Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119227326#Comment_119227326

I can't understand why we're going long as a policy at all. We have some great ball players in our middle third and with Cathal Mannion dropping deep we have even better options. The opposite can be said of our half forward line which is potentially our weakest line and not very good in the air. I have no idea why we keep pumping ball after ball on top of them when we should be going shorter, drawing out their defence and opening space in front of Concannon and Whelan to deliver low ball in front which they thrive on.

Neither has been really causing damage on the scoreboard this year to the extent they're capable due to the terrible service they're getting and half back lines sucked in on top of the half forwards. You wouldn't see it in an u14 club game yet this is what the game plan is. Its idiotic in the extreme and there's no way the stats can be any different the next day out. How can anyone possibly fancy Glennon, Monaghan and Cooney to field ball over Hannon, Byrnes and possibly Hayes. Even if Joe Cooney moves to the wing on one of them its no better than a 50/50 contest at best.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119227326#Comment_119227326

Thought Eanna was decent on puckouts. (Not happy with puckouts overall I more mean if he has something to hit he'll hit it) Landed two on the nose of C. Mannion who pointed. Two more for Concannon and J. Cooney who shot wide when free. To memory he also found Glennon Monaghan and F. Burke who fumbled and turned over.

Long range was shocking. Other than Whelan did we win a ball in the air? C. Cooney must of had 8-10 fired at him and nearly all lost. Breaking ball was a write off as well. Hunger and intensity doesn't improve its going to be a long 80 minutes or so.

Just a tidbit for anyone who likes stats search for Gaa Statsman on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram. Stats for all big games for intercounty like below.

conor05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119225697#Comment_119225697

I find the Wexford fans a great bunch, always in great friendly form.

Even down at league matches in Wexford park, nice banter with them.

Limerick, Tipp, Waterford and Cork fans can be dodgy at the best of times.

cosatron

How are we feeling about Sunday. Tough team for us with there hard running game. We will have to transition faster and get shane on the ball allot. I think conroy will struggle in this one with armagh mobility around midfield.

spurshero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119233559#Comment_119233559

I think most have it as a 50 50… both teams forwards could do damage with right ball . Armagh are after 2 big wins and will travel with confidence . Clare’s win over Roscommon and mayo stuttering along maybe takes a bit of a shine off our results . Conroy will be all right .. lad has played best football of his life last 18 months and his game was never really about pace . I feel it’s a game we really need To win … I think the winners have a better then 50 50 chance of being in all Ireland final .

Robert2014

I think it's now or never for some of our senior players if they want to play in an All-Ireland final. Armagh and then Derry or Clare between us and an All-Ireland final. We have the experience of playing in Quarter finals, playing in Croke Park. It will be a hard game but we beat 2 Division 1 teams to get this far. I read that some Armagh fans are upset about the price for hotels for the All-Ireland final weekend, hopefully we can help them get over their concerns :)

ShamNNspace

I'm not sure if Flaherty is fully fit yet, but if he is I wouldn't be up to tampering with the goalkeeping situation I'd be inclined to leave, Gleeson there, hopefully, well I know he has been doing a lot of work the last few weeks, also hes developed a raport with his backs, not afraid to be heard

SqueakyKneecap

Armagh have certainly recovered well post-Ulster championship and have fantastic options, including a roaming goalie. I think PJ and co will be happy enough that we're underdogs for this one and we've a lot of motivation trying to put this woeful Croke Park record behind us.

If Armagh can keep Comer quiet they'll win this by 5 or 6. If we're allowed the kind of opportunity to get him one on one with a defender we have a great chance.

Heaney and McDaid will have a massive say in this. They're our two runners that can bypass a solid blanket.

threeball

Armagh had good results after their loss but are Donegal better than Roscommon, and are Tyrone better than Mayo this year. I'd say it's a toss up after what I saw from both.

The black card had a huge effect on Donegal morale and you could see the camp wasn't happy with in fighting on the sideline in full view of the cameras.

We were comfortably better than both Mayo and roscommon but worryingly let them both back into games that should have been closed out easily. If we can transition faster and not collapse like the other games then I think we'll get over the line.

aidan24326

Having had none until a day ago I've now ended up with 2 spare tickets for Sunday if anyone is interested, paid 80 euro face value but I'll let them go for 60 to a genuine Boardsie in need :-)

they're pretty good, Upper Hogan near the front (Row D) if anyone is interested PM me.

Am going to the hurling too but have to be honest I'm more excited for this football double-header than the hurling,

on current form I don't see how we can win that. But sure we live in hope as always.

MacDanger

Good luck to the neighbours on Sunday, I feel like ye probably have better players than Armagh but Joyce is a weakness IMO. Should be a good match anyway and I hope ye're the right side of it in the end

Heraldoffreeent

Galway starting XV & subs vs Armagh

(2022 All-Ireland SFC Quarter-final)

1. Connor Gleeson (Dunmore MacHales GAA)

2. Liam Silke (CorofinGAA)

3. Seán Kelly - Capt (Cumann Peile Mhaigh Cuilinn)

4. Jack Glynn (Claregalway GAA)

5. Dylan McHugh (Corofin)

6. John Daly (Mountbellew Moylough GAA Club)

7. Kieran Molloy (Corofin)

8. Paul Conroy (St. James' GAA - Galway)

9. Cillian McDaid (Monivea Abbey GAA Football Club)

10. Patrick Kelly (Mountbellew/Moylough)

11. Matthew Tierney (Oughterard)

12. Johnny Heaney (Killannin Gaa)

13. Robert Finnerty (Salthill Knocknacarra GAA Club)

14. Damien Comer (Annaghdowngaa)

15. Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin/Clonberne GAA Club)

Subs

16. James Keane (CLG Bhearna)

17. James Foley (Mountbellew/Moylough)

18. Billy Mannion (Mountbellew/Moylough)

19. Cathal Sweeney (Salthill/Knocknacarra)

20. Niall Daly (Kilconly GAA & LGFA)

21. Paul Kelly (Maigh Cuilinn)

22. Owen Gallagher (Maigh Cuilinn)

23. Finnian Ó Laoí (C.L.G. An Spidéal)

24. Eoin Finnerty (Mountbellew/Moylough)

25. Dessie Conneely (Maigh Cuilinn)

26. Tomo Culhane (Salthill/Knocknacarra)

Happyilylost

Gleeson and Egan remain our keepers. Limits our kickouts. Wouldn't be surprised if Galway give Armagh their kickouts.

blowitupref

Unchanged from the Connacht final, no surprises there a very settled team. i presume McDaid will play wing half back,Tierney midfield while one of the starting defenders to play the sweeper role.

BENDYBINN

Who is the ref on Sunday................? Big worry...

Jizique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119245897#Comment_119245897

Madness, Armagh keeper really struggled when Donegal pushed up

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119245897#Comment_119245897

It would be extremely silly if they do concede the kickout to them. They're one of the few midfield pairings where we can match them and we have Patrick Kelly and Tierney lurking there too.

On top of that they are one of the best overlap teams out there. If we go this route I think Armagh beat us with a good bit to spare.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119246961#Comment_119246961

Hard to know. Since first 20 mins of Leitrim Galway have been less inclined to press the kickout. Leitrim bet our midfield up a stick that day and managed to stay in the game in the first 25 mins mainly from a midfield platform. Giving a team a kickout means Galway can get the defensive structure in place tuck in the two wing backs and drop the half forwards and Armagh will start on their 21. Pressing the kickout and a team goes long everyone is all over the shop. Like Tyrone against Mayo in the All Ireland final couple of breaks around the middle and its curtains.

Now obviously if it works like it did against Derry this year it can turn a game on its head. Galway scored 2-3 off turnover kickouts that day and the game was done by half time.

I would hope PJ and the management team take each game on its merit and press Armagh. As you said their kickouts have been got at already. Put them under as much pressure as possible early as see where it goes. Not working readjust.

Not sure much can be done with our kickouts. If its straightforward short/medium short Glesson will take on. Anything remotely risky I'm guessing it will be long.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119247000#Comment_119247000

I think the fact that Rafferty has been shown to be suspect on the kickouts should be enough for us to decide to press. If we let them have it he then comes into play as an extra attacker. Forcing them to go long takes away this string to their bow.

Go with the mantra that if we don't catch it clean we at a minimum break everything just to buy a couple of seconds extra to allow a couple of players filter back.

If we do win it we now have Walsh inside already which gives us 3 good options to deliver quick ball to and hurt them.

Croke Park is no place to allow teams just run at you from deep. We saw what happened last year vs Mayo.

Happyilylost

Rough weather for this minor game. Let's somehow hope its a Galway vs Kerry final!

I'm sorry but it makes zero sense to concede kickouts.

It takes around 3 seconds for the ball to reach midfield and it's very easy to regain and maintain a shape after.

I don't recall Dublin conceding kickouts and for good reason, they wouldn't have won 6 in a row had they.

Its going to be very hard to build momentum against a team if after every point/wide you're letting them have a possession.

I remember reading a stat that Dublin were averaging 0.5 points per possession, so if you're going to let a team win 25:25 kickouts that's roughly 10-12 points. And if you kick yours long and win 10:25 that's another possible 5-7 points for them.

Pressing kickouts has no negative consequences, the ball is predominantly recycled back after its won in midfield anyway and very rarely leads to someone bombing in at goal directly from it breaking(again even if it's won and on the turn the player would unlikely have support to get into the opposition 45 quickly).

Conversely there's no advantage kicking it into a packed midfield, no team will win more than 60% of those and you could just as easily lose 60%.

Press kickouts and win yours short and you have a chance.

I've seen us in enough games losing most of ours and not competing and losing to heavyweights like Roscommon and Tipperary to know it's foolish.

Happyilylost

That black looked very harsh? Hard to tell from the stand as we're side on but he seemed to try shoulder him just miss timed it..... goal conceded and black card made it a very bad last few minutes.

Happyilylost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119248001#Comment_119248001

Not my plan. Just the way I see it going.

No negative consequences from a press? None at all? Might want to watch the 58 minute of last year's All Ireland Final to see consequences. Press will force them long. When it's kicked long Galway will have 6 to 7 players behind the ball. Armagh have it short Galway have all 15 in front of the ball

I would much prefer to see the press. Thought Galway did it very well in the league but seems to have become less and less prevalent since championship started.

Will have to see with our kickouts. Not Gleesons strong point imo.

threeball

What is wrong with Galway teams that they can't close out a game. Cruising at 50mins and end up shutting the bed from there on in. It's endemic across both codes at all grades.

Happyilylost

Woooooooo All Ireland Final!!!!!!!!!

Avon8

95% of pundits are going for Armagh. "It's gonna be so close and I can't pick between them but ik pick Armagh to edge it" yada yada rinse and repeat.

A customary look at underage results in the last few years, or the all Ireland roll of honour might change yer tunes lads. I'd say even senior results in the last year. Nice to be going in largely written off

ClanofLams

Kickouts are a weakness for both teams I think, Donegal got plenty of joy pushing up on Ethan Rafferty’s kickouts until they got black card, he has a smaller range than most goalies so he’s unlikely to punish a press by launching one beyond midfield. Would expect Galway will push up a lot of the time having seen that.

Hopefully see some improvement in Galway’s

mjp

Will be madness if Galway don't go after Rafferty's kickout early with a press considering the size of players we have in hf/midfield options. Rafferty is not a natural goalie and hasn't been able to kick across his body in the two Donegal and Tyrone game without altering his run and giving it away to opposition where he's going. Obvious danger with a press that teams will try and kick over the press but Rafferty hasn't done that so far this year and he doesn't have distance that cluxton or other natural keepers would have. Be interesting what Armagh will do to counter the expected Galway press.

The biggest worry I would have for us today would be that Armagh will know Sean Kelly will follow o Neill everywhere he goes but that it may leave us susceptible to be targeted with long high ball into FF line where murnin would have size over Glynn and Silke. So many intruiging match ups to be had with this game. Galway need a big game from Tierney today as he was largely anonymous in last few games. He's going under the radar slightly so today might be his chance to shine and show what he's capable of.

Well the restarts are exactly as expected.

Armagh put one into midfield and we won it and they've been able to get the rest off way too easily.

We've bombed most into midfield and lost most.

After Armagh scored a free, we had Glynn in acres of space free, ball is launched into midfield, lost and 30seconds later another free and score.

Gleeson takes about 20 seconds to get and place a ball.... It's just so needlessly poor. Speed is the most crucial aspect.

threeball

Awful tripe. Not pressing the kickout properly so caught between two stools of having pressed up but leaving an easy out ball.

And treacle would run faster than our transition from back to front. Big change needed or this is done.

Leaving Comer on the square hitting hopeful ball is a joke too. Waste of talent unless he's injured and can't run.

Supposed match of the weekend has been septic so far.