New Galway senior hurling manager Anthony Cunningham has hailed the contributions of former Tribesmen captains Shane Kavanagh and Damien Joyce.
Neither Kavanagh nor Joyce found themselves included in the new man’s first senior panel, as he axed – in all – 11 of the men who competed under John McIntyre in 2011.
The 2012 squad also has no place for Alan Kerins, Joe Gantley, Donal Barry, Adrian Cullinane and John Lee, while talisman Ger Farragher is absent as well, although Cunningham says the door has not been closed on anyone.
Aonghus Callanan, another not included, was not dropped, however, according to Cunningham who says that the player was invited onto the panel but will take a year out to go travelling.
"Firstly, I would say that Shane Kavanagh and Damien Joyce have certainly given wonderful service to Galway and that the door is not closed," Cunningham told the Connacht Tribune.
"If someone plays well for their college or club in the spring - be it Shane or Damien or anybody else - then those players could be called in.
"As for Aonghus, he was invited into the panel, but he is taking a year out.
“We have had discussions with him and he felt that by taking a year out, it would also give him an opportunity to clear up the injuries he had been carrying."