Galway GAA discussion thread

Ye lucky buckeens. One more good draw and ye're sure to get London in R4. The spirit of '98.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

Yes. It is somewhat strange that the 'qualifier' side of the draw is probably stronger than the provinical semis this year. I think Galway have a chance against all those teams except Down (and probably Kildare too).



Who are your alternatives? Keith Kelly at number 6 failed. According to Mulholland, Duane was injured for yesterdays game. So who would you have played at number 6?

Duane at 3 and Hanley at 6 if both fit. Duane is brilliant in the air, he's susceptible at 6 when there's players running at him as Cathal Cregg showed last year v the Rossies. He can read the game well and would be perfect at full back. Hanley at 6 can cover Duane if there's a pacy lad put on him, sit in front and mind the house.


2. Joss Moore 3. Duane 4. Cathal Sweeney 5. Doherty 6. Hanley 7. Doherty

2 pacy wing backs who can score, Sweeney is tough and we need lads like him in the team who'll walk down on top of their man if they have to.

8. Flynn 9. Conroy

O Curraoin imo will never be up to the riguors of inter county football. Way too soft, no real fire to him and he doesn't have anything in his locker other than winning high ball, and he didn't even win any of them against Mayo. It may seem premature to say this but that's what I've always felt about him and nothing he has done suggests otherwise. The Galway media and subsequently the Irish media have billed him to be a superstar, way out of proportion. Saw him for his club v Salthill/Knock and 2 lads in their mid 30's Boylan and Tierney (a hurler) lorded it. He was given mom v Cork in the 21's when there was at least 5 Galway lads better than him. Perhaps a coincedence that it was a Connemara man who gave it to him.

Flynn has alot more ability, he has a big engine and can also kick a score or 2. Won't see the best of him until he fills out but he's still a better option than what's there

10. Cathal Mulryan 11. Shane Walsh 12. Eoin Concannon

Mulryan gets up and down the field better than any half forward in the county and every team needs a player like him. He also has the added benefit of being able to kick scores off both feet, as he's shown for Cortoon and the u21's. Shane Walsh is the biggest young talent in Galway and has to play. At 11 he can roam around and run at people. Concannon is a big strong lad who can also drop back if needed and has a lovely left peg.

13. Cummins 14. Meehan 15. Patrick Sweeney

Cummins and Meehan pick themselves. Sweeney is a powerhouse, he has had alot of injuries but throw him in around the house and he'll do damage against anyone. Sure to frighten a few defenders

Agree (a bit) about Fiontáin, there's nothing special about him. I've seen him cleaned out in many a club match by players who weren't even U-21 panelists. If he does develop into a top class inter-county midf I'd very surprised. His passing range is average, but he is able to kick points given the opportunity. He's in a fortunate position in that there is such a lack of midfielders in this county.
Not quite sure about Flynn as well, for a start, I don't think anyone knows his best position. He used to be a full forward, but he definitely isn't an inter-county standard ff. He's now regarded as a wing forward, but I think he sees himself as more of a midfielder, which is probably where I'd have him.

I just can't believe that out of 2 AI winning U-21 teams we haven't got a midfielder. I look to other counties like Cork and Kildare, and they seem to have an abundance of players capable of playing midfield. Never mind yer no. 6, until midfield is sorted we aren't going anywhere fast.

Have to say that I agree with Porterbelly mostly. I would only bring Shane Walsh on as a sub tho, too early to throw him in at centre half forward, would stick with Army for this campaign, however long it lasts !

Syferus wrote: »

FOC is a better player than Flynn.

I'm amazed anyone could write off a key player on a two-time U21 AI-winning side at the ripe old age of 21 and not burst out laughing at the sheer inanity of what they'd just said.* Some of the stuff typed by people on internet forums about young players remind me of the sort of ****e Simon Cowell or Louis Walsh would come out with on a talent show.


*Just to be clear, I'm referring specifically to porterbelly's comments.

Time will tell

But I know from playing against him and seeing him play even at club level that I wouldn't want him on my team if there was a 50/50 ball to be won or if the game was in the melting pot. At senior level, even at club, physically he's completely out of his depth on most occasions. Maybe he'll fill out but to me he hasn't got the bit of nastiness or bite that can drive a team on. That's what Galway are missing, lads who can pick things up when the chips are down, be it throwing over a score or burying someone with a shoulder.

The media have him way overhyped in Galway and it seems to have fooled alot of people. Flynn is a far superior player. Once he gets over his injuries he will cement his place in the team. He's a midfielder, not a wing forward or full forward, always was.

porterbelly wrote: »

Time will tell

But I know from playing against him and seeing him play even at club level that I wouldn't want him on my team if there was a 50/50 ball to be won or if the game was in the melting pot. At senior level, even at club, physically he's completely out of his depth on most occasions. Maybe he'll fill out but to me he hasn't got the bit of nastiness or bite that can drive a team on. That's what Galway are missing, lads who can pick things up when the chips are down, be it throwing over a score or burying someone with a shoulder.

The media have him way overhyped in Galway and it seems to have fooled alot of people. Flynn is a far superior player. Once he gets over his injuries he will cement his place in the team. He's a midfielder, not a wing forward or full forward, always was.

He obviously need to bulk up but few players come out of U21 not needing to. What's remarkable about FOC is his ability to field high ball (a rarer art than some might assume for a midfielder) and his movement in open space, he causes havoc in defences when he carries the ball at them. Wouldn't agree that he's only an average passer, in fact I'd say he has a good eye for a pass. Galway flew in the first half of this year's U21 Connacht final because of him and when we adjusted and isolated him out of the game (Flynn wasn't playing and he had little support so it was very possible to do) Galway fell to pieces in the second half. He was the fulcrum of the team, without him that forward line would have been starved of ball this year.

For me he all the pieces to become a mainstay of Galway's midfield if he sets himself the task of working on his conditioning over the next two or three years.

Don't know what to make of Flynn right now, his injury masked his talent for much of the spring and it's hard to be harsh on his performances as a result.

Both are worthy prospects for any county to have.

Both Flynn and O'Currain are about as good a pair of prospects we've had since Meehan and Armstrong first broke through. I think it's ludicrious to slate either of them at the age of 20/21. I personally think Flynn will make a colossal player because I've seen a lot of the football ability he has, and think when he fills out into a midfielder physique it'll be the full package. O'Currain has great ability in the air at the moment, and looks an intelligent footballer and will also find his feet. The last player to be parachuted into a Galway lineup at age 19 (as these two were) was Michael Meehan, and he mixed the good with 'going missing' for a fair few years. Flynn especially does a lot of unseen work and I dont think it's fair to say he goes missing. Naviety at the top level for sure.

@THFC, out of 2 u-21 winning years we've had the exact same midfield partnership. Both are under 21 and both are excellent prospects. Any player that can dominate Aidan Walsh at age 19 (Flynn), and an entire Cork midfield in a final (O'Currain) have serious ability.

Re Armstrong...from 05-2010 when we had some classy forwards (Meehan, Joyce x2, Savage), it was fair to question whether we could put up with Armstrongs inconsistency in search of the odd day when he's brilliant. Nowadays, even on a poor day he's better than most we have. This is the same ludicrous crap from unknowledgeable supporters. 'Drop Army, our best forward this past 2 games'. 'Drop Hanley, our best player for 3 years'. 'U21's AI winner have no intercounty future at age 21'.

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Good to see Duane back. Didn't think anybody had a bad game though so the team picks itself. Hopefully they'll have lost some of the rustiness from last week. Would be lovely to have two wins this weekend.

Also I know they aren't playing Tyrone or Kildare by any means but I think it's great that U-16's are free in. Can't argue with terrace for €10 either.

On the one hand true, but if there was ever a c'ship game to experiment in, next Saturday's is it. I know it doesn't help with settling a team, but it might have been a good time to try another couple of players, particularly in the forwards, to see if any of the panel would stake a claim to a starting jersey. No disrespect to Waterford, but if Galway win Saturday, the harder tests start then.

AngeGal wrote: »

Has the hurling team being named yet?

tonight.