Class is permanent

IT WAS a weekend in which the Galway Senior Football Championship sparked into life. The availability of second chances to defeated teams took away plenty of the edge from the first round in May but the losers’ section matches last Saturday and Sunday were a whole different ball-game with five 'do-or-die’ championship encounters attracting most of the interest.
Given the number of heavy-hitters already drinking in last chance saloon, it was inevitable there would be high-profile casualties and three of last year’s semi-finalists — St Michael’s, Barna and Milltown — made their championship exits while the elimination of a St James’ side that reached the last four in 2013 proved the weekend’s biggest shock.