Galway GAA discussion thread

Lapin

Lapin wrote: »

Best of Luck to Ballinasloe in the All Ireland Junior Club Football Final on Sunday. Croke Park 2 pm. €10.

Just back from Croke Park.

Ballinasloe forgot their jerseys, started the game as underdogs and then led from beginning to end to emerge as deserving winners !

Congratulations to the lads. They gave the town a well deserved boost and todays win can only be good for the game in Co Galway.

Robson99

Good result for the hurlers. Pick of the bunch were Donoghue, Cooney second half and Glennon. Very poor by the County Board / Pearse Stadium to have so few turnstiles open beore the game. Looked like they dad to open the gates after 10 min of the game to let the crowd in

dastardly00

The future's bright for Galway hurling!
It was great to see so many kids on the pitch at half-time of yesterday's match between Galway and Kilkenny.

wonder88

Great to see all the kids on the field at half-time, so well done to the county board for that.
But, why have so few turnstiles open, people must have missed up to 20 minutes of the game. I think as already stated that they opened the gate at the end to let people in for free.
Good to get a win and to score a few goals against the cats. However the midfield was in trouble for long periods of the game. Cooney I think did well, so he might be the one who could solve a problem position for Galway. I would estimate the crowd at about 9k on a beautiful day to watch a hurling match in Pearse Stadium.

aidan24326

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Only worry I'd have is that despite how dominant they were while giving easy frees away that kept KK one swing away from a draw in injury time.

This is a problem AC needs to address big time.

It cost Galway dearly in the drawn final last year, a Kilkenny team not playing well but kept in the game by Galway constantly giving away frees, the 3 just before halftime proving especially important.

That said it's a good start to the league, always good to beat Kilkenny and in fairness it was a pretty strong Kilkenny lineup too.


As for the footballers there's hardly much left to say at this stage. It just gets worse. With Joyce gone and Meehan curtailed by injury (though still pretty good) we now haven't a single player that is anywhere near top class. Comparing these lads to the class of 98-01, there isn't one of them (bar a fit Meehan) that would have got on that team, and what's worse is there's not many of them would even have got on the panel. Hard to know where we go from here.

I know Galway v Mayo games have traditionally been tight affairs but unless Galway show miraculous improvement (and it's hard to see) then there can only really be one result. Mayo are far superior at the moment and they've (mostly) ironed out that old problem of not converting enough chances. I can't remember in my lifetime seeing such a wide gap between the two teams.

MfMan

wonder88 wrote: »

Great to see all the kids on the field at half-time, so well done to the county board for that.
But, why have so few turnstiles open, people must have missed up to 20 minutes of the game. I think as already stated that they opened the gate at the end to let people in for free.
Good to get a win and to score a few goals against the cats. However the midfield was in trouble for long periods of the game. Cooney I think did well, so he might be the one who could solve a problem position for Galway. I would estimate the crowd at about 9k on a beautiful day to watch a hurling match in Pearse Stadium.

They've been going out onto the pitch at HT for a couple of seasons now.

I think they had a good few turnstiles open, but underestimated the amount of season-ticket holders that would turn up. To make things worse, the scanner broke down at the designated stile so they had to let holders through unvalidated until another scanner was brought to another stile. Not all the Co. Boards fault, there was always going to be a big crowd at the game, people should make it their business to come in good time. What is the Board's fault is not playing the match in Athenry. It would attract an even bigger crowd, both visiting and from the Galway heartland, and is a superior hurling pitch. Pearse stadium is too bumpy and rutted for hurling this time of the year.

As for the game itself, I was disappointed with Galway's showing somewhat. I still see the some mistakes being made and going unchecked, i.e. trying to lift the ball with one hand. Only Coen and Collins that I could see would put both hands on the hurl and rise it properly. Most of the rest ceded possession through jabbing and prodding at it a lot. Backs were ok, though Donohoe had the Joe Bergin-esque tendency to do a bad thing straight away after a good thing. Young Joe Cooney was a bit raw, loose at times and over-eager coming to the ball, but these plus an increased physical presence can come in time. Midfield was roundly beaten all day; Tan resorted to type by ambling about and being lackadaisical while Harte didn't put his case forward too much either. I say it again, Hynes has probably to be moved here, with probably David Burke alongside him. Forwards were very middling and once again seemed incapable of fielding any type of high ball. Glynn and Niall Burke are still a long way off, though JC, Hayes and Glennon were better. Subs bench hasn't too many game breakers either. At least Mattie Kenny recognised afterwards that a lot of sharpening up of ball work is needed from now on.

InchicoreDude

MfMan wrote: »

Young Joe Cooney was a bit raw, loose at times and over-eager coming to the ball,

If only there were more players with this problem!

InchicoreDude

As for the footballers there's hardly much left to say at this stage. It just gets worse. With Joyce gone and Meehan curtailed by injury (though still pretty good) we now haven't a single player that is anywhere near top class. Comparing these lads to the class of 98-01, there isn't one of them (bar a fit Meehan) that would have got on that team, and what's worse is there's not many of them would even have got on the panel. Hard to know where we go from here.

Its very easy to look back at that time and say that Galway had an awesome panel. But they did not. They had a number of average footballers on that panel (P. Boyce & M. Cloherty are two that spring to mind straight away). While the current panel are not great, there are some who would have got on that panel. Finian Hanley would easily make that panel and would probably be pushing for a place on the team (Tomas Meehan was never a brilliant player either). Ray Silke is another.....

Galway had a wonderful team back then, really stylish players. But not every member of that panel was a brilliant player. And there are some current players who would have easily made that panel.

I know Galway v Mayo games have traditionally been tight affairs but unless Galway show miraculous improvement (and it's hard to see) then there can only really be one result. Mayo are far superior at the moment and they've (mostly) ironed out that old problem of not converting enough chances. I can't remember in my lifetime seeing such a wide gap between the two teams.

Very true. My hope lies in the fact that these matches are usually close and that Mayo are such overwhelming favourites, they may get complacent. It is only a slight hope though.....

wonder88

Did not know that Galway have sold a huge number of hurling season tickets. Even two extra turnstiles open would have made a difference. I know that the kids have been allowed on the pitch at ht for a number of years, but it is good that they are still allowed to do it in these risk adverse times that we live in. Sadly I can see a stop being put to it on health and safety grounds in the future.

As for the footballers; since I have only seen them in the game against Derry, the only comment I want to make is that they are going to struggle badly unless they sort out the midfield and to a lesser extend the fullback position.

Fieldsman

I agree with Wonder 88,with all those kids belting balls all over the place its just a matter of time until someone gets a serious eye injury.And another thing is the PA announcer in Pearse Stadium overdoing with everthing has to be said in Irish first

MfMan

wonder88 wrote: »

Did not know that Galway have sold a huge number of hurling season tickets. Even two extra turnstiles open would have made a difference. I know that the kids have been allowed on the pitch at ht for a number of years, but it is good that they are still allowed to do it in these risk adverse times that we live in. Sadly I can see a stop being put to it on health and safety grounds in the future.

As for the footballers; since I have only seen them in the game against Derry, the only comment I want to make is that they are going to struggle badly unless they sort out the midfield and to a lesser extend the fullback position.

Must have been a pleasant surprise that so many season tickets have been sold, though there were quite a few from KK there also.

Forde perhaps worth a shot at FB for footballers. The reality is that there isn't a settled or strong line on the field for them, both half lines are also weak.

If only there were more players with this problem!

Aye, what I meant was that Cooney tended to come out too far under the ball such that it landed a couple of times behind him, thus he was turned by his man straight away.

AngeGal

Fieldsman wrote: »

I agree with Wonder 88,with all those kids belting balls all over the place its just a matter of time until someone gets a serious eye injury.And another thing is the PA announcer in Pearse Stadium overdoing with everthing has to be said in Irish first

Some people are never happy. The kids will be grand, touch wood, its going on for many years and don't recall anything serious happening.

Irish is our native language, probably more spoken in Galway than any other county in Ireland and has an important connection with the GAA.

aramush

Anyone catch an attendance figure for Sunday?

teednab-el

Galway beat Kilkenny in a game that doesnt matter, the usual craic with Galway hurling. Once Liam McCarthy has nothing to do with the prize Galway are then usually epic.

MfMan

teednab-el wrote: »

Galway beat Kilkenny in a game that doesnt matter, the usual craic with Galway hurling. Once Liam McCarthy has nothing to do with the prize Galway are then usually epic.

Correct, unlike the past few seasons when meeting Cork.

24yearslater

aramush wrote: »

Anyone catch an attendance figure for Sunday?

Approx 10k I read in a few places, thou probably only 6k actually paid in between free for u16s & also the gates being opened after the start to alieviate the big crowd trying to get in.

aidan24326

teednab-el wrote: »

Galway beat Kilkenny in a game that doesnt matter, the usual craic with Galway hurling. Once Liam McCarthy has nothing to do with the prize Galway are then usually epic.

The Junior Cert exams are only 3 months away, you really should be studying. Tonight I suggest you concentrate on trigonometry and the periodic table. Like a good lad. Don't be worrying about hurling for a while yet.

nagirrac

As anyone who knows anything about hurling would conclude, every game in the new league format now matters, otherwise you end up in 1B. Two losses and you are looking at the prospect of a playoff to stay up. I wouldn't like to be any of the other teams facing Kilkenny for the rest of this campaign, I would say there will be a fair few spankings handed out.

nootroc

Team to play Westmeath .

Lets hope that halfback line doesn't get its calls mixed up

'Your ball Gary'






1. John Egan

2. Johnny Duane 3. Finian Hanley 4. Joss Moore

5. Gary O'Donnell 6. Gary Sice 7. Gary Sweeney

8. Niall Coleman 9. Antoine Ó Griofa

10. John O'Brien 11. Paul Conroy 12. Sean Denvir

13. Eoin Concannon 14. Michael Meehan 15. Mark Hehir

Amprodude

nagirrac wrote: »

As anyone who knows anything about hurling would conclude, every game in the new league format now matters, otherwise you end up in 1B. Two losses and you are looking at the prospect of a playoff to stay up. I wouldn't like to be any of the other teams facing Kilkenny for the rest of this campaign, I would say there will be a fair few spankings handed out.

True a wounded cat is a dangerous animal. Kilkenny can turn on the style when they want to, so I will never underestimate them at all.

aidan24326

Midfield is as weak as ever and the two half lines don't inspire much confidence either. This division is wide open though, a division where any team can beat any other on a given day.

wonder88

Very worried about midfield as well. I think the half-back line is not too bad, but I was not too impressed by the two wing forwards against Derry. But they are young so it might be ok to give them another chance, although I would consider this game really vital for Galway. I am surprised that Barry Cullinane is not in the squad, considering how poor the rest of the midfielders are.

aidan24326

wonder88 wrote: »

I am surprised that Barry Cullinane is not in the squad, considering how poor the rest of the midfielders are.

I'm not at all surprised to be honest. Cullinane was there long enough and had enough chances. A few decent performances and one or two good ones mixed in with a lot of very poor performances where himself and Coleman (or sometimes Bergin) got cleaned out by any decent midfield partnership they came up against. He's no more than a decent (at best) ball-winner and doesn't really have much football ability. As bad as things are he would be no great improvement on what we have.

Stanza2

I agree, Barry was a good player but would be no better than what is there already. He does not have the fitness or mobility to get around these days. A good high fielder but there it ends.

InchicoreDude

Where is Bradshaw at the moment? Why is he not in the team?

Utopia Parkway

InchicoreDude wrote: »

Where is Bradshaw at the moment? Why is he not in the team?

Injured. Not sure when he's due back though.

InchicoreDude

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Injured. Not sure when he's due back though.

Was wondering if he was injured alright. He did play in the FBD if I remember correctly so must be recent enough...

Diabhal Beag

There must be an official ban on 2nd halves for all senior Galway matches for hurling and football.

spiritcrusher

Meehan probably should've been taken off earlier than he was today, had a poor game, but he also shouldn't have been substituted for Armstrong. Armstrong just doesn't seem to be at intercounty level any more, terrible when he came on. Boyle and Hehir weren't at the races today either. Conroy pretty much single-handedly kept Galway in that match through the second half, he certainly missed a few but also kicked some massive scores. His passing needs a lot of work though, as does a lot of the team's.
There is some potential in the forwards as O'Doherty did alright when he came on and Martin kicked a couple of nice frees but out backs are a bit of a mess, with centre back as usual being the main problem. Sice and Duane seemed to rotate it today to little effect. Duane actually played some nice football, he's a great passer of the ball, but he's too light at the moment and Westmeath ran right down the middle several times for scores or near scores. Joss Moore didn't have the pace to cover any gaps today either, was skinned regularly.
Midfield is still shocking which is the biggest worry. Griffin in particular was very slow and looked unfit. However, that being said O'Curraoin did better than in previous weeks when he came on to neutralise Westmeath's massive number 22 who completely changed the game for them in the second half.

TL;DR - Backs: a shambles with no apparent solution. Forwards: slightly less of a shambles but should improve. Midfield: .

TheCoolWay

Saw a prominent Galway footballer after last week's match hardly able to stand up straight and I was out of it myself! You wouldn't see the hurlers at this craic.... hardly inspires confidence in the future of Galway football.