Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119130794#Comment_119130794

I'd agree, Walsh got MOTM because he's the big name but I could pick 4 or 5 who deserved it more. Finnerty, McDaid, McHugh were all ahead of him.

Kickouts should improve when Flaherty returns but still depend too much on going long and there's no real plan round them either.

Conceding 2-16 is a big score regardless of the opposition and considering we had plenty of numbers back.

Avon8

I thought Finnerty was motm coming out, and possibly comer for an epic 15 mins in the second, or John Daly for a supreme display. But then you actually look at Walsh's scores, 1-3 from play, none of them easy and the goal a thing of beauty, 2 45s stroked over like he was tapping a 14, and all the elusive running, how could he not get it. He's another like Conroy that has annoyed us with mistakes so much in the distant past that you forget how amazing the good stuff is when it comes.

Great performance. A comprehensive win. Second half was better than the first imo. Plenty to improve on, like breaking ball at midfield and some Roscommon scores coming very easy. But while the backs in truth win us the mayo game, it was lovely to watch out forwards turn on the style. You'd swear listening to the build up that we had 2 forwards and 4 numpties. Delighted to see Finnerty turn it on, amongst others

BENDYBINN

Great win.... You can see the confidence building in this team

Management really learned from the croke park game... Congrats

Happyilylost

First half Kickouts Galway 13/16 81%. Second half this dropped to 17/27 62%. Overall Roscommon won 91% of their kickouts. Such a poor platform to build a game plan around.

Overall thought it was one of the best Galway performances in a long time. Full forward line scored 1-14 between Finnerty, Comer and Walsh. Finnerty starting to deliver the goods. Scoring was never an issue but workrate and ball retention massively improved.

This win was built on hard running of McDaid, Kelly, Daly, Molloy and especially McHugh. Very few were of the whole team were below 8/10.

Negatives. Comer hobbling off. Kickouts. Thought game management was poor enough. 5 subs lobbed on in quick succession in the last 10mins really disjointed the team and let Roscommon tack on some scores.

Still. Great day. Great crowd. Great to be Kings of Connacht again.

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119130712#Comment_119130712

Had the best seats I've ever had at a match right in the middle of the stand.

Galway were about 9 points the better team and shot the lights out for 60 minutes (10 mins with 14 men).

Galway then sat back and allowed Roscommon all the time in the world on the ball, similar to the Mayo game. As you say any of the bigger teams will punish that game plan.

Having said that Roscommon should have had a man less for the last 10 minutes but the ref decided against the black card for a deliberate pull down around the D, where as he gave one to Galway for a deliberate pull down around the half way line. Odd decision

Galway appeared to be physically much stronger than Roscommon in a lot of duel's. Looked a few years ahead in S&C.

elefant

Galway strength and conditioning looks vastly superior to what it was last year when they blew up second half versus Mayo, albeit while also losing Walsh and Kelly.

Credit to the management team, great to see that kind of development from one year to the next.

Avon8

Most satisfactory part of the day is the stuffing of the ridiculous notion that Ros have better forwards than Galway. Walsh and Comer are better players than they've had since Dermot Earley. Finnerty and Heaney would walk onto their team. It's only 10 months since Tierney was motm against Roscommon and was the next big thing. It's hilarious how short term the media and much of the wider public are

Found it interesting to see Joyce's reaction after the game.

After the Mayo game there was some serious celebrations from the sideline, but not anywhere near as much yesterday when actually winning the title(hardly a banker game as well like Kerry had). Not sure was there something to it being Mayo, the first championship win or the fact the result yesterday was less in doubt than the Mayo game.

Interesting observation all the same.

cosatron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119134890#Comment_119134890

the mayo match was a tense affair whereas we looked in control for most of the game yesterday and he was probably a bit disappointed to the 2 goals conceded as the end. Fair play to everyone involved and especially the players, they looked very fit and physically strong compared to last year so they obviously made a huge effort over the xmas.

Galway could make it the AI final in both codes this year, especially the way the football draw went. Unfortunately they are unlikely to win either of them if it does happen.

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119135204#Comment_119135204

From a strenght and conditioning point of view it appears they are up there with the best teams in the country.

Just like the hurlers, the footballers are tall chaps as well.

It's not going to be enough to win anything of course, but it's something that can't be improved on if it's not there

Always_Running

Deserved win for Galway yesterday a Connacht title with league promotion is progress on last year.

Hard to believe that was Galways first Connacht title in Pearse Stadium since 2005 and hadn't beaten Roscommon in the final in a Galway venue since the 70s. Long overdue you could say?

With that joy and happiness of winning Connacht yesterday I'm sure today Joyce and his management will know there is still plenty to work on before the All-Ireland series.

Galway for the majority of yesterday match played with 13 or 14 back in defence and still conceded 2-16 and the Rossies could have scored more as they kick a number of wides and could easily have scored 3 or 4 goals.

Midfield was won by Roscommon so i don't think McDaid is the option moving forward and Conroy probably had his worst match yesterday. His marker Harney was the best Roscommon player on show.

2-19 scored and just 3 wides is impressive stuff in a Provincial final however in the All-Ireland quarter final Galway are unlikely to get the time and room to create and score as they got against a poorly set up Roscommon.

Avon8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119134890#Comment_119134890

The Mayo win was a big deal in the it beat a proper contender and saved his job. I'd say PJ couldnt give less of a Shiite about a Connacht title. For all his faults, he's consistently had the same arrogant annoyance plenty of ppl have had. Galway are third in the roll of honour. The third best county in Ireland despite being a dual county. I'd say it pisses him off no end that at one time he was the best player in Ireland and his team were the best around and Now we're irreverent. That needs to change. I completely think he has zero interest in Connacht titles. It's all Irelands or bust. I dont think we're we're anywhere near that yet but it's good to have a man in charge with ambition

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119135971#Comment_119135971

McDaid played wing back. Molloy played in the half forward line and it was Tierney who played midfield with Conroy. Wouldn't pay too much attention to the numbers on their backs.

Thought McDaid had a phenomenal game (made GAA team of the week) along with Molloy, Daly, Silke, Kelly, Heaney and especially McHugh our pound the ground runners were a mile ahead of Roscommon counterparts. They gave Galway scorers (Finnerty Comer and Walsh)the platform to get the scores to win the game (1-14 from a full forward line is some return)

People can harp on about the 2-16 and while it was a bit disappointing to not win the game by the margin they deserved, it happens. At 60 mins score was 2-16 to 13 points. Galway emptied the bench with Niall Daly, O'Laoi, Gallagher, Paul Kelly and Cathal Sweeney coming on. They would be lucky to have 10 championship starts between the five of them. Galway got disjointed and Roscommon tacked on a few scores. But the game was never in doubt.

As Gilberto pointed out it was refreshing to see Joyce be almost disappointed with how the game finished. Plenty to work on. No harm in that.

blowitupref

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136463#Comment_119136463

I highly doubt Joyce has that view on Connacht titles. It was 4 years since Galway won one and just the 3rd Galway won since 2008. it was also important that one was finally won at home. Connacht titles are stepping stone and winning yesterday meant Galway wouldn't be playing Kerry or Dublin in All Ireland quarter final or semi final if they get that far.

Always_Running

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136550#Comment_119136550

I stand corrected on McDaid and you can change what i said to Tierney. On the evidence of yesterday is Galways midfield the answer going forward and looking/aiming to be competitive in the All-Ireland series?

It's 20 man game nowadays regardless of the situation of the match. Like for like replacements should be brought on and not one's that makes the team weaker.

I recall Kildare supporters saying simliar when they were to told to be wary of conceding 2-15 to Westmeath. It was brushed off as the game was never in doubt/already won and they would be more focused and competitive against Dublin.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136980#Comment_119136980

Exactly, it's tangible success after a few years' disappointment, and in practical terms it means we stay the other side of the draw from Kerry/Dublin. (I'm sure if you were knocking about a few of the hostelries in Tuam today you'd see how much it means :-) )

Strangely, though many I spoke to felt that Tierney didn't have a great match, I thought we lost our shape somewhat when he went off and it brought the Rossies back into it. He was a good outlet for a few of our counterattacks in the second half and was involved in a number of scores.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137151#Comment_119137151

Personally I think it would be a failure if we don't make the final now.

Beating two of the current qualifiers (which could end up being an average D2 team in the quarters) and then Derry/Qualifier to get to an AI final is no harder than the two games than we played already.

I didn't see anything in Ulster yesterday to be more fearful of than Mayo/Roscommon.

This is realistically, on paper, the easiest route you could expect from the quarters to the final.

blowitupref

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137151#Comment_119137151

Tierney is still very young and between U20.Senior with Galway, his club and college teams winning the All Irelands that amount of football in a short space of time has eventually caught up with him. Not sure is midfield his best or preferred position. An outlet on counterattacks can be done by playing him in the half forward line. At the time he was brought off Roscommon brought on Keith Doyle (U20 midfielder from last year) who looks like a good midfielder for the years ahead.

mjp

Without being too hard on Tierney I feel he drifts out of matches too often and games can bypass him. Yesterday was one of those days and he had the lowest number of possessions of any outfield Galway player. Think joyce and backroom team need to nail down his role in the team as running counter attacking football doesn't suit his game and his game isn't as adaptable as lot of our other options in middle third. Definitely has the quality to be in the side but needs fit in somewhere

Avon8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137653#Comment_119137653

Probably a good summation. I still have high hopes for him, he showed he was a lad with plenty of bottle last season in big moments in the limited game time we had. Just a case of finding his role and form again hopefully

Thats 3 players now who were the main stars for NUIG that have gone off the boil slightly. In the case of Sean Kelly it's harsh to say he's off the boil but I say it from the base that he came into 2022 as Galways best player. Still playing well but hasn't fully dominated a big game in a while, depsite being excellent vs Leitrim. I think moreso in the case of the younger lads, Tierney and Paul Kelly. Both came into 2022 as two of Galways better lads and now one is struggling a bit and the other can't get gametime. You'd wonder did the run of FBD into a long Sigerson into the National League take a toll on those lads overall

littlevillage

Congrats to Galway senior footballers and Mgmt. Nice to get another Connaught title.

It was probably needed at this point for PJ.

Lets hope we can push on now and make it to an AI semi final at least.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137205#Comment_119137205

It's rather beguiling to think this way, but I wouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves yet; injuries (to key men) in particular could derail the team. Am I correct in thinking that we can't meet Mayo or Roscommon again before the semi-final? Are the draws seeded to keep repeat pairings apart as long as possible? There would be a decent chance of this I'd imagine as, of all the provincial winners, Derry would look the least likely to win the quarter-final. (Mark O'Se rated them second behind Dublin at the moment - what is he on??!)

ShamNNspace

Be carefull of a Kerryman hyping up or playing down certain teams, they may not be on the pitch but they too are playing their part in some way of getting the Kingdom to the holy grail that September day, a devious, cute, cunning lot with green an gold running in their veins 😉

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138520#Comment_119138520

I know what you mean but you couldn't ask for more than say Limerick and Derry to make an AI final. Those are teams below the levels played so far.

Only repeat of the Roscommon game. Mayo would be an option as it wasn't a final. That used to be the rule anyway. See no reason they've added previous championship opponents.

Happyilylost

Shane Ryan and Donal O' Shea into the subs. Rest unchanged.

Happyilylost

What's the talk about a red about? To Galway or Kilkenny? Nobody here seems to know anything about it.

mr_edge_to_you

A Galway lad with a nasty disgusting stamp on the arm of a Kilkenny player. The initial challenge resulted in a Yellow Card for a Galway player. The stamp wasn't spotted.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119158827#Comment_119158827

Fahy stood on the KK knee after Cooney chested him... You'd think he was going to try stand on the ball the way he moved his foot in but his hand/ball was nowhere near where he ended up landing it.

flazio

Not looking like our day lads and ladies.