Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

PCeeeee

Is Mulkerrins injured?

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120117085#Comment_120117085

Destroyed his knee in Sigerson game for NUIG early last year. I know he was still in with the panel all year but I'd imagine is still trying to get back from that.

PCeeeee

Yeah I knew that. Didn't know he if he still out with it. Sounds like a horrible one for the poor fella.

Avon8

Joyce said in October it was a very abnormal injury and they wouldn't be getting a full season out of him. Sounded like the second half of the season was the aim but I'd be surprised if we had him as a regular starter this year unfortunately

ShamNNspace

Wonder will he stick with power for the league match

edwynk9

Anyone care to make a stab at starting 15 for this year.

Power

Glynn

Kelly 

Silke 

Mc Hugh 

Daly 

Heaney

Mc Daid 

Conroy

Cooke 

Matthew Tierney

Shane Walsh

Finnerty

Comer

Ian Burke 

Subs

Patrick Kelly 

Billy Mannion

Tomo Culhane

Mulkerrins

Gallagher

Paul Kelly

Unavailable

Michael Daly

Finnian o' Laoi

kieran Molloy

Would be something like this for the matchday 15 plus subs. Hopefully one or two come through during the league. Am I missing anyone

SqueakyKneecap

Silke won't be back this season allegedly. The management are hoping for an April return but apparently Corofin seem to be planning without him for the club championship campaign.

MfMan

Really doubt if Mulkerrins can get back up to county speed. Not sure will Paul Conroy start too many games either, might be no harm to look for another partner for McDaid, going forward.

cosatron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120129308#Comment_120129308

Cooke and McDaid for midfield with conroy to come on. I hope he perseveres with Patrick Kelly, he has an eye for a pass and goal and just offers something different.

SqueakyKneecap

I still have my doubts that Cooke has what it takes for intercounty midfield. If he was to start I'd have him wing forward and dropping back for kickouts.

Green Peter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120134628#Comment_120134628

I'm not convinced either, he tends to drift in an out of games, he'll need to prove himself this year and see can he hold down a midfield spot. This year will tell a tale. At least Paul Conroy and Kelly are there as back up. Maybe someone else might push for a place.

Happyilylost

Look at Moycullen Cooke mainly plays half forward/third midfielder. I think that is telling. In saying that with Tierney/Maher/McLaughlin and one I'm hoping really pushes on in Paul Kelly I think they can compete along with Cooke. PC for me isn't for this role anymore. As we normally play 2 inside in the full forward line give him the 15 shirt and let him rove around. But he can't have the task of following a Fenton or Ruane around the pitch.

Avon8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133220#Comment_120133220

I agree, I was a big doubter of Patrick Kelly last year and while he wasnt outstanding, he did prove me wrong. He went on to be excellent then in the club championship. He's someone who has very obvious scope to improve given that he was both raw, and very light for his 6ft 5 frame. More football and a good S&C programme and his ceiling is high.

Another id have hope for is Cathal Sweeney. You could tell at underage he had it and he had a very good club campaign also. McLaughlin and Tomo were very obvious underage talents who can hopefully come good also, injuries permitting.

One I definitely wouldn't rule out is Eoghan Kelly. He progressed at a rate of knots this year through sigerson and club having only just come back to GAA from a stint in the US playing basketball. Quiet club semi final aside, he's another who could be involved given the huge scope from improvement with more practice and games after the time away

Happyilylost

Could end up with three Cooneys on the pitch. Galway ever have three brothers before?

claw14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120135870#Comment_120135870

4 connolly's in 1980 final....John, Joe (Capt.) and Michael played. Padraig was a sub......

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120135870#Comment_120135870

Must be one of the 'knackiest' FF lines fielded by Galway in years - all hugely skillful players.

cson

How is Jason Flynn still getting picked.

SqueakyKneecap

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120143494#Comment_120143494

Because we still have lads like Conor Cooney on frees

blowitupref

Strong Galway team for Saturday night

Connor Gleeson; Eoghan Kelly, Seán Kelly, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, John Daly;Daniel O'Flanherty Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid; Paul Kelly, Matthew Tierney, Johnny Heaney; Rob Finnerty, Damien Comer, Dessie Connelly

Subs Bernie Power,Neil Mulcahy,Cathal Sweeney,John Maher,Billy Mannion,Matthew Barrett,Peter Cooke,Gerard Davoren,Ryan Monaghan,Eoin Finnerty,Owen Gallagher

Borders no.2

No Tomo Culhane?

The goalkeeper situation still worries me hugely. Is the plan for Conor Flaherty to be back in the squad after getting a few Sigerson games or is he not in the picture this year? To me he's our best long term bet and was doing well last year prior to getting injured in the games I saw anyway.

It's very disappointing if he's out. Gleeson and Power have their own qualities and are able to do a job to a certain level but as the year goes on they will inevitably be found out in big games.

Avon8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120163383#Comment_120163383

Is and it isn't. Eoghan Kellys first start as far as I'm aware and o'Flaherty is a sprog. Great potential in both but it's a fair first introduction. Patrick Kelly, McGrath, Burke, Tomo all out from potential starters along with the long-term injuries Molloy, mulkerrin etc and a top 5 player on the bench in Cooke. Goalkeeper situation still a mess also, hard know how that'll shake out. Walsh obviously gone. I'd hazard a guess that that'll be 10 out of the 15 starters in summer. Bench looks extremely experimental

Its probably a 60/40 game in Mayos favour with them potentially having a bit more done. Would have to see a mayo 15 first to judge though

blowitupref

Tomo Culhane injured recently playing in the Sigerson cup. Eoghan Kelly looks to be a good addition. Stood out in defence on the Moycullen Connacht and NUG Sigerson cup winning teams.

Avon8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120163490#Comment_120163490

I think he has huge potential to kick on as specified in a post above. Not sure about this baptism of fire though on starting debut. He's a maurauding wing back not a marker. Maybe they've someone else assigned to follow O'Connor assuming Glynn picks up R'OD and Conroy doesn't play

lukin

I thought there would be a few comments on here about Joe Canning on Laochra Gael last night so I will be the first. It was pretty good; watching those clips of him scoring points from sidelines 60 yards out at the age of sixteen reminds me of what an extraordinary talent he was. I would have liked if the program had delved into that a bit more; it was a unique skill he had and I would loved to hear him explain how he got so good at it.

That clip of the guy stamping on his face in the county final was shocking; was there any disciplinary action taken against the guy who did it? It was totally disgraceful.

SqueakyKneecap

Joe's family came across very well and the man himself gave everything for club and county. Without doubt the best I've seen in my 30 years on this Earth. They could've done a 3 hour documentary and still have missed out on big career moments.

One thing I do think is a bit strange is how much he hates the spotlight, yet he's going to be a Sunday Game pundit in 2023. If he thought he was under the microscope as a player he'll have a lot more people pulling him up on comments when he's a pundit.

MfMan

Is Ian Burke injured also? Mgmt's demotion of James Foley off the panel, if not injured is foolish. One of the best defenders in last year's club championship and excellent for ATU recently in the Sigerson matches.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120164684#Comment_120164684

He’ll be grand. Being a pundit will be a breeze to him. The level of attention on him as a player was unprecedented. As a pundit he’ll be treated the same as any of the rest of them.

Handy enough gig anyway, hurling pundits tend to be very positive towards hurling as opposed to Gaelic football pundits who frequently lament the state of the modern game. I’d doubt Joe would come out with anything outrageous that will bring any serious heat on him.

Avon8

Great watch. Il never forget the excitement about Joe in those late teenage years. Every day going out expecting to see something special and every day him exceeding those expectations

The obvious comparison is with Clifford, but with him it started around 17/18 with his first year all Ireland year at minor through to his second and the Hogan cup win. With Canning it went into overdrive at 15/16 with his first year and all Ireland at minor and the portumna county finals

Another very special prospect in the Galway minors this year I daresay, although looking at the pressure heaped on Joe I hope the transition might be smoother for him in future

Robert2014

I felt watching the show that he was affected by the belief that people would be commenting on his performances and the pressure of having to perform every single time. I don't remember it like that. I feel it was more like people were annoyed that he had no one to help him in the big games when he first started. For example in that game against Cork, he scored 2 12 but the rest of the team could only score something like 3 points. Sure we were never going to win anything like that.

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120164684#Comment_120164684

Heard him talking about it on Off the Ball this week, big difference doing media as a player you could be representing 50-60 people between players, management and backroom personnel, if you say something that could be perceived negatively they could all be effected, as a pundit your just representing himself.