THE CLUX GO BACK AAJOINS FOR DUBS

SEASON number 23 for Stephen Cluxton - but Dessie Farrell says his return wasn't a reaction to the goalkeeper role change during the week.

- KARL O'KANE

The 43-year-old, six-time All-Ireland-winning captain - those are some big, impressive numbers - wasn't in Dublin's original 26-man squad.

But his appearance in the warm-up, with Farrell saying after the game that Evan Comerford the goalie in their defeat by Armagh last time out was injured, was another milestone in a groundbreaking career.

Cluxton's first half was one to forget, but if there are two things we know about him they are that it wouldn't faze him one bit and he'll work hard to improve as the year goes on.

Galway won Dublin kick-out after kick-out, but with Shane Walsh and Robert Finnerty misfiring both missed four chances, with Finnerty palming wide of an open goal under no pressure they failed to punish Cluxton and co.

Dublin led by seven points at half-time, and it was the six at the end with Seán Bugler's two goals helping him to a fourth man of the match award in this Division 1 campaign - he also missed one game with an injury.

During the week the Football Review Committee (FRC) effectively put the shackles on the roaming goalkeeper, with no more 12 versus 11, and four players having to stay back if the goalie goes forward.

With Cluxton unlikely to attack at will, the change suits him, but Farrell says that although they factored the latest tweaks in, he was due game time anyway.

"He was always going to feature at some stage," said Farrell.