Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

ShamNNspace

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120345980#Comment_120345980

There was a league match on there one day and they missed the first 5 minutes because they had a pre-recorded interview with a camogie manager on, then when they commentate on a match especially the football, the hurling lads are better, they miss half the action because they're chattin away about something or other.. Midwest are way ahead of them imv

SqueakyKneecap

One of the reasons I try force myself to away football league matches is because the radio coverage is so embarrassing, especially Ollie Turner, that you would completely be misled on the flow of games listening to the GBFM. In contrast the hurling is well done and unbiased. Sean Walsh, Cyril Farrell and Conor Hayes are mighty listening (I'm not sure Conor does the commentary much these days though). I'd still find myself going back to listen to the final minutes of Tipp 2015, Tipp 2017 and the Waterford win when I need cheering up.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120345787#Comment_120345787

Was the match broadcast live on the streaming channel? They do that sometimes.

ShamNNspace

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347507#Comment_120347507

It might have been, but I was driving along in the car at the time, don't have any of that newfangled stuff in it

threeball

You'd pull your hair out watching the hurlers. No semblance of a game plan. Lads playing that are no where near IC standard. The puckouts are still a huge issue. You'd wonder where they're heading. Couple of the senior lads don't look too happy out there either.

Jizique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349062#Comment_120349062

Fabulous win......

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349299#Comment_120349299

A win. Nothing fabulous about it. It just masks the deficiencies that other teams will exploit. It like the situation with Liverpool beating utd 7-0. On the back of one game you had nearly every man and his dog claiming they were back and were going to force their way back into the top 4 despite an entire season of evidence to the contrary.

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349062#Comment_120349062

They won by 5 points after trailing by 7 away from home.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349526#Comment_120349526

Against a poor clare team, playing the same way they played against Cork and Limerick. You can ignore the evidence if you want and believe its all hunky dory but the better teams will dismantle us if we stay this course.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349568#Comment_120349568

Not sure Clare are poor. Galway haven't won in Ennis in 14 years. Lads still slowly coming back (Fintan, Shane Cooney, Cathal Mannion to name but three to return) went toe to toe with Limerick in an All Ireland Semi Final last year...... not sure this massive doom and gloom is justified. Or what teams have dismantled us lately.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349911#Comment_120349911

We put in one good performance last year, against Limerick. The rest of our championship was pretty hopeless. Galway have been putting in one big performance since Jesus was in nappies, no matter how bad we were.

We have the lads coming back but I don't see a structure for them to fit in to. Conor Whelan looks totally pìssed off with the quality of ball he's receiving. Padraig Mannion looked like he wanted to kill Eanna Burke on at least 3 occasions. The puckouts are hopeless. Bang it up the pitch junior C stuff. I counted 4 scores direct from counter attacks on hopeless puckouts/clearances. I'm sure there were more. I see zero development and for me it's on the management, not the players.

SqueakyKneecap

I've heard the same complaints about the lack of puckout strategy under 3 different managers now with a lot of the same players involved. The players, similar to Gleeson in the football, need to be be endlessly making runs off the ball rather than being free while the keeper gathers the ball and then staying static when the easy option is tracked. More lads need to be breaking free like Concannon in the first half for his first point.

I wouldn't be too despondent over today's win. In fact, there's been a few positives in the League overall:

1. Conor Cooney in his best intercounty form since 2017
2. Kevin Cooney has done enough to give hope he might finally come good in the summer
3. Lads like McManus took their chances and now give us options off the bench other than the same old blind Jason Flynn optimism
4. Tom Monaghan has cemented his spot as a starter
5. Management might have realised Niland takes the pressure off Cooney on frees
6. Daithi still looks very sharp despite a long layoff

We're not at Limerick's level but we need to be targeting a Leinster title so we can avoid another Limerick semi final. I doubt David Burke would be back if he didn't believe there's one last sting in panel.

windy shepard henderson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351342#Comment_120351342

i agree with most of what ye say , galway are motoring well but the standard of todays game is nothing to get excited about , only thing i would say is ye have the match for limerick on so many counts especially in the back 6 ,

evolvingtipperary101

I did notice that Mannion looked absolutely fuming at different times.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349453#Comment_120349453

Would you prefer they lost? A good win against a strong Clare team in their home patch, having given them a 6/7-point start and having to battle an unfavourable ref at the same time. The team's options are increasing with Daithi and Glennon (to an extent) returning, and should be further enhanced if and when Fintan and Cathal return. Puckouts weren't that bad, and would be better again if Conor Cooney, otherwise excellent yesterday, would improve his fielding. Whelo's goal came from a long puck-out, remember.

Of all the teams I've seen in this league, maybe only Limerick have shown the least amount of deficiencies. e.g. Declan Dalton, MOTM for Cork against us was taken off yesterday, Waterford look in disarray currently with all their injuries, Tipp look a bit one-paced in defence and maybe over-reliant on Forde up front. All teams have their work-ons prior to championship.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352454#Comment_120352454

Having watched the game back after seeing the negative comments yesterday I stand with my overall impression that it was a solid display with more positives than negatives.

Puckouts. Thought were good at the game and watching back this was the case. Scores directs from puckouts was 1-3 (where no pass to another player) aside from the goal Concannon, Linnane, K. Cooney bang, bang bang.

Daithí at 6 was tried before and I wasn't sure it worked but for a lad not long back training he had a solid game along with 2 points from play. After the opening 15mins our half back line really dominated.

Other positives. C. Cooney was fantastic. 5 from Play and an action packed all round display. Being released from frees might so him the world of good.

Niland one early miss from a 65 other than that as we would expect perfect from placed balls and a couple from play.

K. Cooney 2 from play and set up a couple more. Progressing nicely.

Concannon and Whelan by their highh standards had poor enough games. Outside of the goal nothing stuck to Whelo and a couple of bad wides.

League was about seeing if we could improve a panel. A few like Niland, Brennan, Fahy, Cooney put their hand up and still a few to return. Can only go by what I see and I think we are well placed for an assault on Leinster to start with and take it from there.

MattressRick

Brilliant win. Played badly in the first half. Played very well second half. New lads in the backs seem to be fitting in well, look well conditioned too.

Forwards a different story, new lads struggling other than Tomo Culhane. He looked like high quality today. A great inside forward for us for the summer.

Great to turn it around.

Gleeson pulled off a great save after us handpassing the ball away in injury time when we were leading again, and almost conceding a goal only for his brilliant save.

Made up for his howler earlier getting bossed over his line for the Armagh goal.

Happyilylost

A place I've always found hard to go too. Feels very intimidating even though the locals are lovely. So intense in the ground.

Anyway delighted we won. Felt the Armagh were playing for a 0-0 draw in the second half with the Armagh players dropping like flies. So I'm happy we ground out a win.

I think we have far and away the best defense (scores conceded) in the division which is great to see. Fitzgerald, McGrath and Hernon did nothing wrong today and will make for plenty of competition for spots.

Heaney and Tierney are so important to this Galway team. Outside the flair they work so hard but it's great when they come up with some end product.

If we can add one more shooter to Tomo along with what we have (still have faith it will be Ian Burke, put class around him drawing attention he will prosper) we will have serious depth. Damo did full warm up today and looked sharp so I would expect to see him vs Kerry. As long as J. Daly isn't too hurt we are getting close to a full panel just when you want it.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120374491#Comment_120374491

Daly injury not serious according to what I heard. Great news if so.

evolvingtipperary101

David Burke is out for the remainder of the season with an ACL tear. Very cruel injury for a savage player

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120375666#Comment_120375666

Real shame at this stage of his inter-county career. May spell the end of his appearances in the maroon shirt unfortunately.

windy shepard henderson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120375684#Comment_120375684

yeah i was thinking the same ,but he was having a great league hopefully not the last we see of him

cosatron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120378053#Comment_120378053

he played f-all league came on a couple of times, if that constitutes a great league in clare, i would be worried about your all ireland aspirations.😁😁😁

mjp

Be interesting how Joyce approaches kerry game next weekend as don't know if they fancy a league final against mayo 2nd April when likely to face them 3 weeks later in championship if htey overcome roscommon.

If it was any other side in final i think he would go after it as chance to secure national title and silverware but with risk of picking up injuries with lads coming back and mayo with their tails up currently he might prefer to hold off and get lads right and be ready for them in Pearse 23rd April.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120378974#Comment_120378974

I'm sure the camp will definitely be going all out to get something from next Sunday's game, lay down a marker of sorts to Kerry. The Kingdom themselves haven't been setting the place on fire during this league but it may suit them to contest a final as they have a long enough break to championship afterwards, so it could be quite a competitive tie. (Two Cliffords may not be available due to personal circumstances.)

Galway can get to a final first and then decide how to approach it and what sort of team to field. if it's a 'nice' game of football it should suit Mayo as they've been playing good stuff this Spring, but if Galway turn up the heat a bit then Mayo may have to back off and save themselves for the following week. So of all the teams in contention a final would suit Mayo the least you would imagine.

SqueakyKneecap

If it was any other year I'd be thinking it's crazy not to go for a League title but after all the knocks and injuries we seem to be shipping this year so far we might be as well off to give lads a rest. Conroy, Sean Kelly, Finnerty and Tierney are lads that we need at full tilt come Connacht semi-final stage. If that means starting a lad like Fitzgerald on David Clifford then so be it. I'd still leave lads like Shane Walsh and Pat Kelly in the 15 though because they need the match-sharpness. Maybe make Heaney captain for the day too.

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120375684#Comment_120375684

Sad to see it, a brilliant hurler in his day.

Didn't really do a great deal for Galway since 2018 IMO but was always consistent for St Thomas's.

ShamNNspace

Team for Sunday 🤔

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120397817#Comment_120397817

Hard to know with Bernie in goals is it a change or an injury as Gleeson isn't even on the bench. Outside of that with Comer on the bench (great to see him back) everyone bar McDaid seems to be available. Strong team and vibe seems to be they are going for this to get an early shot at Mayo. Plenty of strength on the bench to change the game.

ShamNNspace

My own feeling is that Power was always going to get a game or two but Gleeson still remains the number 1 choice for the management imv