Galway GAA discussion thread

ShamoBuc · 06-03-2011 7:59pm

the game could have went either way, but the forwards ye had on display today hit too many wides. Cork were not exactly brilliant but they won so I'm happy. Galway need a few scoring forwards but there is enough of a team there to be a force in the championship again.

MfMan · 06-03-2011 11:19pm

Not sure why they took off Hayes at wing-back. Barry went back but didn't improve things and isn't strong enough for the position. I knew Naughton would cause problems when he came on, he usually does against Galway. Lee had his poorest display of the 3 at FB; too many handling errors and one-handed hurling by Galway further up, and Tannian has gone back to his old ways of stumbling about, though there was worse than him. Andy Smith works hard but isn't essentially good enough. Ryan and Callanan are bit too alike for comfort. On the credit side, Cullinane seems to be coming back to form, Regan is starting to look good at CHB in spite of McCarthy catching a lot of ball, while David Burke is going really well at midfield; if we could only get a complementary partner for him there we'd really be in business.

06-03-2011 11:38pm

MfMan wrote: »

Not sure why they took off Hayes at wing-back. Barry went back but didn't improve things and isn't strong enough for the position. I knew Naughton would cause problems when he came on, he usually does against Galway. Lee had his poorest display of the 3 at FB; too many handling errors and one-handed hurling by Galway further up, and Tannian has gone back to his old ways of stumbling about, though there was worse than him. Andy Smith works hard but isn't essentially good enough. Ryan and Callanan are bit too alike for comfort. On the credit side, Cullinane seems to be coming back to form, Regan is starting to look good at CHB in spite of McCarthy catching a lot of ball, while David Burke is going really well at midfield; if we could only get a complementary partner for him there we'd really be in business.

Burke has cemented a midfield spot over the past year,

O'Regan to his credit has been pretty solid since his return, he was always one I used to have a lot of criticism for in the past but over the past year he's made 6 his own.

All the backs performed well, our backs for the past year have been our strongest end, ironic considering all the defensive mishaps that cost us over the past few years.
Apart from JC we haven't brought through another decent forward in years now.

Ryan didn't have the best of games but he's young and has shown glimpses of quality.
Coen as well should be given chances, but Tannion and Smith for too long have proved to lack the control needed.

Gantley did well when he came on, but in fairness to Joe he hasn't put in a bad performance yet, he's came on the scene with JC and proper effort to accommodate him elsewhere from 14 hasn't been made(considering Tannions been stuck all over I think Gantley deserves a few shots around the forwards, his striking is better then most of the rest)

Diabhal Beag · 13-03-2011 4:22pm

Awful start great comeback. Even Tannion is playing well.

ShamoBuc · 13-03-2011 4:40pm

kk keeper is getting a lesson today!!!

Diabhal Beag · 13-03-2011 4:41pm

He's awful god bless him.

Diabhal Beag · 13-03-2011 5:07pm

Good win. Would have given Tannion MOM but can't argue too much with Regan getting it.

ShamoBuc · 13-03-2011 5:53pm

very good win, pity it wasn't by a few more points, as ye deserved it!

Diabhal Beag · 13-03-2011 6:06pm

We needed to bounce back from the defeat to Cork. Should be interesting now with 3 games to go.

thesultan · 13-03-2011 8:00pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEqhWH3K478

ShamoBuc · 13-03-2011 8:17pm

^^^
didn't see that earlier, handbags only though.

13-03-2011 10:26pm

ShamoBuc wrote: »

^^^
didn't see that earlier, handbags only though.

Saw it at the time all right, nothing even happened, not sure why it was uploaded on Youtube or posted here.
IIRC a more 'serious' row broke out mid-game.

I hope the lads keep up that intensity(when it really matters).
I'm not going to get my hopes up yet though, I remember a similar performance against Cork in the League final last year and I really taught we would push on in the Championship but the intensity in those games was pretty poor tbh.

The lads must realise to be as good as KK have been the past number of years that they need to replicate that type of performance every game.

The forwards battled great today, didn't give the backs any space.
What's Tommy Walsh's problem?.. when he gets swarmed on he starts swinging like he's been attacked.... very gifted player but he has a serious attitude problem.
Was great to see the forwards battling till the final whistle, when another goal chance was on.

Both teams were missing players but I think our lads are more important to us and we prob' had the weaker of the two squads(from full capacity, not in general) taking that into account.

Very unusual game, I missed the first four minutes turning it on to see we were down by 9(how is 2-3 even possible in 4mins? :O) then we nearly through a 9 point lead away but Larkin saw his goal chance snuffed out.
We saw it out today but when your leading by 9 with 15 odd to go you need to keep the scoreboard ticking over(I'm hoping the lucky KK goal was the only reason that happened in the first place).

In other news the Footballers were trounced again.
Time now to clear the bulk of that squad out and get in lads who can contribute to the team, they might be the best 15 individuals but they're definitely not the best team we can turn out IMO.

blackbelt · 14-03-2011 4:49pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

In other news the Footballers were trounced again.
Time now to clear the bulk of that squad out and get in lads who can contribute to the team, they might be the best 15 individuals but they're definitely not the best team we can turn out IMO.

I think the remnants of that Galway team really did die in the rain against Kerry in 2008 but somehow even with Sammon and Kernan in charge,you haven't really began rebuilding and unfortunately its more of the same with Tomas O Flatharta thus far.It would be unfair to place the blame on him and I think any manager Galway has needs more time.

Its all too easy to blame the manager when a county team is not going well.We know it ourselves when we were doubting Gilroys ability to get the Dubs playing and beating top teams but look how we had transformed between June and July after a few games in the qualifiers.

Unless O Flatharta can introduce a gameplan a la Westmeath in 2008 where the team swarmed the opposition or unless you can introduce more quality u-21 players,it looks like Galway will be making another early exit from the championship if they don't start clicking again.Then the rest of this year will be a write off for Galway until the club championships pick up again.

Even looking at Mayo,they were very similar to Galway last year after the league but they seem to be up one more level than Galway in their transition period.They could certainly win Connaught and make a quarter final.I would not go as far to say that Galway needs a complete surgery but there must be 7-8 regulars there that could be shed from the team onto the reserves/subs bench or released from the panel altogether.

c_man · 14-03-2011 4:51pm

Really enjoyed the game yesterday. Was a bit (!) worried after ten minutes in and my companions started questioning whether we should just have watched it on tv. Great comeback from the lads.

Then the footballers... *sigh* It's really depressing the thought of going through the league without a win. They're playing in Pearse next week against Cork by and by.

Stench Blossoms · 14-03-2011 6:20pm

Is the Galway v Dublin match on Sunday 20th March? I thought I heard it being announced at the end of yesterdays match but don't see anything about it on the gaa website.

c_man · 14-03-2011 6:24pm

That match is on the 27th March - http://www.gaa.ie/fixtures-and-results/national-fixtures/allianz-hurling-league-2011/

14-03-2011 6:59pm

I can't wait for the Dublin game.

Someone needs to teach them a lesson.

I read somewhere last week they were contenders for Liam, this coming after one or two league wins :rolleyes:

Wasn't that long ago Antrim sent them backing where it really mattered.

We're constantly reminded here (more then anywhere else) how the league and league form counts for nothing yet Dublin won one decent game and they're a team to fear.

ShamoBuc · 14-03-2011 8:53pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I can't wait for the Dublin game.

Someone needs to teach them a lesson.

I read somewhere last week they were contenders for Liam, this coming after one or two league wins :rolleyes:

Wasn't that long ago Antrim sent them backing where it really mattered.

We're constantly reminded here (more then anywhere else) how the league and league form counts for nothing yet Dublin won one decent game and they're a team to fear.

The way dublin are playing they are well capable of teaching ye a lesson!!
I don't think they are REAL contenders for Liam - Tip or kk for me. After those two, the usual suspects (plus Dublin to be fair) - but it's hard to see beyond the top 2. In the league however the dubs are well able and should be respected I think.

14-03-2011 9:08pm

ShamoBuc wrote: »

The way dublin are playing they are well capable of teaching ye a lesson!!
I don't think they are REAL contenders for Liam - Tip or kk for me. After those two, the usual suspects (plus Dublin to be fair) - but it's hard to see beyond the top 2. In the league however the dubs are well able and should be respected I think.

I don't think so tbh, if we maintain our discipline their forwards don't score much from play(against stronger teams).

As for Tipp, I don't think they're as good as everyone's making out, they caught KK on a bad day and all of a sudden they're just as good.
KK's record over the past 10 years warrants more respect then that.
I don't think we're far of Tipp and they were lucky to get by us last year.

I think it's KK, then the rest... Tipp still have a lot to prove to be mentioned in the same breath tbh.

RightHalfBack · 14-03-2011 11:04pm

All, does anyone know of any Galway supporters groups\Club in Dublin. Have just been thinking it should be possible to get a bus load or two of Galwegians living in the capital together to travel to a game every weekend. We must be one of the worst supported counties in the country,

We always slag the dubs supporters off up here but looking at the amount of them that travelled to Monaghan yesterday they put us to shame,

MfMan · 14-03-2011 11:42pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I don't think so tbh, if we maintain our discipline their forwards don't score much from play(against stronger teams).

As for Tipp, I don't think they're as good as everyone's making out, they caught KK on a bad day and all of a sudden they're just as good.
KK's record over the past 10 years warrants more respect then that.
I don't think we're far of Tipp and they were lucky to get by us last year.

I think it's KK, then the rest... Tipp still have a lot to prove to be mentioned in the same breath tbh.

Easy now, Gilberto. We've no business shouting about anyone else until we've proved ourselves. Don't be so dismissive of Dublin, our recent record in Parnell park isn't a lot to write home about and a rather fortuitous win over an untrained KK team is no reason to get too cocky early in the season. For the record, I think Tipp are again the team to beat this season; I said in the immediate wake of last year's AI final that KK could be now be slowly on the descendant are the team are gradually ageing with not a lot coming through straight away. I stick to that prediction.

ShamoBuc · 15-03-2011 12:20am

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I don't think so tbh, if we maintain our discipline their forwards don't score much from play(against stronger teams).

As for Tipp, I don't think they're as good as everyone's making out, they caught KK on a bad day and all of a sudden they're just as good.
KK's record over the past 10 years warrants more respect then that.
I don't think we're far of Tipp and they were lucky to get by us last year.

I think it's KK, then the rest... Tipp still have a lot to prove to be mentioned in the same breath tbh.

That's your opinion - fair enough.

But - the underlined bit - you are having a bit of a laugh. I thought the previous year Tip were better in the final and should have won. They had enough goal chances, but didn't take them. Add in the pen that was a free out for over carrying and Tip were - I feel - unlucky not to win. Last year they again stood up to kk, this time they took their goals and were clearly the better team. While kk's record is of course a fantastic one, this Tip team could just as easily be going into this years championship looking for 3 in a row!!! And when the summer comes I fully expect them to be at the business end of the season and would back them to beat kk again.
Galway - on their day are also capable but would probably have to beat both tip and kk - a very tough task.

15-03-2011 12:33am

MfMan wrote: »

Easy now, Gilberto. We've no business shouting about anyone else until we've proved ourselves. Don't be so dismissive of Dublin, our recent record in Parnell park isn't a lot to write home about and a rather fortuitous win over an untrained KK team is no reason to get too cocky early in the season. For the record, I think Tipp are again the team to beat this season; I said in the immediate wake of last year's AI final that KK could be now be slowly on the descendant are the team are gradually ageing with not a lot coming through straight away. I stick to that prediction.

KK untrained?.... they came into Sunday unbeaten, hardly the form of an untrained team.
The only team I can think off you could tag that description onto would be my beloved Galway United who had 2/3 days to prepare for the new season.

Maybe Dublin will win, tbh I don't think they will and at any rate my main point was the hype building around them after one decent league win like they're contenders for the AI.

It's coming from their fans but I also saw it coming from a Journo somewhere recently.

ShamoBuc wrote: »

That's your opinion - fair enough.

But - the underlined bit - you are having a bit of a laugh. I thought the previous year Tip were better in the final and should have won. They had enough goal chances, but didn't take them. Add in the pen that was a free out for over carrying and Tip were - I feel - unlucky not to win. Last year they again stood up to kk, this time they took their goals and were clearly the better team. While kk's record is of course a fantastic one, this Tip team could just as easily be going into this years championship looking for 3 in a row!!! And when the summer comes I fully expect them to be at the business end of the season and would back them to beat kk again.
Galway - on their day are also capable but would probably have to beat both tip and kk - a very tough task.

Nearly never won the race though, if that was the case Galway would be multiple winners in both codes, bar two hammering's by KK in Thurles in 04 and 05ish we've always went down by a score or two and if a bad decision in a lost game counts for something then the Penalty we should have had after Healy was fouled at the very end of 1/4 final last year evened that out for them.

They've made the last two finals and IMO caught KK on a bad day last year, you can't say KK played well, they never got out of 3rd gear and this was reflected in the live betting which still had them odds on at HT despite losing.

Let's not forget Cork put them to the sword with what can only be described as Cork at their lowest point, Aisake had a field day.

They could be going for 3 in a row but could also have been finalists in 09 and 1/4 in 2010. Which to me is a long way of KK's form over the past 10 years.

As far as I'm concerned they still have a lot to prove to be classed along with this KK team, who IMO are far from finished(they nearly clawed us back from 9 points down yesterday but Larkin saw his shot blocked at 3 points)

ShamoBuc · 15-03-2011 12:51am

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Let's not forget Cork put them to the sword with what can only be described as Cork at their lowest point, Aisake had a field day.

They could be going for 3 in a row but could also have been finalists in 09 and 1/4 in 2010. Which to me is a long way of KK's form over the past 10 years.

As far as I'm concerned they still have a lot to prove to be classed along with this KK team, who IMO are far from finished(they nearly clawed us back from 9 points down yesterday but Larkin saw his shot blocked at 3 points)

I think the Cork game was exactly what they needed - a severe wake up call and they certainly responded!
I'm not trying to Class or compare their record versus kk over the past decade, why would I

It's obvious this kk team are one of the best ever, no disputing that.
You are correct that they clawed their way back from being 9 pts behind - but weren't they something like 7 or 8 up at one stage? That's some turnaround and the second half against Cork also yielded a turnaround that nearly cost them the game.
Anyway a long season is in front of us with many a windy turn I'm sure.

blackbelt · 15-03-2011 1:44pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I can't wait for the Dublin game.

Someone needs to teach them a lesson.

I read somewhere last week they were contenders for Liam, this coming after one or two league wins :rolleyes:

Wasn't that long ago Antrim sent them backing where it really mattered.

We're constantly reminded here (more then anywhere else) how the league and league form counts for nothing yet Dublin won one decent game and they're a team to fear.

I'd love to print this out and give it to the Dublin hurling team.In fact,I could even do so and stroll down to Parnell Park and hand it into the board secretary.:D

Now seriously,what makes you really think that up here in Dublin we're hyping the team up to be Liam McCarthy winners?Some journo that you read on the bus?I find your post quite disrespectful.I'm a hurling fan too and Dublin hurling has a core support with many die hards that would forego the footballers in favour of the hurlers.Our true hurling supporters are quite optimistic yet realistic and the bandwagon doesn't seem to be growing out of proportion either.

Lets look at it,this Dublin team has a new forward line with the introduction of O Dwyer and Keaney while Dotsy proved that he can stand up and be a dangerous forward in the absense of the godsend Keaney.Drawing with Waterford in Dungarvan and beating Tipp in Croke Park are very encouraging results for Dublin.Lest you forgot,we also beat Galway and Kilkenny en route to winning the Walsh Cup.So winning the cup and possibly making a league final is huge for us.We'll wait and see how we fare in the championship.

Its that naivety that I love and which drives our hurling team on.Take us lightly at your peril as you have found out on many occasions over the past few years.

I keep an open mind that anything is possible in sport but the likelihood is that either Kilkenny or Tipperary will probably win the championship.Waterford,Galway,Dublin and Cork would have to be considered the next tier of contenders.

In reference to the Antrim defeat last year which you seem so happy to point out to us,well that came off the back of our under 21s winning the Leinster Championship against Kilkenny midweek in the runup to that game.I think we took our eye off the ball.We were coasting but lost our concentration plus it was plain to see the players were tired.Normally we'd account for Antrim comfortably,see 2009 for reference.

I think its extremely naive at this point to still be dismissing Dublin as a hurling team that can beat other top teams.We've stayed in Division 1 for years when we were hot favourites for the drop.Waterford,Kilkenny,Wexford,Tipp and Galway have more than once came up short against Dublin at some stage of competitions.

And the championship,where it really matters,well Galway haven't quite set the hurling World alight since 2005 have they?They've been involved in some great games but the only real top team they have beaten that I can remember is Cork.I remember quite clearly the collapse against Waterford in 2009 in Thurles first hand and the multiple defeats to Kilkenny and Tipp.So before being smug about Dublin losing to Antrim,look at your own hurlers who cracked under the favourites tag themselves.

I look forward to our league meeting soon.

22-03-2011 4:40pm

I see this thread has basically turned into a hurling only thread.

Not surprising there's little talk of the footballers.... threw away a HT lead to lose by 3 at the weekend.

You know things are bad when a 3 point loss is being claimed as an improvement.

I think we only scored 4 points in the second half.... pretty poor return from any team(bar KK)

Diabhal Beag · 22-03-2011 7:30pm

Only saw the second half. We threw it away (sup Galway last 3 years) and Cork were just kept ticking away with simple points to beat us.

Mattew Clancy was awful. A lot of people said he was good but he wasted so much.

O.A.P · 22-03-2011 10:48pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I see this thread has basically turned into a hurling only.

I dont think anyone has anything positive to say about the football at the moment, I hope they can stop the fall in division two and rebiuld somehow. We all knew it was coming though and I for one remain behind them. I owe them some very good days in fairness.
The hurlers need a few good days at this stage they deserve at least one Liam Mc Carthy but that counts for f-- all until they do it.
So I still support both teams, we always have a chance of an All Ireland.

aidan24326 · 23-03-2011 5:15pm

It's been reported today that Michael Meehan is no nearer to a return, that his injury has not responded to treatment and that he might even need another operation. So that's all we need.

Good win for the U-21s at least, although the margin of victory raises a question mark about the quality of opposition. I expect Roscommon will be a tougher assignment. Good to finally have a decent team in this grade though.

And fair play to Clarinbridge, super performance.

Diabhal Beag · 24-03-2011 1:30am

Sad to hear about Meehan but at the same time we'll find out just how bad things are this year. This year will be the lowest of the lows. But that means well for the future (hopefully).

Galway GAA discussion thread

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