Galway given huge boost as Peter Cooke returns to panel
SOMETHING COOKING: Peter Cooke of Galway in action against Conor Loftus of Mayo during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Mayo and Galway at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Galway’s Sam Maguire ambitions have been significantly bolstered by the news that Peter Cooke has rejoined Pádraic Joyce’s panel.
Cooke was not part of the Galway football set-up during last year’s run to the All-Ireland final, with the Moycullen half-forward having made his most recent appearance in maroon during the 2023 All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final defeat to Mayo.
The 2022 All-Ireland final run was another season the in-and-out Cooke was absent for, having featured in all of Galway’s 2021 league and championship games the year previous.
His 2022 absence owed to work commitments, Cooke an employee of cyber security firm TitanHQ, with whom he has spent time based out of their Connecticut offices.
Galway boss Pádraic Joyce confirmed earlier this year that Cooke would not be part of the set-up in 2025, but his return to the panel on the eve of championship - Galway open their Connacht campaign away to New York on Sunday - will notably strengthen the county’s push for a first All-Ireland in 24 years.
The Moycullen clubman was in red hot form during their run to last season’s county senior final, scoring 1-4 from play in the Galway SFC quarter-final win over Oughterard.
