Galway GAA discussion thread

MfMan

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

The same Cyril Donnellan that's having his best season in a Galway jersey this year?

Oh no. Good v Dublin in the drawn game, probably wouldn't have gotten a result without him, reasonable in the replay, very average in the Laois match. His best season was shaping up to be 2012, with the Leinster final his best ever display in a Galway jersey IMHO, unfortunately injury (again) derailed him a bit that year.

I like Cyril but I can see why some aren't too gone on him; he is awkward and rather ungainly. He has a good attitude and willingness for work, with perhaps his biggest strength being his strength on the ball, his biggest weakness his use of it at times, tends to waste possession too cheaply in spots. As I've said before, ideally there should only be room for either he or Glynn in a starting team.

TCDStudent1

MfMan wrote: »

David Burke at his best is a much better hurler than Colin Fennelly and at least on a par with Larkin.

Wouldn't agree with that at all.

1) We haven't seen the David Burke at his best now since 2012. That's a long time to not be at your best.

2) In my opinion, Fennelly is a far more dangerous forward than Burke. Faster, more skilful & more accurate.

In saying that, Burke can be a damn good player when on form.

donnem33

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

Wouldn't agree with that at all.

1) We haven't seen the David Burke at his best now since 2012. That's a long time to not be at your best.

2) In my opinion, Fennelly is a far more dangerous forward than Burke. Faster, more skilful & more accurate.

In saying that, Burke can be a damn good player when on form.

I would agree that Fennelly is a better forward than Burke due to Burke being more of a natural mid field/wing back but wouldnt agree that Fennelly is more skillful, they are both about the same!!

As for accuracy..you must be joking me!!! Fennelly is an awful striker of the ball!!! Yes he is good when shooting for goals...but shooting from distance for points he is very unreliable!

TCDStudent1

donnem33 wrote: »

I would agree that Fennelly is a better forward than Burke due to Burke being more of a natural mid field/wing back but wouldnt agree that Fennelly is more skillful, they are both about the same!!

As for accuracy..you must be joking me!!! Fennelly is an awful striker of the ball!!! Yes he is good when shooting for goals...but shooting from distance for points he is very unreliable!

In what way do you think he is a better forward so?!

donnem33

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

In what way do you think he is a better forward so?!

He has serious pace that would cut through a defense and is a very direct runner. If he improved his shooting he would be one of the top forwards in the game!

TCDStudent1

donnem33 wrote: »

He has serious pace that would cut through a defense and is a very direct runner. If he improved his shooting he would be one of the top forwards in the game!

I would already rate Fennelly as one of the top forwards in the game.

Inevitably he will let me down on Sunday after saying something like that. But if he does, it increases Galway's chances of winning. If he doesn't, I can come back on here and say "I told ye all how good he was"!

MfMan

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I would already rate Fennelly as one of the top forwards in the game.

Inevitably he will let me down on Sunday after saying something like that. But if he does, it increases Galway's chances of winning. If he doesn't, I can come back on here and say "I told ye all how good he was"!

Nowhere near it. Donnem33 is correct, he's very average at striking - look at the one-on-one he missed in last year's drawn final. Burke is at least a long way ahead on stickwork, but as was said, he (Burke) is more 'out the field' where Fennelly is usually a FF man.

Roquentin

both of them are better than cyril

Hulk Hands

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Never... He's not as good of a footballer though watching him for Corofin. Not to say he's bad just not as good as his hurling.

Why Never? He'd walk onto the Galway side in either half back or midfield, and be one of the better players in the country when doing so. Dunno, when you've watched him for Corofin this year, his standout performances in either code came in the semi final against Vincents when he was the best player on the park, and the final. Would love to see him give the dual a go some year. A bit laughable for the hurling manager (Cunningham) to be the one to forbid dual players, considering the financial mess the hurlers have caused and the history of success of the respective teams

galwaylad14

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Why Never? He'd walk onto the Galway side in either half back or midfield, and be one of the better players in the country when doing so. Dunno, when you've watched him for Corofin this year, his standout performances in either code came in the semi final against Vincents when he was the best player on the park, and the final. Would love to see him give the dual a go some year. A bit laughable for the hurling manager (Cunningham) to be the one to forbid dual players, considering the financial mess the hurlers have caused and the history of success of the respective teams

How do either of those factors make Cunningham's decision laughable? They're totally irrelevant. If he doesn't want dual players then he's perfectly entitled to put that rule in place.

The day of the dual player is gone. There's too much involved to be able to play both. Anyway as it is now I think Daithi has a far better chance of silverware with the hurlers.

By all accounts the 2 Mannian's would walk on to the county football panel aswell if they wanted but thankfully they, like Daithi have made the right decision to focus on the hurling.

Rob Thomas

galwaylad14 wrote: »

How do either of those factors make Cunningham's decision laughable? They're totally irrelevant. If he doesn't want dual players then he's perfectly entitled to put that rule in place.

The day of the dual player is gone. There's too much involved to be able to play both. Anyway as it is now I think Daithi has a far better chance of silverware with the hurlers.

By all accounts the 2 Mannian's would walk on to the county football panel aswell if they wanted but thankfully they, like Daithi have made the right decision to focus on the hurling.

Cunningham is right to rule out the dual player role, its been shown time and again that it doesn't work out in the majority of cases. There is too much pressure on the player and one or both codes suffers.

Having said that, someone needs to tell Daithi.... he seems to play as much football as anyone else for Corofin, often within a week of a hurling game when guys would probably not be allowed to hurl with their clubs!!

But he is a fantastic footballer and would walk into the Galway football team, that's beyond debate. Whether he would get into a top 5 intercounty side is another question. Probably not without dedicating himself more to it but I think he has always said that hurling is his preferred game.

galwaylad14

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I would already rate Fennelly as one of the top forwards in the game.

Inevitably he will let me down on Sunday after saying something like that. But if he does, it increases Galway's chances of winning. If he doesn't, I can come back on here and say "I told ye all how good he was"!

Colin Fennelly isn't within an asses roar of being one of the top forwards in the game.

Do you actually rate him as being up there with Canning, Hogan, Richie Power, Bubbles, Callanan, Kelly etc?

His striking is poor as others have noted. He's a good man for a goal in fairness and has good pace but he wouldn't lace the boots of the real top forwards in the game.

Some people seem to think that because a player has a few All Ireland's playing for Kilkenny that they're all automatically great hurlers. But this isn't the case. Obviously a lot of the players on those teams will be remembered as all time greats like Delaney, Walsh, Shefflin, Hogan etc. But a lot of the players on those teams were just good solid intercounty hurlers, that were lucky to have been able to play beside some of those greats and that was ulimately the reason they were able to win all those All Ireland. It's not that those teams had 15 superhuman heroes playing for them.

Hulk Hands

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Why Never? He'd walk onto the Galway side in either half back or midfield, and be one of the better players in the country when doing so. Dunno, when you've watched him for Corofin this year, his standout performances in either code came in the semi final against Vincents when he was the best player on the park, and the final. Would love to see him give the dual a go some year. A bit laughable for the hurling manager (Cunningham) to be the one to forbid dual players, considering the financial mess the hurlers have caused and the history of success of the respective teams

Never as in he never has been part of the squad.

I don't think he's that good in fairness. He's a great club player but I don't think he'd have the same impact at county, he's a HB and in football that position needs good ball carriers... He's more a traditional HB.
Not saying he isn't worth a look but guys have been on about Steed among others from that team thinking the club performances warranted inclusion but I don't think any are glaring omissions.

brookville

Don't think colin is the greatest foward kk have but what he has is absolute huge workrate and great pace,the hook he made against limerick last year was highlighted after chasing back the length of croke park,these are the things people don't see,his striking seems to let him down and has to be improved but the switching of him to full foward in the replay last year in the second half was a turning point getting 3 points and winning two frees,his not the silkiest hurler but his a handful for any defender

Hulk Hands

galwaylad14 wrote: »

How do either of those factors make Cunningham's decision laughable? They're totally irrelevant. If he doesn't want dual players then he's perfectly entitled to put that rule in place.

The day of the dual player is gone. There's too much involved to be able to play both. Anyway as it is now I think Daithi has a far better chance of silverware with the hurlers.

By all accounts the 2 Mannian's would walk on to the county football panel aswell if they wanted but thankfully they, like Daithi have made the right decision to focus on the hurling.

I can understand if both managers came to the decision to make players choose. Just found it funny how one gave the option while the other outright forbid it, knowing which side the player in question would choose. Our county boards as a whole should have the common goal of improving GAA in the county, and if a dual player playing would weaken one but improve the whole then it should be an option. Nothing has stopped the hurling crowd putting a lot of pressure on a certain young footballer to play hurling in the last 4/5 years, so a bit of hypocrisy there.

MfMan

galwaylad14 wrote: »

Colin Fennelly isn't within an asses roar of being one of the top forwards in the game.

Do you actually rate him as being up there with Canning, Hogan, Richie Power, Bubbles, Callanan, Kelly etc?

His striking is poor as others have noted. He's a good man for a goal in fairness and has good pace but he wouldn't lace the boots of the real top forwards in the game.

Some people seem to think that because a player has a few All Ireland's playing for Kilkenny that they're all automatically great hurlers. But this isn't the case. Obviously a lot of the players on those teams will be remembered as all time greats like Delaney, Walsh, Shefflin, Hogan etc. But a lot of the players on those teams were just good solid intercounty hurlers, that were lucky to have been able to play beside some of those greats and that was ulimately the reason they were able to win all those All Ireland. It's not that those teams had 15 superhuman heroes playing for them.

Absolutely spot on.

danganabu

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I saw a lad put down his performance against Dub in the other thread citing an injured FB which is ridicules as they weren't FF goals and that's irrelevant. He also got 3 pts in the test first game. He's better than 2/3 of the starting KK forwards Imo.

If you are going to quote me then please quote the full sentence and of course a FB line is not going to function without its first choice FB and a clearly injured corner back. And I would love to know which 2/3 forwards out of R Hogan, TJ Reid, R Power, C Fennelly, E Larkin and G Aylward that Mannion is better than??

Borders no.2

Regardless of the merit of any Kilkenny forward, we have plenty to be concerned about in our own backline. Fergal Moore comes in for the injured David Collins. Collins is a big loss in my eyes. Fergal Moore was one of our top performers for a number of years but he hasn't played much with Galway recently or even with Turloughmore. Its a big call putting him in considering we are likely to have plenty of questions asked of us on Sunday. Hopefully his experience will be a help.

Other change sees Davy Glennon come in. He made a good impression when he came on against Laois even if the game was over. Think he works quite well off Canning when getting decent ball in. Niall Healy didn't really take his chance against Laois.

Elsewhere, midfield has done quite well the last couple of matches. I'd have had question marks about Aidan Harte's selection but he has done quite well. This is another significant step up though. David Burke has shown good form in the last couple of outings since coming back. He'll need to cover a lot of ground around midfield if we are to do anything.

I'll be honest and say John Hanbury concerns me hugely. He is a work in progress but there is a risk he could be exposed on Sunday. Tannian is also a concern in the wide open spaces of Croke Park.

I think we can put up a decent score but its a question of how well we perform as a unit defensively to see how we get on. We have to prevent early goals at all costs so John Hanbury can't get isolated inside early on under any circumstances.

T0001

Kilkenny Team
Eoin Murphy;
Paul Murphy, Joey Holden, Jackie Tyrrell;
Padraig Walsh, Kieran Joyce, Cillian Buckley;
Michael Fennelly, Conor Fogarty;
Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, TJ Reid;
Ger Aylward, Colin Fennelly, Eoin Larkin.

Galway Team
Colm Callanan
Johnny Coen; John Hanbury; Padraic Mannion;
Fergal Moore; Iarla Tannian; Daithí BUrke;
Andy Smith; Aidan Harte;
David Burke; Cyril Donnellan; Johnny Glynn
Davy Glennon; Joe Canning; Cathal Mannion

MfMan

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Regardless of the merit of any Kilkenny forward, we have plenty to be concerned about in our own backline. Fergal Moore comes in for the injured David Collins. Collins is a big loss in my eyes. Fergal Moore was one of our top performers for a number of years but he hasn't played much with Galway recently or even with Turloughmore. Its a big call putting him in considering we are likely to have plenty of questions asked of us on Sunday. Hopefully his experience will be a help.

Other change sees Davy Glennon come in. He made a good impression when he came on against Laois even if the game was over. Think he works quite well off Canning when getting decent ball in. Niall Healy didn't really take his chance against Laois.

Elsewhere, midfield has done quite well the last couple of matches. I'd have had question marks about Aidan Harte's selection but he has done quite well. This is another significant step up though. David Burke has shown good form in the last couple of outings since coming back. He'll need to cover a lot of ground around midfield if we are to do anything.

I'll be honest and say John Hanbury concerns me hugely. He is a work in progress but there is a risk he could be exposed on Sunday. Tannian is also a concern in the wide open spaces of Croke Park.

I think we can put up a decent score but its a question of how well we perform as a unit defensively to see how we get on. We have to prevent early goals at all costs so John Hanbury can't get isolated inside early on under any circumstances.

To be brutally honest and I like Collins, on his most recent form, he isn't really. Moore deserves his chance, but his selection robs us of one more defensive option off the bench. Really encouraged about Smith and Harte this season, the latter actually going as well as I think I've seen him in maroon. Hanbury is of course everyone's concern and I don't think Tan will play no. 6.

sporter1

Who is vice captain now Collins is out?

T0001

sporter1 wrote: »

Who is vice captain now Collins is out?

Canning I think, although someone said Fergal Moore

Borders no.2

MfMan wrote: »

To be brutally honest and I like Collins, on his most recent form, he isn't really. Moore deserves his chance, but his selection robs us of one more defensive option off the bench. Really encouraged about Smith and Harte this season, the latter actually going as well as I think I've seen him in maroon. Hanbury is of course everyone's concern and I don't think Tan will play no. 6.

Collins hasn't been going great but how much hurling has Fergal Moore got under his belt. Its a big stage to step into. Tannian probably won't start 6 but regardless of where he starts, his lack of pace is becoming an increasing concern at this stage.

I felt too much was taken of the KK/Wex game due to KK teams of the past and after 7mins here that hasn't changed.

8-1 to Cork already... Wexford look as poor as an Offaly/Laois. Just a blip last year.

Borders no.2

Much needed boost for Galway football with the minors winning 3-14-1-3 against Mayo in Castlebar. Face Sligo in the Connacht final now. Good to see the spread of clubs in the side as well. Midfield combination from Craughwell and Aran Islands. Galway got the wind in the first half which undoubtedly helped and led 0-12-1-0 at half time. Game was over as a contest early in 2nd half.

Hard to know if its a case of Galway being good or Mayo poor and minor level can throw up some strange results but this is encouraging.

Utopia Parkway

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Much needed boost for Galway football with the minors winning 3-14-1-3 against Mayo in Castlebar. Face Sligo in the Connacht final now. Good to see the spread of clubs in the side as well. Midfield combination from Craughwell and Aran Islands. Galway got the wind in the first half which undoubtedly helped and led 0-12-1-0 at half time. Game was over as a contest early in 2nd half.

Hard to know if its a case of Galway being good or Mayo poor and minor level can throw up some strange results but this is encouraging.

Lad in midfield from the Aran Islands got man of the match.

RobbieRuns

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Lad in midfield from the Aran Islands got man of the match.

Maith an buchail !

rossie1977

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Hard to know if its a case of Galway being good or Mayo poor and minor level can throw up some strange results but this is encouraging.

i saw galway winning the ted webb (under 16) final against us last year and they were excellent all over the field so i am assuming a number of those lads are minor this year

TCDStudent1

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Much needed boost for Galway football with the minors winning 3-14-1-3 against Mayo in Castlebar. Face Sligo in the Connacht final now. Good to see the spread of clubs in the side as well. Midfield combination from Craughwell and Aran Islands. Galway got the wind in the first half which undoubtedly helped and led 0-12-1-0 at half time. Game was over as a contest early in 2nd half.

Hard to know if its a case of Galway being good or Mayo poor and minor level can throw up some strange results but this is encouraging.

I dont know anything about this minor team. But the spread of clubs is not necessarily a good thing and might actually be reflective of a drop in standard in North Galway clubs, rather than an increase in quality in other clubs.

Hulk Hands

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I dont know anything about this minor team. But the spread of clubs is not necessarily a good thing and might actually be reflective of a drop in standard in North Galway clubs, rather than an increase in quality in other clubs.

It's probably a bit of both. There's more clubs playing football so say a good player like McDaid, will be inclined to stay with Craughwell rather than go to say Corofin or Claregalway. Also there's newish clubs like Athenry that are very strong at underage. Biggest reason for the big spread though would be that smaller clubs are finally getting a look in, rather than the team being wrongly dominated by Jarlaths and the likes of Corofin. Coaching has far bigger reach these days so everyone good is being spotted. Given how strong Corofin are now, and to a lesser extent Salthill and Killererin in the past, i'd probably see it as a positive thing that they only had two starters between them

Utopia Parkway

Hulk Hands wrote: »

It's probably a bit of both. There's more clubs playing football so say a good player like McDaid, will be inclined to stay with Craughwell rather than go to say Corofin or Claregalway. Also there's newish clubs like Athenry that are very strong at underage. Biggest reason for the big spread though would be that smaller clubs are finally getting a look in, rather than the team being wrongly dominated by Jarlaths and the likes of Corofin. Coaching has far bigger reach these days so everyone good is being spotted. Given how strong Corofin are now, and to a lesser extent Salthill and Killererin in the past, i'd probably see it as a positive thing that they only had two starters between them

I doubt many would have thought even a few years ago that a Galway team would hammer any Mayo side at home by 17 points with a midfield made up of a lad from the Aran Islands (a junior club their entire existence until this year) and a lad from Craughwell (a hurling stronghold). I'd definitely be in the it's a good thing rather than a bad thing camp.

MfMan

Hulk Hands wrote: »

It's probably a bit of both. There's more clubs playing football so say a good player like McDaid, will be inclined to stay with Craughwell rather than go to say Corofin or Claregalway. Also there's newish clubs like Athenry that are very strong at underage. Biggest reason for the big spread though would be that smaller clubs are finally getting a look in, rather than the team being wrongly dominated by Jarlaths and the likes of Corofin. Coaching has far bigger reach these days so everyone good is being spotted. Given how strong Corofin are now, and to a lesser extent Salthill and Killererin in the past, i'd probably see it as a positive thing that they only had two starters between them

Hmm.. not entirely accurate. Plays for Monivea/Abbey.

orl

I think Fergal Moore is a good choice. Always solid. A good man-marker and doesn't give away silly frees considering the ref is very fond of yellow cards. I am not as worried about Hanberry as others. He holds his line and isn't easily intimidated.

I still think KK will win by a few points but I waver

Hulk Hands

MfMan wrote: »

Hmm.. not entirely accurate. Plays for Monivea/Abbey.

Really? I havent lived at home now for a couple of years so wouldn't be up with local affairs. I presume Craughwell is his hurling club? Strange how it's been listed as his club on the team sheets ive seen. I knew Craughwell had a new underage football club, presumably that hasnt stretched to minor?

Roquentin

glad they took of glennon. need to take off harte too

Wasn't a capitulation but not too far off.

KK backs won it for them.

Our backs just kept putting in terrible balls to KKs advantage while we were at 6s and 7s in our back line.

Mannion the only back to emerge with credit.
We probably won't see any major surgery before the 1/4 but we're just too weak with Tan/Hansbury holding the middle lines.

Very disappointing, cant be conceding that many points.
We had to stop TJ and Hogan and we didn't.

Roquentin

kilkenny were a different class. first touch and winning primary possession was on a different level. when a kilkenny forward won the ball it was a scoring chance every time. with galway it wasnt

Utopia Parkway

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Wasn't a capitulation but not too far off.

KK backs won it for them.

Our backs just kept putting in terrible balls to KKs advantage while we were at 6s and 7s in our back line.

Mannion the only back to emerge with credit.
We probably won't see any major surgery before the 1/4 but we're just too weak with Tan/Hansbury holding the middle lines.

Very disappointing, cant be conceding that many points.
We had to stop TJ and Hogan and we didn't.

Thought Hanbury did alright to be fair. Tannian is either brilliant or brutal and today he was brutal. Probably cost Galway 4 or 5 points with his poor clearances and his decisions to hold onto the ball for to long.

Daithi Burke actually did a great marking job on Hogan in the first half but once Kilkenny moved him into midfield and the half-back line he picked up a mountain of ball.

Utopia Parkway

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Thought Hanbury did alright to be fair. Tannian is either brilliant or brutal and today he was brutal. Probably cost Galway 4 or 5 points with his poor clearances and his decisions to hold onto the ball for to long.

Daithi Burke actually did a great marking job on Hogan in the first half but once Kilkenny moved him into midfield and the half-back line he picked up a mountain of ball.

Hansbury only won one hard ball he wasn't favourite to win, (resulted in a free out)... I can't remember a second.

He hasn't caught one ball all year from my recollection and that included league games.
He doesn't attack breaking ball with any conviction either(notable one out the sideline in the first half which resulted in a KK score) and fumbles a lot.

He was fielded over at least twice today but both were poorly hit wide.

I just don't see what more he brings than say Killeen.
Both are similar height but Paul is more of a nuisance on a break.
Also he was added as a FB but has spent the last three games playing corner back so I just don't see the need to have him in there.

I wouldn't completely dispense with him, I just feel he shouldn't be training on the job and fill a squad place for the year.

Daithi hadn't his best game but was probably the second best back.
He did give two brutal short passes away but that's not a common occurrence in fairness.

So we'll have to go through possibly Tipp and KK to win the AI now but its probably better to have flaws exposed now when changes can be made.
The real question is does mgmt make those changes.
If not I think we'll get a fresh perspective(mgmt) next year so its not all bad I guess.

Roquentin

Roquentin wrote: »

both of them are better than cyril

Yet he gets a MOTM nomination.

Made one mistake taking a shot on when he should have passed for a goal chance, good game apart from that.

Borders no.2

Today was the end of our season for me. I saw on the Sunday Game this evening Cody laughing after talking to Cunningham after the match. The reason being Cunningham said we'd see them in the All Ireland final. Obviously he has to keep positive but after watching that if he honestly things that the man is a space cadet. To win today we needed everyone at full tilt and knock Kilkenny out of their stride from the off, we needed to use possession intelligently at all times, we needed to be switching the play, we needed movement in the forwards, the full back line to hold up reasonably well and score 4 or 5 goals to have a real chance and as it was bar 3 or 4 players nobody was near good enough and our style of play highlighted everything that has been bad about the 4 years under Cunningham.

Full back line did fine for me under severe pressure. Daithi Burke did his defensive duties well and covered up a lot of cracks but his distribution to the forward varied from poor to awful. Tannian was the direct or indirect cause of at least 4 or 5 points in the first half and a couple of vital ones in the 2nd half. Fergal Moore knocked over a decent point but wasn't at the races. Would need to see the game again but on first viewing up there at least 6 or 7 of Kilkenny's first half scores stemmed from Galway not getting the basics right and were very preventable. Ball should have been cleared but wasn't and that was hugely disappointed. Kilkenny's goal came from what should have been the chance for a Galway score.

Midfield was poor. Andy Smith wasn't at the races, his touch was very poor today. Aidan Harte did ok the last few days but it has been proven he isn't up to it at the next level and he should have been taken off a long time before he was. David Burke was anonymous which was big disappointment. Cyril Donnellan did well in fits and starts. Glynn was a mixed bag. Glennon didn't work out. Flynn (bar the goal) (also indirectly cost us a goal) nor Healy helped matters either. Cathal Mannion after his point early on which showed how Galway should be using the ball was never really in it. None of the subs helped things really.

We broke some decent ball in the first half up front but lads taking 2,3,4 attempts to lift the ball isn't good enough. Really the brilliant goal from Canning papered over the cracks. If Kilkenny were on form they would have been 9 or 10 up at half time.

2nd half again the goal got us back in it for a few minutes but Kilkenny were able to tip over the scores whenever they needed them and never looked in any serious bother. Looking this evening Padraig Mannion probably should have got a red card. Don't think it was malicious but it was dangerous but we got little else off the ref. Much as I'd like to apportion significant blame on the ref its definitely no excuse today. In all honesty we were well off the pace in most lines.

There are weaknesses in the Kilkenny backline which Tipperary for example will exploit but they were comfortably able to hide them today with our game plan from the stone age. Cunningham should have fallen on his sword after the 2013 debacle and nothing from the past two years has shown the management team are learning from past mistakes.

Galway are the only serious team in the country still with no credible system for using possession. We needed an open game today and stretch Kilkenny out the wings, instead we played the game on their terms with hit and hope tactics and the writing was on the wall from early on. Same tactics as were so comfortably dealt with by a succession of teams against us in recent years and most recently Waterford in the league quarters. That tactic worked against Dublin due to their naivety and the fact that we could by pass the half forward line with the wind.

People said a few years ago that we didn't give management teams enough time but we are giving very poor management teams far too much time now. Since Noel Lane was pushed out in 2002 we have had 4 bad management teams one after another. Conor Hayes 4 years, Ger Loughnane 2 years, John McIntyre 3 years, Anthony Cunningham 4 years. Loughnane was the only one of them with a track record. Loughnane maybe 7 or 8 years earlier would have been a good choice but the other 3 never had significant or sustained success with any team before being handed the Galway job.

In all honesty though there isn't anyone I can think of within the county who could do the job. Underage should be about coach development as well as player development. Geoff Lynskey getting the minors this year is positive in that regard. Mattie Murphy did well with the minors but he's had his 2 shots at the senior job and Johnny Kelly and his management team have been shown to be well short of the mark at u21.

This isn't to lay the blame solely at management but how could we expect to win anything with the succession of clueless management teams we've had.

The bigger issue though is going back to underage hurling. The skill breakdown that we saw in the game today goes back to bad habits that are being developed at an early age and never rectified. We are forever soloing with the ball, that's ok if you have bags of pace and there is space in front of you but soloing into traffic and turning over the ball is kamikaze stuff. There were some opportunities in front of the Kilkenny goal in the first half that would be snapped up in a flash at the other end but lads not lifting the ball, getting hooked and so forth quickly turns into a score the other end. We need to iron out these things at a young age if we want to have the hurlers capable of matching the Kilkennys and Tipperarys in the future. This issue continues to be ignored. Each time we look like we've hit rock bottom and there needs to be a fundamental overhaul we magic up a big result and pat ourselves on the back that we aren't that far off. The reality is that we are miles away from bridging the 27 year gap since our last All-Ireland and we can't keep doing the same things and expect that things will start to come together.

Mentally Galway are always questioned, today we hung in there despite being average for most of the game. We were only 3 down with 8 minutes left but small things would drive you crazy. When real teams get a goal they don't pat themselves on the back, they go and get the next score as well. We get the goal to get to within 2 a few minutes from the break. Next score could bring you within 1 at half time and put a few doubts in KK minds but they get the next score. After Flynn's goal, Aidan Harte takes too many steps and Kilkenny are back in their groove again.

What hurts today was that Kilkenny didn't even need to be good to win relatively comfortably. I didn't think we'd win but I'd hoped we'd make them work harder than they had to. They'll know that Tipp would have beaten them on that performance.

We'll see how the draw goes tomorrow. Mentally we need to win in Thurles and at least get to a semi-final to give us something to build on. We have only 1 all-ireland semi-final appearance since 2005. That's an embarrassment for a team who set off each years with designs of being in the shake up. We need to at least try and rectify that statistic. Today wouldn't be good enough to win the quarter final regardless of the opposition. We've had worse days than today but today brings to the fore again how badly there needs to be a shake up at all levels of Galway hurling.

Sorry I know that's a long rant.

Lucena

Hope I'm in the right place here, there doesn't seem to be a specific thread for Galway Club Discussion.

Looking for a club hurling match to go to in Galway on either the 24th or 25th of July, but I'm having trouble finding matches that aren't U12, having looked here: http://galwayhurling.com/

Am I looking in the wrong place? Are there senior club matches on that weekend? I'm travelling with a few people from abroad and I'd like to show them a hurling match with a bit of atmosphere, preferably not too far from Galway City.

donnem33

Lucena wrote: »

Hope I'm in the right place here, there doesn't seem to be a specific thread for Galway Club Discussion.

Looking for a club hurling match to go to in Galway on either the 24th or 25th of July, but I'm having trouble finding matches that aren't U12, having looked here: http://galwayhurling.com/

Am I looking in the wrong place? Are there senior club matches on that weekend? I'm travelling with a few people from abroad and I'd like to show them a hurling match with a bit of atmosphere, preferably not too far from Galway City.

Galway will be playing the All Ireland Quarter final that weekend so there definitely wont be any senior club championship matches!

Lucena

Are Clare hurlers playing that weekend as well?

donnem33

Lucena wrote: »

Are Clare hurlers playing that weekend as well?

If they beat Cork next weekend they will be - possibly even against Galway!

christy c

Any news on when the Armagh match is on?

reap-a-rat

christy c wrote: »

Any news on when the Armagh match is on?

3pm Saturday (July 11th) in the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.

MfMan

reap-a-rat wrote: »

3pm Saturday (July 11th) in the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.

No, Sunday July 12th at 3pm .

reap-a-rat

MfMan wrote: »

No, Sunday July 12th at 3pm .

My apologies, I don't know where my eyes were!

Utopia Parkway

Galway team v Armagh

1. Brian Donoghue
2. Johnny Duane
3. Finian Hanley
4. Cathal Sweeney
5. Liam Silke
6. Gary O'Donnell
7. Gareth Bradshaw
8. Fiontan Ó Curraoin
9. Tom Flynn
10. Gary Sice
11. Paul Conroy
12. Sean Denvir
13. Peadar Óg Ó Griofa
14. Damien Comer
15. Micheál Lundy