Galway GAA discussion thread

Starie1975 · 03-04-2011 5:19pm

Go on the footballers. To all you not believers PJ is king.

Okay, okay, one swallow doesn't make the summer but it's good to get a win undet the belt. Well done lads.

To our under 21's - fair play lads I hope all Galway fans will go to the semi final.

Kojak · 03-04-2011 6:23pm

cson wrote: »

Tipp have some sort of hoodoo over us the last few years.

That being said; there's hoodoo's and theres double score hammerings. This'll be the making or breaking of them I think, McIntyre won't spare the timber in the dressing room after that.

What is the point of shouting like a lunatic when it seems that most of the lads dont seem to learn from their mistakes (and by god there are a lot of them) week in, week out.

Tipp were excellent today and if they keep that tempo up for the year, I don't see anyone stopping them.

One of the big problems with Galway is that they always THINK they are potential All-Ireland champions, but never actually deliver on those aspirations. I wouldn't say we should be loosing the run of ourselves,(look at tipp in the league a few years ago - they got a hammering by KK in the league but were able to learn from it to eventually reach the All-Ireland final.

The big question for Galway for this year is if they can learn from their mistakes because in truth they haven't a prayer of winning the All-Ireland.

Diabhal Beag · 03-04-2011 6:58pm

Wouldn't worry about the Tipp defeat as we can still get to the final with a win over Waterford. We were awful. Fullback-line was atrocious. Half backs were non-existent for the most part. Iarla Tannion is brutal for wasting ball.

**** though I was happy with the win against Armagh. We needed some sort of good performance to give some confidence. But guess what lads, Joyce was back. Still a win is a win and as a Galway football fan we'll be happy with anything positive.

dcr22B · 04-04-2011 10:51am

Lads,

I'm driving down from Dublin on Sunday for the match in Salthill. Where would be the handiest places for me to park the car down there?

Thanks in advance.

Great result for you yesterday in Armagh but I think our lads will be in no mood to be doing ye any favours on Sunday, we need to keep our momentum up.

Diabhal Beag · 04-04-2011 1:12pm

dcr22B wrote: »

Lads,

I'm driving down from Dublin on Sunday for the match in Salthill. Where would be the handiest places for me to park the car down there?

Thanks in advance.

Great result for you yesterday in Armagh but I think our lads will be in no mood to be doing ye any favours on Sunday, we need to keep our momentum up.

If you get there early there are plenty of proper spaces near Pearse Stadium. There's a boys school that operates parking spaces on match days.

dcr22B · 04-04-2011 1:25pm

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

If you get there early there are plenty of proper spaces near Pearse Stadium. There's a boys school that operates parking spaces on match days.

Was thinking that alright, I'm hoping to be in Salthill an hour before throw in anyway.

Diabhal Beag · 04-04-2011 4:13pm

dcr22B wrote: »

Was thinking that alright, I'm hoping to be in Salthill an hour before throw in anyway.

Maybe try and get there a bit earlier (1 hour and a half at least).

aidan24326 · 05-04-2011 12:10am

we can only hope this was just a bad day at the office. Tipp are not 18 points better than us, but this result opens up old wounds all the same. I'm still hopeful, this Galway team are better than that.

So the footballers actually won a game? No coincidence that it happened with a certain P Joyce in the team. That guy is the among the best footballers to ever pull on a Galway jersey. If only we could find another one like him. Peadar O'Griofa is going the right way, he won't be as good as Joyce but he's a good prospect all the same.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero · 05-04-2011 9:07am

dcr22B wrote: »

Lads,

I'm driving down from Dublin on Sunday for the match in Salthill. Where would be the handiest places for me to park the car down there?

Thanks in advance.

There are plenty of estates and residential roads where you could park. Thats won't be a problem, what will be a problem will be getting away from the match afterwards. All the experienced match-goers park about 10 mins (walk) away as to avoid the traffic afterwards. But I'm not sure how bad the traffic will be after a league game. Still though, parking definitely shouldn't be a problem.

patmac · 05-04-2011 10:48am

Starie1975 wrote: »

To our under 21's - fair play lads I hope all Galway fans will go to the semi final.

Not too many of them around last Saturday.
First off let me say I'm a Westmeath man living in Roscommon with a Galway mum, so being semi-neutral, I thought it was a disgrace even from a Galway point of view that the u-21 final was switched to Pearse stadium on request of the home management.
In this day and age when money is scarce it was ridiculous from an attendance point of view to play in Pearse stadium on a Saturday afternoon meaning all Rossies having to travel through the city to get there.
The paltry attendance of 2000 (made up of over 1200 Rossies) would have been 5000 if the game was played in Tuam and closer to 10,000 if played in Ballinasloe and Galway would still have won

dcr22B · 05-04-2011 11:49am

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Maybe try and get there a bit earlier (1 hour and a half at least).

Cheers, I was aiming to leave Dublin at about 10.30am-11am so that should give me enough time to get there between 1-1.30pm

kkdela6 · 08-04-2011 6:28pm

the game against waterford should be very interesting. they are a strong team, not to be taken for granted. i reckon it has the potential to be a cracker!

meriwether · 09-04-2011 3:18pm

Hard luck to Jarlaths, they probably should have won.

Some good footballers though, and I presume our Minors should be strong this year consequently.

09-04-2011 4:10pm

meriwether wrote: »

Hard luck to Jarlaths, they probably should have won.

Some good footballers though, and I presume our Minors should be strong this year consequently.

Should have taken at least one of the two goal chances.

The first was just poorly executed, I've never been a fan of this blasting it high technique, basically your trying to put it to within a foot under the bar, which is next to impossible at full power.
9/10 it goes over for a point, you need to pick a corner IMO

The second one was worse, they had the defence outnumbered, forward should have drawn someone in and shot or layed it off, same thing again just rifled it high.
Very poor.... You need to take your goal chances when they come, and blasting them high is not the way to do it IMO.

They should have been running drills for said instances where they get a runner through the middle and practice picking a corner or drawing a man out and laying it off.

ShamoBuc · 09-04-2011 8:59pm

It was a great game of ball in all fairness, but as has often been said ,goals win games. Some lovely passages of football in the game, shame there had to be a loser really, but that's sport!

CyberDave · 09-04-2011 9:42pm

Kojak wrote: »

One of the big problems with Galway is that they always THINK they are potential All-Ireland champions, but never actually deliver on those aspirations.

The truth is that it's the supporters and the media THINK Galway are potential All-Ireland Champions every year. The problem is that the players don't THINK they can and that is why Galway haven't won an All-Ireland in over 20 years. When push comes to shove Galway don't have the inner belief that is natural to the big three. Why else do we lose so many tight games...

c_man · 10-04-2011 4:30pm

Jaysus, what an end. We were out of our seats roaring and cheering before Sice's kick *just* landed short! Ah well Mayo let us down anyways :P

The queues for the Season ticket entrance were a disgrace. I hope no-one missed the opening few minutes because of it.

Diabhal Beag · 10-04-2011 7:24pm

We blew it lads. Had about 7 wides that should have been definite points. Have to say Coyne was impressive when he came on but Cathal Kenny and the full back line were terrible the whole match.

Sad to say but Joyce looks like a spent force at this stage.

RightHalfBack · 10-04-2011 11:12pm

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

We blew it lads. Had about 7 wides that should have been definite points. Have to say Coyne was impressive when he came on but Cathal Kenny and the full back line were terrible the whole match.

Sad to say but Joyce looks like a spent force at this stage.

I must not have been watching the same match as you Diabhal, Coyne was impressive alright, but so were Forde and Duane (newcomers at this level remember), and Alan Burke saw off Diarmuid Connolly.

The poorest performance is my view was Flaherty, although he made a good save or two a few very bad kick and pass outs directly led to scores.

I wouldnt be so quick to write off P Seoige either, he is worth his place albeit playing a less prominent role than the last few years,

there is fight in this Galway team, im looking forward to the championship with cautiuos optimism

Diabhal Beag · 10-04-2011 11:24pm

RightHalfBack wrote: »

I must not have been watching the same match as you Diabhal, Coyne was impressive alright, but so were Forde and Duane (newcomers at this level remember), and Alan Burke saw off Diarmuid Connolly.

We were torn a sunder many times especially for the 1st goal and several times in the second half. Brogan could have got a few more points at least. We'd be raped if it wasn't for Alan Brogan getting the red.

The poorest performance is my view was Flaherty, although he made a good save or two a few very bad kick and pass outs directly led to scores.

Yep although I would say that the fact nobody caught or even got near a kickout in the 1st half vexed him a lot. Bergin will stand 2 metres behind his marker for all kickouts. Made some great saves though so I wouldn't say he was anywhere near the worst.

I wouldnt be so quick to write off P Seoige either, he is worth his place albeit playing a less prominent role than the last few years,

Oh God yes if it wasn't for Joyce we'd be looking a lot worse. He deserves his place but he looked jaded more than ever before today.

BTW Clancy was working his arse off today so keep it up Mattew (I know you read this

)

dcr22B · 10-04-2011 11:30pm

RightHalfBack wrote: »

Duane

Thanks to his acting skills Alan Brogan will miss the league final, two yellows would have been more appropriate. At the same time, with him being a senior member of our panel, Alan should have known better.

Fair play to you on the performance in the 2nd half, some pride in the jersey being shown in the last 3 games and should stand you in good stead for the Connacht championship.

RightHalfBack · 11-04-2011 12:14am

dcr22B wrote: »

Alan Brogan will miss the league final,

didnt see the incident but a few lads were saying it was harsh alright, Its a pity he will miss the final but he should have plenty of oppurtunities to shine till late into the Summer with this Dublin Team. Come September the league final will be long forgotten.

Diabhal Beag · 11-04-2011 12:23am

I actually missed it too but a lot of people were saying it should have been a yellow. Still you never should give somebody that opportunity.

BTW dcr22B was Cluxton dropped for the McAteer punch or just given a break?

c_man · 11-04-2011 1:10am

Missed it as well but one of the lads caught it and agreed with the comments above.

Big fan of Alan. Class footballer.

BTW dcr22B was Cluxton dropped for the McAteer punch or just given a break?

Heard it was just to 'blood' the keeper today.

McAteer had it coming btw :pac:

dcr22B · 11-04-2011 6:36am

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

BTW dcr22B was Cluxton dropped for the McAteer punch or just given a break?

WAs just giving Savage a run out. We really struggled with the wind in the 2nd half as Savage's kick outs simply aren't as effective as Cluxton's.

Starie1975 · 11-04-2011 9:56am

Missed the match yesterday too (ran the half-connemarathon - patting myself on the back :cool:)

I was talking to a few in town last night Dub's and Tribes who said he deserved the red card, he was being pushed about but gave the elbow - they said. I'm disapointed that he'll miss the final, a great player to watch.

Onwards and upwards now for Galway.

Diabhal Beag · 11-04-2011 10:30am

OK guys so this is the point where we look towards the year ahead.

So Mayo look good. They'll be tough for us to beat and Sligo are still a threat despite a poor League. Roscommon are dark horses again this year but are heavily reliant on Shine.

Hard to see us winning Connacht this year sadly

dcr22B · 11-04-2011 10:34am

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Sligo are still a threat despite a poor League.

Sligo have been brutally unlucky to come out on the wrong side of 3 (I think) single point defeats otherwise us Dubs would be celebrating Meath playing in Division 3 next year!

Hulk Hands · 11-04-2011 4:07pm

There's no reason why we shouldn't win Connacht this year. The way we've played in those past 3 games (i'm taking the Armagh game on reports alone) has given me hope that we can have a decent season.

Things are starting to look settled in defence, with Forde and Duane really stepping up to the plate. They have looked to have nailed down starting spots. Alan Burke is playing well at corner back and Sice has been very good since being reverted to number 7.

Obviously with Forde being steady in at FB, Hanley has been able to move out the field, and for the first time in a long time i'm confident that we have a steady pair there that can hold their own against most midfields. Hanley will grow into the role the more games he plays there. My own preference would be to name Bradshaw at 15 and move him out as a third midfielder, sweeping up breaks and driving at defences. It will be interesting to see how O'Flatharta uses him. People forget how good he is, he is our best player along with Meehan and was missing for nearly all the league. It puts the league campaign in perspective when we see who we were missing.

The forward department was a disaster during the league, but things will improve. Look at the difference PJ has made even by his presence there in the last 2 games. By all accounts he was terrific against Armagh and still had an impact yesterday despite being heavily marshalled. If one more person says he's finished i'll scream. The funny thing is that he's actually played better in the last 3 years than he did at any period 2004-2008. He reminds me of Ryan Giggs in that respect. An automatic starter.

Cormac Bane has had a decent league and should retain his place. We still have Armstrong to come back, who should improve for having the street smarts of Meehan and Joyce around him making space. Meehan obviously will be a huge asset. Outside of that, maybe the workrate of Clancy might get him in, or possibly Concannon on the back of a decent campaign last term. Obviously I hope Nicky Joyce rethinks his decision, and he would be an asset.

Overall everything is looking ok, as long as we can keep everybody injury free. The team also needs to cut out the silly mistakes, of which there were a lot of yesterday.

As regards challengers, I wouldn't be afraid of anyone. Mayo have 15 decent players but they lack leaders. They lack someone of the calibre of Meehan or Joyce who can stand up and drag them out of a rut. Good players but no standouts. They have had a decent league, no more. Mayo will obviously be favourites for the clash in June, but if we can get our best 15 there injury free, I think we are the more talented side. Mayo set a fairly modest benchmark, now it's up to us to surpass that.

Sligo were good last year, but by the same degree we were putrid. And they still only beat us by a point in over 140 mins of football. And that with Galway having a half fit Meehan for 30 mins of that, no Nickey Joyce, and Bradshaw handing them a pox soft goal. No, I can't rate Sligo as better than Galway. Especially on the back of a league campaign where they havent looked to have pushed on.

Roscommon are poor. Simple as. They beat a non-performing Sligo side by a point in one game last year. That's all they have done in recent memory. If we beat Mayo we should win Connacht. A big if alright, but people should have a certain degree of cautious optimism.

aidan24326 · 12-04-2011 4:33pm

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

OK guys so this is the point where we look towards the year ahead.

So Mayo look good. They'll be tough for us to beat and Sligo are still a threat despite a poor League. Roscommon are dark horses again this year but are heavily reliant on Shine.

Hard to see us winning Connacht this year sadly

Why is it hard to see us winning Connaught? Who should we fear? Mayo are decent at best, and have alot of the same old failings. And as Hulk Hands said in the above post, they lack real standout players in the Meehan and Joyce class. Sligo were fortunate to beat an underperforming Galway team last year, and I wouldn't be overly afraid of them. Roscommon are an ordinary team who caught Sligo on the hop in the Connaught Final, and I wouldn't be worrying too much about them either. Connaught is there to be won.

At least there were some positives to take from the league in the end. A battling performance against Cork followed by two more decent showings in the last two games. Forde doing reasonably well at fb, and great to have something approaching a decent midfield with Hanley a good addition there. Meehan to come back aswell hopefully (and it's good that they haven't rushed him - June/July is when we'll need him, not March or April).

It would be nice to win Connaught and get back to Croke Park, we're long overdue a win there, and even though Galway haven't won in Croke Park for a long time, we rarely play badly when we do get there. The Mayo game is key to the whole thing though, lose that and it's back to the dreaded qualifiers, win it and a Connaught title followed by Croke park is very much on the cards.

Diabhal Beag · 12-04-2011 4:49pm

To be honest we have been lucky that as poor as we have been on the past we still have rarely been destroyed by 4:15 or scores like that. I fear that although we improved in the League that we are still going to lag behind the top 8 come Championship.

I know I come across as negative in these threads regarding our footballers but I realistically think we are getting caught out sooner rather than later this year.

Mayo are better guys. The average Mayo player is better than the our Paul Conroys. They can't possibly get worse than last year. It will be interesting to see how they get on with Conor "Micheal Jackson" Mortimer though.

If we end up in the Qualifiers though we are yet again ****ed. We always get shown up for our lack of hunger and drive by the Donegals and Meaths of this world.

aidan24326 · 12-04-2011 11:34pm

Diabhal, Mayo really aren't all that great. They're well beatable. Their win over us in the league was the only reason we went down and they didn't, and Galway were playing very poorly at the time anyway so I wouldn't read too much into that result. It will count for nothing when the ball is thrown in in Castlebar. Right now they'd be slight favs, if only for the fact that it's in Castlebar. Connaught overall is poor at the moment, and it won't take much winning.

Diabhal Beag · 13-04-2011 1:12am

In the last 4 years we've had OK League campaigns that led us into the championship with optimism. We have one Connacht title to show for it.

We're going in this year looking as shaky and nervy as ever before if not worse. We have more realistic challengers than ever before. Only Leitrim have very little chance of winning Connacht (Although not impossible by any means).

Kojak · 15-04-2011 1:58am

Nine changes to the Galway team to play Waterford this Sunday:

J Grealish, D Joyce, S Kavanagh, D Collins, D Burke, T Og Regan, A Cullinane, B Daly, J Coen, K Hynes Iarla Tannian, A Callanan, D Hayes, J Canning, E Forde.

Is this now McIntyre's starting 15 for the championship, or is it a knee-jerk reaction from the Tipp debacle?

InchicoreDude · 15-04-2011 10:15am

Is this now McIntyre's starting 15 for the championship, or is it a knee-jerk reaction from the Tipp debacle?

From the league matches I saw, it was clear that Galway had a problem in the full back line. That full back line of Joyce, Kavanagh & Collins does look relatively strong though and should improve things.

I'd prefer to keep Tannian at number 14 as he has been doing really well there. So I would have put Canning at number 11. Maybe they will swap anyway.

Not sure about that midfield - Dont know a whole lot about them really so will keep an open mind.

I'd imagine there are still places to be won on that team come championship...

Diabhal Beag · 16-04-2011 12:47am

Do we rate Tannian? I personally don't but he can have good days.

aidan24326 · 16-04-2011 2:05am

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Do we rate Tannian? I personally don't but he can have good days.

Hard to know with Tannian. When he's good he can be very good but other days he can be anonymous, and he's never really done it yet in a big game. So I'd say the jury is still out. But I'd stick with him for now as he's had a pretty good league so far.

My championship forward line would look something like this.

10. Eanna Ryan 11. Joe Canning 12. Aoungus Callanan

13. Damien Hayes 14. Iarla Tannian 15. Joe Gantley

I'm picking Joe Gantley ahead of Niall Healy for the simple reason that Gantley has done well when coming on as a sub and he deserves a chance to show what he can do from the start now. And Niall Healy blows hot and cold. More cold than hot in all honesty.

Young Joseph Cooney looks a great prospect aswell, good to see that genetics is alive and well in Bullaun/New Inn !!!

16-04-2011 2:34am

aidan24326 wrote: »

Hard to know with Tannian. When he's good he can be very good but other days he can be anonymous, and he's never really done it yet in a big game. So I'd say the jury is still out. But I'd stick with him for now as he's had a pretty good league so far.

My championship forward line would look something like this.

10. Eanna Ryan 11. Joe Canning 12. Aoungus Callanan

13. Damien Hayes 14. Iarla Tannian 15. Joe Gantley

I'm picking Joe Gantley ahead of Niall Healy for the simple reason that Gantley has done well when coming on as a sub and he deserves a chance to show what he can do from the start now. And Niall Healy blows hot and cold. More cold than hot in all honesty.

Young Joseph Cooney looks a great prospect aswell, good to see that genetics is alive and well in Bullaun/New Inn !!!

Healy?

Do you mean you were close to picking him?... seems like you were talking like he currently starts which he hasn't in a few years(only the odd subs appearance)

He only has around 2 subs appearances in the league this year, no starts afaik.

He has a serious amount of players ahead of him these days.

I wouldn't be surprised if Callanan switches with Hayes(on sunday), he only seems to be handy for the odd goal(on that alone anyone is worth a place) while not doing much else, can't see him doing much work in that line and since Hayes played there a lot they may switch if things aren't going well, same for JC and Iarla.

I'm not sure about Ryan, He started woefully against Tipp last year but finished with a decent return, league form has been much like Callanan, has popped up occasionally but anonymous at times.

I think we have too many players like that, you have JC and Hayes going full whack for the 70(JC on ability and Hayes on ability and passion, most passionate Galway player by a mile) while the other 4-6(depending on selection) just go through the motions, occassionally scoring a point or a goal here or there, but never grabbing the initiative.

We need more leaders to emerge up front, or we can expect more Tipp 2010 and Waterford 2009 days to come.

h2005 · 16-04-2011 3:39am

Good luck to the u 21`s today a couple of them really impressed me the last day. Hard to see them beating Cork though. The future looks bright for Killerin:(

Hulk Hands · 16-04-2011 8:03pm

The futures bright lads :pac:

ShamoBuc · 16-04-2011 8:11pm

Super win for the u21's tonight, I really did not see that coming, it was a very good cork team ye beat - best of luck in the final.

ShamoBuc · 16-04-2011 9:42pm

Just watched the match on TG4
Galway started very well indeed and literally owned midfield throughout the first half - despite this, they were a point down at ht.
Cork were 0-11 V 0-07 up after 45 mins. Galway got it back to 11 V 9 when Aidan Walsh went off for Cork. He was playing poorly but had been coming back into it just before falling awkwardly. In the 51th min Galway goaled to lead 1-10 V 0-11. In those 6 mins Galway won this match - scoring 1-3.
There were some very good points scored by both teams but some of the kicking was also pretty dire - especially by Cork in the final 10mins.
Cork I thought did not play as well as they could but all credit to the underdogs who performed well and proceed to the final, an unusual pairing!
An Ghaillimh 1-11 in aghaidh Corcaigh 0-12

MfMan · 16-04-2011 10:54pm

aidan24326 wrote: »

Hard to know with Tannian. When he's good he can be very good but other days he can be anonymous, and he's never really done it yet in a big game. So I'd say the jury is still out. But I'd stick with him for now as he's had a pretty good league so far.

My championship forward line would look something like this.

10. Eanna Ryan 11. Joe Canning 12. Aoungus Callanan

13. Damien Hayes 14. Iarla Tannian 15. Joe Gantley

I'm picking Joe Gantley ahead of Niall Healy for the simple reason that Gantley has done well when coming on as a sub and he deserves a chance to show what he can do from the start now. And Niall Healy blows hot and cold. More cold than hot in all honesty.

Young Joseph Cooney looks a great prospect aswell, good to see that genetics is alive and well in Bullaun/New Inn !!!

Jeez, Aidan, can't imagine anyone else anywhere picking Joe Gantley to start; far too like Donnellan for my taste. Very awkward.

spiritcrusher · 17-04-2011 4:06pm

Was at the Dublin game last week and the U21 yesterday, after what I've seen in the last few matches I think I'd get rid of half that senior team, at least, and put in the U21s. That team I saw yesterday with Joyce and Meehan around them could be something special.

The two midfielders are exceptional. Far, far better than players like Bergin who hasn't learned anything new in about 10 years.

In the forwards Sweeney, Boyle, Farragher and Hehir could easily replace players like Mathew Clancy (still living on that goal against Tyrone in 2001), Concannon, Conroy.

Defence was very solid as well. Duane in particular is a cracking centre back, but it really is as a unit they work so well. In the last ten minutes when Cork were pressuring to get level they defended exceptionally well and gave away not a single stupid, easily kickable free to Cork. Great stuff, even taking into account some bad misses by Cork. Senior half back could do well to learn from them.

Maybe this sounds like a rant against the seniors or blind praise for the 21s, but it's been a good few years since I saw anything in Galway football to get excited about.

Diabhal Beag · 17-04-2011 4:33pm

Beaten by Waterford so we miss out on the Final. Disappointing performance is what I'm hearing from a lot of people at the match.

17-04-2011 6:08pm

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Beaten by Waterford so we miss out on the Final. Disappointing performance is what I'm hearing from a lot of people at the match.

TG4 showed it there, just finished a few minutes.

Another woeful performance, you'd honestly think we have 4/5 less players then the other team.

Waterford backs were able to clear the ball with ease, either themselves or by laying it off, next to no pressure.
Then we'd find ourselves being hooked and all sorts down our end.

Forwards were getting swamped, players not supporting, you'd have to wonder where these free players are standing if 2/3 are going to swamp the man with the ball, where are the free lads hiding?

We must have been hooked at a ratio of 5:1,

I've never played the game, but I'd imagine if someones on your heels and you want to hit it, you'd need to step off to the side to avoid a hook, lack of communication must be a factor.

I honestly think we have the players, the players to at least put us firmly third if nothing else, the way we play though is so predictable and flat.
We don't make use of free players in attack and the marking without the ball is beyond poor.

I think this should be this managements last year, our performances have been very poor bar one or two league games.

Hulk Hands · 17-04-2011 7:03pm

spiritcrusher wrote: »

Was at the Dublin game last week and the U21 yesterday, after what I've seen in the last few matches I think I'd get rid of half that senior team, at least, and put in the U21s. That team I saw yesterday with Joyce and Meehan around them could be something special.

The two midfielders are exceptional. Far, far better than players like Bergin who hasn't learned anything new in about 10 years.

In the forwards Sweeney, Boyle, Farragher and Hehir could easily replace players like Mathew Clancy (still living on that goal against Tyrone in 2001), Concannon, Conroy.

Defence was very solid as well. Duane in particular is a cracking centre back, but it really is as a unit they work so well. In the last ten minutes when Cork were pressuring to get level they defended exceptionally well and gave away not a single stupid, easily kickable free to Cork. Great stuff, even taking into account some bad misses by Cork. Senior half back could do well to learn from them.

Maybe this sounds like a rant against the seniors or blind praise for the 21s, but it's been a good few years since I saw anything in Galway football to get excited about.

The midfielders are only 18 however, a while away yet from senior football, and have a bit of bulking up to do. (I'm gonna gloat about spotting Flynn a mile off, recycle back a few pages :pac:) A couple of the forwards could be drafted into the seniors alright along with Danny Cummins there already. Forde and Duane should obviously keep their place on the senior team.

meriwether · 17-04-2011 8:37pm

aidan24326 wrote: »

Hard to know with Tannian. When he's good he can be very good but other days he can be anonymous, and he's never really done it yet in a big game. So I'd say the jury is still out. But I'd stick with him for now as he's had a pretty good league so far.

My championship forward line would look something like this.

10. Eanna Ryan 11. Joe Canning 12. Aoungus Callanan

13. Damien Hayes 14. Iarla Tannian 15. Joe Gantley

I'm picking Joe Gantley ahead of Niall Healy for the simple reason that Gantley has done well when coming on as a sub and he deserves a chance to show what he can do from the start now. And Niall Healy blows hot and cold. More cold than hot in all honesty.

Young Joseph Cooney looks a great prospect aswell, good to see that genetics is alive and well in Bullaun/New Inn !!!

I think its becoming clear to me that McItyre has no idea what his 15 will be for the Championship, and we at the end of the league.

Farragher will be back in Midfeild, but who will be with him? One of the two in mid today, or will Kevin Hynes slot back?

Who is the half foward line? Choose from Tannion, Harte, Donnelan, Andy Smith, Eanna Ryan or Cooney Jr. Is this a wealth of talent, every managers best nightmare? No, this lot is every managers worst nightmare. With the exception of Ryan, and Cooney of whom it is too early to judge, they are poor.
If this seems unfair criticism, ask yyourself how many of these would make the Tipp or KK half forward line. Answer? None. Andy Smith wouldn't even get on either panel.

In the full forward line, its Joe, with an ageing and injury prone Hayes, and one of Callinan, Healy, Gantley and a few others.

Basically, the only forward of six who is guaranteed to get into Tipp/Cats foward 6 is Joe.

And thats why there will be no Liam McCarthy this year, or indeed any year from this particular group of players.

As for football, great news in the U-21s over the weekend.
Allied to the fact that our Minor tean should be strong this year due in part of Jarlaths getting to Hogan final, the future is possibly bright.

17-04-2011 9:46pm

meriwether wrote: »

And thats why there will be no Liam McCarthy this year, or indeed any year from this particular group of players.

As for football, great news in the U-21s over the weekend.
Allied to the fact that our Minor tean should be strong this year due in part of Jarlaths getting to Hogan final, the future is possibly bright.

I agree with most of what you say, but look at Clarinbridge, The U-21 footballers just from this county (this year) providing testimony that nothing is a given in sport.

I think the main problem is how we play, there doesn't seem to be any game plan and I personally think we're not getting the best out of this group of players.

We should have also reached the minor final last year, we through away an 8 point lead or something along those lines IIRC.

Amazing to think that with the seniors finally hitting bottom(after 10years) we've not just gone and won our first U-21 game since WINNING the thing in 2005 but we're now favourites to win it and should probably be minor champions as well.

Kojak · 17-04-2011 11:57pm

meriwether wrote: »

I think its becoming clear to me that McItyre has no idea what his 15 will be for the Championship, and we at the end of the league.

I don't think that McIntyre ever really knew who his starting 15 for the championship would be - he seems to be trying out a load of players, but all of them are much the same - none of them are a stand-out (with the exception of Canning).

I thought that our level of hurling ability today was atrocious - how many times did we see a Galway man trying to pick up the ball and then loose it. Some Galway players seem to think its too much to ask them to bend their backs and get control of the ball. The defense don't seem to know how to man mark - they all get drawn to the opponent in possession and often leave their own marker completly loose. No wonder we concede such huge scores.

The 1/2 forward line can't seem to win their own puck-out - God, how many years are we saying that for now. I never thought I'd say this but oh for the days of Joe Rabbitte!!!!

This is not an over-reaction to today's result - Waterford were the better team - but Galway never seem to be able to learn from their mistakes. IMO their is no All-Ireland in this team. They don't have the necessary cutting in them to get the "dirty ball" - they just hope it will be handed on a plater to them.

There was a bet taken out in a bookies a few years ago in Galway that Joe Canning would never win a senior All-Ireland with Galway dfuring his career. I think that that bet will, unfortunatly, come true. Now I know some people will come on here and say "show some support" or "we have one of the strongest underage set-ups in the country" but what has that gotten us in the last 20 years?? Minor and U-21 All-Irelands are all well and good to win, but that should not be the limit of young hurlers' aspirations - they should drive on to win a Senior. But for some reason they seem content to rest on thir laurels....

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