Galway GAA discussion thread

Diabhal Beag

Tannian was very good today. Dominated midfield whereas Smith was lost out there. Only fault was some of his passing was awful at a time where no Galway player was accurate passing and I'd wonder if the sun was in their eyes.

I really rate Dooley but for sure the last goal was due to the ignorance of the Galway backs. Skehill was completely at fault for the first for sure. I hate to be too harsh on players but he is prone to mistakes early in big matches to the point where Flannery/Ryan should be given their proper chance. It will be difficult to throw them in against KK/Dub (especially after Ryan was in goals for the thrashing by KK earlier on this year) but it must be done.

cson

Don't know what was said to Fergal Moore at HT but he had Shane Dooley in his back pocket in the second half after being cleaned in the first.

Pride Fighter

Just deleted a whole host of posts.

Folks do not post hearsay and conjecture on these boards.

Mod

TomKat

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Just deleted a whole host of posts.

Folks do not post hearsay and conjecture on these boards.

Mod

what was wrong with the posts?

Diabhal Beag

Dodgy territory clearly.

Galway will have a tough tough day against KK especially in the full-back line. Last time I saw Rushe that well marked out of a match was the U-21 final last year.

RealityCheck

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Galway will have a tough tough day against KK especially in the full-back line. Last time I saw Rushe that well marked out of a match was the U-21 final last year.

We'll have our work cut out at every line, but I'm sure you don't dispute that. I reckon the half back line will be equally as critical.

If we finish within 10 points of them I'll be satisfied. What we don't need is the team to be beaten out the gate. It won't be good for their development. I reckon how the half back line do will be every bit as important as the full back line. If they give too much space and can't win ball, the full back line will be overrun. They'll need a lot of support from midfield and even from half forwards. They'll need a game plan to have any hope against them, but at the same time we need to play to our strengths. Use our pace, skill and movement in the forwards. We've more natural forwards than Dublin at least. Defence very questionable though.

Diabhal Beag

Backs in general have been poor this Championship. Would be great to see the likes of Coen, Donohue and Collins step up against Kilkenny. Nice to see there's no expectation of a win which is welcome realism for the first year of Cunningham's reign. 7 point defeat for me would be good progress and also lend reason for optimism for the Quarters. KK have some wealth of talent everywhere. To be able to bring on Tennyson and Noel Hickey isn't matched outside of Tipp really.

O.A.P

The round robin route to Croke park is a no hoper this year above any other, I think.
So its a simple matter of beating the cats in the Leinster final and winning the next two games. The beating Kilkenny bit has happened before againest the odds.
I went fishing in 2001 and missed (imo) the best match of the decade, because we all thought they had no chance. I have not missed one since on the telly or was at the match.
I hope to see the day when Galway are Leinster chamipions, this is our chance. Optimistic I know but I bring a maroon and white flag to the matches not a white one.
I'll give the bookies a miss though .

I meant to write hurlers in the title, not hulers sorry.

Mountainlad

How much does winning a Leinster title mean to Galway fans? Like I know if ye won it it woud bring about great optimism for the future that ye might win an all-ireland, but see what has happened with us happened with ye? Would ye look back in 8-10 years time and remember winning a Leinster as fondly as Waterford fans remember 2002 and 2004?

Honest question, just curious to hear what ye make of it.

RealityCheck

Mountainlad wrote: »

How much does winning a Leinster title mean to Galway fans? Like I know if ye won it it woud bring about great optimism for the future that ye might win an all-ireland, but see what has happened with us happened with ye? Would ye look back in 8-10 years time and remember winning a Leinster as fondly as Waterford fans remember 2002 and 2004?

Honest question, just curious to hear what ye make of it.

Yes and no.

Yes it would mean a lot and we would remember it fondly in 8-10 years, but thats more so because we would have beaten a great Kilkenny team. It would be similarly remembered to the time we beat Kilkenny in 01 and 05, but the difference is we would receive silverware for doing so.

No from the point of view that we don't have the same affinity with the Bob O'Keefe Cup as the likes of Waterford have in Munster or Kilkenny/ Offaly have in Leinster.

O.A.P

Mountainlad wrote: »

How much does winning a Leinster title mean to Galway fans? Like I know if ye won it it woud bring about great optimism for the future that ye might win an all-ireland, but see what has happened with us happened with ye? Would ye look back in 8-10 years time and remember winning a Leinster as fondly as Waterford fans remember 2002 and 2004?

Honest question, just curious to hear what ye make of it.

Some silverware for all the effort at last.
We live on wins over rivals that get us to semi finals or finals but ultimatly fail to deliver anything apart from being the loser in the end.
I know we are not alone but at last we have a chance now of winning a cup apart from the Liam Mc Carthy.

Syferus

How much did a Munster title mean to Cork in 1890?

It seems a very loaded question to be honest. In time, if the province is competitive, Galway winning a Leinster title (or whatever label ends up being put on it) will mean just as much as it would to Dublin or Wexford or indeed as much as a Munster title would mean to Waterford or Clare or anyone else in Munster.

History needs time to develop, there's no quick route to passion.

aidan24326

Mountainlad wrote: »

How much does winning a Leinster title mean to Galway fans? Like I know if ye won it it woud bring about great optimism for the future that ye might win an all-ireland, but see what has happened with us happened with ye? Would ye look back in 8-10 years time and remember winning a Leinster as fondly as Waterford fans remember 2002 and 2004?

Honest question, just curious to hear what ye make of it.

A Leinster title in itself wouldn't mean that much and won't have us dancing in the streets or anything, but it would be nice to win all the same and would be great to beat Kilkenny in doing so. They looked in good order on saturday though so it's a big ask. They're still the team to beat for sure.

PS anyone know when is the draw for the football qualifiers?

cgpg5

aidan24326 wrote: »

A Leinster title in itself wouldn't mean that much and won't have us dancing in the streets or anything, but it would be nice to win all the same and would be great to beat Kilkenny in doing so. They looked in good order on saturday though so it's a big ask. They're still the team to beat for sure.

PS anyone know when is the draw for the football qualifiers?

I assume next sun/mon morning after the first round?

Diabhal Beag

A Leinster title would be a great achievement in the sense you're beating KK in a final and getting to a semi-final for the first time since 05 but it wouldn't mean as much as it did to Wexford. It's silverware for beating KK.

aidan24326

cgpg5 wrote: »

I assume next sun/mon morning after the first round?

Yeah I forgot the first round hasn't even been played yet! Doh!!

RealityCheck

So Kilkenny on Sunday. How are we shaping up? I can't say I'm overly looking forward to it. Hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves and end up with something to build on later in the month. If we can stay in the game I'll be more than satisfied.

Footballers are playing Antrim the week after. Of all the teams its probably one of the nicer draws. Having said that coming from where we're coming from it won't be an easy game, especially in Belfast. If we can't beat Antrim though we might as well fold the tent, no offence meant. It would be nice to win a couple of qualifiers for a change! Even if we don't it would be nice to give a good account of ourselves against a Kerry or Tyrone.

Diabhal Beag

Not looking forward to the Antrim match in that sense where you don't look forward with a lot of optimism to any Galway football match in the last few years. They're a side that got to an Ulster final recently and add to that the home support and you've got yourself a tough match. A win would be massive and it would end the Qualifier Curse though so they've a lot to gain.

For anybody thinking of heading to Croker on Sunday there's a supporter's bus heading up. So worst comes to worst you'll be surrounded by myself and fellow like-minded supporters (insert priest chat reference) Here's the link

MfMan

RealityCheck wrote: »

Footballers are playing Antrim the week after. Of all the teams its probably one of the nicer draws. Having said that coming from where we're coming from it won't be an easy game, especially in Belfast. If we can't beat Antrim though we might as well fold the tent, no offence meant. It would be nice to win a couple of qualifiers for a change! Even if we don't it would be nice to give a good account of ourselves against a Kerry or Tyrone.

According to Gary Kelly of GBFM ' both sides have never met in the championship'. Indeed.

RealityCheck

MfMan wrote: »

According to Gary Kelly of GBFM ' both sides have never met in the championship'. Indeed.

I looked it up and came to the same conclusion. Sure thats what the qualifiers are all about.

MfMan

RealityCheck wrote: »

I looked it up and came to the same conclusion. Sure thats what the qualifiers are all about.

He didn't rule out the possibility that one side may have met though.

I'll go now.

aidan24326

Antrim wasn't the worst draw we could have got, and it being in Belfast makes no difference as Pearse Stadium hasn't exactly been a fortress in recent years. In fact I think we're as well off being drawn away.

Hurlers will do well to get within 10 points of Kilkenny, that's the reality of it. I fear a hammering.

RealityCheck

We were due to play Antrim in the 1900 semi final but we were awarded a walkover before we lost to Tipperary by 22 points in the Final. Those were the days.

Kojak

aidan24326 wrote: »

Hurlers will do well to get within 10 points of Kilkenny, that's the reality of it. I fear a hammering.

I am afraid that I have to agree with you - Our backs don't look settled and KK know this. Expect them to go for goal from the start. Also I can't see KK's full back line being as generous (or inept) as Offaly the last day.

If they get within 10 points, galway will be doing well....

Mountainlad

Syferus wrote: »

How much did a Munster title mean to Cork in 1890?

It seems a very loaded question to be honest. In time, if the province is competitive, Galway winning a Leinster title (or whatever label ends up being put on it) will mean just as much as it would to Dublin or Wexford or indeed as much as a Munster title would mean to Waterford or Clare or anyone else in Munster.

History needs time to develop, there's no quick route to passion.

I dunno, I wasn't alive.

I think I get what you mean, that over time Galway will feel part of Leinster, but I don't think it's the same as Waterford belonging to Munster or Kilkenny to Leinster. I'm sure winning Leinster means little to Kilkenny at this stage but that's just the circumstances. Maybe it will change in the future for Galway but I guess the question I was asking was from a more immediate point of view.

aidan24326 wrote: »

A Leinster title in itself wouldn't mean that much and won't have us dancing in the streets or anything, but it would be nice to win all the same and would be great to beat Kilkenny in doing so. They looked in good order on saturday though so it's a big ask. They're still the team to beat for sure.

PS anyone know when is the draw for the football qualifiers?

And this is the thing for me. I know beating Kilkenny would be great and all, but where is the added hunger and motivation for Galway? Sure, it is a direct route to the semi final but like if it was Cork or Waterford or Tipp or whoever in a Munster Final they wouldn't be thinking about an All-Ireland semi, it would be them wanting to beat their provincial rivals and be crowned the best team in the province. I don't think that added hunger is there for Galway, though maybe they'll just look at it from a different perspective. Either way it's a pretty unique situation I guess.

Can't see past Kilkenny, but it might be closer than suggested purely because people who gave Dublin a great chance are now giving Galway no chance and thus there is no weight of expectation or even talk about them. There was more talk about Dublin than Kilkenny going into the last game, and that definitely didn't help.

aidan24326

Kojak wrote: »

I am afraid that I have to agree with you - Our backs don't look settled and KK know this. Expect them to go for goal from the start. Also I can't see KK's full back line being as generous (or inept) as Offaly the last day.

If they get within 10 points, galway will be doing well....

Cody has been talking Galway up which you could of course put down to an experienced manager playing mind games but I think that it's not just that.

Cody has presided over Kilkenny teams that have been ambushed by Galway in the past and I think Galway are still a team that he's always a bit wary of, as he knows they're capable of a big performance on any given day.

Galway hurling teams don't do consistency that's for sure, but are always dangerous in a one-off game so I don't think Kilkenny will be taking us for granted.

I just want to see Galway hurl with the passion and determination they showed in the Tipp semi final 2010, that's all we ask, and if they ultimately get beaten there will be no shame in losing to the greatest hurling team of all time. What we don't want to see is a gutless capitualtion like the Waterford game last year.

Just give it everything and let every player walk off the pitch feeling like they gave it all they had, and if that's not enough then so be it. This Kilkenny team are awesome and it's becoming a daunting task to go up against them.

keane2097

aidan24326 wrote: »

Antrim wasn't the worst draw we could have got, and it being in Belfast makes no difference as Pearse Stadium hasn't exactly been a fortress in recent years. In fact I think we're as well off being drawn away.

Ha! Just because home advantage isn't worth anything when Galway have it doesn't mean it's not worth anything when Antrim have it!

aidan24326

keane2097 wrote: »

Ha! Just because home advantage isn't worth anything when Galway have it doesn't mean it's not worth anything when Antrim have it!

Antrim will be delighted to be at home I'm sure, and they won't fear Galway at all given how poor we've been in recent years. I reckon they'll fancy their chances.

I just meant that from Galway's perspective we have a poor championship record in Pearse Stadium in recent years, having lost qualifiers to Westmeath and Wexford, lost the Connaught final to Mayo a couple of years ago, lost to Sligo only a few weeks ago.

As it happens Antrim don't play many championship games in Casement so might not be that big an advantage to them. I'd expect Galway to win this one, but it's a sign of how far we've fallen that I wouldn't be confident against anyone at the moment, and it would be merely a mild surprise rather than an outright shock if Antrim were to actually beat us.

RealityCheck

I see from the Tuam Herald that Cormac Bane has left the football panel due to poor form. Pity things didn't work out for him this year but leaving the panel now is a bit strange. They beat Cork in a challenge match at the weekend and lost to Clare in a challenge the week before. Not much to be said about any of that but that Clare will win Munster!!

Greenngold

Has Michael Meehan played much club football since the Sligo match? One of the best forwards in the country no doubt on his day. Michael Martin looked decent underage for ye, he played a few games in the league this year,is he still on the panel. Lots of quality in the Galway forwards woith Armstrong, Joyce, Mark Hehir, Cummins.

Antrim are a useful side, wasn't a great showing against London, one of their key players Tomas McCann was married the day before. Him and his brother Michael are 2 brillant footballers, they caused Cavan lots of problems the last 3/4 years. Paddy Cunningham is another good player, he can kick free's all day. Great left foot. Still expect Galway to win by a few pts.

Syferus

Galway should win (sure we have to have our rematch in Round 3 now, after all ), Antrim were poor in the league against us in the Hyde but they don't seem to travel well at all so they should be able to at least ask a few questions of Galway up in Casement - they gave a good Wexford side a real run for their money there in the league.

keane2097

Greenngold wrote: »

Has Michael Meehan played much club football since the Sligo match? One of the best forwards in the country no doubt on his day. Michael Martin looked decent underage for ye, he played a few games in the league this year,is he still on the panel. Lots of quality in the Galway forwards woith Armstrong, Joyce, Mark Hehir, Cummins.

Antrim are a useful side, wasn't a great showing against London, one of their key players Tomas McCann was married the day before. Him and his brother Michael are 2 brillant footballers, they caused Cavan lots of problems the last 3/4 years. Paddy Cunningham is another good player, he can kick free's all day. Great left foot. Still expect Galway to win by a few pts.

Cunningham dropped out of the team just before the start of the game against London as well as far as I know which would have been a blow to their performance.

Their half back line of Scullion, Crozier and Loughrey is very possibly the best HB line in Ulster, so there's a fair bit of quality in the side alright.

aidan24326

I wonder why Mulholland had so little time for Bane? Barely gave him a game since he took over.

Bane was hot and cold but a player who on his day could kick 3 or 4 points from play, and we're not blessed with many of those at the moment (Thomas Flynn and Damien Burke offer no scoring threat at all).

Diabhal Beag

Bane had a habit of putting up big performances against Mayo.

MfMan

Greenngold wrote: »

Has Michael Meehan played much club football since the Sligo match? One of the best forwards in the country no doubt on his day. Michael Martin looked decent underage for ye, he played a few games in the league this year,is he still on the panel. Lots of quality in the Galway forwards woith Armstrong, Joyce, Mark Hehir, Cummins.

Armstrong hasn't developed into a really top quality forward, and now that he hasn't players of superior quality around him, unlike say 10 years ago or more, it's unlikely that he will. See his last display v Sligo. Joyce isn't young anymore, Hehir isn't there yet and Cummins isn't even starting. Bit of a mish-mash there, like the team itself in a nutshell.

RealityCheck

aidan24326 wrote: »

I wonder why Mulholland had so little time for Bane? Barely gave him a game since he took over.

Bane was hot and cold but a player who on his day could kick 3 or 4 points from play, and we're not blessed with many of those at the moment (Thomas Flynn and Damien Burke offer no scoring threat at all).

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Bane had a habit of putting up big performances against Mayo.

From the article I was reading it came across that he felt he himself was out of form. If he hasn't been showing it in training and challenge matches then its understandable he wasn't starting. Its the impression I got.

Greenngold

Armstrong hasn't developed into a really top quality forward, and now that he hasn't players of superior quality around him, unlike say 10 years ago or more, it's unlikely that he will. See his last display v Sligo. Joyce isn't young anymore, Hehir isn't there yet and Cummins isn't even starting. Bit of a mish-mash there, like the team itself in a nutshell.

Bring back Michael Donnellan if all else fails

Diabhal Beag

Derek Savage too while we're at it

RealityCheck

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Derek Savage too while we're at it

Arguably the player we need the most is Tommy Joyce, to hoover up ball between the 40's....

O.A.P

Total hurling at the moment hold it out for 35 minutes lads.

O.A.P

leinster champions
at last

Fireball07

I've got to apologise, I wrote Galway off completely, didn't think they were capable of a performance like that but that was top class. Unbelievable intensity. Well done, well deserved.

Id like to congratulate Galway on an amazing performance today. I must admit alot of people myself included asked questions of their character coming into today but any team coached by Anthony Cunningham never lacks character because if you look at his CV the guy is a born winner.

They played Kilkenny at their own game the first half and never let them rest for a second. Second half perhaps fatigue and maybe slight complacency crept in but they worked their socks off from start to finish and got their just desserts.

Amazing stuff well done lads

elefant

Ladies footballers won the Connacht Championship today against Mayo too, having been trounced by the same opposition in the league final just a few weeks ago.

A great day for Galway GAA!

Syferus

Stunning performance by Galway - you did the West very, very proud today.

O.A.P

It was on the cards though 01 and 05 were the same but this time it was not even close.
Its feels good to be the champions of Leinster, I'm not worried about any more progress this year that will do fine lads, any more will be a bonus.:)

Syferus

O.A.P wrote: »

It was on the cards though 01 and 05 were the same but this time it was not even close.
Its feels good to be the champions of Leinster, I'm not worried about any more progress this year that will do fine lads, any more will be a bonus.:)

They need to be at least targeting the AI final now, they'll be paired with Tipp/Waterford/whoever beats them in the semi.

O.A.P

Syferus wrote: »

They need to be at least targeting the AI final now, they'll be paired with Tipp/Waterford/whoever beats them in the semi.

Yeah but take it as it comes, We have to call this a good year regardless, we have a cup and a lot of county's would envy that.
If we win more great, but if we dont, well we have something for a change.

Fireball07

O.A.P wrote: »

It was on the cards though 01 and 05 were the same but this time it was not even close.
Its feels good to be the champions of Leinster, I'm not worried about any more progress this year that will do fine lads, any more will be a bonus.:)

You see I never bought that. 01 and 05 were different Galway teams and imo a lot more talented. I thought there were serious question marks over this bunch of players but they proved themselves today.

Not to mention this Kilkenny team is on a different level completely than the 01 and 05 teams, as good as they might have been.

O.A.P

Fireball07 wrote: »

You see I never bought that. 01 and 05 were different Galway teams and imo a lot more talented. I thought there were serious question marks over this bunch of players but they proved themselves today.

Not to mention this Kilkenny team is on a different level completely than the 01 and 05 teams, as good as they might have been.

Some of the best hurlers to ever play county hurling on those two teams but none of them have a gold championship medal.
These lads do at long long last.