Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

Programmes sold out. Our country board can get very little right.

jr86 wrote:

Toms proving me well wrong anyway, fierce damp squib altogether

Thomas's Way too good. For the county team probably would of been better for Mellows to win. Fintan Burke, Shane Cooney, Enna Burke and Darragh Burke probably would of seen a fair bit of league action to see where they were. Darragh Burke man of the match two games in a row probably would of been brought into the panel for a look.

Dickie9 wrote: »

He's working in loughrea gym....looks like he has been looking for transfer a number off years all low key ud think it be in the paper big transfer

Strange one . Won’t go down well in mullagh I say . Hard to understand the reasoning behind it . Must be more to it then meets the eye . Very unusual for players to leave there home clubs especially for one few miles away

jr86 wrote: »

Anyway...

How do people see the county final going today?

Very tough one to call

Thomas's were ultimately very much over-hyped after a few facile group wins - they were blessed to come through against the Bridge and were very mediocre against Sarsfields in the semi. Their weaknesses (mainly in defence) have been properly tested in the knock-outs

Their main men have been very inconsistent - Conor Cooney got 5 from play against Bridge and 1 near the end v Sars, Eanna Burke put up the same scores in those matches in reverse order. David and Darragh Burke were peripheral against Bridge but did improve (David is still way off his best) v Sarsfields.

Mellows for me are the safe bet. I think they'll hold all the Thomas's forwards enough. I'd be amazed if anyone got 5 from play and that's what Thomas's have relied on in their last two games - one of their stars to bail them out.

Mellows have such a dogged defence and midfield and while their forwards haven't been individually exceptional (Haran aside), I do think they'll have put up enough scores and grind this out

In mitigation, for Thomas' the 'Bridge game came after a long hiatus against an up-and-coming team who'd had a pre-qualifier warm up match. Equally, there was nothing mediocre in the Sarsfields' match about their performance (or their opponents.)

Your preview analysis wasn't incorrect, so what went wrong for Mellows in today's ordinary final? In fairness, Thomas' seized the initiative from the start and played with the wind having won the toss. They battled in numbers, something not always associated with them, and the half-time stat summed up the game, with nearly all of the winners' scores coming from play, with Mellows' replies all frees. In a funny way, Tom's inconsistency is a strength; like Galway last year, they weren't reliant on any particular forward in the knockout stages, with different players coming to the fore in the various rounds. Mellow's reliance on Tadgh Haran was advertised and when, like today, he wasn't quite at it, the rest of their forward division struggled, with Aongus Callanan in particular being anonymous. Three of them were replaced when the game was still in the melting pot and they had to push David Collins forward to tyr and improve things. They also lost midfield which in turn put strain on the defence.

A Thomas's / Ballyhale match will be tasty if it comes to pass.

jr86 wrote: »

Very impressive win in the Minor for the Bridge

Had a fair few 15 year olds playing even. TJ Brennan is a colossus and it won't be long before we're seeing him in a Galway senior jersey

Looks like they're setting up to be the dominant Senior Club in the 2020s!

Are 15 year old lads allowed play minor? If that is the case they could have been marking someone who is 3 years older than them

Legalfarmer89 wrote: »

St Thomas were by far the better team and Thomas’ defence didn’t give Mellows a chance. Fintan Burke was very good and the corner backs were very tigerish. Darragh Burke did the damage up front. There playing Cushendall in the Semi now in February and they will be favorites for that so a great chance to get to an All Ireland Final. After that anything is a bonus however I don’t think they have come up anything like Ballygunner or Ballyhale in Galway so I can’t see them winning it out.

Think your underselling their chances a bit. Whether good or bad, club hurling in Galway is very competitive and a good training ground for teams who progress from the county. Both Ballyhale and Ballygunner have had their travails to get this far also, the former being very lucky to get to the KK final, while the latter (I think) just squeaked a draw in normal time v. Ballyea.

Legalfarmer89 wrote: »

St Thomas were by far the better team and Thomas’ defence didn’t give Mellows a chance. Fintan Burke was very good and the corner backs were very tigerish. Darragh Burke did the damage up front. There playing Cushendall in the Semi now in February and they will be favorites for that so a great chance to get to an All Ireland Final. After that anything is a bonus however I don’t think they have come up anything like Ballygunner or Ballyhale in Galway so I can’t see them winning it out.

I'd give them every chance to be honest. They definitely have the talent. They are a strange side in that some years in Galway they don't look that bothered but they seem to be motivated and having one of their good years this year.

Have to get past Cushendall first and Ulster clubs are actually pretty competitive compared to what their sides are like at intercounty level.

jr86 wrote:

They've been affected by injuries in a few campaigns, and have very little strength in depth beyond their usual first 15 to cope

Change of management for me was a big difference this year too. Things seemed a little less hectic. More heads less raw passion. For me this team should of dominated over the last number of years since they last won the All Ireland. Current team. David Burke and Conor Cooney are inter county players through and through. Next young gifted and possibly inter county players of the future would be Enna Burke, Shane Cooney and Fintan Burke. Above average club players I would see as James Regan, Bernard Burke, Donal Cooney and Darragh Burke (he's been exceptional in the last two games I've seen) The rest are mostly solid club players with very few very weak links. If they play to form I think they have a good chance of winning the All Ireland out.

Of course it also means Galway will likely be without the Thomas' lads for the entire league campaign. Wasn't a big deal last year as Mellows had nobody invoved but Thomas' will probably have 5 or 6 lads in the Galway squad next year.

evolving tipperary wrote:

Some carry-on, wha?

Nothing new in it.

Audioslaven wrote: »

Has Padraic Joyce got the U20 gig?

Ya, no mention yet of selectors.