Galway GAA discussion thread

T0001

I find David Burke much more effective at FF as a goal getter.

His track record of playing at the edge of the square (though not named there) has been promising;

Goal V KK - Leinster Final 2012
2Goal's v KK - All-Ireland Replay 2012
Goal v DUB - Leinster Final 2012

Diabhal Beag

He was excellent in 2012 but to see how far he has fallen in terms of confidence and presence since then is really sad. That goal in the Leinster Final was when all the Galway fans started to believe and the flick in the AI Final was one of the loudest reactions I've ever heard in anything in my life.

I'd genuinely rather have Hayes start, and I'm not sure he has a full half at the highest level in him anymore.

Utopia Parkway

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

David Burke is never going to be dropped. Kinda depressing.

Starting to wonder myself. Was brilliant in 2012 but almost literally hasn't played well for Galway since. That was 2 years ago.

Fear we will see more of Cunningham's route 1 hurling on Saturday with no plan B.

djPSB

Good article on a young hurler that used to play for Gort GAA.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/gort-still-reverberating-to-the-samba-beat-1.1855994?page=1

I said

After been at tullamore the big difference the second day was a lot of missed passes to forwards in better scoring positions and the usual from the backs clearing ball up the field without looking for a man to pass to.Bad as it was that game was there for the taking maybe try joe canning out the centre today??

T0001

Do we write Cunningham's obituary now, or will we let him do it?

Utopia Parkway

T0001 wrote: »

Do we write Cunningham's obituary now, or will we let him do it?

Going by his interview after he doesn't sound like he's packing it in but his term is up. I would find it difficult to justify giving him another one.

Diabhal Beag

One of the more depressing defeats. Cunningham can't stay but at the same time we're back to square one where we haven't progressed at all in decades.

Hopefully he goes one way or the other.

He's assembled one of the slowest panels of all time and there's too many players who are jacks of all trades and masters of none.

We're so poor in a supporting sense.
Both attacking and defending. This isn't helped by using multiple slow players who can't cover ground quickly.

Two years losing more or less 100% of your games just isn't good enough.

We need to get a fresh face in there with a fresh approach.
We might even see corner forwards playing..... corner forward... or 6 forwards not rotating positions every minute when it does nothing to help the attack.

What a collapse, but sure we should expect nothing less.

Hopefully the footballers can continue their revival.
Having to rely on the hurlers the past 13 years is just far too painful.

gammygils

Well. That's that!

Who's next lads?

Not long home from Thurles, feels like groundhog day. As I was saying after last week its time we faced reality, we are not a top level county at the moment and until everyone from the top down starts to face up to that reality and we start to get the right structures in place we will continue to make the same mistakes and continue to experience days like today.

Hurling is essentially an 8 or 9 horse race at best and since the back door first started in 1997 we have only been among the last 4 teams standing 4 times. Only once in the last 9 years have we reached the semi-finals (or better) and that was with an ambush win over Kilkenny in 2012.

Hurling in the county needs a root and branch review. We can't keep deluding ourselves that everything is ok. The bottom line is whatever management's failings are (and there is plenty on that score) that group of players give or take a few is as good as what's available to management at present.

The bottom line is that we have had the teams at underage to match the best in the country (particularly at minor) for most years over the last 25 years or so. People will argue we get into the latter stages which makes it easier but the other teams have good games behind them and we are coming in cold and we are able for them. Would it be of benefit to join Leinster at underage?

Having said that I've seen worrying signs in the last few underage sides. Last year's minors and the year before were very poor and I think it was down to Mattie Murphy as much as anything that they came close enough to an All-Ireland in 2013. The u21s were very poor 2 years running now.

There is a lot of bull that goes on locally in the club championship but its a very competitive championship and I think the structure is relatively ok. I think there may be too many teams but is the structure of the championship benefitting the county team, should we be reducing the number of teams? We need to get a proper league structure together among the clubs to keep lads interested and playing games in the summer months.

Is refereeing in Galway of the right standard? Do lads get frees too easily that they won't get when they step up a level?

Are we going to put in place something like an under 23 / B team at stages during the year to try and keep the players interested and try and improve?

At county board level a fresh broom is needed. I'm sure all that are there are doing their best but ultimately the structures in place in Galway hurling aren't working. The proposed development of the hurling centre fell on its arse leaving them with a big debt, Kenny Park is a good venue for club hurling but after all the money that's gone in there in club games over the years, there's still an insult of a stand in place which has never been developed. Duggan Park used to be a great venue but is caving in. All the while, Pearse Stadium hosts only the county final and a couple of league games and 2 proper hurling championship matches since it opened.

In terms of talent, I have no doubt the raw talent has been there at underage for Galway to be successful but it hasn't been harnessed and we can't keep hoping we get good underage sides through. Something is wrong when Joe Canning's career is drifting by. He had the potential to be one of the all time greats but bar a couple of good spurts, he hasn't showed his class in any sort of consistent way and to me he looks like someone who hates the game at the moment. David Burke looked like a leader for Galway heading into the future in 2012 but now looks like a dead duck. These sort of lads can't be let drift away but like with previous generations that's what's happening.

On tonight's game, I went down expecting a loss but it was all there for us for most of the match. We should have been ahead at half time but went in level through slopiness and some more silly frees. The ref was a home town one but that is clutching at straws we still looked vulnerable in the first half when Tipp got on top. We looked to be getting well on top in the 2nd half but you could almost see Galway mentally start to coast when they went 6 up. There was a bit of a lull where Galway could have pushed it out if they had the drive a top team has but they let Tipp edge their way in and then came the goal and there was only one result from there.

Fair play to Tipp on their comeback but that is a very average Tipp side who were there to be buried with 20 minutes to go and we collapsed in a pathetic heap. To get outscored 2-10-0-1 in 20 minutes is dire but this isn't an isolated incident. Its happened all too often.

Mentally what is wrong with Galway hurling? Even when we had top teams we let All-Irelands slip that we shouldn't have. There is something completely rotten and a complete lack of inner belief ingrained in the psyche of hurling in the county and it needs to be eradicated. We've seen minor teams over the years battle back from unlikely scenarios but this never translates through to senior in any shape or form.

There is a big step up from underage to senior in all aspects, physical, mental etc. but when was the last time supporting the Galway hurlers you could say that we robbed (won) a game we shouldn't have and how many games have we hurled well for so long but collapsed in the final stages.

In terms of management, Cunningham is gone, Cloonan seems to be quite good with the players, I'd keep him involved in some capacity maybe at u21 or something and see how he handles overall responsibility. I've heard some whispers as to the next manager. Some people have mentioned Donal Og Cusack. Donal O'Grady and John Allen are also available.

Whoever comes in, it can't be one year and you have to win an All-Ireland type situation. The new manager needs to take a more overall view of things and it has to be appointment more as a 'Director of Hurling' type situation with greater linkages between underage and clubs.

I don't know who's the right man but he has to come from outside the county anyway as I see no-one in Galway at present who can do the job and even if there was everyone is so cynical of lads minding the corner of their own club that they'd make no progress. Cunningham's game plan worked a treat in the 2012 Leinster final but apart from that its been an unmitigated disaster. Tactics are woeful. He hasn't the best panel we've ever had but some of the selection decisions over the last 2 years defy belief. For all the failings of the team I think this evening was lost on the line by tinkering needlessly when we had a head of steam up against a team on the ropes. The choices for senior manager over the last decade or so have been dire. Noel Lane was the last right manager we had and they moved him on when not far away from a breakthrough. Conor Hayes, Ger Loughnane, John McIntyre and Anthony Cunningham were all misguided selections in my view. They need to get this one right. Its never easy and there aren't many Cody's out there but there is plenty of time to choose. This is one we can't get wrong if we aren't to fall further into the backwaters of hurling.

Sorry, that's a long winded and negative rant but wanted to let it out before I calmed down.

Utopia Parkway

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Not long home from Thurles, feels like groundhog day. As I was saying after last week its time we faced reality, we are not a top level county at the moment and until everyone from the top down starts to face up to that reality and we start to get the right structures in place we will continue to make the same mistakes and continue to experience days like today.

True. It actually needs people in charge of Galway hurling to go down to somewhere like Clare and ask them how did they turn their fortunes around. What kind of systems and coaching did they put in place. Clare themselves swallowed their pride and did it. I don't think anyone in Galway hurling has the vision or humility to go down that road though.

RoscommonTom

Too many indivduals, canning went missing when the heat went on

AngeGal

Sigh, no more championship days out.

Really thought we were going to kick on when we went 6 points up.

Whatever about the starting 15 (and there are some issues in it), we really don't have the depth necessary to be going against KK/Tipp,etc. There was essentially no-one on the bench capable of making an impact yesterday or no-one Tipp would have saw coming on and felt worried.

Lots of criticism of Cunningham but when I asked people on the way home if they knew any club hurler capable of making a difference to the current squad, there weren't many suggestions. Don't get me wrong, agree a fresh approach is needed but might be time to accept we haven't got the hurlers.

Tired of Canning criticism, people need to realise not even Joe can do it without a capable team around him.

nice_guy80

Too many hurlers, not enough athletes

T0001

Cunningham intends to stay on accordinng to his post-match interview, and talking to one of the players he's rather upbeat and wants CUnningham to stay on.

Pearlstone

T0001 wrote: »

Cunningham intends to stay on accordinng to his post-match interview, and talking to one of the players he's rather upbeat and wants CUnningham to stay on.

Hard to fathom this really. He has been there for three years and things have gone steadily downhill for the last two. I think this is a tad delusional.

Pearlstone

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Not long home from Thurles, feels like groundhog day. As I was saying after last week its time we faced reality, we are not a top level county at the moment and until everyone from the top down starts to face up to that reality and we start to get the right structures in place we will continue to make the same mistakes and continue to experience days like today.

Hurling is essentially an 8 or 9 horse race at best and since the back door first started in 1997 we have only been among the last 4 teams standing 4 times. Only once in the last 9 years have we reached the semi-finals (or better) and that was with an ambush win over Kilkenny in 2012.

Hurling in the county needs a root and branch review. We can't keep deluding ourselves that everything is ok. The bottom line is whatever management's failings are (and there is plenty on that score) that group of players give or take a few is as good as what's available to management at present.

The bottom line is that we have had the teams at underage to match the best in the country (particularly at minor) for most years over the last 25 years or so. People will argue we get into the latter stages which makes it easier but the other teams have good games behind them and we are coming in cold and we are able for them. Would it be of benefit to join Leinster at underage?

Having said that I've seen worrying signs in the last few underage sides. Last year's minors and the year before were very poor and I think it was down to Mattie Murphy as much as anything that they came close enough to an All-Ireland in 2013. The u21s were very poor 2 years running now.

There is a lot of bull that goes on locally in the club championship but its a very competitive championship and I think the structure is relatively ok. I think there may be too many teams but is the structure of the championship benefitting the county team, should we be reducing the number of teams? We need to get a proper league structure together among the clubs to keep lads interested and playing games in the summer months.

Is refereeing in Galway of the right standard? Do lads get frees too easily that they won't get when they step up a level?

Are we going to put in place something like an under 23 / B team at stages during the year to try and keep the players interested and try and improve?

At county board level a fresh broom is needed. I'm sure all that are there are doing their best but ultimately the structures in place in Galway hurling aren't working. The proposed development of the hurling centre fell on its arse leaving them with a big debt, Kenny Park is a good venue for club hurling but after all the money that's gone in there in club games over the years, there's still an insult of a stand in place which has never been developed. Duggan Park used to be a great venue but is caving in. All the while, Pearse Stadium hosts only the county final and a couple of league games and 2 proper hurling championship matches since it opened.

In terms of talent, I have no doubt the raw talent has been there at underage for Galway to be successful but it hasn't been harnessed and we can't keep hoping we get good underage sides through. Something is wrong when Joe Canning's career is drifting by. He had the potential to be one of the all time greats but bar a couple of good spurts, he hasn't showed his class in any sort of consistent way and to me he looks like someone who hates the game at the moment. David Burke looked like a leader for Galway heading into the future in 2012 but now looks like a dead duck. These sort of lads can't be let drift away but like with previous generations that's what's happening.

On tonight's game, I went down expecting a loss but it was all there for us for most of the match. We should have been ahead at half time but went in level through slopiness and some more silly frees. The ref was a home town one but that is clutching at straws we still looked vulnerable in the first half when Tipp got on top. We looked to be getting well on top in the 2nd half but you could almost see Galway mentally start to coast when they went 6 up. There was a bit of a lull where Galway could have pushed it out if they had the drive a top team has but they let Tipp edge their way in and then came the goal and there was only one result from there.

Fair play to Tipp on their comeback but that is a very average Tipp side who were there to be buried with 20 minutes to go and we collapsed in a pathetic heap. To get outscored 2-10-0-1 in 20 minutes is dire but this isn't an isolated incident. Its happened all too often.

Mentally what is wrong with Galway hurling? Even when we had top teams we let All-Irelands slip that we shouldn't have. There is something completely rotten and a complete lack of inner belief ingrained in the psyche of hurling in the county and it needs to be eradicated. We've seen minor teams over the years battle back from unlikely scenarios but this never translates through to senior in any shape or form.

There is a big step up from underage to senior in all aspects, physical, mental etc. but when was the last time supporting the Galway hurlers you could say that we robbed (won) a game we shouldn't have and how many games have we hurled well for so long but collapsed in the final stages.

In terms of management, Cunningham is gone, Cloonan seems to be quite good with the players, I'd keep him involved in some capacity maybe at u21 or something and see how he handles overall responsibility. I've heard some whispers as to the next manager. Some people have mentioned Donal Og Cusack. Donal O'Grady and John Allen are also available.

Whoever comes in, it can't be one year and you have to win an All-Ireland type situation. The new manager needs to take a more overall view of things and it has to be appointment more as a 'Director of Hurling' type situation with greater linkages between underage and clubs.

I don't know who's the right man but he has to come from outside the county anyway as I see no-one in Galway at present who can do the job and even if there was everyone is so cynical of lads minding the corner of their own club that they'd make no progress. Cunningham's game plan worked a treat in the 2012 Leinster final but apart from that its been an unmitigated disaster. Tactics are woeful. He hasn't the best panel we've ever had but some of the selection decisions over the last 2 years defy belief. For all the failings of the team I think this evening was lost on the line by tinkering needlessly when we had a head of steam up against a team on the ropes. The choices for senior manager over the last decade or so have been dire. Noel Lane was the last right manager we had and they moved him on when not far away from a breakthrough. Conor Hayes, Ger Loughnane, John McIntyre and Anthony Cunningham were all misguided selections in my view. They need to get this one right. Its never easy and there aren't many Cody's out there but there is plenty of time to choose. This is one we can't get wrong if we aren't to fall further into the backwaters of hurling.

Sorry, that's a long winded and negative rant but wanted to let it out before I calmed down.

Fantastic post Borders. I would agree with the vast majority of what you say. I do think though that we might just have a manager in Galway who could improve things. He was sitting in the stand behind me wearing a Tipp shirt yesterday and miked up to the Tipp management. Micheal Donoghue who guided Clarinbridge to an all Ireland Club title and was involved with the under 21's obviously has some role with Tipp. How in God's name did our hurling board allow that to happen under their noses?

MfMan

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Not long home from Thurles, feels like groundhog day. As I was saying after last week its time we faced reality, we are not a top level county at the moment and until everyone from the top down starts to face up to that reality and we start to get the right structures in place we will continue to make the same mistakes and continue to experience days like today.

Hurling is essentially an 8 or 9 horse race at best and since the back door first started in 1997 we have only been among the last 4 teams standing 4 times. Only once in the last 9 years have we reached the semi-finals (or better) and that was with an ambush win over Kilkenny in 2012.

Hurling in the county needs a root and branch review. We can't keep deluding ourselves that everything is ok. The bottom line is whatever management's failings are (and there is plenty on that score) that group of players give or take a few is as good as what's available to management at present.

The bottom line is that we have had the teams at underage to match the best in the country (particularly at minor) for most years over the last 25 years or so. People will argue we get into the latter stages which makes it easier but the other teams have good games behind them and we are coming in cold and we are able for them. Would it be of benefit to join Leinster at underage?

Having said that I've seen worrying signs in the last few underage sides. Last year's minors and the year before were very poor and I think it was down to Mattie Murphy as much as anything that they came close enough to an All-Ireland in 2013. The u21s were very poor 2 years running now.

There is a lot of bull that goes on locally in the club championship but its a very competitive championship and I think the structure is relatively ok. I think there may be too many teams but is the structure of the championship benefitting the county team, should we be reducing the number of teams? We need to get a proper league structure together among the clubs to keep lads interested and playing games in the summer months.

Is refereeing in Galway of the right standard? Do lads get frees too easily that they won't get when they step up a level?

Are we going to put in place something like an under 23 / B team at stages during the year to try and keep the players interested and try and improve?

At county board level a fresh broom is needed. I'm sure all that are there are doing their best but ultimately the structures in place in Galway hurling aren't working. The proposed development of the hurling centre fell on its arse leaving them with a big debt, Kenny Park is a good venue for club hurling but after all the money that's gone in there in club games over the years, there's still an insult of a stand in place which has never been developed. Duggan Park used to be a great venue but is caving in. All the while, Pearse Stadium hosts only the county final and a couple of league games and 2 proper hurling championship matches since it opened.

In terms of talent, I have no doubt the raw talent has been there at underage for Galway to be successful but it hasn't been harnessed and we can't keep hoping we get good underage sides through. Something is wrong when Joe Canning's career is drifting by. He had the potential to be one of the all time greats but bar a couple of good spurts, he hasn't showed his class in any sort of consistent way and to me he looks like someone who hates the game at the moment. David Burke looked like a leader for Galway heading into the future in 2012 but now looks like a dead duck. These sort of lads can't be let drift away but like with previous generations that's what's happening.

On tonight's game, I went down expecting a loss but it was all there for us for most of the match. We should have been ahead at half time but went in level through slopiness and some more silly frees. The ref was a home town one but that is clutching at straws we still looked vulnerable in the first half when Tipp got on top. We looked to be getting well on top in the 2nd half but you could almost see Galway mentally start to coast when they went 6 up. There was a bit of a lull where Galway could have pushed it out if they had the drive a top team has but they let Tipp edge their way in and then came the goal and there was only one result from there.

Fair play to Tipp on their comeback but that is a very average Tipp side who were there to be buried with 20 minutes to go and we collapsed in a pathetic heap. To get outscored 2-10-0-1 in 20 minutes is dire but this isn't an isolated incident. Its happened all too often.

Mentally what is wrong with Galway hurling? Even when we had top teams we let All-Irelands slip that we shouldn't have. There is something completely rotten and a complete lack of inner belief ingrained in the psyche of hurling in the county and it needs to be eradicated. We've seen minor teams over the years battle back from unlikely scenarios but this never translates through to senior in any shape or form.

There is a big step up from underage to senior in all aspects, physical, mental etc. but when was the last time supporting the Galway hurlers you could say that we robbed (won) a game we shouldn't have and how many games have we hurled well for so long but collapsed in the final stages.

In terms of management, Cunningham is gone, Cloonan seems to be quite good with the players, I'd keep him involved in some capacity maybe at u21 or something and see how he handles overall responsibility. I've heard some whispers as to the next manager. Some people have mentioned Donal Og Cusack. Donal O'Grady and John Allen are also available.

Whoever comes in, it can't be one year and you have to win an All-Ireland type situation. The new manager needs to take a more overall view of things and it has to be appointment more as a 'Director of Hurling' type situation with greater linkages between underage and clubs.

I don't know who's the right man but he has to come from outside the county anyway as I see no-one in Galway at present who can do the job and even if there was everyone is so cynical of lads minding the corner of their own club that they'd make no progress. Cunningham's game plan worked a treat in the 2012 Leinster final but apart from that its been an unmitigated disaster. Tactics are woeful. He hasn't the best panel we've ever had but some of the selection decisions over the last 2 years defy belief. For all the failings of the team I think this evening was lost on the line by tinkering needlessly when we had a head of steam up against a team on the ropes. The choices for senior manager over the last decade or so have been dire. Noel Lane was the last right manager we had and they moved him on when not far away from a breakthrough. Conor Hayes, Ger Loughnane, John McIntyre and Anthony Cunningham were all misguided selections in my view. They need to get this one right. Its never easy and there aren't many Cody's out there but there is plenty of time to choose. This is one we can't get wrong if we aren't to fall further into the backwaters of hurling.

Sorry, that's a long winded and negative rant but wanted to let it out before I calmed down.

Lot of very relevant points raised there.

* We really have to get the underage teams into Leinster, give them a better idea of their true standing. (Maybe clubs also?) Also, I think it's time to get rid of the 'comfort blanket' of Mattie Murphy; great servant, but in recent times he seems to have gone for the big lad more so than the good hurler. Not too many have come through these minor teams in recent years. Our U-21s have been steadily drifting off the pace also - when have we beaten Tipp or KK at this level? We also need some home championship games too, we're entitled to them at this stage.

* Our club structure is too top heavy with senior clubs. 16 max is enough, let the rest drop down to intermediate and have a proper, similar structure there also. Promote and relegate 2 every year. Run the domestic competitions along the lines that suit Galway, not according to a Croke Park diktat. A more relevant league would be an advantage also.

* Current manager really has to go. Dignified man of integrity to be sure, but form, intensity, performance levels have fallen off a cliff since 2012. The Leinster final that year was maybe the greatest performance I've ever seen from a Galway team in terms of leaders emerging on the field. Where has that gone since? Tactics too often too poor also. The defeats since have become more frequent and heavier. What is he going to do differently if he stays on? Who is he going to have different? An outside man is probably needed, even if Ger Loughnane was too much of a head-the-ball at the time. Donal O'Grady would be my choice.

* Confidence and self-belief seem to be so fragile now. If a team edges ahead of Galway now, there doesn't seem to be any way back for them. This self-belief can be recaptured however; I remember at their peak, the 85-90 team expected to win every time they went out because they believed they were good enough.

* Hurling board need to show a bit more common sense and treat the public with a bit of respect. County league games should be played in Athenry, a central location with a bit of atmosphere, rather than an inaccessible pitch in the far side of the city.

About the only good thing now is that there's no hurry. They may as well start from scratch. Fergal Moore, David Collins, Damien Hayes, Andy Smith now very unlikely to win an AI. Better than even chance that JC won't either. Those in charge should take their time and get it right.

I said

This is first in a long time that manager got three years at helm Cunninghams tactics came up short last year and this year.Whoever takes charge needs to know starting fifteen fairly quick and settle on it choping and changing players and positions as much as Cunningham has done over the years doesn't send a confident message to players.

donnem33

I said wrote: »

This is first in a long time that manager got three years at helm Cunninghams tactics came up short last year and this year.Whoever takes charge needs to know starting fifteen fairly quick and settle on it choping and changing players and positions as much as Cunningham has done over the years doesn't send a confident message to players.

true, but at least cunningham has blooded in a few new young players this year

Concannon7

Confidence and self-belief seem to be so fragile now. If a team edges ahead of Galway now, there doesn't seem to be any way back for them. This self-belief can be recaptured however; I remember at their peak, the 85-90 team expected to win every time they went out because they believed they were good enough. time and get it right.

The difference with that team though is that they WERE good enough. There is a reason that we havn't won an All-Ireland since then. We're just not good enough. It's more or less knock out competition so with a bit of luck a team can make a s/f of final the odd year. We can forget all the the excuses used down through the years because the reason we havn't landed an All-Ireland since 88 is our players are just not good enough.

I said

I said wrote: »

This is first in a long time that manager got three years at helm Cunninghams tactics came up short last year and this year.Whoever takes charge needs to know starting fifteen fairly quick and settle on it choping and changing players and positions as much as Cunningham has done over the years doesn't send a confident message to players.

In fairness, McIntyre got 3 years, Conor Hayes got 4 years, there was a lot of chopping and changing of managers in the past but not so much of late.

Diabhal Beag

Thoughts for Sunday lads?

First time in a long time people predicting a Galway win aren't deluded, although I fancy Mayo to bounce back from a poor Rossie performance.

Halfbacks, in particular Bradshaw are my major worry. You won't keep cleansheets if GO'D is left on his own against direct runners.

Is Joss Moore fit again?

MfMan

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Thoughts for Sunday lads?

First time in a long time people predicting a Galway win aren't deluded, although I fancy Mayo to bounce back from a poor Rossie performance.

Halfbacks, in particular Bradshaw are my major worry. You won't keep cleansheets if GO'D is left on his own against direct runners.

Is Joss Moore fit again?

Conflicting reports about Moore; heard earlier he was out for year, requiring another op. Then read that he was sprung for M/M in the recent c'ship round. He's needed as we have little cover for defence, perhaps he's postponing any op until after the series.

For the first time in what seems like aeons, we have options for midfield. Our forwards are lively and generally capable of scoring, even if I'm not gone on Martin. However, you would fear that they will get pushed around by the physically stronger Mayo defence, a worry in general indeed.

Mayo may not reach the heights this season as in the past 2 years and I have a feeling Galway won't incur a defeat like last year, but I still think that they are a year away from competing on an equal basis.

Diabhal Beag

Damn. I'd worry about Tierney in the corner.

I'm a Martin fan myself. Gets outrageous scores and has an eye for goal we badly need to go anywhere in the future. Danny is a fantastic attacking option and is impossible to mark but he just doesn't have composure when presented with goal chances.

Megager

Saturdays capitulation was as bad as Ive seen from Galway in many a year, but not a new thing. Its in our blood to blow leads, the 81 and 90 finals, the 2012 final.

As far as I can remember the only team we have beaten since Cork in the 2012 semi is Laois- though I am open to correction on that. We were very lucky to do so this year as they were the batter team on the day.

We have steadily declined in that time and even the league has not offered a glimmer of hope as the form there has been patchy at best. For that reason I think its vital the board address this and try to arrest further decline or I could see us relegated next year. If available Id love to get Joe Allen or Donal O Grady in-though I dont think it will be easy entice either. At least then we would know if it is as we suspect a lack of quality or if there is a mentality issue that is preventing true progress.

I agree with others on our prospects for Sunday. With our record in Castlebar and the standards Mayo have reached over the past 2 seasons, I can see no way we'll be taking the Nestor cup off them this year. If we can give them a game and put it up to them then that would be as much as we can hope for. Id be happy if we get within 6 points of Mayo as that would represent progress. Hopefully we get a chance to play in Croke Park again this year.

Hulk Hands

We've a very winnable qualifier if we lose here so im really hoping for anything other than a demoralizing loss. I'd also worry about the half backs. Bradshaw I still don't think is fully fit. To be fair to Gary OD, he's been very steady this year. I'd expect Conroy in, possibly for Comer at half forward with Armstrong to come from the bench. Danny's a livewire, just hopefully the goals come soon. Martin sadly is limited against a top corner back as he justs falls short of the top level. However he fully deserves his place. If the young lads lord midfield and Mayo have a 'mayo' day in attack, we've a chance. Otherwise I'll take a decent performance in defeat and a focus on a massively important qualifier

djPSB

Galway don't have the panel to compete at that level.

Subs brought on weren't near good enough and contributed little.

There has to be better hurlers in Galway than the subs that are there at the minute.

You see KK bringing on Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, Fogarty and it's clear that Galway aren't at that standard.

savannahkat

There is one man out there who would do a great job for Galway and he is available. Martin Fogarty of Kilkenny. Not alone did he guide Kilkenny to under 21 success but he was Brian Cody's right hand man for a good few years up to this year. He is currently involved with Westmeath but if you are seriously looking for an outsider this man has it all. If he is prepared to go to Westmeath I am sure he would love the Galway challenge. He will be on the serious short list to take over Kilkenny particularly if Brian steps down any day soon but as Brian himself says he does not know when that day will be and Martin will not wait around for ever.