Galway GAA discussion thread

statesaver wrote: »

Is Meehan wearing a Lance Armstrong Livestrong wristband :rolleyes:

Just wondering

The aim of that band was to show support for cancer sufferers, not for Armstrong himself........ Should not be labeled incorrectly !

Fair play to Michael

any idea when its on sale lads?

Also, are club jerseys widely available? have been looking for a Bsloe one, but seeing as im located in Dublin, finiding it quite tricky.

Was just having a look through the National League prediction thread and of the posters that have replied so far (around 13 or 14) about three quarters of them are tipping Galway to win promotion from Division 2, and not a single one is tipping us for relegation.

I know Div2 this year isn't the strongest it's ever been but this surprises me. Personally I think we'd struggle to win promotion from Div3 let alone Div2. That said, we're probably about on a par with the likes of Westmeath, Wexford, Laois and Longford and those games could all go either way, as could Sunday's game against Derry (who are no great shakes themselves). Be a tight division I reckon.

aidan24326 wrote: »

Was just having a look through the National League prediction thread and of the posters that have replied so far (around 13 or 14) about three quarters of them are tipping Galway to win promotion from Division 2, and not a single one is tipping us for relegation.

I know Div2 this year isn't the strongest it's ever been but this surprises me. Personally I think we'd struggle to win promotion from Div3 let alone Div2. That said, we're probably about on a par with the likes of Westmeath, Wexford, Laois and Longford and those games could all go either way, as could Sunday's game against Derry (who are no great shakes themselves). Be a tight division I reckon.

TBH, after last year, id be happy with consolidation.........I think theres a serious amount of work to be done, and getting promoted this season could be a bad thing, if theres no progress over the summer, then become whipping boys in next years league.

If the recent Sligo performance was any barometer then a hard league followed by a very truncated championship season awaits I'm afraid. The 11-year famine looks to be deepening ever further if anything. The county is shockingly bereft of any players of proven, genuine class.

To be fair Joyce was barely part of Mulholland's plans last year and Bergin.. well, let's just say the opinion of his play for years has been mixed. I'd definitely expect Galway to be challenging for promotion, none of the teams could really hang with Meehan and Armstrong on form except maybe Armagh with Jamie Clarke back. Barden being out is a big blow for Longford, I'd have fancied them to make some noise with him fit. A lot of tight games, as has been said, but no sharks like Kildare or Tyrone to worry about either.

When do you play Armagh, actually? If Brigid's beat Cross in the AISF in two weeks (and I very much believe they will) Clarke et al could well be back for most of the league so when you play them could have a big bearing in how much of a challenge they will.

And once again best wishes to Meehan, a wonderful talent and by any account one of the most selfless 'stars' in the sport.

fearruanua wrote: »

When is the football team for sunday due to be announced?

Teams being announced. That's a good one.

Half the time the announced teams tend to be dummy line-ups anyways, it's really gotten to a ridiculous level of paranoia in the sport now.

RobbieRuns wrote: »

I agree, it has gotten stupid. I am also amazes that the certain player, A. N. Other has not been given an all star ! He seems to line out at midfield or full forward on most county teams these days..........

His adaptability has always told against him, never settling into one position but the go to man in a crisis.

Galway team for Sunday NFL V Derry

1. Manús Breathnach
2. Donal Ó Neill 3. Finian Hanley 4. Johnny Duane
5. Cathal Sweeney 6. Gary Sice 7. Gary Sweeney
8. Niall Coleman 9. Fiontán Ó Curraoin
10. John Ó Brien 11. Michael Martin 12. Seán Denvir
13. Sean Armstrong 14. Michael Meehan 15. Danny Cummins

InchicoreDude wrote: »

That does not look like a good Galway side.

I would have major doubts about Sice at no. 6. I felt he did very well at wing forward last year and should be left there. Duane at number 4 is another player I still have reservations about.
However, I think M. Martin at 11 is a good move. He needs a few games in the league there to see if he can offer something....

No, Sice is not a forward.

It pains me greatly to say, but it's one of the poorest teams, albeit on paper, I've ever seen. O'Neill at corner-back is an unknown quantity. Duane should be no. 6, our only realistic option for this position. Gary Sweeney, though slight of stature, is a good footballer, unsure about his namesake Cathal. Hopefully Niall Coleman will have improved on his distribution in this his latest coming. Martin has a lot of ability, but I'm not sure if 11 is his position. (Where is Paul Conroy?) Denvir thrown totally in the deep end, but I hope O'Brien gives a good account of himself, always impressed at underage level. FF line is where things are really bad. I fear that the great M Meehan may never be able to shake off his injury concerns and recover his former potency. Cummins is hit but mostly miss and whatever chance Armstrong had of being an effective county footballer evaporated in the defeat to Sligo last year at the same venue.

It's not totally Mulholland and his selectors' fault that things are so bad, but Galway fans, no more or less fickle than any others, won't have as much patience this year if no discernible progress is made. I hope I'm being way over-pesimistic and I'll be there on Sunday to shout the team on, but the portents don't look good unfortunately.

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

I can't see any signs of promotion TBH. That said they've lost Joyce and Bergin so they'll obviously need time to adjust to that. Just hope Meehan stays fit and the likes of Cummins and PÓG are blooded in.

In fairness both PJ and Bergin played a very limited role (if any) in the league last year and they were still very close to promotion but that guarantees nothing this year.

Looking at the first team selected it is a very young side bar a few lads. There are some good young players coming through but they don't have the same experienced backbone to fall back on. Seems like a Galway side full of boys but not many men.

Hard to disagree though that it is a very uninspiring team on paper. I don't think the spirit of Galway football has been this low in a long long time. Will be there on Sunday though. A win is needed with 4 away games to come.

Bradshaw is injured, having surgery soon I think. Be back for the latter stages of the league hopefully.

Conroy is in the subs. Not sure why he hasn't been selected. Either he's not going well in training or it's just a case of Mulholland wanting to look at other options. He will almost certainly be in the starting 15 against Mayo, one of the better players we have.

I'd agree with the general consensus that it's a very uninspiring team selection. Probably the weakest Galway team in a long time if we're being honest. I hate to be so negative but there's some pretty average footballers on that team. Hopefully Peadar O'Griofa will progress (a real talent) and the likes of Michael Boyle aswell.

aidan24326 wrote: »

Hopefully Peadar O'Griofa will progress (a real talent) and the likes of Michael Boyle aswell.

Don't see the PÓG hype, seen him plenty of times for club and quite a few of those times he has been nullified by the opposition, at under-age and senior, most recently of which was the U-21 match vs Salthill last week. Galway are at an all time low at the minute, Mulholland doesn't have much to work with unfortunately. Doesn't look like it will change any time soon either. Best underage forward I've seen in the past few years has been Conor Rabbitte, anyone know what his story is?