Galway GAA discussion thread

I really enjoyed the match as a spectacle in Croker and I could see how the neutral would have enjoyed it more, when the football was played into our full forward line, it was a joy to watch. It was a good game and a more traditional game of Gaelic Football.

However............. ! The modern day game is different and there wer times when I could have pulled my hair out. The short faffing around passing in the backs drives me mad. The one thing above everything for me was the way we are not streetwise, especially in closing games out. We made some terrible decisions at key moments that turned the game around, we went to kick miracle points from the sidelines which just gave pocession back to Cork. There was a time when we had a 4 point lead with say 10 minutes left and all we needed to do was don't conceed that goal....... we could have brought more men behind the and ball forced Cork to shoot from further out, but we gave them that space and paid the price. We played it like a game of basketball, letting them run at us and hoping that we would go up and score more than them, we needed to close that game out, play boring if you have to!

The other point that I wanted to make and it pains me to say it, but when Cork did get the lead with with a few minutes to go, they slowed the pace right down and dare I say it, men were dropping like flies on the ground, physios running on, anything to disrupt the pace of the game...... Donegal, Dublin, Mayo they all do it. Annoys the hell out of me and refs should add way more time than they do, call it experience, call it what you will but we should have closed that game out, we are too honest and not crafty enough.

The footballers would do well to remember that that was a desperately poor Cork team. Couihan seemed to have no game plan and if it wasn't for the fact that Cork have better individuals they would have lost. We also got quite lucky in regards to conceding goals, had Cork taken one of their many previous goal chances it could have ended the game as a contest early on. I'm as happy with anyone with the performance, but it seems to be going to our heads. A lot of positives, but also a lot of improvements to be made.

audman wrote: »

For the last few months (with regards the hurlers) I've heard time and time again that there's unrest between certain players from different clubs. A few guesses here and there that it might involve the Portumna and Thomas' lads. Gort and Loughrea mentioned too. Cunningham involved in politics involving certain members of the county board, etc... Nothing exact has ever been said though just rumours and guesses really.

Cab anyone confirm exactly what is going on? Or at least summarise what you might know. Driving me nuts here.

By the way, this has nothing to do with looking looking for an excuse for this years performances. I'm just curious as to where all this talk is coming from.

There's always been massive rivarly in Galway club hurling. 25 years ago when we were winning All Ireland's it was no different. You'd often see 2 county teammates tearing strips off each other in Kenny Park and then going into battle side by side with Galway 2 weeks later. The difference is that they could put their differences aside when they entered the county setup for the greater good.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

Bane left the panel last year as he felt his form was not good and he was not getting any game time. He now has a young baby so I doubt we will see him back playing for Galway. Mulholland wants to move onto the next generation of Galway players. He hasnt really wanted to know about the Cormac generation of players.

In fairness, Galway do have comptetition at midfield as O'Curraoin & Flynn were very much vying for that number 9 shirt.

Seen him for Galway few Times and once for Caherlistrane in the 7s in Kilmacud. He was very accurate from play. Always felt he went a little bit under the radar. Pity if his form went.

THFC wrote: »

Couldn't be more disgusted with today. No bottle whatsoever. Went down without a fight which is inexcusable. Very sceptical of AC, did a marvellous job last year but all that is undone, if he can't get the team to play like a team I'm not sure he should be manager.

But what a waste of a trip, the losing is not what bothers me, it's the fcuking lack of effort to play as a team. A squad of individuals.

I agree re both these points, Clare just seemed far hungrier and wanted it more.

A squad of individuals sums it up perfectly, its like every player has to do it on his own, where is the support play, a simple handpass can make all the difference.

An All Ireland there for the taking and we should have been favourites for it, its ****ing annoying.

THFC wrote: »

The reality is that while we no doubt gave a performance to be proud of, we have to remember it was against a very poor Cork side, who still could've gotten 3 or so goals inside the first half. It was their misses coupled with us giving our best performance in about 4 years that almost won us the match. If we go out with a similar game plan next year against a top 6 team (Mayo being the obvious here) we'll do well not to get hammered.

There's a lot of patting on the back, and some of it is justified, our campaign this year was arguably our best in a long time, but we now we have to ask ourselves if we're happy being a mid-pack team. Galway is a traditional county and we should be top 8 minimum every year. At the moment there is probably 14-16 teams that you could say are better than Galway, which is a bloody shame to be honest. Looking at the way northern teams play may not be a bad idea.

No, don't want to see us go the northern way - Kernan tried a bit of that and the team lost their way completely. Given how we played last Saturday I think we would have had a good chance of beating Donegal, given their injury situation and low morale, and perhaps Cavan and Monaghan also. I would have Dublin, Mayo, Kerry and maybe Cork (in that order) ahead of these.

It was a complete shambles on Sunday, but in fairness that's a word that can also be used to describe the state of Galway hurling over the last 25 years. Imagine - 25 years without an AI, with all the talent that has been in the county over that period of time. I'm sure we're all well aware of the infighting between clubs that has affected morale amongest the panel, but that's nothing new to Galway hurling. We all had a great laugh at the goings on in the co final last year, with Johnny Mahers flattening of 2 players, burying a penalty & decking two more as he made his way back to his position afterwards has reached legendary staus on utube & beyond. However, this culture of anarchy that has been allowed to build up between the clubs and to fester unchecked for years at co board level, with each board member seemingly only interested in protecting their own club patch. Remember JC being butchered in a co final 7 years ago anyone? It all played out about 20 yards in front of me, & I can easily say with hand on heart that if what happened then on the pitch happened on the street anywhere, there would have been time done for GBH by at least 2 individuals. Yet the co boards reaction to the whole thing was to fine Cannings club for raising their grieviences through the media! I also recall a load of sweeping under the carpet back in the early 90s when Eanna Ryan was nearly knocked out when struck with a hurl across the head in a local c'ship match. And then we wonder why the players play as a bunch of demotivated, disinterested individuals on days such as last Sunday.
The whole management power struggle that went on this year is another shambles. If Cunninghams backroom team weren't giving him full support he should have fired the lot of them, with the full support of the co board for his decision. There can be only one captain of any ship. The decision of the Thomas's players to play in the Kilbeacanty 7s was another issue that should have been dealt with firmly by Cunningham, by not doing so showed he lacks big leadership traits. By all accounts this led to more rancour from other members of the panel, accusing him of nepotism.
Before anyone says to me that 2012 shows that things are working, I will argue that it merely shows us the potential of what happens when things do run smoothly. The reality is that the likes of 2001/2005/2012 only happen for us by chance, and that there is no strategic plan (ala Dublin) to ensure that we are successful on a consistent basis. Dublin developed their "blueprint for hurling" in the early 2000s, with the results being clear for all to see from about 2009 onwards. Granted they had a bad year last year, but instead of blood letting & finger pointing, the co board sat down calmly with the panel & managemnet & sussed out what did go wrong, & subsequently addressed it. What are the chances of that happening in Galway I wonder?
Galway hurling has failed the many fine players that have worn the jersey over the last 25 years. The likes of Paddy Kelly, Liam Burke, Joe Rabbitte, Eugene Cloonan, Liam Hodgkins, David Tierney, Kevin Broderick, Alan & Mark Kerins, Ollie Canning, Derek Hardiman, Joe McGrath, Liam Donoghue, Damian Joyce, Ger Farragher, to name but a few have all ended up not winning at least one AI medal, and that I firmly believe is a tragedy. The likelihood of the Joe Canning, Damian Hayes, David Brke, Cyril Donnellan, Kevin Hynes & the rest of the currently senior, U21 & minor panels joining them is very high (probably running at about 95%). Players, just like workers in any organisation, need to be given clear leadership & proper structures within which to work & most importantly to maximise their talents. All successful companies (Apple, Ryanair, Kerry Group, Microsoft, etc) show clear leadership from the top, and equip their people with the tools to do their jobs properly. The co board need to take this approach with the senior team, and stop playing to the tune of the clubs. Either that or just disband the co teams & let the clubs do what they like.
History will judge the guardians of Galway hurling over this period of time very poorly indeed, as a paltry return of only 4 senior titles for such a strong county is nothing short of shameful. The biggest shame of all is I can't see anything happening which offers any hope at all for the future.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

I liked Tierney and was always disappointed that Galway fans gave him such a hard time but not sure he deserves to be on a list with those guys!

The names I listed are just examples - in reality it's only a sample. You could argue the merits of all I listed, but the point I was trying to make was that we have had more than enough talent to win at least 3-4 AIs in the 25 years, given the right structures & environment. Personally I felt that Tierney showed enough raw talent at times to suggest that with right coaching & nuturing, he would produce the goods on a consistent basis. Just my opinion thou, others may think differently. The central point remains - Galway hurling has blown it through sheer incompetence & neglect @ co board level.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

I liked Tierney and was always disappointed that Galway fans gave him such a hard time but not sure he deserves to be on a list with those guys!

Do Donnellan and Hynes deserve to be listed alongside Hayes and Canning? I really don't think either are top intercounty hurlers at all.