Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

MattressRick

If Galway got 5 points up against Armagh then they sure as **** should beat Monaghan. Hard to know if Finnerty or Kelly will start. Id keep Comer on ice.

I'm feeling more optimistic this morning. Hopefully injuries start clearing if we use the squad. If we beat Monaghan and get an extra game into McDaid then we'll have momentum again

Kerry looked very sharp but are untested yet. A quarter final is the time to meet them. We just need to avoid Dublin. But that would still be a very good match I think. Galway can keep things tight, and if we have all our forwards we can trouble teams. Kerry Donegal and Dublin all won't want Galway in the draw.

But let's just worry about beating Monaghan with the squad and not take too many risks with the injuries.

cosatron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122269068#Comment_122269068

was kelly taken off because he was gassed or injured. The games are suiting walsh and Teirney who seem to be getting sharper, im just waiting for Teirney to take over a game and it will happen

mjp

Monaghan a decent draw for us but cant go into the game too complacent as they have it in them to pull off a big performance. Yesterdays win against meath was only their second win this year after beating the dubs in croker on opening night of the league. They wont fear coming to pearse stadium and its a shot to nothing for them.

Sean Kelly's form is really worrying as he cant seem to get on ball and put his mark on the game. Teams are aware of his threat and tagging him closely like mayo did to nullify him in pearse. Hes not breaking the line like we are accustomed to and dont know how much of a bearing his injury has on this. Similarly mc daid doesn't seem to have the explosiveness he showed before injury and hopefully its a matter of getting more game time and match practice into him because we need the two lads breaking through in hf line to create opportunities inside.

MattressRick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122269178#Comment_122269178

I'm wondering is McDaid fit enough in general considering he had a long layoff and couldn't run. He's a block of a man, huge upper body on him. He could've been pumping iron all winter and not been able to do that cardio work until recently.

I thought yesterday he could've showed for ball, especially a kickout in the first half, like Comer did in the Connacht final but just stayed put by the sideline.

spurshero

anybody know if game is sat or Sunday or time it’s fixed ….

MattressRick

Sounds like Saturday but no time yet

Redo91

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122270485#Comment_122270485

Where did you see this?

SqueakyKneecap

Saturday at 4pm confirmed by Higgins on twitter

Fixture dates and times for weekend.

Utopia Parkway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122269491#Comment_122269491

McDaid and Kelly are back on the pitch but neither of them look anywhere near full match sharpness. Was always the fear that they would return from injury but just wouldn't have enough time to play themselves back into form.

LowOdour

HI folks, is St Endas car park open for championship matches? Ive only ever parked there for league matches, but might need parking close to the stadium on Saturday (bringing an elderly relative()

Happyilylost

Same team. Comer on the bench. Have my doubts that team will start.

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286628#Comment_122286628

Same here id imagine at least 2 changes

mjp

Dont know whether get too excited bout seeing Comer on bench. Because theres no safety net on saturday Joyce has to have him in back up to bring on in last 10 mins if game is still in the balance as would be foolish if lost saturday whilst holding him in reserve. Hopefully wont need to spring him into action.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286908#Comment_122286908

Hard to know. The logic is to hold him back and end up knocked out - massively wrong.

Bring him on scores the winner. Out for the rest of the year. Massively wrong.

Think it is this damned if you do, damned if you don't.

While it's one game at a time, take Monaghan seriously yada yada I would be hopeful management have put some thought into the future. End game is to win an All Ireland. Obviously have to get past Monaghan to do that but I would accept the risk of changing it up for fitness and fatigue, and if we won it gave us a better chance the following weekend.

Management have built a decent panel. Daly, Heaney, Sweeney, O Flaherty, Hernon and Molloy would not look out of place in the first 15. Up to management to get the balance right.

Robert2014

They will have to use him. There's no game in the championship this year where they have been winning well apart from London. Sligo and Westmeath where you would thought they would win by a couple of points, both teams were there at the end. We don't play where we can get a big lead on teams.

MfMan

If Derry, Tyrone, Cork and ourselves all win this weekend, would this mean we'd be drawn with Donegal, to avoid all possibilities of repeat-pairings elsewhere?

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122288228#Comment_122288228

Yes seems so, because Donegal have played all the three at some point.

Leaving Galway the only one that would not be a repeat fixture.

MattressRick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122288260#Comment_122288260

I don't think it matters if teams met in the provincial championship except the provincial final.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122288545#Comment_122288545

Yes, had a better look at the competition rules and that is so.

So, hopefully should we win tomorrow, we can't obviously draw Armagh.

If Mayo win, they can't draw Dublin.

If Derry win, they can't draw Armagh.

If Tyrone win, they can't draw Donegal.

If If Roscommon win, they can't draw Dublin.

If Louth win, they can't draw Dublin or Kerry.

If Cork win, they can't draw Donegal.

So, Cork and Tyrone wins would suit us best at least, plus more marginally Derry.

testtech05

Not looking like it will matter so far anyway but if that's the hamstring for Walsh he would not be recovering in 1 week

threeball

Monaghan may as well put us out of our misery. We're nowhere near the level of the top teams. This is absolutely septic stuff. No intent or nous in how we attack.

testtech05

For the last 10 mins or so we seemed to decide to move with a bit of pace and got some joy but where was that all the rest of the half.

Defence looks looser than previously too. Not looking good for us overall.

As ya said even if we can somehow get through this hard to see us get any further

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122291477#Comment_122291477

To have a few injuries is unlucky but to have the number of injuries we've had and recurring injuries, looks like either a poorly designed training programme or poor management of player loads.

cson

Gritty win to be fair to them.

Might sneak next week if the draw is kind, but think SF is the ceiling for this team with all the injuries.

MattressRick

Wss Walsh bad coming off? Seems like he carried the injury into the match. Donegal probably the best draw now with their lack of big time experience

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122292023#Comment_122292023

Hard to know, seemed to be grabbing his hamstring but Joyce said it was an ankle injury.

Donegal are beatable, I think we could get a kicking off Dublin or Kerry. We won't pass the semi in any case. Better 2nd half but we aren't operating at a level that would trouble the big two. It's a poor championship overall. The big two only have to peak for one game, when they meet each other.

Happyilylost

Impossible to make anything of that game. Impossible to know where we are. Impossible to know where we are going.

Positives. Defence. Low score conceded again. Mulkerrin great again. Been fantastic last two games.

McDaid, Kelly more like it 2nd half. Maher/Conroy/Tierney immense throughout.

Credit to management. Taking McGrath out of the full back line to stick with O' Hanlon worked well. Gave a bite going forward when he could.

Negatives. injuries. Shane hasn't looked right at all this year. Popping pills on the sidelines against Armagh and never looked right today.

Tierney kicking two frees (no issue with him taking them as he's excellent) but with the breeze makes me think Finnerty is playing hurt as they were pretty straightforward.

Great to see Comer back. Great point. One run he did to close down out near the sideline he did not look right. Too many lads playing hurt.

Playing within ourselves. I'm of the serious opinion our first half performances are more by design than anything else. Keep it tight, measured, don't bring it into contact hold possession. Stay in the game. Second half open up little. Maybe Croke Park will bring out a more expansive mindset. Bar London every game this year had been torture.

Avon8

I think the Finnerty frees being switched to Tierney was because Finnerty had missed his first one and it was too far out for him.

Tierney should be taking them all regardless.

1. He's just as accurate if not moreso.

2. He has far greater range. There was dozens of reasons we didn't get the win v Armagh but one big and unforgivable one was Finnerty dropping the free short when 5 up from 40 yards out on the angle. He's been playing for Galway for 5/6 years and every single free he's ever taken from that far out has dropped short. Everyone knew it was going to happen before it happened. Completely unforgivable by management to allow it happen with Tierney (or even Walsh off left) with booming kicks on the same pitch

Finnertys been superb from play though outside of that instance and the first free today which was also outside of range

MattressRick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122293037#Comment_122293037

Great post. It does feel like there's another gear or two in Galway alright because have Comer Walsh and Finnerty/Tierney ever scored even 3 each from play in the same big match? Bar the likes of the Sligo match last year.

Too many playing injured is right. But honestly how is it reoccurring so much? We should be primed for next weekend bar maybe a bit of fatigue. But instead we're absolutely crippled again. Same lads injured as in the league, Comer Walsh Finnerty, probably Kelly too.

Can't just be a genetic thing. Is the strength and conditioning guy up to it, or coaching, or physios either, when it comes to managing the load properly in this condensed season?

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122291784#Comment_122291784

Joyce isn't going to mention the injuries of course...

Except, he's been on about injuries since the start of the league.

Girly Gal

The draw against Armagh is likely to prove costly, as even the easiest draw we can get ( Donegal) is much more difficult than what we would have likely faced had we held out for the win over Armagh. Add to that the injury to Walsh, plus the fatigue factor of playing 3 weeks in a row, we certainly haven't made it easy on ourselves, really need to avoid Dublin or Kerry to have any chance of making the semi final.

On another note the structure of the championship needs to be looked at; out of 5 matches, Derry have lost 3 matches, only beaten Westmeath, won a penalty shoot out and are at the same stage as us, yet we've won 5 out of six and drawn one match. No doubt Derry will probably draw Donegal and we'll end up with Dublin or Kerry.

PCeeeee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122293846#Comment_122293846

I agree. V hard to win AI now without topping your group. Would be a serious serious achievement to win next week whoever we get.

Robson99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122293890#Comment_122293890

That was no more than a tough training session yesterday. Need to stop making excuses about being out 3 weeks in a row. Kerry have had no competitive game this year. Thats not ideal either. Dublin one tough work out again Mayo. Structure needs a complete overhaul

Our biggest problem is 5 or 6 players are carrying what appear to be long term knocks and an extra weeks break was not going to make much difference to that. Even if we beat Armagh those 5 or 6 would still not be 100% fit

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122294594#Comment_122294594

Dublin don't appear to be operating at full tilt so far. Struggled against Louth, struggled against Mayo, maybe they can flip the switch and go up the gears in Croke Park.

Kerry on the other hand seem to be ramping up nicely after a slow start. They're capable of putting a serious beating on someone and given we're getting either them or Dublin I think I'd prefer to play Dublin.

Kerry always get a soft draw. I'm expecting Roscommon who they'll absolutely thump.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122295206#Comment_122295206

If Donegal and Galway were to come out first rest of the games decided as far as I can make out.

Donegal vs Galway

Dublin vs Derry

Kerry vs Roscommon

Armagh vs Louth

Watching the game back I'm not sure Donegal would be my first choice anyway. Like you said maybe Dublin the best bet (not that any are particular appealing on current form). Management would have some big calls to make around personnel and matchups. Not sure if they have the stomach for it either.

MfMan

Feck Cork and Louth anyway. Could have really done with Cork winning but they were utterly spineless with the match at their mercy. Louth were running out of ideas until the Cork keeper gifted them a goal.

cson

That Campbell point in injury time for Armagh is going to get them to a soft semi final. You'd be sick.

I see sheep

The DUBS

Happyilylost

That draw format is absolute bulls**t.

vid36

Worst possible draw, what can you do.

babybuilder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122296532#Comment_122296532

Agree the whole set up is crazy. Who came up with this nonsense.

MattressRick

Worst outcome from that draw against Armagh. Armagh got Monaghan last year and Roscommon this year in a quarter final.

Pity Galway weren't all fully fit but I think we'll give them a rattle.

Cluedo Monopoly

Sunday would be best for the extra days rest and recovery.

I see sheep

I'm happy with the draw.

Feck it if we're after an All-Ireland we have to beat the best.

Will be a great atmosphere, hoping I can make it 🤞

Avon8

Theyre putting Louth in the 2pm Sunday slot it looks like (as requested) so it's a toss up as to them putting the Dubs and Galway at 4pm Sunday or Armagh v Ros. Armagh and Dublin are the only two with huge support numbers so they'll be kept seperate and put in a late game

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122296587#Comment_122296587

Paddy Power either know something or guessed but they have Galway vs Dublin 4pm Sunday

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122296532#Comment_122296532

Why?

vid36

I think Kerry v Derry will be Sunday too, very long distances for fans travelling back Sat night, but who knows.

I see sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122296772#Comment_122296772

They want to give the chance for Scottie Sheffler supporting punters picking up their winnings to have an early bet on the games. Could just be a placeholder.