Galway hurling boss John McIntyre says they will wait until the new year before deciding on who will captain the team next season. Ger Loughnane made David Collins skipper in his first year in charge but when injury ruled him out two years ago, Loughnane appointed Ollie Canning skipper when the Portumna clubman returned to the county fold.

Canning was again handed the skipper's armband by McIntyre in his first season in charge bit a decision on next year's captain has not yet been addressed by the Galway boss and his selectors. "We will have a look at that in the new year when we re-assemble in January," said McIntyre, who has brought in nine new players into the squad.

Included among them is former skipper Collins who is back in the fold after a two-year injury nightmare. He is currently in Nepal on charity work and will be going on to Australia afterwards before rejoining the Galway squad at the end of January.

Experienced performers such as Fergal Healy and Alan Kerins have been dropped, while midfielder David Tierney and full-back Damien McClearn have opted out. There is a surprise recall for former full-back Tony Og Regan who did not feature at all during McIntyre’s first term in charge.

Promising defender Ciaran O’Donovan and the versatile Iarla Tannian, both of whom suffered serious injuries early in the year, are included for next season. "The squad is open at both ends and as we showed this year, team management will be quite flexible in moving players in and out as the need arises," said McIntyre.

Also dropped from the squad are defenders Ger Mahon, Martin Ryan and Brian Costello, along with U-21 forward Eoin Forde. There is also a return to the squad for Mullagh defender Conor Dervan, who will be eligible at the end of January after a proposed 48-weeks ban for his involvement in the incidents which followed his club's exit from the county championship was reduced to twelve weeks.

McIntyre once again places huge faith in the all-conquering Portumna side with eight players — Ollie Canning, Eugene McEntee, Eoin Lynch, Kevin Hayes, Andy Smith, Damien Hayes, Joe Canning and Niall Hayes — included in the 34-man squad for next year.

Galway squad: C Callanan, J Skehill, F Moore, E McEntee, T Og Regan, O Canning, D Joyce, C O'Donovan, J Lee, D Collins, C Dervan, A Cullinane, S Kavanagh, E Lynch, G Farragher, R Murray, K Hynes, A Coen, A Callanan, A Smith, K Hayes, C Donnellan, N Healy, J Canning, D Hayes, J Gantley, N Hayes, I Tannian, D Burke, P Holland, E Ryan, N Cahalan, A Harte, D Barry.

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