Galway GAA discussion thread

MfMan

spiritcrusher wrote: »

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: .

Was that Conor Doherty that came on or Shane Walsh? Radio* said Doherty, program said no. 26 was Walsh. Thought the backs were fairly reasonable with players, e.g. Sweeney, Sice, Duane, picked in their more suitable positions. Coleman worked hard in midfield but Toto not yet fully fit. It's not exactly fielding in midfield that was / is the main problem, it's picking up the breaks. Forwards humdrum; Conroy mixed the good and the bad but struck his points very well. Boyle remains not a county player. Hehir showed well but not a lot came off his possession. Meehan had one of his least effective games but even with a zimmer frame would be better than Armstrong is now.

* Kevin Dwyer was commentating for GBFM and the amount of errors and incorrect calls he made was awful. Regularly got players mixed up and often couldn't figure out why referee awarded the frees he did despite it being plainly obvious. Frank Morris as analyst was no help either.

aidan24326

Dwyer is a very poor commentator and it's a shame that Ollie doesn't do the commentary any more. Head of sport now it seems.

Disappointing to give up a 6 point lead but at least they didn't lose it by a point as has become Galway's modus operandi in recent years. We won't get relegated nor promoted, mid-table is where we will be but there's still the large spectre of Mayo looming in Summer and the way things are going we could get a spanking. Sad to see Michael Meehan such a pale shadow of what he used to be.

RobbieRuns

Was Danny Cummins injured? The game that I saw V Derry, I thought that he was great and finally going to get a run in the team, Hehir is a good player but I would see him and Doherty as more half forwards than in the corner. Cummins needs games to build confidence, but I think that he is a true corner forward who can move, create space, make and take chances. Surprised to see him dropped as up to the Westmeath game I thought that he was one of the positives

aidan24326

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Was Danny Cummins injured? The game that I saw V Derry, I thought that he was great and finally going to get a run in the team, Hehir is a good player but I would see him and Doherty as more half forwards than in the corner. Cummins needs games to build confidence, but I think that he is a true corner forward who can move, create space, make and take chances. Surprised to see him dropped as up to the Westmeath game I thought that he was one of the positives

Might not necessarily be the case that he was 'dropped' as such. Could just be Mulholland wanting to try out different options. The league is the time to do that. In fairness AM has been making changes though at times it does seem a bit like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic with one ordinary player replacing another.

RobbieRuns

aidan24326 wrote: »

Might not necessarily be the case that he was 'dropped' as such. Could just be Mulholland wanting to try out different options. The league is the time to do that. In fairness AM has been making changes though at times it does seem a bit like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic with one ordinary player replacing another.

I actually agree with you, there seems to be a "lets try this fella" this week mentality. Although none of them are setting the world alight, there does come a time when you have to go with your best options and try to give them confidence and time to gell together. AM tried plenty in the FBD, but the league, especially at the late stages, it is time to run with who he thinks is his preffered team............. however good they may be. Never seems to be any continuity in the selection

wonder88

With the state Galway football is in (and has been for a while) the manager must put out the best team available for selection. None of this nonsence of trying out players, this is the national league, second most important competition in the GAA, and it not if Galway have a chance of wining an All-Ireland.
Was in Tuam yesterday for the game. Poor enough crowd, but still more than at the Derry match, was guess would be around 1000. The good points were
first half performance against the breeze, although Meehan was poor even then
Conroy best Galway player followed by 2 of his clubmates, Egan very impressive, Duane also but benefitted from being the free man in defence. The halfbacks were good enough for spells of the game.
Bad
Another collapse from the half-time resart, big worry that a lot of the players very not only being outplayed but looked rattled as well.
Wiped out again in midfield, agree it is not just the lack of catching but unable to get any significant amount of breaking ball. I do not think Toto Griffan is the answer and Barry Cullinane could improve things here. However 3 points is not bad in a very open divison.

MfMan

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Was Danny Cummins injured? The game that I saw V Derry, I thought that he was great and finally going to get a run in the team, Hehir is a good player but I would see him and Doherty as more half forwards than in the corner. Cummins needs games to build confidence, but I think that he is a true corner forward who can move, create space, make and take chances. Surprised to see him dropped as up to the Westmeath game I thought that he was one of the positives

The game that I saw v Derry he missed a sitter having been set up by Meehan. His long-standing habit of missing a sitter a game continued against Louth when he tried to fly-kick a rebound into the net when he could have gathered and tapped it in. A long spell warming the bench should give him plenty of time to focus on greatly improving his finishing.

aidan24326

wonder88 wrote: »

Another collapse from the half-time resart, big worry that a lot of the players very not only being outplayed but looked rattled as well.
Wiped out again in midfield, agree it is not just the lack of catching but unable to get any significant amount of breaking ball. I do not think Toto Griffan is the answer and Barry Cullinane could improve things here. However 3 points is not bad in a very open divison.

Lads can ye give it up with the Barry Cullinane stuff. He would be no improvement on what we have. Full stop. It's strange that we just can't produce a decent midfielder anymore. We've had 10 years now of seeing our midfield wiped out game after game, and it's a major part of the overall problem. Also the ongoing inability of our half backs to win breaking ball is galling.

I remember being in Croke Park at the Galway-Kerry game in 2008 and the Kerry halfback line were a joy to watch in terms of how they hoovered up every bit of loose ball going. This isn't something that requires any great skill, it's mainly down to coaching. Whatever about the quality of players we have or haven't got, until Galway can start winning possession around the middle third we'll never get anywhere. And for all that Cullinane can catch a ball he can't do much with it other than play a short handpass. He hasn't got the footballing skill to play at that level.

fearruanua

The Senior Championship Draw for 2013
Corofin vs Michael Breathnach
Salthill/Knocknacarra vs Carna Caiseal
Milltown vs Caherlistrane,
Killererin vs St Michaels,
St James vs Caltra,
Cortoon Shamrocks vs Tuam Stars
Kilkerrin/Clonberne vs Annaghdown,
An Cheathru Rua vs Bearna
Mountbellew/Moylough v Naomh Anna-Leitir Mór
Moycullen vs Kilconly

fearruanua

Intermediate Draw for 2013
Oranmore-Maree v Dunmore McHales
Monivea-Abbey v Williamstown
An Spideal v Athenry
Oughterard v Claregalway
Killannin v Menlough
St Brendans v Salthill-Knocknacarra
Ballinasloe v An Fhairche
Corofin v Glenamaddy-Glinsk

westsidestory

Lapin wrote: »

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.

Bit late posting on this I know but delighted for Ballinasloe winning this. My father used to tell me when he was a gasún Tuam and Ballinasloe were powerhouses of Galway football. Mighty to see Ballinasloe doing well again. Are they still referred to as St. Grellan's ?

aidan24326

fearruanua wrote: »

The Senior Championship Draw for 2013
Corofin vs Michael Breathnach
Salthill/Knocknacarra vs Carna Caiseal
Milltown vs Caherlistrane,
Killererin vs St Michaels,
St James vs Caltra,
Cortoon Shamrocks vs Tuam Stars
Kilkerrin/Clonberne vs Annaghdown,
An Cheathru Rua vs Bearna
Mountbellew/Moylough v Naomh Anna-Leitir Mór
Moycullen vs Kilconly

No real standout game there.

fearruanua wrote: »

Intermediate Draw for 2013
Oranmore-Maree v Dunmore McHales
Monivea-Abbey v Williamstown
An Spideal v Athenry
Oughterard v Claregalway
Killannin v Menlough
St Brendans v Salthill-Knocknacarra
Ballinasloe v An Fhairche
Corofin v Glenamaddy-Glinsk

Kilanin v Menlough probably the pick of the intermediate draw.

westsidestory wrote: »

Bit late posting on this I know but delighted for Ballinasloe winning this. My father used to tell me when he was a gasún Tuam and Ballinasloe were powerhouses of Galway football. Mighty to see Ballinasloe doing well again. Are they still referred to as St. Grellan's ?

Officially yes, though in practise they don't use the name St.Grellans anymore.

nootroc

1. John Egan

2. Johnny Duane 3. Finian Hanley 4. Gary Sweeney

5. Gareth Bradshaw 6 .Gary O’Donnell 7 .Gary Sice

8. Niall Coleman 9. Anthony Griffin

10. John O’Brien 11.Paul Conroy 12.Michael Boyle

13. Eoin Concannon 14. Michael Meehan 15. Michael Martin

Team to play Longford on Sunday.

Longford will be in good heart after their great win over the Dubs in u21 last night.

jossnjuice

westsidestory wrote: »

Are they still referred to as St. Grellan's ?

Nope, both hurling and football teams came under the Banner of BSloe GAA in 2006 if i remember correctly.

MfMan

nootroc wrote: »

1. John Egan

2. Johnny Duane 3. Finian Hanley 4. Gary Sweeney

5. Gareth Bradshaw 6 .Gary O’Donnell 7 .Gary Sice

8. Niall Coleman 9. Anthony Griffin

10. John O’Brien 11.Paul Conroy 12.Michael Boyle

13. Eoin Concannon 14. Michael Meehan 15. Michael Martin

Team to play Longford on Sunday.

Longford will be in good heart after thier great win over the Dubs in u21 last night.

Defence, now containing 4 Garys, looking a bit more solid though I still think Duane should be no. 6. To repeat, Boyle not a county player, and Martin just about hanging on as one. Management should try to leave the forwards more settled rather than over-switching them.

keane2097

Is O Currain involved this year?

Utopia Parkway

keane2097 wrote: »

Is O Currain involved this year?

Yes although he's been in and out due to injury and playing for DCU in the Sigerson. Think he's fit now though.

Flynn is due back from injury in the next few weeks I think but has probably missed out on a lot of physical work. Both those lads need to bulk up a bit considering they will be going up against Aidan O'Shea for the next decade or so.

westsidestory

jossnjuice wrote: »

Nope, both hurling and football teams came under the Banner of BSloe GAA in 2006 if i remember correctly.

Am I right in saying that there is a push to get the GAA more established around the town again ? Likes of Tuam and Ballinasloe having strong clubs would be a huge thing for Galway football. Easier said than done.

InchicoreDude

Can someone tell me the Galway U-21 team that won the all-ireland a few years ago? Be interesting to read that team and check where they are now.

nootroc

2011 team


Galway: M Breathnach; G Sweeney, C Forde, A Tierney; J Moore (0-2), J Duane, T Fahy; F Ó Curraoin, T Flynn; M Boyle (0-2), M Hehir (0-7), C Doherty (0-1); D Cummins (0-4), P Sweeney (1-0), E Monaghan (1-0). Subs: A Murphy, M Farragher, B Flaherty, C Halloran, C Silke


2005 Team

1 M. Killilea 2 A. Burke 3 F. Hanley 4 M. Flannery 5 D. Mullahy 6 N. Coyne 7 G. Sice 8 N. Coleman 9 B. Cullinane 10 B. Faherty 11 D. Dunleavy 12 F. Breathnach 13 M. Meehan 14 C. Blake 15 S. Armstrong

Syferus

westsidestory wrote: »

Am I right in saying that there is a push to get the GAA more established around the town again ? Likes of Tuam and Ballinasloe having strong clubs would be a huge thing for Galway football. Easier said than done.

Remember Pearses are the big football club in Ballinasloe these days and they're not even a Galway club, huge amount of young talent in that club and they're only getting better.

Football is plenty established in the area, it's just a lot of the residents are on the Roscommon side of the border - there's been huge population growth in area between Athlone and Ballinasloe - so Ballinasloe GAA is never going to be as big as some might think it should be.

Utopia Parkway

Syferus wrote: »

Remember Pearses are the big football club in Ballinasloe these days and they're not even a Galway club, huge amount of young talent in that club and they're only getting better.

Football is plenty established in the area, it's just a lot of the residents are on the Roscommon side of the border - there's been huge population growth in area between Athlone and Ballinasloe - so Ballinasloe GAA is never going to be as big as some might think it should be.

Pearses are not a Ballinasloe club though. The Ballinasloe club were the one winning the junior All-Ireland a couple for weeks ago. There are no victory parades in Ballinasloe when Pearses win a game and I'd say you'd get short shrift around the town if you told them Pearses were the big football club in Ballinasloe. I mean the actual Ballinasloe club have won 20 Galway titles even though most of them were a long time ago. The club have been in the doldrums for quite a while but are obviously on the way back given the way they comfortably beat a good Kenmare team in the All-Ireland final.

Balliansloe is in an odd location because everything just north of the town is football areas like Caltra and Mountbellew while just west and south of the town it's all hurling territory in places like New Inn and Cappataggle. Ballinasloe is right on the border between both.

Syferus

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Pearses are not a Ballinasloe club though. The Ballinasloe club were the one winning the junior All-Ireland a couple for weeks ago. There are no victory parades in Ballinasloe when Pearses win a game and I'd say you'd get short shrift around the town if you told them Pearses were the big football club in Ballinasloe. I mean the actual Ballinasloe club have won 20 Galway titles even though most of them were a long time ago. The club have been in the doldrums for quite a while but are obviously on the way back given the way they comfortably beat a good Kenmare team in the All-Ireland final.

Balliansloe is in an odd location because everything just north of the town is football areas like Caltra and Mountbellew while just west and south of the town it's all hurling territory in places like New Inn and Cappataggle. Ballinasloe is right on the border between both.

Ballinasloe were a junior club, it's hard to argue they've been flying recently. The glory days are long gone, that much is very much clear. This year was a start for a club that once way far an away the best in Galway but the area has changed significantly since Ballinasloe where dominating Galway football.

To be exact about how closely related the two clubs' fortunes are take a look at where Woodmount is - maybe a kilometre outside the roundabout on the east side of Ballinasloe proper. A lot of people working in Ballinasloe and indeed living in the area would be coming from the Roscommon side of the border so the pick available to the Ballinasloe GAA club isn't as large as someone might thinking looking at it from the outside.

Compared to Tuam, Ballinasloe have a bit of an excuse for falling on hard times because on top of competition for the same sport Pearses are also a very handy hurling club so it's a doublefold problem for the Maroon-hued in the area. I know from my area just how much two teams from different counties in such direct competition can hamper each others' progress.

I think the presence of rugby clubs in both Ballinasloe and Tuam haven't helped in recent years because with the growth of that sport it's only going to reduce the time clubs have with players and even reduce the number of players available outright.

westsidestory

Syferus wrote: »

Ballinasloe were a junior club, it's hard to argue they've been flying recently. The glory days are long gone, that much is very much clear. This year was a start for a club that once way far an away the best in Galway but the area has changed significantly since Ballinasloe where dominating Galway football.

To be exact about how closely related the two clubs' fortunes are take a look at where Woodmount is - maybe a kilometre outside the roundabout on the east side of Ballinasloe proper. A lot of people working in Ballinasloe and indeed living in the area would be coming from the Roscommon side of the border so the pick available to the Ballinasloe GAA club isn't as large as someone might thinking looking at it from the outside.

Compared to Tuam, Ballinasloe have a bit of an excuse for falling on hard times because on top of competition for the same sport Pearses are also a very handy hurling club so it's a doublefold problem for the Maroon-hued in the area. I know from my area just how much two teams from different counties in such direct competition can hamper each others' progress.

I think the presence of rugby clubs in both Ballinasloe and Tuam haven't helped in recent years because with the growth of that sport it's only going to reduce the time clubs have with players and even reduce the number of players available outright.

Think you are exaggerating the influence of Padraig Pearses GAA club on Ballinasloe GAA. Most towns of similar size would have to share the GAA base within the town or else closeby. With a population of about 6,500 there is plenty of scope for a strong club without worrying about outlying clubs. You just have stop and think before you go off on a Roscommon tinted post ! A bit of competition is no harm either.

Think Tuam is more a soccer town than rugby or GAA. I always think when a town especially, loses it's GAA stronghold to other sports it can be extremely difficult to turn the tide back.

Syferus

westsidestory wrote: »

Think you are exaggerating the influence of Padraig Pearses GAA club on Ballinasloe GAA. Most towns of similar size would have to share the GAA base within the town or else closeby. With a population of about 6,500 there is plenty of scope for a strong club without worrying about outlying clubs. You just have stop and think before you go off on a Roscommon tinted post ! A bit of competition is no harm either.

Think Tuam is more a soccer town than rugby or GAA. I always think when a town especially, loses it's GAA stronghold to other sports it can be extremely difficult to turn the tide back.

I think soccer impinges on GAA less than rugby does, at least on a club-by-club basis. The district soccer leagues here at least tend to take place relatively out of season for the main GAA calender so there's a good few club players at every club I know that play soccer to keep fit, it's just a whole lot more prevalent than rugby is and is treated as more of an add-on than a direct competitor for good gaelic players. Rugby's probably moving towards eclipsing hurling here in Roscommon, schools that wouldn't dream of having a hurling team have been starting up rugby programs.

I don't doubt Ballinasloe can become a strong club again - just look at Ballagh winning two Mayo titles in five years and that town is far more dramatically divided than Ballinasloe - but I'm just saying that border towns always suffers some slippage to the 'other' side and if that other club is also perceived to be doing well it's going to make it harder for that club. It'll be interesting to how they handle intermediate after winning the junior AI.

nootroc

Team to play Laois tomorrow evening at 7.00 in Portlaoise.

1 Manus Breathnach

2 Johnny Duane 3 Finian Hanley 4 GarySweeney

5 Garreth Bradshaw 6 Gary O'Donnell 7 Gary Sice

8 Niall Coleman 9 Anthony Griffin

10 John O'Brien 11 Paul Conroy 12 Sean Denvir

13 Eoin Concannon 14 Micheal Meehan 15 Michael Martin

On the bench for Galway are: 16 John Egan. 17, Colin Forde, 18 Donal O'Neill, 19. Cathal Sweeney, 20 Keith Kelly, 21, Fionntan O'Curraoin, 22 Sean Armstrong, 23 Mark Hehir, 24, Michael Boyle,25, Danny Cummins 26, Conor Doherty

Best of luck to St. Thomas on Sunday as well.

Diabhal Beag

Hope Toto has a good game. The closer that Mayo game gets the more worried you'd be about the midfield and Conroy is needed in the forward-line.

spiritcrusher

O'Curraoin will probably be in midfield for the Mayo game I'd imagine. He's playing in the U-21 championship first round on Monday which could explain why he's not starting but yeah, it's still a worry.
I'd also be very worried about the upcoming Mayo game in terms of the half back and half forward lines too. Most of those players are either new or very inconsistent. Duane does tend to rotate into the half back line as he's our only real playmaker back there but then we don't really have enough quality to cover him when he goes forward.
Still not sure what to make of O'Brien and Denvir. I get the feeling they're out there to try and gather as much breaking ball as they can but they're not scorers, which is a worry.

Mars Bar

westsidestory wrote: »

Think Tuam is more a soccer town than rugby or GAA. I always think when a town especially, loses it's GAA stronghold to other sports it can be extremely difficult to turn the tide back.

Nope. It's mostly gaelic football I feel but rugby is pulling in huge figures now in Tuam and the underage hurling has taken off very well too.

basillarkin

We played Tuam juniors in a gaelic football challenge game last season and they had over 30 togged. Serious numbers for a junior side. Rugby is strong down there also and they field 2 teams in the Junior leagues, can't comment on soccer as its a long time since I played