Peter Canavan: Galway still capable of tearing teams apart
They have yet to scale the heights that saw them reach last year's All-Ireland final, but Peter Canavan has no doubt that Galway can emerge from their "flat spot" and have a say where Sam Maguire will reside later in the summer.
After losing to Dublin in their opening game in the All-Ireland series, Pádraic Joyce's men looked in trouble for most of their subsequent clash with Derry at Celtic Park on Sunday. They trailed by eight shortly after the break.
Joyce made the decision to withdraw key names such as Paul Conroy and Shane Walsh. Others had to step up. Matthew Tierney's 69th-minute goal - Galway's fourth of an absorbing game - looked to have completed a magnificent comeback. Derry would have the final say, however, with Conor Doherty's point at the death ensuring parity in the Maiden City.
As a result, both sides stand on one point in the so-called 'Group of Death' ahead of Derry's date with Dublin and Galway, for the third year running, facing Armagh in their final round-robin clash.
So what of the Tribes then?
Clearly not at the level they reached when accounting for Dublin and Donegal at the height of last summer's championship.
Peter Canavan, speaking on the latest edition of the RTÉ GAA Podcast, when asked as to whether Galway can rediscover their zip, replied: "They have the potential to be every bit as good as they were last year".
In assessing Tribes' showing at Celtic Park, Canavan also took into account the desire shown by Derry, who were similarly in need of points after losing their opener against Armagh.
He said: "There are two ways of looking at Galway's performance against Derry. They were flat and struggled to get to the pitch of the game in terms of their intensity. Derry were well up for it and were motivated. They were thinking that this was their last game in Celtic Park this year and they were going to go for it. They weren't going to be passive and took Galway on physically, and Galway struggled with that."
Canavan, though, was impressed by how Galway clawed their way back, and still believes they have the personnel to really trouble other contenders.
"Key leaders were taken off and they were brilliant in the last ten to 15 minutes; they easily could have thrown in the towel. Pádraic Joyce has a lot to take out of it from that point of view, they have a chance to reset and there is no doubting in terms of their physique and their size around the middle quarter, they have the players to dominate teams in terms of kickouts.
"Up front, if you have Comer, Finnerty and Walsh and if they hit form, I don't care, they can tear anybody apart. Tierney and Thompson are also playing brilliant football
"They still have the personnel, the size, and there is no reason they can't turn it around.
"They have to win [against Armagh]. They have hit a flat spot and are more than capable of bouncing back."
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