Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

We can afford a 3 point defeat against Dublin and still avoid relegation even if Armagh beat Kerry, no doub we'll go down to the last few minutes still in the mix for relegation. As others have said above, no matter who we play, it still seems to go down to the last few minutes withe the result still in doubt, today was relatively comfortable compared to most of our matches.

You don't overcome that mental fragility that the footballers have overnight and if anything it looks like they've gone backwards.

That being said, if we stay up while missing key names after trying out a lot of new players it will be a positive league overall. Not sure if the likes of Mulhearn will be able to championship football however.

12 points up with 58 mins on the clock against a team who's heads had dropped and where we knew scoring difference between key to survival next weekend and we only score 1 point from them onwards to 1-1 for Monaghan . We should have put foot on the throat at that stage and kicked on or held that scoreline atleast. 8 point + target for dublin next weekend would have put us in much better position and it could be a case of deja vu for us against dubs next weekend and be watching over our shoulders again. Judging by Jack o Connors comments post mayo game I wonder if Kerry will be too bothered going for win up in Armagh as he seems content enough with their league so far which wouldn't be good for us.

I'm referring to the style of play, not the results or league positions they finished in. They're overplaying the ball every time they get it, working it through endless handpasses until finally someone shoots, or they lose it. Nobody took a shot for a 2 pointer until Conroy came on, with a wind behind them. I saw Meaths scores against Tyrone last night, they're looking slicker than last year. It's direct football. Galway are still playing the slow stuff and it'll cost them again.

Good fightback from the hurlers. Noticeable improvement when Monaghan and Brennan went off. Good squad players but not first team. Far better options now.

If we hadn't been so naive on both sets of puckouts, especially theirs we wouldn't have had as much ground to make up. Alot of positives though. The new lads are really standing up. I thought Rabitte was outstanding on limited/poor ball, Neary was excellent, Molloy did well.

Rory Burke and Gavin Lee will add alot to that team. We need Burkes physicality in the half forward line. Burke, Mannion and Killeen would be that line for me.

How do you make that out. He dragged Loughrea through Galway from CF. They only got going in the semis.

We didn't have playmakers in midfield tonight. Daniels is a worker and Brennan is similar but with worse decision making. Gavin Lee will bring that creativity to the middle and link with those half forwards. Once they're causing more problems the inside lads get freed up.

The ball delivery at times was terrible. Lads being double marked and a less the 50/50 ball delivered in to them.

Couldn't believe the sideline across the pitch. As soon as he hit it I knew we were going to concede a goal. It was a terrible puckout to Mannion that got Limerick up and running in the first instance. We were 5pts up and conceded 4 in 2 minutes after that puckout.

All stuff that should be easy enough to tidy up. We do need to get smarter when we come in to contact. You cannot go from contact to contact with Limerick or other top teams, you will get turned over. You have to move it 20 to 30m away from that area as soon as possible. They commit bodies and the space is always available elsewhere.

Galway footballers are so badly coached. It's just terrible stuff. In backs and forwards, lads are getting bottled up and overturned because there's no proper support. PJ and his friends would wanna pack up this year, there'll be no big silverware playing this poorly.

Thought there should have been another penalty before that melee at the end.

Not sure what happened going off but Ger Brennan was pulling out of one of the Galway backroom lads going off the pitch when the players finished pushing and shoving

Serious mentality issues with this team. They seem to only get going if miles behind, or stop completely when miles in front and get reeled in.

Without Maher, Finnegan and the two corner backs the team would be a complete mess. No real plan or cohesion. The space they gave Bugler in the first 20mins was criminal. Hernon had a great last 15 but we essentially played the full 70 without a full back and were cut open at ease. McHugh is not a CB. Wing isn't suiting Kelly. We don't have a proper FB or CB settled in position a couple of weeks out from championship.

Personally myself i felt that Padraig Joyce brought Galway as far as he could as manager, and should've walked away after last years championship. We'll see how this year goes, but it looks like bottling an all Ireland final to a poor/mediocre Armagh team will come to define his tenure as Galway manager.

Is an manager from outside the county that big of an issue? Joyce lives in kildare afaik. Would like to see Éamonn Fitzmaurice over the team

Agreed totally on Killeen. It's not his style and he's not the type of player to provide the kind of physical and direct presence needed in the half forward line these days. Midfield alongside daniels allows him to mop up a bit more loose stuff and play his natural passing game. Saying that he wouldn't make my 15:

Fahy

Ryan

Trayers

Morrissey

Mannion

Daithi

Glennon

Lee

Daniels

Neary

Mannion

Burke

Whelan

Rabbitte

Niland

rory burke's performance against KK and Neary the last day off the bench swing it for me to start ahead of Monahan (who i know is frustrating but I still think is underappreciated)

Nice selection off the bench then of

Hanrahan

Monahan

Fintan burke

Fahy

Killeen

Molloy

Morgan

Fleming if he makes it back this year

Beano