Galway Double 2008??

nadasky08

I know they look pretty average in the 2nd half against Leitrim but when they needed to be good, Galway just turned it up a notch.

O'Rourke reckons they don't have the defense to win the football but if they get Coyne and Fitzy back I reckon they could be a match for anyone on their day! With Meehan, PJ, Nicky Joyce and Army they will always be there or there abouts!

And after seeing Galway hurlers a good few times in the league and challenge matches this could be the year.

Anyone see any speicial on the double. Surely around 80/1. Could be worth a tenner!

smashey

Can't see it happening. Apart form Kerry in the football (assuming you win Connacht), there is the small matter of Kilkenny looming large over the hurling.

john concannon

As a Galwegian I think this year may be our best chance of doing the double.
Hurlers look good but will get better when Ollie Canning comes back.
Uncertain about football because although its early days I don't see any other team better then us at the moment.

I will put 25 yoyos on it though.

Joe Canning:D

nadasky08

Obviously the three in a row is big motivation for both Kerry and the Cats but just looking for value in the championship...

Sponge Bob

Nobody else is value for the double though, right now that is

Could be like 2003? where Galway lost both finals

nadasky08

Agree with Spong Bob.....Cork looked blessed to be still in the Munster championship yesterday!! Can't see them doing much this year!

Sponge Bob

Cork fully deserved their last double but the football does not look up to it this year.

In hurling there is a small matter of Tipp and Kilkenny between Galway and the double,

They have a better chance in football simply because Liam Sammon is manager . Liam may be old but he is some character, I have never seen such a fit 60 year old or one with such a desire to learn and teach.

Even then I feel that Liam only has 2-3 years to get results and Ger the same .

Young people nowadays have such short attention spans that there will never be another Seán Boylan because the player will complain that they are bored after about 2 years , max 3 .

Part of the reason why Galway could get the double is that the players have not had time to get bored ....sure even Ollie Canning is back wahaay

Tomthepost

I honestly think Mayo have enough in the bag to win Connacht. Galway seem to have a soft centre as proved in what I feel was a gutless performance against Kerry in the league.
I wouldn't be greatly shocked if the hurlers do the business this year. If the draw works out that way I think they will play Kilkenny in the final at least.

megadodge

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Nobody else is value for the double though, right now that is

Could be like 2003? where Galway lost both finals

Galway were in neither final in 2003 !

And they won't be anywhere close to the football one this year either. Take Padraic Joyce out of that team and they are extremely average and even with him they just don't have what it takes to win an All-Ireland.

The hurlers could well be there or thereabouts though.

Sherifu

I'd like to believe they could do it but they'd need a few things to go right for them. The hurlers have more of a chance, they have a good team there if it clicks.

nadasky08

For the Footballers surely its time to give Cullinane the full 70 mins. Thought he changed the game in the 2nd half against Leitrim. Not blesses with fanatastic ability but the man can catch a ball.

Any news on Bergin's injury? Massive loss...

will1977

nadasky08 wrote: »

I know they look pretty average in the 2nd half against Leitrim but when they needed to be good, Galway just turned it up a notch.
O'Rourke reckons they don't have the defense to win the football but if they get Coyne and Fitzy back I reckon they could be a match for anyone on their day! With Meehan, PJ, Nicky Joyce and Army they will always be there or there abouts!

And after seeing Galway hurlers a good few times in the league and challenge matches this could be the year.

Anyone see any speicial on the double. Surely around 80/1. Could be worth a tenner!

Not a hope with the footballers. How can you say they have any chance after only scrapping by Leitrim. I'll give you 150/1

gucci

What are the odds?

nadasky08

Fair Play Will...150/1 might just take ya up on that .

All due respect to Ros and Leitrim but the Galway boys know that the real game in Connacht is Mayo and will only get motivated for that game...Look at last year! Beat Mayo and then underestimated Sligo.

Don't think Sammon will let them do that this year. Agree they are abit short at the minute but 150/1 for the double is being very generous:D

biko

Galway double - I wish I wish

blackbelt

Not a chance will Galway do the double.In the football,they scraped past a Leitrim side that were taken out of Carrick-On-Shannon and I have the sneaky suspicion that Mayo will ambush them in Castlebar and get revenge for last year.It would appear that Mayo are not in great form but that is when they are actually at their most dangerous.Otherwise if Galway do win Connaught or go strongly in the qualifiers,they'd come up against opposition that would probably take them such as Kerry,Dublin and Derry.

However,in the hurling I would give Galway every chance of winning the Liam McCarthy Cup if they can get past Tipp and Kilkenny.Kilkenny usually struggle against Galway so we could be treated to a good match if that is the fixture.

However,if we take into context the strength of teams in both codes it is obvious that Galway would be ranked first in terms of ability to pull it off but I think this year will be the usual suspects,Kerry and Kilkenny to win both.:(

Flukey

Football: I very much doubt it.
Hurling: A good chance.

kraggy

Football - Very lucky to get to semis
Hurling - Decent chance.

john concannon

blackbelt wrote: »

Not a chance will Galway do the double.In the football,they scraped past a Leitrim side that were taken out of Carrick-On-Shannon and I have the sneaky suspicion that Mayo will ambush them in Castlebar and get revenge for last year.It would appear that Mayo are not in great form but that is when they are actually at their most dangerous.Otherwise if Galway do win Connaught or go strongly in the qualifiers,they'd come up against opposition that would probably take them such as Kerry,Dublin and Derry.

However,in the hurling I would give Galway every chance of winning the Liam McCarthy Cup if they can get past Tipp and Kilkenny.Kilkenny usually struggle against Galway so we could be treated to a good match if that is the fixture.
(

I agree with your point about Mayo but Galway just weren't motivated enough.I see us winning Connacht as about 60-40.

Thanks for reminding me about 2005.Greatest match I was ever at.The goals flew from everywhere.Killkenny really get nervous playing us.

I'll put a 10 euro on a double just to be safe.

JHMEG

As others have pointed out, there is a huge obstacle in the way in the hurling: Kilkenny, along with several other ones like Tipp and maybe even Waterford and Limerick.

Galway football team is sh!te and is waaaayyy behind the best. I don't know how anyone could think they'd even get to the AI final.

john concannon

Are you from Mayo.If not I would highly disagree with you.People were saying Monaghan had a good chance so there is hope for anyone.

gaeilgegrinds

Galway for the double...next year though.

stepbar

Won't happen and if it happens in the next 10 years I'd be very suprised.

john concannon

Prepare to be shocked so

stepbar

john concannon wrote: »

Prepare to be shocked so

Some comeback :rolleyes:

Hmmm, can anyone remember the last time it happened?

john concannon

Probably not because you can't make up things that don't happen like you trying to make a good arguement.Back to Mayo with ya.

stepbar

john concannon wrote: »

Probably not because you can't make up things that don't happen like you trying to make a good arguement.Back to Mayo with ya.

Another good comeback :rolleyes:

"Galway will do the double because I said so" :rolleyes:

BTW I'm not from Mayo thanks very much.

Let me make two points. Galway footballers were very lucky to get out of Pearse stadium with a win. Padraig Joyce was on top form and boy were you lucky he was. Problem is Joyce is the wrong side of 30 and being realistic he doesn't have too much championship football left in him. As for the hurlers... well all I'll say is Kilkenny. Now over to you.

Sherifu

^ Poor Leitrim.

JHMEG

Leitrim were unfortunate not to come away with a win, but anyone who thinks Galway is able to match the best of them when it comes to football is mistaken. Galway and Connacht teams in general are not in the same league.

john concannon

stepbar wrote: »

Another good comeback :rolleyes:

"Galway will do the double because I said so" :rolleyes:

BTW I'm not from Mayo thanks very much.

Let me make two points. Galway footballers were very lucky to get out of Pearse stadium with a win. Padraig Joyce was on top form and boy were you lucky he was. Problem is Joyce is the wrong side of 30 and being realistic he doesn't have too much championship football left in him. As for the hurlers... well all I'll say is Kilkenny. Now over to you.

First of all the only thing you can be the wrong side of is a roundabout.
Padraig was our best player but he disappeared in the second half and I think we did okay.Leitrim had to rely on Maxwell.
Killkenny,SEMI-FINAL 2005.OOOOOOOHHHHH YEEEEAAAAAAAHHH.

Over to you Leitrim lover.Good luck in the qualifiers btw.:rolleyes:

premierstone

john concannon wrote: »

First of all the only thing you can be the wrong side of is a roundabout.
Padraig was our best player but he disappeared in the second half and I think we did okay.Leitrim had to rely on Maxwell.
Killkenny,SEMI-FINAL 2005.OOOOOOOHHHHH YEEEEAAAAAAAHHH.

Over to you Leitrim lover.Good luck in the qualifiers btw.:rolleyes:

Think this thread has gone on long enough to be honest, there is a comedy forum ye know, first of all Galway footballers -are you havin a laugh!! Id say kerry et al are ****t*n themselves :rolleyes:

As for the hurling ''2005 semi final'', feckin selective memory or what, no goalkeeper, no fullback. no midfield and a couple of nancy boys in the forwards, get real

blackbelt

The term "dark horses" is being used when talking about Galway in the hurling.They may produce some magic and pull of a shock but if anybody thinks Galway would beat Kerry they are dreaming.I'd say Dublin,Derry and maybe Cork would beat Galway too and then you have other evenly matched teams such as Donegal,Westmeath and Mayo on top of that.

Galway football really flourished from 1998-2001 but apart from some provincial honours,they have failed to make a real impact on the championship.Good league side though and I think Sammon has Galway playing much better football this year than the last 2 years.When Joyce and Meehan go,Galways forward lines won't be the same.I think its unfortunate for Galway that Joyce is playing really well under a manager that is utilising him at his best but Joyce is entering the twilight years of his intercounty career and I think he's too hard to replace unless Galway unearth a real prodigy.

sgthighway

Wrong Section for this post it belongs here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=22


P.S. - I am a Galway Man;)

JHMEG

john concannon wrote: »

Killkenny,SEMI-FINAL 2005.OOOOOOOHHHHH YEEEEAAAAAAAHHH.

Cork, THE FINAL 2005.OOOOOOOHHHHH YEEEEAAAAAAAHHH.

aidan24326

Football- We would have a good chance if we had a midfield, that's the long and the short of it. In most other positions Galway are as good as what's around but a good midfield is vital in gaelic football and that's something Galway just don't have right now. More than capable of beating anyone on their day though (Kerry excepted) and often tend to raise it a level when they get to Croke Park, so dangerous to dismiss.

Hurlers- If KIlkenny slip up Galway and Tipp look most likely to capitalise. I think it will be 2 of those 3 in the final. With Joe Canning making an immediate impact and brother Ollie back in the team aswell Galway will certainly be thereabouts. A lethal forward line but it's the leaky defence that worries me.

grenache

nadasky08 wrote: »

I know they look pretty average in the 2nd half against Leitrim but when they needed to be good, Galway just turned it up a notch.

O'Rourke reckons they don't have the defense to win the football but if they get Coyne and Fitzy back I reckon they could be a match for anyone on their day! With Meehan, PJ, Nicky Joyce and Army they will always be there or there abouts!

And after seeing Galway hurlers a good few times in the league and challenge matches this could be the year.

Anyone see any speicial on the double. Surely around 80/1. Could be worth a tenner!

In the big ball game, Galway have as good a forwardline as you will see. Michael Meehan, Nicky Joyce and Matthew Clancy will always get you scores as will the evergreen Padraig Joyce, although Sean Armstrong seems to have gone off the boil totally in the last couple of years. The problem for you is your defence, it always has been. I'm not convinced by Hanly at full back, and even with Kieran Fitzgerald to return, i think the full back line will be exposed when it comes up against the better forward lines. Around the 40, the likes of Declan Meehan and Darren Mullahy are far better at aiding attacks than they are at defending. The fact that Galway conceeded 1-13 to the minnows of Leitrim should be of great concern to you. The squad is still in transition period, introducing new blood all the time while slowly culling the old guard. It will take a few more years before Galway can confidently challenge again for Sam.

Despite the seemingly invicibilty of the Cats hurlers, i feel that Galway on any given day can beat Kilkenny. And only Kilkenny have a better forward line in the country. With Joe Canning and Damien Hayes, Iarla Tannian and Niall Healy, you certainly have the ammunition to beat them. But do you have the temperment? Mightily impressed by the new lad Skehan between the sticks, and in John Lee you have one of the best centre backs around. But again, for Galway, it alls come down to consistency - something that Galway in the championship seem to lack. There's always one good performance in you, its just unfortunate that its not come in the All Ireland final in recent years. With Loughnane in his second season now, and the team finding some good form, i feel that this season represents a great chance for the Galway hurlers, provided, when it comes to knockout stage, you can put more than one good performance together this summer.

So on a whole, i can't see the footballers doing anything this year - i don't think they'll beat Mayo in the Connacht final, and can't see them getting any further than the quarters through the back door. The hurlers represent a much better bet - i'd defo put a few euro on them at 6-1 with Paddy Power. Mind you, the smart money will be on Tipp, at 7-2.

john concannon

Heres my listing for the All-Ireland in Hurling and Football


Football Hurling
Faves Kerry Faves Killkenny
2nd Derry 2nd Tipperary
3rd Dublin 3rd Galway
Outside Galway Outside Clare

Galawy are still the best bet for the double.

aidan24326

john concannon wrote: »

Galway are still the best bet for the double.

Well realistically Galway and Cork are the only counties with a chance of doing the double so us being the best bet right now doesn't mean alot. (Offaly were double contenders back in the early 80s and maybe the mid 90s at a stretch, but certainly not nowadays).

I find it laughable that people are dismissing Galway footballers outright, while at the same time lauding the chances of a brittle Dublin team with a shaky defence and a dodgy manager, a Derry team who just lost to Fermanagh, and a Cork team who needed two late goals to scrape a very lucky win over Limerick.

Am I missing something here?

john concannon

Galway over Cork.I agree with you about Cork and Dublin.I won't rule them out (like some tits rule out Galway footballers) but I don't see them winning an All-Ireland in the next three years.With Galvin gone there is a weakened Kerry squad.Ulster teams still have as good a chance as any IMO.Lets not rule them out.

blackbelt

aidan24326 wrote: »

Well realistically Galway and Cork are the only counties with a chance of doing the double so us being the best bet right now doesn't mean alot. (Offaly were double contenders back in the early 80s and maybe the mid 90s at a stretch, but certainly not nowadays).

I find it laughable that people are dismissing Galway footballers outright, while at the same time lauding the chances of a brittle Dublin team with a shaky defence and a dodgy manager, a Derry team who just lost to Fermanagh, and a Cork team who needed two late goals to scrape a very lucky win over Limerick.
Am I missing something here?

You are....would you agree that the standard of football this year has been pretty poor compared to other years?...I think so.So far the best football I have seen this year came from Derry in the league 1 final,Wexford and Fermanagh in Division 3 final,Wicklow beating Kildare,Down beating Tyrone,Wexford beating Meath and Dublins game against Meath in Parnell Park and second half performance against Louth.Otherwise the standard of football has been poor.Maybe I'm being unfair but the big teams don't exactly look so big this year thus far or maybe its just early championship nerves.

You have good teams like Derry,Donegal and Tyrone getting knocked out of Ulster while Cork (2007 finalist) miracuously survive Limerick,Kerry (champions) unimpressively steamrolling Clare while Kildare (an average bogey side) get flipped by Wicklow and Laois (2007 Leinster finalist) are gone back into transition with their stars (Munnelly,Lawlor et al) not playing the best.Meanwhile Meath (2007 semi-finalists) are ambushed by an improving Wexford side that came from 10 points down to beat them.Geraghty,Ward and Moyles are crocked and their success last year may have been a flash in the pan.

Galway have been playing well this championship so far.I thought they were very impressive in the league but as Grenache said,conceding 1-13 against Leitrim outside of Carrick-On-Shannon would suggest that Galways backs are so great and against Mayo can not afford to give away so many chances and free kicks.Certainly the Dublin and Kerry forwards would probably have destroyed the Galway back line in my opinion.

Hurling looks good for Galway though.I haven't been totally convinced about Galway football though.They may have a reasonably successful summer but with the forwards Joyce and Meehan ageing,they may find themselves in transition with new younger forwards who are less experienced.

aidan24326

blackbelt wrote: »

You are....would you agree that the standard of football this year has been pretty poor compared to other years?

Yes, but it's been poor across the board. The only really good game so far was Down v Tyrone, and that was more for excitement rather than great football (though I have to say both teams kicked some very good scores)

Galway have been playing well this championship so far.I thought they were very impressive in the league but as Grenache said,conceding 1-13 against Leitrim outside of Carrick-On-Shannon would suggest that Galways backs are so great and against Mayo can not afford to give away so many chances and free kicks.Certainly the Dublin and Kerry forwards would probably have destroyed the Galway back line in my opinion.

I agree that Galway's defence weren't great against Leitrim, but bear in mind they only conceded 1-3 from play, the other 10 points were frees (in contrast Galway scored 2-12 from play and were awarded very few scorable frees, only 1 or 2 as far as I can remember). Too much fouling could obviously be a problem but tbh some of the frees were soft enough.

Hurling looks good for Galway though.I haven't been totally convinced about Galway football though.They may have a reasonably successful summer but with the forwards Joyce and Meehan ageing,they may find themselves in transition with new younger forwards who are less experienced

You seem to think Michael Meehan is ageing??
Declan is nearing the end of his career alright but Michael is only 24 so plenty of life left in him. Joyce will be irreplaceable but what can you do, players like him only come along once in a generation.

We have good young forwards coming through, Conroy who is there already, and also Michael Martyn and Damien Reddington who was the star of the minor team last year and looks a great prospect.

We probably won't win the AI this year I'll accept that, too weak in midfield, all I'm saying is that if you take Kerry out of it none of the other teams look convincing, so if Kerry were to slip up there's a number of teams who could capitalise, Galway being somewhere in and around that chasing group.

furboot

interesting thread - not many counties can even talk about the double. Don't think it's on but we can always hope - would gladly settle for one...hurling would be sweeter but football might be more of a possibility.
By the way for those of you with long memories and a bit of nostalgia I came across this lovely little clip from the 1966 three-in-a-row final....great shot of Pat Donlon on a 40 yard solo run and ending in a point from John Keenan....black and white and Micheal O'Hehir...great stuff.