In his first season in the Galway team, Matthew Thompson has already taken up the playmaker mantle and has been arguably his county's standout player.
He has been involved in an average of 0-11 per match so far this championship, making 20 passes per game - providing a masterclass in quality high-percentage kickpassing and scoring.
Coming into this afternoon's All-Ireland quarter-final against Meath, the 20-year-old forward has contributed to over 40% of his team's total of 15-145. Meaning he has scored, assisted or been involved in the build-up for 8-53 in seven matches.
The Salthill‑Knocknacarra starlet has therefore been involved in an average of 11 points per match raising the question, will Meath look to detail a man-marker to track the Tribesmen's in-form forward?
In his breakthrough season, Thompson has scored 1-12 and assisted 3-10 during his team's defence of the Connacht title (and completion of four in a row), three All-Ireland group stage games and a preliminary quarter-final victory. His combined scores and assists total to date is 4-22 producing an average of just under 0-05 per match. All the more impressive given he is not the team's free-taker.
An entirely fresh addition to an otherwise settled team which fell just short in last year's All-Ireland final, Thompson has played in all but seven minutes of the 2025 championship so far. Moving between the lines to link the play, he has developed into a key player for Pádraic Joyce.
Not only due to his ability to identify and expose the extra spaces under the new rules and pick out the key dangermen around him in the Galway forward line, but also his assertiveness in stepping inside and finishing off both sides.
The most dangerous of those forward colleagues is Kilmacud Crokes' Shane Walsh - the player Thompson has assisted most often across the seven games.
Walsh has given his young team mate the nickname 'Magic Thompson', in reference to one of the NBA's all-time great playmakers Magic Johnson. Living up to the name, he's already set Walsh up for two goals this summer, both with smart, intricate kick passes.
Matthew Thompson was handed a starting spot in New York and he grabbed the jersey with both hands
Thompson has also assisted his club mate Robert Finnerty for 0-04, Cillian McDaid for 0-03, Cian Hernon for a goal and last season's Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy for a two-pointer.
The University of Galway student has amassed a total of 137 passes in seven matches, or 20 passes per game. Utterly calm and seemingly a few seconds ahead of the rest of the field in terms of his awareness of space and decision making, Thompson is given licence to play forward although his passing style is still high percentage.
Of those passes, one-third were kickpasses while all 15 of his shots were via his feet. Of his assists, 2-06 have been via kickpasses.
A large part of what makes Thompson such a joy to watch but also such an efficient playmaker is the quality of his kickpassing. The ball moves much quicker than any player and given Galway's talented inside line, the sooner they are involved the better.
Matthew Thompson was an underage star for the Tribe County
The former Galway United soccer player put in a man of the match performance last time out against Down where he made 29 passes - 10 of which with his foot - assisted 1-03 and scored 0-05 including a well struck two-pointer this time set up by fellow Salthill man Finnerty who was returning the favour. Four points in a row either side of half time were converted or created by Thompson in a superb all-round performance.
Against reigning champions Armagh in his team's final group stage match, he made 22 passes, kicking seven of them and assisting three points. He also had a leading role in three missed goal chances in that game, as well as giving the final pass before Conroy was fouled for the game-winning free which Walsh slotted.
Prior to that game, in the draw with Derry, he scored two points, assisted Walsh for a goal and kicked eight of 23 passes. Against Dublin he kicked nine of 19 passes as his team were beaten in Salthill, scoring 1-01 himself and assisting a Finnerty score with a kickpass.
In the Connacht final he assisted 0-03 and scored a point himself, making a total of 10 passes with four of them kicked. The win over Roscommon was his only game to neither score nor assist in, although he did pass on 14 occasions.
In Galway's championship opener in New York he provided a first glimpse to many fans of his potential at this level, with 20 passes, a goal assist and 0-03 to his own name.
Aside from his role as playmaker, Thompson has also pressed kickouts, turned over opposition defenders and won long and short kickouts.
No doubt the secret is out and 'Magic' is likely to get some more attention moving forward. However, given his form and confidence Galway will expect him to continue knitting their attack together as they look to go one better this year.
Watch two All-Ireland Football Championship quarter-finals, Meath v Galway and Armagh v Kerry, from 1.15pm on Sunday on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to commentaries on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game at 10.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
