Galway United FC

bobbyss · 18-12-2016 10:59pm

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Second Level Student ticket €60

The shop in the Eyre Square Centre is open up until and including Friday 23rd.

Excellent. Thanks. One Christmas present sorted.

civis_liberalis · 18-12-2016 11:08pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Excellent. Thanks. One Christmas present sorted.

There are different deals on 2016 merchandise as well, which I think are only available from the shop in town. A lot of people love the 2016 home jersey and it commemorates the 1991 cup winning team as well. That's discounted, while stocks of it last.

The away and third 2016 jerseys, which aren't changing (I don't think) are on sale as well as far as I know.

Edit:

Just realised... the 2016 home jerseys are only €40 for adult and €35 for kids.

You can avoid the €6 delivery by buying in town. They're lovely jerseys. A lot of people are keen to get one, especially at that price, before they sell out.

Ruben Remus · 19-12-2016 10:19am

Anyone know what's happening with Padraic Cunningham? I've always rated him as a player, and I know there were rumours a while back that Dundalk were interested in him.

He posted a cryptic tweet yesterday: "When dreams are so close ⚽️⚽️"

ben.schlomo · 19-12-2016 11:15am

Ruben Remus wrote: »

Anyone know what's happening with Padraic Cunningham? I've always rated him as a player, and I know there were rumours a while back that Dundalk were interested in him.

He posted a cryptic tweet yesterday: "When dreams are so close ⚽️⚽️"

Colchester interested apparently.

Ruben Remus · 19-12-2016 11:42am

Colchester = living the dream!

Jokes aside, I would be sorry to see him go. He has bags of natural ability and will surely only get better over the coming years if he can remain injury-free.

UnleashTheBeast · 22-12-2016 3:01pm

bobbyss · 22-12-2016 5:02pm

Last game at home to Dundalk. Could be crucial for Dundalk. Here' hoping it's not for us.

Surprisingly, we seem to make a good starts to seasons. This season we started well and if I can remember we beat Pats away in the first game of the season 3-0 or something like that the year before.

Hopefully three points will already be in the bag for the visit to Cork. It would give us confidence going there.

gordongekko · 22-12-2016 7:51pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Last game at home to Dundalk. Could be crucial for Dundalk. Here' hoping it's not for us.

I hope it is crucial for us. Hopefully the top 2 in the league are battling it out in Terryland for the title on the last day of the season.

bobbyss · 22-12-2016 8:31pm

gordongekko wrote: »

I hope it is crucial for us. Hopefully the top 2 in the league are battling it out in Terryland for the title on the last day of the season.

Absolutely fantastic scenario.
First hurdle first. Drogheda. It would be good to put them to the sword before an ominous trip to Cork.

civis_liberalis · 24-12-2016 12:15am

bobbyss wrote: »

It would be good to put them to the sword before an ominous trip to Cork.

Cork holds no fear for me. They won't roll over. Cork are due one from us. We let them away from Terryland with a point early last year when they had no right to it.

civis_liberalis · 24-12-2016 12:16am

More good news.

Padraic Cunningham, Paul Sinnott and Conor Melody re-signed for 2016.

Hope to see a new man in Podge by February.

2017 GALWAY UNITED SQUAD: Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Marc Ludden, Alex Byrne, David Cawley, Gavan Holohan, Conor Melody, Kevin Devaney, Vinny Faherty, Ronan Murray, Padraic Cunningham.

bobbyss · 24-12-2016 12:39am

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Cork holds no fear for me. They won't roll over. Cork are due one from us. We let them away from Terryland with a point early last year when they had no right to it.

It would be great to get something from them. The Cork game is the first of six games in March. There will be injuries. Hope the squad can take them.

civis_liberalis · 24-12-2016 3:17am

bobbyss wrote: »

It would be great to get something from them. The Cork game is the first of six games in March. There will be injuries. Hope the squad can take them.

Our squad is likely to be the fittest Galway United squad every put together.

That's not to say that injuries won't happen throughout the course of the season.

Shane will have everyone raring to go. The U19s will be kicking off soon after the senior LOI so any of those lads capable of stepping up will be match fit as well. We won't be looking to rely on 19s to fill out the squad or anything, just giving the opportunity to a couple that could make the grade. Very little chance was given to youth in the last few years.

bobbyss · 24-12-2016 7:07am

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Our squad is likely to be the fittest Galway United squad every put together.

That's not to say that injuries won't happen throughout the course of the season.

Shane will have everyone raring to go. The U19s will be kicking off soon after the senior LOI so any of those lads capable of stepping up will be match fit as well. We won't be looking to rely on 19s to fill out the squad or anything, just giving the opportunity to a couple that could make the grade. Very little chance was given to youth in the last few years.

Yet I always thought one of our main problems was inexperience? Anytime I was at ED Park when subs came on, I was always a bit disappointed because they always seemed to be very young? I wonder what the average age of the squad is? I have no idea of what the first choice line up would be but it would be interesting to see what the average age of that would be too.

Remember, 'you won't win anything with kids". (I know. I know).

civis_liberalis · 24-12-2016 7:43am

bobbyss wrote: »

Yet I always thought one of our main problems was inexperience? Anytime I was at ED Park when subs came on, I was always a bit disappointed because they always seemed to be very young? I wonder what the average age of the squad is?

We only had one player hit their 30s last year, but the average age of the squad was fairly average.

bobbyss wrote: »

I have no idea of what the first choice line up would be

So far it's looking like it would be

              Faherty

             Murray

Devaney - Cawley - Holohan - WINGER

  Ludden - Folan - Grace - Horgan

               KEEPER

bobbyss wrote: »

but it would be interesting to see what the average age of that would be too.

Remember, 'you won't win anything with kids". (I know. I know).

It's not a particularly young team, just nobody in the twilight of their careers.

The average age of the 13 signed up so far is about 25.

Dunne was cautious to a fault when youngsters were concerned maybe thought players were younger than they were or remembered the times young lads came on more than others.

bobbyss · 24-12-2016 6:12pm

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Our squad is likely to be the fittest Galway United squad every put together.

That's not to say that injuries won't happen throughout the course of the season.

Shane will have everyone raring to go. The U19s will be kicking off soon after the senior LOI so any of those lads capable of stepping up will be match fit as well. We won't be looking to rely on 19s to fill out the squad or anything, just giving the opportunity to a couple that could make the grade. Very little chance was given to youth in the last few years.

Is the U19 squad sorted? I heard that, with new management, there are (or have been) trials for that squad which I understand is a change from previous seasons. I don't know if it will make any difference to its final composition. I presume the U19 season mirrors the senior season:Feb-Nov. It would be great if someone from the U19s, and especially if he were a native, to make a breakthrough.

civis_liberalis · 24-12-2016 9:07pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Is the U19 squad sorted?

Trials start a week Thursday.

bobbyss wrote: »

I heard that, with new management, there are (or have been) trials for that squad which I understand is a change from previous seasons. I don't know if it will make any difference to its final composition.

Johnny Glynn is heavily involved in youth soccer in Galway, so there was no open call for trials. I'm sure all clubs in the region were contacted through their own FA.

An open call might be of negligible value when you are so familiar with what is out there, but it's not any harm all the same. That's what Nigel Keady has opted for.

bobbyss wrote: »

I presume the U19 season mirrors the senior season:Feb-Nov.

Mirrors it yes, but I'd imagine it will be early March sometime when the u19s start, as there isn't as much pressure in terms of games that need to be played.

bobbyss wrote: »

It would be great if someone from the U19s, and especially if he were a native, to make a breakthrough.

Conor Melody is local and came through the u19s, although he didn't play with them that often this year, owing to his first team involvement. In reality, especially in a team in the Premier Division, you're only going to get a small handful of players with that potential every few seasons.

The regime in place are sure to get the best out of everyone though.

civis_liberalis · 31-12-2016 7:02pm

Gary Shanahan and Jesse Devers re-signed for 2017.

That brings us to 15.

Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Marc Ludden,
Gary Shanahan, Alex Byrne, David Cawley, Gavan Holohan, Conor Melody, Kevin Devaney,
Vinny Faherty, Ronan Murray, Padraic Cunningham, Jesse Devers.

We could be looking at a starting XI something like this...

KEEPER

HORGAN      GRACE      FOLAN      LUDDEN

SHANAHAN   HOLOHAN     CAWLEY    DEVANEY

                 MURRAY

                FAHERTY

Of course, we don't know if he has a couple more to come in or not or he could set up a different system. A keeper and sub keeper needed obviously either way.

That's a very strong team in any case.

civis_liberalis · 02-01-2017 10:07pm

Very quiet here recently... A lot has happened in the last two months.

One of the more recent things was that Mervue United and Salthill Devon have withdrawn their applications for the Under 17 and Under 15 national leagues.

They are "fully supportive of the FAI Player Pathway now being pursued at national level".

Nothing official as of yet, but you could assume that Galway United will be represented at Senior, U19, U17 and U15 level in 2017.

ratracer · 02-01-2017 10:15pm

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Very quiet here recently... A lot has happened in the last two months.

One of the more recent things was that Mervue United and Salthill Devon have withdrawn their applications for the Under 17 and Under 15 national leagues.

They are "fully supportive of the FAI Player Pathway now being pursued at national level".

Nothing official as of yet, but you could assume that Galway United will be represented at Senior, U19, U17 and U15 level in 2017.

And to fund it, the plan is to introduce a €5 levy on every underage player registered with the Galway FA from next season!

gordongekko · 02-01-2017 10:24pm

ratracer wrote: »

And to fund it, the plan is to introduce a €5 levy on every underage player registered with the Galway FA from next season!

really?

civis_liberalis · 02-01-2017 10:55pm

ratracer wrote: »

And to fund it, the plan is to introduce a €5 levy on every underage player registered with the Galway FA from next season!

Galway United are obviously contributing and the solidarity money due to them from UEFA is doubling next year. I have no idea what the figures are, but they are substantial from what I understood from Ruud Dokter's comments on how LOI clubs will support all these teams, eventually down to U13 level.

There was a big push from the junior clubs in Galway to break up the system that existed until now.

I don't know what the Galway FA plan to do, but I understand the clubs driving this themselves put forward a plan that included them contributing financially to it.

The youth structure at United is apparently a separate legal entity to the senior team, so any money United or anyone else puts into it is going to 100% be spent on youth development.

youngrun · 03-01-2017 10:11am

civis_liberalis wrote: »
Gary Shanahan and Jesse Devers re-signed for 2017.

That brings us to 15.

Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Marc Ludden,
Gary Shanahan, Alex Byrne, David Cawley, Gavan Holohan, Conor Melody, Kevin Devaney,
Vinny Faherty, Ronan Murray, Padraic Cunningham, Jesse Devers.

We could be looking at a starting XI something like this...
KEEPER

HORGAN      GRACE      FOLAN      LUDDEN

SHANAHAN   HOLOHAN     CAWLEY    DEVANEY

                 MURRAY

                FAHERTY
Of course, we don't know if he has a couple more to come in or not or he could set up a different system. A keeper and sub keeper needed obviously either way.

That's a very strong team in any case.

Walsh is not coming back , pity in my view, who else from last year yet to sign

civis_liberalis · 03-01-2017 12:21pm

youngrun wrote: »

Walsh is not coming back , pity in my view

He didn't have a good season and I'm not surprised Keegan opted not to sign him going on what he was like in the games against Wexford and probably the other times he seen him.

Keegan stated he was looking for lads that were the finished article or near enough and young lads with the potential to be something. Walsh is will turn 27 this year. He is unlikely to develop or improve significantly. Always did his best and that's all you can ask.

At his age, he should be playing. Fortune might sign him at Athlone, if Walsh is interested.

youngrun · 03-01-2017 12:33pm

civis_liberalis wrote: »

He didn't have a good season and I'm not surprised Keegan opted not to sign him going on what he was like in the games against Wexford and probably the other times he seen him.

Keegan stated he was looking for lads that were the finished article or near enough and young lads with the potential to be something. Walsh is will turn 27 this year. He is unlikely to develop or improve significantly. Always did his best and that's all you can ask.

At his age, he should be playing. Fortune might sign him at Athlone, if Walsh is interested.

True, very committed and a decent utility player , but a mixed bag of performances last year
Cantwell, Aganovic, Curran , Garcia, Winn, raftery ? Will they return...

civis_liberalis · 03-01-2017 1:12pm

youngrun wrote: »

True, very committed and a decent utility player , but a mixed bag of performances last year
Cantwell, Aganovic, Curran , Garcia, Winn, raftery ? Will they return...

Cantwell announced he is not signing back, no mention of the others.

ben.schlomo · 03-01-2017 5:47pm

youngrun wrote: »

True, very committed and a decent utility player , but a mixed bag of performances last year
Cantwell, Aganovic, Curran , Garcia, Winn, raftery ? Will they return...

Sure hadnt Raftery left last season and went on to join Athloine for the remainder of 2016 season. Of the above id take Winn as a backup keeper, possibly Enda if we cant find someone better elsewhere. Aganovic is doing plenty of self promotion on social media and linking himself with numerous teams.

bobbyss · 04-01-2017 2:30pm

youngrun wrote: »

True, very committed and a decent utility player , but a mixed bag of performances last year

I liked him I have to say. I didn't think he was 27 though. Thought he was younger. He always seemed dedicated, honest and gave everything. Not the most skillful however and sometimes a bit rash. I think he got a red card last season if my poor memory serves me right. But I did like his attitude.

civis_liberalis · 04-01-2017 2:47pm

bobbyss wrote: »

I think he got a red card last season if my poor memory serves me right.

The sending off was nearly 2 years ago and I think the ref was conned for it.

We have young players that are worth giving a chance to anyways.

Young players are technically more developed these days, especially ones that have come through a national league before they even reach senior.

They are going to be even more developed now when they come through the same system from academy right up through u15, u17 and u19, playing week in, week out in a national league.

u13 national league is on the horizon also. By the time Irish kids are playing in an u15 league, they are playing catch up with the rest of Europe. Ireland isn't a big country, playing football within each separate little fiefdom isn't good enough to develop players with the ability to become top players.

Players in local leagues can still develop at their pace and move up to a national level if they develop later on.

bobbyss · 04-01-2017 3:13pm

civis_liberalis wrote: »

The sending off was nearly 2 years ago and I think the ref was conned for it.

We have young players that are worth giving a chance to anyways.

Young players are technically more developed these days, especially ones that have come through a national league before they even reach senior.

They are going to be even more developed now when they come through the same system from academy right up through u15, u17 and u19, playing week in, week out in a national league.

u13 national league is on the horizon also. By the time Irish kids are playing in an u15 league, they are playing catch up with the rest of Europe. Ireland isn't a big country, playing football within each separate little fiefdom isn't good enough to develop players with the ability to become top players.

Players in local leagues can still develop at their pace and move up to a national level if they develop later on.

Ah yes. Thanks. Two years ago. Oji was sent off in the home game prior to that and the ref certainly was conned there. A poor backheader and then basically he fell over himself and onto the Drogheda player. Despite that early sending off, we managed to win anyway. The clip of Walsh:well I don't know. He could be seen as the last man back in fairness to the ref. That could be the reason as Walsh is is not a dirty player.

Galway United FC

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