Galway players back move to Leinster

The Galway senior hurling squad have given their full backing to the GAA's proposal to include the Tribesmen in next year’s Leinster Championship.

The squad met last night and have decided to give 100% backing to the proposal.

In a statement issued this morning the squad said: 'The players feel that the competitive games would provide them with the platform of hard Championship games they require.

'The Galway panel are of the view that the 2008 Championship model did little for their aspirations, as they were the only team in the country to go out of the competition after just one loss.

'The panel are asking for the support of the rest of the country in the move to Leinster, it will be for the better of hurling and that is what we all strive for. We need to make it happen.'

A Special Convention tonight in Athenry will decide whether Galway will vote on the controversial proposal.

Galway defender David Collins reiterated the call for delegates to vote in favour of the proposal and stated the need for more competitive games.

He said: 'We are looking at playing two games against Antrim and Laois before an All-Ireland quarter-final, which is not really good enough.

'It is not fair on us that we lose one game to Cork in one game and we are out. The quality of games before that is not up to standard.

'If we were to play the likes of Offaly and Dublin, we would know where we stand in terms of a team and standard of hurling. We would have a lot better chance of getting on to quarter-final.'

GAA President Nickey Brennan today welcomed the decision of the Galway players to the support the proposal.