Galway GAA discussion thread

Galway match called off. Bit disappointed in that we are on a bit of a run and Laois are struggling which might not be the case when the game is re-fixed but on the flip side on a busy sporting day I'm sure a lot of people would have been disappointed to miss that match.

Borders no.2

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Galway match called off. Bit disappointed in that we are on a bit of a run and Laois are struggling which might not be the case when the game is re-fixed but on the flip side on a busy sporting day I'm sure a lot of people would have been disappointed to miss that match.

They're more likely to remain off form.

Galway on the other hand are given more time to get players back from injury and/or Corofin(so long as its not rescheduled next weekend but I'm sure that's most likely).

MfMan

Down game next weekend I think.

T0001

Here are Galway's fixtures

Sunday 1 February: Galway 2-13 v 1-12 Meath
Sunday 8 February: Westmeath 2-12 v 2-13 Galway.
Sunday 1 March: Galway v Laois (pp)
Sunday 8 March: Down v Galway
Sunday 15 March: Galway v Cavan [Double Header]
Sunday 29 March: Roscommon v Galway.
Sunday 5 April: Galway v Kildare

Most likely to be the weekend of the 21st/22nd March, more likely the Saturday evening

Kildare lost to Westmeath which leaves them staring at relegation. Don't know what is going on there but if Galway can just win our home games 10 points may even be enough for promotion.

Utopia Parkway

T0001 wrote: »

Here are Galway's fixtures

Sunday 1 February: Galway 2-13 v 1-12 Meath
Sunday 8 February: Westmeath 2-12 v 2-13 Galway.
Sunday 1 March: Galway v Laois (pp)
Sunday 8 March: Down v Galway
Sunday 15 March: Galway v Cavan [Double Header]
Sunday 29 March: Roscommon v Galway.
Sunday 5 April: Galway v Kildare

Most likely to be the weekend of the 21st/22nd March, more likely the Saturday evening

Yeah Laois game is now March 22 which means the footballers will be out every weekend for the next 5 weekends on the trot.

Not sure when the Corofin lads will be back involved but I'm guessing it might be for the Roscommon game. Don't think they will be back for that rearranged Laois game.

T0001

So Paul Galvin is out of retirement, any chance Padraic Joyce will follow?!

RobbieRuns

T0001 wrote: »

So Paul Galvin is out of retirement, any chance Padraic Joyce will follow?!

Padraic does not have a book to flog, clothes to sell or such a general desire to be in the public eye. Little bit of meeja work will do him grand and keeping it cool in Killererin.

Mikey Meehan.......... now that might be different ?

aidan24326

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Padraic does not have a book to flog, clothes to sell or such a general desire to be in the public eye. Little bit of meeja work will do him grand and keeping it cool in Killererin.

Mikey Meehan.......... now that might be different ?

Sadly Michael will not be wearing the maroon again. He busted his ass to try and get back to full fitness again but he admitted only recently that intercounty football is almost certainly over for him now. Such a pity to see a player so talented have his career wrecked by injury.

Utopia Parkway

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Padraic does not have a book to flog, clothes to sell or such a general desire to be in the public eye. Little bit of meeja work will do him grand and keeping it cool in Killererin.

Mikey Meehan.......... now that might be different ?

Even Meehan said recently it's unlikely he'll be back even though he'd love to be.

Imagine things would be looking pretty rosy for Galway football if they still had a fully fit Michael Meehan in the side. Such a shame.

Realt Dearg Sec

How are Galway folks feeling about this weekend? Wouldn't be too up on your team and ye are always an enigma, but aside from a few tinfoil hats thinking Kelly is conspiring to destroy Kilkenny hurling, we also have a bad record on your home patch. A quite experimental team has so far got an unexpected win in cork paying great and a deserved beating by a savage Dublin team at home. But Galway are ashtrays impossible to read from outside, what's the thinking out west?

T0001

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

How are Galway folks feeling about this weekend? Wouldn't be too up on your team and ye are always an enigma, but aside from a few tinfoil hats thinking Kelly is conspiring to destroy Kilkenny hurling, we also have a bad record on your home patch. A quite experimental team has so far got an unexpected win in cork paying great and a deserved beating by a savage Dublin team at home. But Galway are ashtrays impossible to read from outside, what's the thinking out west?

Theres positivity given that its a home team. Given how Galway have been ralling the last quarter the last 2 days out gives us hope that if we have a half decent 50 mins we'll win out.

Both teams well short of full strength. I'd imagine it'll be tight. Important to try and win the home games but Kilkenny won't want to lose 2 in a row especially with Clare and Tipp to play yet.

MfMan

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

How are Galway folks feeling about this weekend? Wouldn't be too up on your team and ye are always an enigma, but aside from a few tinfoil hats thinking Kelly is conspiring to destroy Kilkenny hurling, we also have a bad record on your home patch. A quite experimental team has so far got an unexpected win in cork paying great and a deserved beating by a savage Dublin team at home. But Galway are ashtrays impossible to read from outside, what's the thinking out west?

All that recent spouting about Barry Kelly having an agenda against KK is really unseemly - how many AIs have ye won over the past 20 years? It makes the posters sound like spoilt kids, always wanting more. Few counties more than Galway have suffered more from refs in finals, but we haven't gone on about to the same extent.

Don't know why Galway always seem to be branded an enigma; they're no more or less consistent than most teams - in fact, under Cunningham, they've been consistently average/underwhelming for the past few years. Going by the league, look at Cork, poor v KK, good v Clare. Look at KK, good v Cork, poor v Dublin etc.

Normally I would be looking forward to this game more than most; however, the crap state of the Pearse stadium surface will make the match a bit of a lottery I predict. Why oh why oh why won't the county board bring hurling matches to Athenry? Easier to access for home and visiting fans thus a bigger crowd, better surface, more conducive atmosphere for good hurling, plus it suits Galway better for getting a result. Myopia of the highest order.

Anyway, mini-rant over! Galway team should be along the same lines as before, with Fergal Moore apparently nearing full fitness again. If he is, I would chance starting him, and moving debutant Padraig Mannion further forward to strengthen the attack where a lot of Galway's forwards thus far have been stuttering a bit. Doubt 'twill happen though. Galway's need for a win is greater, but I hope our esteemed manager doesn't manage them out of it.

edit; see team has been named with Greg Lally starting at 6, not too bad, Tan moving to midfield and Smith replacing Brehony in attack, (Dean Higgins could just as easily have lost out). Strengthens the team a bit but scoring power still a problem.

T0001

Wins for Kildare and Meath tonight. If we win tomorrow (bit iffy given its away to Down) means we go top of the table with a home game at hand. Gaillimh Abú!!!

Also Cork beat Dublin hurlers 0-34 to 1-20 great game overall, throughally enjoyed it!!

Division 2 is very topsy turvy, a win tomorrow would put Galway odds on for promotion but I think even just winning the remaining home games could be enough.

Hurling league has no real form line to date. Very hard to predict anything so far.

Dublin and Cork both on 4 now. Kilkenny, Tipp and Galway on 2 and Clare on 0.

I'd expect Clare to win tomorrow. Kilkenny will view tomorrow as important as they are away to Tipp next who will be gunning to put down a marker in that one.

The league will go to the wire this year.

Diabhal Beag

Massive result for the hurlers. Lucky not to concede a few goals thanks to Callanan and Padraig Mannion in the last 10. Thought Hanbury was a lot more solid than the last two showings.

Canning came on for Higgins in the second and he made a mark. Was a bit off but still managed to score the greatest sideline cut ever seen in the Stadium. Flynn was excellent from frees. Thought Smith worked his arse off. Lally was impressive too.

Aside from that it was a game of inconsistency. The likes of Higgins scored lovely points but minutes later would handpass it straight to KK men. Cork is another big test to stay up next week.

Sounds like the footballers threw it away in the last 10 minutes. Hopefully 2 wins on Sunday in the Stadium.

Deserved win for the hurlers. However, fell over the line in the end when it really should have been a more comfortable margin. Kilkenny well short of options but surprisingly Richie Hogan aside nobody really advanced their claims for them.

Impressive displays from Padraig Mannion and Greg Lally and Andy Smith and Johnny Glynn got through a lot of work. Jason Flynn had a decent outing also.

Still plenty to work on but another win next week will put us in the knockout stages which can only be a help in finding our team coming up to championship. I think Cork will be a big step up on the Kilkenny team that started today.

Footballers defeat was disappointing considering they lead most of the way and from what the commentators were saying had the better of it but its not a fatal blow. The league is very topsy turvy but need to bounce back straight away against Cavan.

Worthwent14

Disappointing loss to down considering we were leading for so long. Lack of experience in the last 10 minutes cost us along with the fact the down keeper was brilliant. Our own keeper made a good save from the peno unlucky to concede the rebound. Still was positive that we created so many chances and cummins and denvir and o curraoin have really improved. Great to see conroy back. 3 home games to come but no breaks until end of league so will be tough on players. Hopefully we can win the home games

T0001

Good win for the hurlers, we seem to finally be able to keep consistant throughout matches, once we got infront today we never let up. Excellent displays from Lally and P. Mannion and some great saves from Callinnan right at the end. The game itself was nothing special and will be seen as nothing more than 2 points on the board. Some poor last passes cost us some goal chances. Glynn had a great game coming out of all the schmozzles with the ball glued to the hurl, dont think i've ever seen anything like it before!!

Unfortunate about the footballers but we still have 3 home games and should take points from then. Talking to a mate of mine who went he said they threw it away in the end after playing great for 50-55 mins.

galwaylad14

I'm pleased with today I must say. Always good to beat the Cats even though they were probably missing about 6 definite championship starters there today. Having said that we're missing players too.

We were wasteful enough at times it must be said yet still we managed to hit 20 points, that's a good sign. Could very easily have had a goal or 2 and 3 or 4 more points. Though on the other side of the KK missed chances too and Callanan was just superb at the end. He's a great keeper, I wouldn't swap him for any other keeper in the country to be honest.

It seems this year we're back to playing the more defensive style we played in 2012 and then seemed to abandon for the last 2 years. I'm happy about this I must say. We were way too open the last couple of years, in particular thinking of the Clare massacre down in Thurles. Suits us a lot better to keep that area around our half back line nice and congested. The downside is that at some stages it will lead to times when there's only a couple of men within 40 yards or so of the opposition's goal and that can be very frustrating to watch if a ball is pumped in there and there's no one in that space to fight for it. It does also mean though that the players around the middle need to have their heads up when delivering that ball. I'd also prefer to see Johnny Glynn deployed more at 14, he's a great ball winner and so dangerous in around there. Him and Canning inside together could make hay.

Speaking of Canning, it was great to see him back and he played well. Got on loads of ball and got some vital scores.

Mannian was great again back in the corner and Lally did very well. Everyone around the middle worked their socks off in fairness and Flynn was accurate up front, from both frees and play. Also does anyone know was Higgins injured or anything? Seems very harsh to get 2 points in the first half and be subbed off.

Still a few to come back in there and overall I'd be fairly positive at this stage

happysunnydays

Worthwent14 wrote: »

Disappointing loss to down considering we were leading for so long. Lack of experience in the last 10 minutes cost us along with the fact the down keeper was brilliant. Our own keeper made a good save from the peno unlucky to concede the rebound. Still was positive that we created so many chances and cummins and denvir and o curraoin have really improved. Great to see conroy back. 3 home games to come but no breaks until end of league so will be tough on players. Hopefully we can win the home games

What? Sure they just had two week break. :pac:

donnem33

galwaylad14 wrote: »

I'm pleased with today I must say. Always good to beat the Cats even though they were probably missing about 6 definite championship starters there today. Having said that we're missing players too.

We were wasteful enough at times it must be said yet still we managed to hit 20 points, that's a good sign. Could very easily have had a goal or 2 and 3 or 4 more points. Though on the other side of the KK missed chances too and Callanan was just superb at the end. He's a great keeper, I wouldn't swap him for any other keeper in the country to be honest.

It seems this year we're back to playing the more defensive style we played in 2012 and then seemed to abandon for the last 2 years. I'm happy about this I must say. We were way too open the last couple of years, in particular thinking of the Clare massacre down in Thurles. Suits us a lot better to keep that area around our half back line nice and congested. The downside is that at some stages it will lead to times when there's only a couple of men within 40 yards or so of the opposition's goal and that can be very frustrating to watch if a ball is pumped in there and there's no one in that space to fight for it. It does also mean though that the players around the middle need to have their heads up when delivering that ball. I'd also prefer to see Johnny Glynn deployed more at 14, he's a great ball winner and so dangerous in around there. Him and Canning inside together could make hay.

Speaking of Canning, it was great to see him back and he played well. Got on loads of ball and got some vital scores.

Mannian was great again back in the corner and Lally did very well. Everyone around the middle worked their socks off in fairness and Flynn was accurate up front, from both frees and play. Also does anyone know was Higgins injured or anything? Seems very harsh to get 2 points in the first half and be subbed off.

Still a few to come back in there and overall I'd be fairly positive at this stage

Care to enlighten - I can only think of 3. That being TJ, colin fennelly and joey holden - michael fennelly if he remains injury free but he seems to be constantly injured unfortunately the last few years because he is an unbelievable hurler! jackie tyrrell was a used sub fairly early in the game so im not sure who else youre thinking of...that was a strong kk team out there today and it was a good win by us.

It always really annoys me when supporters dilute victories with complaints of who the other team was missing - thats sport - its unusual to see teams at full strength 100% of the time. After all we were missing daithi, niall and david burke, cyril donnellan, niall healy and fergal moore is just back from injury. thats the point of having a panel - being in a position to replace injured players!!

galwaylad14

donnem33 wrote: »

Care to enlighten - I can only think of 3. That being TJ, colin fennelly and joey holden - michael fennelly if he remains injury free but he seems to be constantly injured unfortunately the last few years because he is an unbelievable hurler! jackie tyrrell was a used sub fairly early in the game so im not sure who else youre thinking of...that was a strong kk team out there today and it was a good win by us.

It always really annoys me when supporters dilute victories with complaints of who the other team was missing - thats sport - its unusual to see teams at full strength 100% of the time. After all we were missing daithi, niall and david burke, cyril donnellan, niall healy and fergal moore is just back from injury. thats the point of having a panel - being in a position to replace injured players!!

I thought I was quiet positive about our performance in my post, and I made reference to all our injuries too.

Well I wouldn't think Joey Holden will make their championship team to be honest, the other three you mentioned obviously will, they also didn't have Richie Power, Eoin Larkin and Conor Fogarty today, all of whom I'd expect to be starters for them in the Championship. So that makes 6.

But I'm not diluting the win at all, any victory over KK is good and we were probably missing just as many players from our likely championship team.

RightHalfBack

Was at the game in Newry, was often a lot more disappointed after a defeat as it was a good performance, If we had got one of the 3 real goal chances we had it was game over, Down never gave in though to their Credit when most teams would have folded

Realt Dearg Sec

donnem33 wrote: »

Care to enlighten - I can only think of 3. That being TJ, colin fennelly and joey holden - michael fennelly if he remains injury free but he seems to be constantly injured unfortunately the last few years because he is an unbelievable hurler! jackie tyrrell was a used sub fairly early in the game so im not sure who else youre thinking of...that was a strong kk team out there today and it was a good win by us.

It always really annoys me when supporters dilute victories with complaints of who the other team was missing - thats sport - its unusual to see teams at full strength 100% of the time. After all we were missing daithi, niall and david burke, cyril donnellan, niall healy and fergal moore is just back from injury. thats the point of having a panel - being in a position to replace injured players!!

Three? Colin, Mick fennelly, tj, Larkin, Holden, Richie power, conor fogarty. That's seven. Half the team was missing basically, including four forwards. It doesn't bode well for Kilkenny that the replacements have been quite poor and we're shown up playing against a quality team in Galway (one that as you say was also missing players), but to say we're only missing three players is totally wrong.

donnem33

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Three? Colin, Mick fennelly, tj, Larkin, Holden, Richie power, conor fogarty. That's seven. Half the team was missing basically, including four forwards. It doesn't bode well for Kilkenny that the replacements have been quite poor and we're shown up playing against a quality team in Galway (one that as you say was also missing players), but to say we're only missing three players is totally wrong.

Apologies - I forgot about forgarty, larkin and richie - i did include mick fennelly but said he is injured alot and in a recent interview even his bro colin said his body is wrecked from so many injuries. One player I greatly admire and would love to see back playing is michael rice aswel

Realt Dearg Sec

donnem33 wrote: »

Apologies - I forgot about forgarty, larkin and richie - i did include mick fennelly but said he is injured alot and in a recent interview even his bro colin said his body is wrecked from so many injuries. One player I greatly admire and would love to see back playing is michael rice aswel

Yeah you and me both. I think injuries have more or less destroyed his career at this stage, there's no talk of him ever making it back. Shame really, great talent, and I hope I'm wrong.

MfMan

T0001 wrote: »

Good win for the hurlers, we seem to finally be able to keep consistant throughout matches, once we got infront today we never let up. Excellent displays from Lally and P. Mannion and some great saves from Callinnan right at the end. The game itself was nothing special and will be seen as nothing more than 2 points on the board. Some poor last passes cost us some goal chances. Glynn had a great game coming out of all the schmozzles with the ball glued to the hurl, dont think i've ever seen anything like it before!!

Unfortunate about the footballers but we still have 3 home games and should take points from then. Talking to a mate of mine who went he said they threw it away in the end after playing great for 50-55 mins.

Glynn used his physicality fairly well and in fairness doesn't usually go missing. His ball-winning in the air isn't always too strong though, and a number of times yesterday his hand-passing went astray, as it so often does. Galway's forwards in general though are rather disappointing. There isn't a lot between Flynn, Regan, Higgins, Brehony, Joe Cooney, and not a huge scoring threat (from play) either. Cathal Mannion is a bit better, ability-wise, but also needs to sharpen up his score-taking at this level. Of the men to possibly return, Conor Cooney should improve things, but isn't the quickest. The Burkes, Niall and David, need to recapture their 2012 form and not that of subsequent years, while Cyril Donnellan is inter-changeable with Glynn. Don't want to be too down on them, but if/when Galway fail later in the year it will be for these reasons I think.

Midfield is ok for the moment, keeper is fine and the backs are quietly becoming fairly efficient - Padraig Mannion looks the part already, as I knew he would. Daithi Burke should boost things more should he return.

Utopia Parkway

Good win for the hurlers in the end. Don't think it's the most skillful Galway team I've ever seen but they are proving to be quite a dogged and gritty outfit that keeps going to the end. Something you don't usually associate with a lot of past teams. One more win for either of last two games should see them safe from relegation. Lose both however and they could easily find themselves in that play-off. Not much margin for error.

Pity about the footballers. By all accounts they dominated 90% of the match up in Down but lost it in the last 10 minutes when Down kicked about 7 points to sneak a win they probably didn't deserve on the balance of play. Footballers seem to headed in the right direction though and with 3 home games left from the last 4 they are still well in the hunt.