Galway GAA discussion thread

Xenophile

I believe that the Galway Football Minor team will play Tipperary next Monday in the qualifiers.

I wonder does anyone know the venue or the throw in time?

eastmayo

Xenophile wrote: »

I believe that the Galway Football Minor team will play Tipperary next Monday in the qualifiers.

I wonder does anyone know the venue or the throw in time?

Year minors play tipp at 4 in tullamore on Monday with sligo playing kerry be4 that at 2

WallyGUFC

What's everyone thinking for Saturday? I'm assuming the team will be named this evening? Very low key run-up to this game again.

MfMan

Fairly coming in under the radar, this one. Hurlers' win, the Races, even the Minors, have nicely deflected attention elsewhere. Think the team will be nearly the same as started v. Derry, though O'Griofa may come under pressure from P Sweeney. O'Griofa and Shane Walsh would be 2 good 'fresh leg' subs to bring on against a possible tiring Donegal defence in the later stages. A lot could depend on the weather and playing conditions.

Galway at 9/4 are a great value bet against a weakened team coming in after a defeat.
Is it just me or are Kildare at 6/1 unbelieveable value to beat Kerry? Even the handicap bet here should be worth a shot.

WallyGUFC

Very under the radar alright which is good, not often one senior team is around after the Races never mind both! It's a while since I've been able to follow the footballers to Croke Park so can't wait.

We actually have a bit of a bench now too which is encouraging and our forwards are in good form, especially Sice, Comer and Danny. It would be a big statement that we're progressing if we win and our Croker hoodoo would be over too. Pretty confident that we'll at least get a good performance.

WallyGUFC

WallyGUFC wrote: »

Very under the radar alright which is good, not often one senior team is around after the Races never mind both! It's a while since I've been able to follow the footballers to Croke Park so can't wait.

Id guess it was 2005, hurlers obviously went to the final and the footballers blew a great position to lose to Cork in a 1/4 final.

Would be something if in two weeks we were facing into two semi finals... I like those odds in terms of striking gold on either side.

I don't agree with the consensus that the footballers are in bonus territory already.

Id consider that to be a semi final as 8 teams make the quarters and we're hardly a D3/4 team.

Also its said because its KWs first year.
I don't agree the clock resets each tenure.
Years move on, players age, you cant keep lowering the bar again like its a computer game where time stands still.

We progressed to this stage the past two years, if we constantly felt that's "bonus territory" then we're putting ourselves on the level of a Kildare or Laois type.
This stage should be the MINIMUM every year, not the bonus.

I guess aspirations have fallen so much with the qualifier exits to lowly teams along with a Connacht famine that expectations have followed suit.

Flukey

If the Galway forwards had their shooting boots on in last year's quarter final, they'd have beaten Kerry, but they hit a lot of wides. If they can get their game together, they will challenge Donegal, though they obviously have very contrasting styles of football now. Their forwards won't get the chances they got against Kerry last year and in many of this year's games, so they'll need to take their opportunities.

As to their hurlers, on their day they can beat anyone. They'll have a right crack at Tipperary. As always though the real question is which Galway will show up? Consistency is their perennial problem. If they get things right, they could be in two semi-finals. If not, they'll be where Cork are now.

sporter1

Is the football on rte or sky on Saturday?

donnem33

sporter1 wrote: »

Is the football on rte or sky on Saturday?

Its on Sky

threeball

sporter1 wrote: »

Is the football on rte or sky on Saturday?

Get your arse up to Croke Park ya lazy scut

:P

sporter1

Have been to all the hurling matches so far, wish I could afford to go to all the football also...

Diabhal Beag

Never has a Saturday at the Races been so unappealing. Hopefully the players don't buy into the Donegal being past it waffle like some opinions I've read all over the place (Star man Sicey doesn't seem to be). Probably the strongest defence the footballers have had in many many years too with guys like O'Donnell and Duane really getting some fire in their bellies this season. Donegal will definitely be no softies.

TCDStudent1

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Never has a Saturday at the Races been so unappealing. Hopefully the players don't buy into the Donegal being past it waffle like some opinions I've read all over the place (Star man Sicey doesn't seem to be). Probably the strongest defence the footballers have had in many many years too with guys like O'Donnell and Duane really getting some fire in their bellies this season. Donegal will definitely be no softies.

Doubt Galway will be buying into any of that. Regardless of where Donegal are at the moment, they are most definitely favourites against Galway on Saturday.

spiritcrusher

Team for Saturday:
1. Brian O'Donoghue (Claregalway)
2. Johnny Duane (St. James')
3. Finian Hanley (Salthill/Knocknacarra)
4. Cathal Sweeney (Killannin)
5. Liam Silke (Corofin)
6. Gary O'Donnell (Tuam Stars)
7. Gareth Bradshaw (Moycullen)
8. Fiontáin Ó Curraoin (Micheal
Breathnach)
9. Tom Flynn (Athenry)
10. Gary Sice (Corofin)
11. Paul Conroy (Capt.) (St. James')
12. Micheal Lundy (Corofin)
13. Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks)
14. Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
15. Danny Cummins (Claregalway)

O'Griofa out, Varley in. Unless O'Griofa is injured that's a strange move for me. O'Griofa is a pretty big lad and does decent off the ball work, haven't thought much of Varley this year really.

TCDStudent1

spiritcrusher wrote: »

Team for Saturday:
1. Brian O'Donoghue (Claregalway)
2. Johnny Duane (St. James')
3. Finian Hanley (Salthill/Knocknacarra)
4. Cathal Sweeney (Killannin)
5. Liam Silke (Corofin)
6. Gary O'Donnell (Tuam Stars)
7. Gareth Bradshaw (Moycullen)
8. Fiontáin Ó Curraoin (Micheal
Breathnach)
9. Tom Flynn (Athenry)
10. Gary Sice (Corofin)
11. Paul Conroy (Capt.) (St. James')
12. Micheal Lundy (Corofin)
13. Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks)
14. Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
15. Danny Cummins (Claregalway)

O'Griofa out, Varley in. Unless O'Griofa is injured that's a strange move for me. O'Griofa is a pretty big lad and does decent off the ball work, haven't thought much of Varley this year really.

Very strange move. Hopefully it is a case of Varley flying in training because he has done nothing this year to warrant a place. In fairness, most of his appearances have come at the end of matches where Galway were defending leads & he has been isolated as the only forward.

Diabhal Beag

He got left behind against Derry and did very little bar tracking around the pitch (which is still important against blankets). Thought he was still better than Conroy though.

spiritcrusher

Agree completely about Conroy. He seems to be avoiding a lot of criticism this year because of his free taking and possibly due to his reputation too, but I think he's been very poor from general play. Bad decisions in possession that have often ended up in a turnover and not really winning any ball himself. He really needs a serious game on Saturday if we're to run any sort of risk of upsetting Donegal.

O'Griofa hasn't exactly set the world on fire this year granted but he seems more liable to pull something spectacular out of the bag than Varley.

Varley is a very strange one. Did a lot of dirty work and was quite effective at u21 level but so far hasn't shown anything at senior level to warrant being neat the first 15. Being honest I thought he might find himself edged out of the squad altogether. Hard to know what the thinking is with this selection and how we'll shape up. Hopefully Kevin Walsh is seeing something that will work on Saturday.

Utopia Parkway

Varley starting is a strange one. He's a good young player but he was always more of a target man who brought others into play when he played at 14 for the U-21's (which to be fair he was very good at). He was never someone who scored a lot even at that level. I think most people thought he would have been behind Walsh, O'Griofa and P Sweeney to start the Donegal game.

RobbieRuns

Gotta go with Walsh and the lads, they have done ok so far selection wise.

WallyGUFC

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Gotta go with Walsh and the lads, they have done ok so far selection wise.

As well as that, could be interesting if we're still in the game with 20 to go and have Shane Walsh, O' Griofa etc. to bring on.

Cosmo Kramer

Huge opportunity this weekend for Galway with Donegal coming off an unexpected defeat and rumblings of discontent in the camp along with injuries to a thin squad. A good start would be a massive help - the last thing you would want would be to let Donegal into an early four or five point lead at which point they'd move into defence mode and be very difficult to break down, but if Galway avoid that scenario they must have a good chance here.

Interestingly it is 13 years since a Connacht county other tham Mayo has won a championship game in Croke Park. Two chances for that stat to be wiped tomorrow.

T0001

Clearly Adrian Varley is there for distribution rather than scoring. With Donegal's blanket we need good ball distributers

21 Schump Street

I'm heading up to this tomorrow, where do I get a ticket? Is it at the stadium?

TCDStudent1

21 Schump Street wrote: »

I'm heading up to this tomorrow, where do I get a ticket? Is it at the stadium?

Yeah, there are ticket offices near stadium. Just ask stewards in way in and they'll point you to the one nearest you. Depends which way you approach Croke park

from_atozinc

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

Yeah, there are ticket offices near stadium. Just ask stewards in way in and they'll point you to the one nearest you. Depends which way you approach Croke park

There is one opposite Gills pub, an old house converted to a ticket office

TCDStudent1

from_atozinc wrote: »

There is one opposite Gills pub, an old house converted to a ticket office

Yep and 1 on Dorset Street too. I assume both will be open tomorrow.

TCDStudent1

T0001 wrote: »

Clearly Adrian Varley is there for distribution rather than scoring. With Donegal's blanket we need good ball distributers

That's not very obvious at all!

T0001

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

That's not very obvious at all!

Yes it is, hes been played as a distributer throughout the league rather than a score getter. Hasnt started the c'ship yet this year now they have him in to play a similar role to that in the league. He'll probably come out to HF line

Cosmo Kramer

Stated on UTV tonight by Brendan Devenney that Michael Murphy is out of the game through injury.