We came out firing in the second half and thankfully so, because if things had stayed the same, we wouldn't be here today."