“The big game and the big stage will suit Tomo” – Mickser Condon

TOMO Culhane has already underscored the huge impact he can make for Galway this season, and his former manager in Clane GAA Club, Mickser Condon, insists he can prove a vital cog in the Tribesmen’s bid to surmount Armagh when the two sides clash in this season’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship decider on Sunday.

Culhane, who featured for Clane in their 2018 Kildare Minor Football Championship campaign, served up the match-winning point when sprung from the bench for Galway in their stunning 0-17 to 0-16 victory over defending champions, Dublin in last month’s All-Ireland Senior quarter-final.

And Condon, who managed Culhane and the Clane minors all the way to the county championship decider some six years ago when they were eventually unhinged by Naas, firmly believes the Salthill-Knocknacarra forward can prove the difference again against Armagh if afforded the opportunity.

“Tomo’s a great impact player and he certainly has the talent” Condon told The Kildare Nationalist.

“He’s a big-game player. He’s always demanding the ball and I like that, particularly in forwards.

“He certainly doesn’t lack in confidence. He’s a very strong individual on the ball, he rarely gives it away and if you put him in around the 14-metre mark, he will put it in the back of the net because he likes taking goals.

“The big game and the big stage will suit Tomo. On the day, nerves can get to players, but he doesn’t lack confidence.

“Armagh are going to be physically tough, but I certainly believe that if he’s brought on, he’ll do the job. There’s no doubt about that in my mind” he insisted.

Culhane served up 2-3 for Clane in the 2018 Minor County Football Championship showpiece, but even that significant contribution was not enough to prevent them coming undone against a Naas outfit that included future stars, the likes of Paddy McDermott, Alex Beirne and Darragh Kirwan.

Clane boasted quality of their own in players the calibre of Sam McCormack and Culhane, but a poor start, that saw them fall eight-points adrift of their opponents, proved costly, and despite a fierce fight-back that reduced the gap to just two, they ultimately lost out 3-14 to 3-10.

That defeat saw Clane relinquish the championship crown the club had lifted the season before when Culhane’s father, Michael managed the team and his two older brothers, Mikey and Paddy, played, beating Sarsfields by a solitary point in that year’s decider.

Tomo parted ways with Clane in 2019, returning to Galway and helping Salthill-Knocknacarra to the Minor A Championship crown following their victory over Caltra in the Final.

On the inter-country front, he played a pivotal role in Galway’s drive to the 2019 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final where they eventually came undone against Cork.

He went one step better with the county’s Under 20 footballers the following year, as they completed their march to the All-Ireland crown with a 1-11 to 0-13 triumph over Dublin, Culhane, himself, amassing a goal and six points in that showpiece.

The talented forward has begun to make his mark on the senior inter-county front for Galway, no more so than in this season’s All-Ireland Championship quarter-final against Dublin when he was sprung from the bench in the closing five minutes and demonstrated superb composure to hit, what proved, the winning point seconds into injury time.

Having since despatched Donegal from the semi-finals, Galway are now set to face Armagh in the final and Condon believes the Tribesmen have the ability to take that final step, with Culhane potentially proving a decisive factor again.

“I have a sneaky feeling that Galway, with the talent they have, might just get this over the line” he predicted.

“There will be very little between them, and Armagh have been showing great resilience, but I think Galway have that bit more up front. They’re well set up and I think they’re very capable.

“And with Tomo, he’s the kind of guy who, if you were to throw him in with 10 or 15 minutes to go, he’ll get out there and do it because he has what it takes.

“He’s just so strong-willed. You saw that with him in the Under 20 All-Ireland Final against Dublin when he got a crucial goal to effectively win it for them. That’s the way he is” he said.

Richard Dunne, Chair of Football in Clane GAA Club, echoed those sentiments, telling The Kildare Nationalist “Tomo is an excellent finisher and has an uncanny knack of getting the big scores on the big day.

“I believe Pádraic Joyce [Galway manager] knows Tomo can have an impact if needed in the latter stages.

“He kicked a super point just after coming on against the Dubs in that winning stretch near the end.

“I wouldn’t be surprised that, if the game is in the melting pot, Tomo could very well be the man to get that all-important score.

“On behalf of Clane GAA, we wish Tomo the very best of luck in his endeavours to help his team mates bring Sam Maguire to Galway” he said.