Damien Comer aiming for injury free year as Galway prepare for 2024 season

After six months without inter-county action, the Allianz Football League gets back underway this weekend, with a fit again Damien Comer set to line out for Galway.

Padraig Joyce's side get their season underway against rivals Mayo in Salthill, a repeat of the fixture which ended their championship.

The sides met three times last season, with Mayo rescuing a draw in the league opener, and defeating Galway in the Division One final.

While Galway will be keen to start their season with a win, Comer insists revenge is not a major factor going into Sunday's game.

"It's not going to be going out and getting revenge from it. Obviously everyone in the group last year was disappointed, more so with our performance than anything, but it is a tasty battle, there is always a bit of spark in the games because of the rivalry, we meet so many times in the year."

2023 was the start of the new structure in the championship, with the group stage of the All-Ireland series between 16 teams.

Unfortunately for Galway, they were an example of how important consistency is in this new format. The Connacht champions looked certain for the quarter-finals, until the final moments against Armagh cost them victory, and set up an extra fixture against Mayo.

The Galway forward admitted their exit from the championship took some time to get over, as he admitted injuries to key players, including himself, played a factor at a crucial time in the season.

“We were doing pretty well up until the last few minutes of the Armagh game, our season was fairly on track. Within the blink of an eye, we were knocked out of the Championship. The last few minutes of the Armagh game, and playing that extra game six or seven days later, it cost us.

"The Armagh game was