Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

Avon8

We'll miss Conroy when he's gone. His rate of scoring from playing majority in midfield is absolutely incredible. Not far off Fenton numbers in a far worse team. Would agree that he probably hasn't the legs for high summer at midfield but he's far too good to leave off still at this point. Probably having him have rest periods at full forward is the way to go. Pity he didn't hit this level of consistency when he was 25

Happyilylost

I agree. Phenomenal player. I would give him the 15 spot let him drift out around the middle. Not saying he doesn't need to work back just lighten his defensive responsibilities a bit.

Happyilylost

Go on the Mac that was the admission fee alone!

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590634#Comment_118590634

Is he after annihilating some other poor victim with a shoulder?

Football league is starting to settle now.

Galway have beat two teams who have lost both games. Offaly look to be the weakest though and Cork/Clare will be similar to Down.

It's a bit harsh on Clare, but league aside they haven't done anything of note in the championship so a team with aspirations should be beating them.

So beat Offaly, Cork and Clare and one win from Roscommon/Derry with the PD would be sufficient.

Watched most of the Limerick game, absolutely woeful, they finished with 11 points and didn't score for the last 15mins. I've always thought people were overhyping them too much (comparing to KK and saying they'll dominate for years), they are more a very well coached and drilled team than one full of great players.

If their levels fall back then Galway without JC might have a chance.. similar to the footballers, without that strong Dublin team Galway can, and have, beat the others.

It's great they're playing Limerick next as it will tell a lot for both teams.

You can trace Limericks rise with a win in Salthill(same for Wexford when they won there) so you can't underestimate what a win next week could do for Shefflin.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590810#Comment_118590810

Ran the length of the pitch to finish to the net!

threeball

The game vs Derry will decide who becomes division 2 champs in the football this year. Either way I expect both to be promoted. As others have said, the playing Conroy at midfield ploy will only work round this time of year. Really need to play him corner forward and allow him to drop deep when he feels. Playing off Comer could yield huge dividends. Kelly playing further out the field would be a better option rather than corner forward.

Offaly game for hurlers was a bit of a nothing game. Should have won it easy and did but next Sunday will tell a tale. Limerick won't want to be beaten twice on the bounce. Be interesting to see if any of the new lads can hack it in tough company.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118591102#Comment_118591102

Lose to Derry though and the away game to Roscommon could suddenly become must-win. Long way to go yet with scoring difference also, though in Derry's favour at the moment. Does look as if it will be 2 from this 3.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118591479#Comment_118591479

I could see Roscommon losing to one or two of the other teams in the division so I'd be pretty confident it will be down to Derry and Galway. Whoever wins that game is going up regardless.

mjp

Did Rob Finnerty pick up an injury that he went off after 30 mins to be replaced by Comer? Didn't see the game myself. The week off will do no harm for lot of our lads who are juggling sigerson and league matches this past month on heavy pitches and hopefully they avoid any more injuries

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118596118#Comment_118596118

He was very poor. Lazy protecting the ball. Couple of mistakes in quick succession he was hauled off soon after.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118597550#Comment_118597550

I think thats basically his game. Seems to only come to life when the ball in coming to him handy enough and then can take some really silly options. I don't see him as a long term solution in the team. Better to try some younger lads and see if they can step up.

lim4ev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590858#Comment_118590858

you're questioning limerick on a 1st league match in a tight ground in the 1st few days of February? beaten in 19 by kilkenny and that controversially so other than that defeat maybe a 4 in a row could have been achieved. I do agree a lot is hype but the comparison with the great kilkenny team is justified albeit a little premature

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590858#Comment_118590858

If their levels fall back then Galway without JC might have a chance..

WIth all due respect, Galway need to prove themselves against a lot of other teams before they can dream of toppling Limerick.

Galway haven't got the better of Kilkenny, Dublin or Waterford recently.

GalwayLurker

Fitzy.........a gentleman and a legend 🌟

SqueakyKneecap

Galway hurlers haven't gotten to provincial finals in 2 out 3 years so you could definitely discount us from any top 4 in the country as it stands anyways.

I still think with lads like Whelo and Daithi that there's a decent spine already but CHB, midfield and CHF are vital rebuilds needed. Losing Flynn and Shane Cooney for the year puts paid to our CHB and CHF potential cover.

PeggyShippen

Limerick time their runs for championship better than anyone. You won't see the best of them for another 2 months. They a re coached better than anyone...but no one else has a Kyle Hayes...Finn or Lynch

I see Conor Cooney is starting.

Disappointed in that as he epitomises all that is wrong with Galway the last couple of years.

Poor decision making, no fight and lazy attitude.

One play sums him up.

Against Waterford last year he was in around CHB with the ball, walking along wondering what to do, Waterford player comes running up behind him and gets the hook that was coming a mile away and puts the ball back over the bar.

I'd much rather see a younger player with a good work ethic come in than see players like him starting. For every one good game he's had, he's had 3 bad ones.

Poor Daithi has a rare point chalked off as Horgan blows for a free down field... It looked like he put it over and wasn't going to pass it despite the early whistle.

Use of the extra man here is abysmal.

Doesn't look like we have one at all... Flanagan had a point there where we pucked the ball to a free Limerick man, who played it into Flanagan without any extra players around him.

Forward play is still awful. I can't think of one occasion here where we scored a point like the one mentioned above.

cosatron

I thought the work rate was unreal, which has being missing for a while and plus it's February

BENDYBINN

Henry driving us on for the win at the end is just what this team needs............inferiority complex has haunted us for yrs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118622790#Comment_118622790

Couldn't fault the work rate at all. I think even without the red they'd have been there or there abouts anyway which was the main thing.

Hopefully that win is the catalyst for the team. Limerick were losing by 10 odd after barely any time in Salthill and it looked like they would be heading home at HT... Rallied, won the game and promotion and won the AI that year.

Don't think they'd have made the final had they taken a beating that day.

Nugget89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118622327#Comment_118622327

This aged poorly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118624364#Comment_118624364

Yeah because after ten years of playing he's proved me wrong by having an average league game.

Outside of taking the frees he didn't do much right.. or wrong.

I said he was capable of a good game.

But for every good game he has, he has a few bad ones. Himself, Flynn and Niall Burke are cut from the same cloth in that they've been given chance after chance but none of them have been able to consistently perform to a satisfactory level.

I think I've seen enough of a guy who's around 30 to know what we're going to get over an extended period.

If he keeps his work rate up, he can start but he's shown more than enough times that he doesn't.. for club and county.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118624634#Comment_118624634

Won't get into this much but for me his workrate hasn't been an issue. In fact in the last few years it hurt us by him getting on too much ball! Why. He couldn't hit the back end of a barn consistently. For what I consider to be a "scoring forward" he wasn't a player we could afford to miss as much as he did. If he's back to where he was in 2017 shooting wise he can be a huge addition again.

He's likely to be having 5 to six shots from play per game. Can't afford a low return from that amount of plays.

Felt sorry for Enna Burke everything he tried went wrong. Hopefully he gets more chances.

Felt the two corner backs (Daithí at times too) had their work cut out for themselves but the quality of some of the ball coming in was exceptional. Darren Morrissey had a great cameo when he came on winning a lot of ball.

Half back line were great. Felt Mac (especially) and P Mannion were living a bit on reputation but they have started this year flying it. Cathal O Neill for Limerick had a great game so they weren't foot perfect.

Ronan Glennon brings savage workrate around the middle (badly needed) Monaghan brings the same while Hastings has a bit of steal about him.

Hopefully Whelan stays close to goal. Very few teams can handle him.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118624828#Comment_118624828

I agree, Conor is a confidence player. When its low he could literally miss anything but when its high he can score anything. A game like this could set him up for the year.

Glennon was very good. Padraig Mannion struggled last year and is doing so again. Cathal isn't fulfilling his promise either. Both are top class when they're on form but it's been a while since I've seen either take ownership of a game.

We're in a pretty good position with the likes of Concannon to return but we need at least 3 new faces to step up and for other seasoned players to return to form to really have a chance come championship

Robson99

Thought Mac was very poor last night. Was picking up no one for the majority of the game and his first touch was poor. We weither need to get another mid fielder to go with Glennon and drop J Cooney to 6 or else try Brennan or Fitzpatrick there.

Monaghan and Eannan Burke deserve another game or two but appear too lightweight. Hastings I though had right good game...wasnt afraid to throw himself about.

It was great to see us working in 3s and 4s and also we let Limerick bully us the last few times we have played them.... last night we didnt. You have got to get in their faces, the odd late tackle, slap on the wrist, Hammer the Hammer and they dont like it.

Robson99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118624975#Comment_118624975

Cathal Mannion was our best forward last night and has been one of our most consistant players over the last 4 or 5 years

ShamNNspace

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118625351#Comment_118625351

They do not like it up em those Limerick lads😉