Job done, what's next? For Galway captain Seán Kelly, their Connacht final win over Mayo was a day to savour, but it’s already been compartmentalised and stored away with two more major targets to be ticked off in the coming weeks.
The first one he’s happy to say out loud – topping an All-Ireland group containing Derry, Westmeath and Armagh – and while task two may be more tacitly whispered, ending the Tribe County’s now 23-year wait for a 10th Sam Maguire success is very much a burning ambition for Pádraic Joyce’s side.
"To be honest, it hasn’t really sank in, the three-in-a-row in Connacht. Maybe in 20 years times I’ll realise that but right now it’s nearly the next job, what’s next," Kelly said of Galway’s recent Connacht domination while speaking at the Allianz Insurance All-Ireland Championship launch.
"There are bigger challenges ahead but beating the arch-rivals in any kind of final is good; they’ve gotten the better of us and knocked us out of the championship the last few years so it was good to get a positive result like that.
"Hopefully that can really kick on the squad now and we can keep building on that because we have massive challenges ahead.
"Our main goal is still not finished but it’s going to be a huge challenge and it starts with Derry."
Kelly’s desire to top their All-Ireland group, which begins with Saturday's game against Derry at Pearse Stadium, doesn’t need much explaining.
Last season, in the first year of the format, Kelly, despite not being fully fit, broke forward to win a penalty – missed by Damien Comer – and later scored the goal that seemed like it would be enough to get the result against Armagh that would bring them straight through to the quarter-finals.
However, Rory Grugan put the Orchard County ahead deep into injury time before Shane Walsh missed a last-gasp free to earn the required point.
Seven days later, Galway were out of the championship following the narrowest of losses to old rivals Mayo. A draw and a one-point loss in the space of a week to ruin a season, and open the gates to the criticism that inevitably followed.
"You have to put that pressure on yourself," Kelly said of the ambition to top the group.
"Derry are a great side, a great league campaign this year and they’re probably disappointed with their Ulster Championship against Donegal.
"They've had a six-week break, reset and are going to be raring to go when we play them so it’s going to be a huge challenge.
"Getting that top seed is important, it avoids playing an extra game, that prelim which is a huge battle and you’re playing three weeks in a row.
"You do have to put that pressure on yourself but also we know it’s going to be a huge challenge. It’s not just Derry, it’s three great teams whether it’s Armagh or Donegal but also Westmeath who gave us a great game last year. We got over the line in the second half, thankfully.
"Every team they played last year they gave them a great game, they probably should have beaten Tyrone that day if I remember right.
"It’s going to be huge challenges but it’s something we look forward to."
Derry have four weeks preparation behind them following their heavy Ulster loss to Donegal. They didn’t know Galway were first up for much of that spell, but Mickey Harte’s side would have planning and plotting a way back into the All-Ireland conversation.
And if the Connacht outfit needed further reminder of the Oakleaf strength, they just have to go back to February’s Division 1 clash when the visitors hit 3-10 in Salthill.
"We actually had a great first half that game, we were right in it. I don’t know if we were leading at half time, that’s something I’d have to look up," Kelly said of the defeat.
"Obviously coming out in the second half, we had a few sloppy turnovers. I think we went down to 13 players at one stage and they scored three goals on us in the second half.
"Disappointed in being involved that day but, also, we have a lot to learn – sloppy mistakes, sloppy turnovers, they’ll punish. They have such a great squad with a lot of strong runners, good ball players. It’s going to be a huge battle.
"It’s not just one to 15 with them, they have five or six players off the bench that can make a massive impact."
In a time when Galway goalkeeper Conor Gleeson has received plenty of plaudits for kicking the winner against Mayo, much focus will be on Derry netminder Odhran Lynch and how he operates this Saturday given that he was caught away from home for three of Donegal’s four majors last time out.
Kelly said they will be ready for whatever is thrown at them.
"The strategy for their press, they’ve done it all year so do they change it after one game? I know Donegal got great joy off it so who knows?
"You kind of have to adjust on the fly nearly in game, be like 'what’s happening here?’ If they don’t they’re probably a body down in the press and it’s something we can look to exploit as well.
"Who knows what they do but it’s just learning in game as quick as you can to take advantage of whatever they’re trying to do."
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