Galway GAA discussion thread

Utopia Parkway · 09-10-2014 8:01pm

Hard to know will Ger Cunningham make the Dublin hurlers better or worse than under Daly. Not much between the teams but I think Galway might sneak it. Would need to see the Dubs in the league under Cunningham first though. Winners should make the Leinster final anyway.

Looks like Mayo at home in the semis for the footballers. Hard to know what both teams will be like under new management. Think Mayo may come back to the pack a bit without Horan. Galway under Walsh who knows? I have a feeling it will be the tightest Galway v Mayo game in quite a few years.

Borders no.2 · 09-10-2014 10:24pm

I think its a good draw for the hurlers. Dublin have been a yo-yo team since Daly took over, capable of beating most sides on their day and certainly a team you'd have to respect as they beat Galway the last two times they met in Leinster but I really think the guts of their side is past it. Saw them against Wexford in the u21 this summer and they only had a couple of good hurlers on that team. They have obviously lost the likes of Kilkenny and Costello to the footballers so they may have to take a step back to move forward again.

Its a good game for Galway imo. It should help everyone get in the right frame of mind which proved tricky in other years against sides we should have been beating well. Dublin will still be a strong side but in all honesty if we can't beat them we have no business going any further anyway. If we win, the semi looks winnable and you could go into the Leinster final with a bit of momentum but thats a long way down the track yet.

A lot of work needed on the Galway side of things looking ahead of the league. Last year had some positives but we weren't up to it in a number of positions and as a unit when it came to the crunch. With the likes of Damien Hayes, Fergal Moore, David Collins even Tannian coming towards the end, new players need to come though and stake a claim.

I think everything is setup for the footballers to build in the early part of 2015, the league schedule is set up about as well as you could hope for and they should have two championship wins under their belt before Mayo visit Salthill. The u21 defeat last year will serve as a warning against taking Leitrim lightly though.

Even with all the slobbering around Mayo are at they will still have a strong team in 2015. In terms of management I think they've taken a backward step but they have an experienced core to their side, however there is more scope for improvement in Galway, it'll be interesting to see if Galway can bridge that gap by the time the sides potentially meet. You'd hope Kevin Walsh wouldn't be as naive as Alan Mulholland was in this year's Connacht final.

h2005 · 10-10-2014 2:55pm

Is the beagh ardrahan game still going ahead? I see turlough have appealed to the DRA.

T0001 · 10-10-2014 3:33pm

h2005 wrote: »

Is the beagh ardrahan game still going ahead? I see turlough have appealed to the DRA.

County Bard confirmed it will go ahead at 2.30

homeofhurling · 10-10-2014 7:37pm

Borders no.2 wrote: »

I think its a good draw for the hurlers. Dublin have been a yo-yo team since Daly took over, capable of beating most sides on their day and certainly a team you'd have to respect as they beat Galway the last two times they met in Leinster but I really think the guts of their side is past it. Saw them against Wexford in the u21 this summer and they only had a couple of good hurlers on that team. They have obviously lost the likes of Kilkenny and Costello to the footballers so they may have to take a step back to move forward again.

Its a good game for Galway imo. It should help everyone get in the right frame of mind which proved tricky in other years against sides we should have been beating well. Dublin will still be a strong side but in all honesty if we can't beat them we have no business going any further anyway. If we win, the semi looks winnable and you could go into the Leinster final with a bit of momentum but thats a long way down the track yet.

A lot of work needed on the Galway side of things looking ahead of the league. Last year had some positives but we weren't up to it in a number of positions and as a unit when it came to the crunch. With the likes of Damien Hayes, Fergal Moore, David Collins even Tannian coming towards the end, new players need to come though and stake a claim.

I think everything is setup for the footballers to build in the early part of 2015, the league schedule is set up about as well as you could hope for and they should have two championship wins under their belt before Mayo visit Salthill. The u21 defeat last year will serve as a warning against taking Leitrim lightly though.

Even with all the slobbering around Mayo are at they will still have a strong team in 2015. In terms of management I think they've taken a backward step but they have an experienced core to their side, however there is more scope for improvement in Galway, it'll be interesting to see if Galway can bridge that gap by the time the sides potentially meet. You'd hope Kevin Walsh wouldn't be as naive as Alan Mulholland was in this year's Connacht final.

good post but i have to laugh at your point that Dublin are a yo-yo team, not been smart but you will find if they gave out medals for yo-yo teams Galway would win it hands down most years. best of luck in 2015.

deisedude · 10-10-2014 9:50pm

homeofhurling wrote: »

good post but i have to laugh at your point that Dublin are a yo-yo team, not been smart but you will find if they gave out medals for yo-yo teams Galway would win it hands down most years. best of luck in 2015.

Every second year under Daly Dublin were either crap or brilliant. I don't think thats unfair to say

O.A.P · 10-10-2014 11:21pm

deisedude wrote: »

Every second year under Daly Dublin were either crap or brilliant. I don't think thats unfair to say

Its not unfair its true.
We have been king YO-YO team for 10 or 15 years though and that is the point he is making, I think.

T0001 · 10-10-2014 11:35pm

Let's all agree both Galway and Dublin are yo-yo teams and will most likely never win an AI again

O.A.P · 11-10-2014 12:14am

T0001 wrote: »

Let's all agree both Galway and Dublin are yo-yo teams and will most likely never win an AI again

Naw Galway will win Liam again in my lifetime . I'll haunt all other winners otherwise.
I have to believe its possible or probable otherwise I have wasted an awful lot of my time . energy and money.
It will happen and we will party, doubt it will be next year though .

Diabhal Beag · 11-10-2014 12:22pm

Fairly big fixtures tomorrow especially in football. All the Salthill-Rahoon talk over the last 2 weeks has annoyed a lot of folk round Barna and Michaels. Could be a card happy game.

galwayrush · 11-10-2014 4:47pm

h2005 wrote: »

Is the beagh ardrahan game still going ahead? I see turlough have appealed to the DRA.

That game is most definitely off after the DRA heard Turloughmore's defence and the County Board's lack of one.

Woodbrook80 · 11-10-2014 9:18pm

Galway will win an all ireland hurling so can't wait for joe canning to win an all ireland medal

O.A.P · 11-10-2014 10:22pm

Woodbrook80 wrote: »

Galway will win an all ireland hurling so can't wait for joe canning to win an all ireland medal

He has 5 now I think , not senior county ones though.

Pearlstone · 11-10-2014 10:32pm

galwayrush wrote: »

That game is most definitely off after the DRA heard Turloughmore's defence and the County Board's lack of one.[/QUOTE

Apparently the semi final between Portumna and Craughwell is also called off. This has become the laughing stock of the hurling world. You just could not make this up. They will probably have to replay the Beagh v Turloughmore game again now. The whole thing is a complete mess.

12-10-2014 4:29pm

Borders no.2 wrote: »

A lot of work needed on the Galway side of things looking ahead of the league. Last year had some positives but we weren't up to it in a number of positions and as a unit when it came to the crunch. With the likes of Damien Hayes, Fergal Moore, David Collins even Tannian coming towards the end, new players need to come though and stake a claim.

Cunningham has shot himself in the foot the past two years.

There was two golden opportunities for All-Irelands or final appearances in 2013 and 2014.

Beat Clare: Limerick didn't turn up for the semi final, writing was on the wall when a free from 30 yards out in front was sent wide.
Cork in the final who we've beat the last few times.

Beat Tipp: Dublin never showed up, even an average Galway performance would have sufficed that day and Galway would have hurt Cork the same way Tipp did, through the central positions... Glynn would have had a field day.
Shot at KK then for the AI.

The biggest mistake in 2014 was the lack of pace.... he was sending out teams with ONE pacy player... Johnny Coen.
That means: less blocks, hooks.... and getting blocked/hooked more.

Also when you've Canning and Glynn who can command a double team or guarantee a breaking ball the most important thing to have playing in the two corners are natural corners who are used to foraging for that ball... instead he sent out players like Flynn

.

Having seen Mannion in the U21 game, he was the only one to put up a full 70 minute performance and looked quicker out the field.
I've been critical of him but maybe the corner just wasn't his position and he could excel at midfield or the likes.

Granted we haven't much coming through of serious note, we still have the spine of a team capable of winning an AI.
The most important thing is building a team and plan to compliment our strengths i.e Canning and Glynns ball winning ability.... add two D.Hayes type corners to the FF line and they'll get goals.

Diabhal Beag · 12-10-2014 5:39pm

Barna are not that good at the football. Eddie Hoare was outstanding. Robbed about 4 high balls he had no right to win. Corofin are going to walk it again.

Mountainlad · 12-10-2014 5:42pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Cunningham has shot himself in the foot the past two years.

There was two golden opportunities for All-Irelands or final appearances in 2013 and 2014.

Beat Clare: Limerick didn't turn up for the semi final, writing was on the wall when a free from 30 yards out in front was sent wide.
Cork in the final who we've beat the last few times.

Beat Tipp: Dublin never showed up, even an average Galway performance would have sufficed that day and Galway would have hurt Cork the same way Tipp did, through the central positions... Glynn would have had a field day.
Shot at KK then for the AI.

The biggest mistake in 2014 was the lack of pace.... he was sending out teams with ONE pacy player... Johnny Coen.
That means: less blocks, hooks.... and getting blocked/hooked more.

Also when you've Canning and Glynn who can command a double team or guarantee a breaking ball the most important thing to have playing in the two corners are natural corners who are used to foraging for that ball... instead he sent out players like Flynn .

Having seen Mannion in the U21 game, he was the only one to put up a full 70 minute performance and looked quicker out the field.
I've been critical of him but maybe the corner just wasn't his position and he could excel at midfield or the likes.

Granted we haven't much coming through of serious note, we still have the spine of a team capable of winning an AI.
The most important thing is building a team and plan to compliment our strengths i.e Canning and Glynns ball winning ability.... add two D.Hayes type corners to the FF line and they'll get goals.

Do you have a spine? Full back, center back, midfield on a par with the best in the Country?

Galway weren't on the level of Tipp or Limerick this year, and while Cork collapsed in the semi final your analysis is very simplistic to assume ye would have done the same to them. At the end of day Tipp won by 9 and they subsequently changed their full back line after that game and it improved them considerably.

Last year Galway never got going at all, they were incredibly poor. Talking about Limerick not turning up, Galway have scarcely turned up in two years.

There's talent in Galway, and it's possible that young lads in Daithi and Ronan Burke (though he is awful green) could be the answer in the central positions I don't think it's a switch you can just flick. Davy Glennon is a player with plenty of pace but you'd hardly be advocating him to start corner forward?

MfMan · 12-10-2014 7:00pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Cunningham has shot himself in the foot the past two years.

There was two golden opportunities for All-Irelands or final appearances in 2013 and 2014.

Beat Clare: Limerick didn't turn up for the semi final, writing was on the wall when a free from 30 yards out in front was sent wide.
Cork in the final who we've beat the last few times.

Beat Tipp: Dublin never showed up, even an average Galway performance would have sufficed that day and Galway would have hurt Cork the same way Tipp did, through the central positions... Glynn would have had a field day.
Shot at KK then for the AI.

The biggest mistake in 2014 was the lack of pace.... he was sending out teams with ONE pacy player... Johnny Coen.
That means: less blocks, hooks.... and getting blocked/hooked more.

Also when you've Canning and Glynn who can command a double team or guarantee a breaking ball the most important thing to have playing in the two corners are natural corners who are used to foraging for that ball... instead he sent out players like Flynn .

Having seen Mannion in the U21 game, he was the only one to put up a full 70 minute performance and looked quicker out the field.
I've been critical of him but maybe the corner just wasn't his position and he could excel at midfield or the likes.

Granted we haven't much coming through of serious note, we still have the spine of a team capable of winning an AI.
The most important thing is building a team and plan to compliment our strengths i.e Canning and Glynns ball winning ability.... add two D.Hayes type corners to the FF line and they'll get goals.

Agree with lack of pace; no comparison between '12 and the following 2 years. Agree also with Mannion being deployed further out the field, I do think he could be one half of a partnership there for a few years. (Excellent again for Ahascragh in today's replay win, scored something like 15 / 19 points for them. Leadership at club level is very important in my book). Don't think Galway left much after them this year and last though; in particular they seemed to play with a distinct lack of belief in '13, as if they had no faith in the management.

In today's action, as said Ahascragh beat Ballindereen to progress to the semis', both of which are fixed for next Sunday in Athenry I believe. As expected Portumna beat Craughwell in the one senior semi' that was played; having scored 1-1 in the opening minute, they were never extended much in the remainder of the game and as is their habit, were always doing just enough to stay ahead. (C'well probably beat themselves as they hit an incredible 18+ wides throughout.)

In the football senior semi-final replay, St.Michael's beat Barna to reach their first ever final, and won the right to be hammered by Corofin next Sunday. Be really interesting to see what the handicap will be, as a 10+ win for Corofin would sadly be widely expected.

12-10-2014 9:14pm

Mountainlad wrote: »

Do you have a spine? Full back, center back, midfield on a par with the best in the Country?

Galway weren't on the level of Tipp or Limerick this year, and while Cork collapsed in the semi final your analysis is very simplistic to assume ye would have done the same to them. At the end of day Tipp won by 9 and they subsequently changed their full back line after that game and it improved them considerably.

Last year Galway never got going at all, they were incredibly poor. Talking about Limerick not turning up, Galway have scarcely turned up in two years.

There's talent in Galway, and it's possible that young lads in Daithi and Ronan Burke (though he is awful green) could be the answer in the central positions I don't think it's a switch you can just flick. Davy Glennon is a player with plenty of pace but you'd hardly be advocating him to start corner forward?

I think the spine is the strongest part, it's the wing areas and four corners we're struggling in most especially with pace.

You've R.Burke, D.Burke... midfield is a problem but Brehony may be one half of that.
Only has one year behind him so he has room for improvement, same for R.Burke.
Canning and Glynn.
Glennon was never an effective corner forward, he was however very effective there in the winning minor team a few years back and I'd have tried him there a long time ago myself.
I'd try both him and Mannion there in the league.

Niall Healy would have been in the corner for me, but the way AC has been picking players I'm not sure where he'd have placed him(he often sent out Hayes into the HF line, he ended up on B.Hogan in the League semi final this year

)

You'd probably leave Fergal Moore in one corner regardless of his pace as he's usually been solid, return D.Collins to the HB line.

A back line containing all of Collins, Tan, Burke x2, Healy, is just far too slow a unit though and can't be persisted with.

Borders no.2 · 18-10-2014 3:58pm

Killererin survive with a 5 point win over Menlough. Padraig Joyce with one of the goals.

Aran Islands recorded a huge win in the Connacht junior championship. Into the final now I think. Would be great to see them go as far as possible.

aidan24326 · 20-10-2014 1:24pm

And the county final hammering that everyone feared duly came to pass. Our football championship is so poor at the moment and it's little wonder that the fortunes of the county team have plummeted in recent years when you see the dire state of our club championship.

Corofin a pretty good team but they lack a real marquee forward and they do tend to get found out once they meet better opposition outside of Galway,, even though they brush their hapless Galway opponents aside with ridiculous ease.

20-10-2014 9:39pm

aidan24326 wrote: »

And the county final hammering that everyone feared duly came to pass. Our football championship is so poor at the moment and it's little wonder that the fortunes of the county team have plummeted in recent years when you see the dire state of our club championship.

Corofin a pretty good team but they lack a real marquee forward and they do tend to get found out once they meet better opposition outside of Galway,, even though they brush their hapless Galway opponents aside with ridiculous ease.

After watching the Mayo county final yesterday, I don't think things are as bad as we make out.

Castlebar made two consecutive Mayo finals, they haven't got any decent forwards either.
In fact some of the misses from them and even Ballintubber yesterday was bordering on embarrassing.
Their first half game plan was to balloon balls from the 45 -65 towards the goal and hope for the best.

Also Corofin should have beat them last year, just completely fell apart when they should have been out of sight.
Given Castlebar could have won the AI final bar some dreadful defensive play(similar to the final yesterday) giving up soft goals, maybe Corofin aren't a million miles away.

I'd have agreed on the forward comment until this year, Lundy has proven himself to be a top player.
In 2013, that was definitely the case, they hadn't any 'established' forwards of note.

Utopia Parkway · 20-10-2014 11:12pm

aidan24326 wrote: »

And the county final hammering that everyone feared duly came to pass. Our football championship is so poor at the moment and it's little wonder that the fortunes of the county team have plummeted in recent years when you see the dire state of our club championship.

Corofin a pretty good team but they lack a real marquee forward and they do tend to get found out once they meet better opposition outside of Galway,, even though they brush their hapless Galway opponents aside with ridiculous ease.

In fairness I think the quality of Corofin's forwards is a bit better than it used to be. Sice, Lundy, Ian and Justin Burke, Michael Farragher. A few years ago they relied on Alan O'Donovan for 80% of their scores.

I think their improvement up front is reflected in the hammerings they've been doling out as well. Granted the opposition may not be fantastic but they are really putting teams away emphatically.

As someone already said they should have had Castlebar dead and buried last year but missed a mountain of chances when completely on top. Once the momentum switched though they couldn't reverse it. They look stronger this year so they will be a very tough ask for anyone in the final.

nice_guy80 · 20-10-2014 11:17pm

Brigid's will win that Connacht title

Borders no.2 · 21-10-2014 12:17am

Best of luck to Corofin from here on in but while they are a good side, well drilled and are serious about their footaball, they aren't All-Ireland contenders. However, they are by a country mile the best team in a frankly dire Galway football championship.

After Corofin its hard to pick who would be number 2. I honestly think St. Michael's did very well but overachieved and are unlikely to be back again. St. James' fell back this year. Salthill-Knocknacarra went even further back this year. Tuam Stars have gone back into the pack after a couple of good years. Milltown will be down and out for a long time again I'd bet. Caherlistrane and Annaghdown lost to Barna and St. Michaels. Killererin came within one game of relegation. Don't think I'm leaving anyone out.

Mountbellew-Moylough winning the minor yesterday was a welcome development. They put in two reasonably respectable performances against Corofin without ever troubling them. With some good young talent coming through they might be the next team to challenge but it could take a couple of years.

Corofin to remain champions by default for another couple of years at least I'd imagine.

megadodge · 21-10-2014 5:35pm

I think Corofin certainly are capable of going a long way in the All-Ireland series.

They really took their eye off the ball against Castlebar last year. They should have won that match pulling up, but lost concentration and I think it could have a lot to do with being all out for revenge against Brigids after the refereeing farce the year before (and I'm from Roscommon).

Considering what Brigids and Castlebar did after defeating Corofin both years, it's not exactly a stretch to see Corofin going all the way.

TCDStudent1 · 21-10-2014 6:31pm

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Best of luck to Corofin from here on in but while they are a good side, well drilled and are serious about their footaball, they aren't All-Ireland contenders. However, they are by a country mile the best team in a frankly dire Galway football championship.

After Corofin its hard to pick who would be number 2. I honestly think St. Michael's did very well but overachieved and are unlikely to be back again. St. James' fell back this year. Salthill-Knocknacarra went even further back this year. Tuam Stars have gone back into the pack after a couple of good years. Milltown will be down and out for a long time again I'd bet. Caherlistrane and Annaghdown lost to Barna and St. Michaels. Killererin came within one game of relegation. Don't think I'm leaving anyone out.

Mountbellew-Moylough winning the minor yesterday was a welcome development. They put in two reasonably respectable performances against Corofin without ever troubling them. With some good young talent coming through they might be the next team to challenge but it could take a couple of years.

Corofin to remain champions by default for another couple of years at least I'd imagine.

Why do you think this Corofin team are not AI contenders? It would be interesting to see your argument as to why they are not.

I suspect we could be in for a period of dominance from Corofin that is similar to Crossmaglen in Armagh.

Corofin are a far superior team to what they were during the last few years. Their forward play in particular has improved. A few years ago, they relied on O'Donavan and had to play some backs in their forwards to improve things up there (I remember both Burkes playing there, I think I recall Michael Comer playing a match in the forwards too but could be wrong on that). But the emergence of some young players like Lundy, Ian Burke, Farragher has really turned things around for them. Then you add in some experience like Kieran Fitzgerald, Alan Burke. I think you have to consider them AI contenders. The one thing about Corofin is that their bench is pretty much as strong as their first team. At the semi final, their corener forward goes off injured and Ian Burke comes on! Connacht club is quite strong though in that Corofin, Brigids & Ballintubber should all be considered AI contenders.

wonder88 · 21-10-2014 10:08pm

Have not seen them play this, so would like ask what their midfield like?
I would think they have a good chance of doing well in the provincial and AI.
Other semi in the Junior on next sunday to see who plays the Aran Islands in the final.

Utopia Parkway · 21-10-2014 10:49pm

wonder88 wrote: »

Have not seen them play this, so would like ask what their midfield like?

Midfield for Corofin is Ronan Steede and Daithi Burke. Two good players in fairness although not particularly big by midfield standards.

Borders no.2 · 22-10-2014 12:46am

Quite simply I just don't think Corofin have the quality in key positions to go the whole way.

They work hard as a unit and are well drilled but I don't believe Castlebar beating them last year was a fluke. They just weren't good enough. They haven't the firepower at the top level, plenty of good forwards who work hard but no-one you'd hang your hat on delivering key scores on a big day. Also, the back line will undoubtedly concede goals against better opposition.

I wish them well and hope to be proved wrong.

Good luck to Killannin at the weekend as well. Wonder will Kevin Walsh make another guest appearance?

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