Galway GAA discussion thread

The big question mark I'd have over Galway for Saturday is whether we can move the ball with the tempo required. So often during the last few years against any kind of semi-organised blanket defence we have seen Galway amble over and back across the field with hand passing with no real purpose, no one really taking on responsibility, no conviction to what we are trying to do and inevitably we get turned over.

Derry have held two All-Ireland contenders to 0-8 and 1-9 so they have the ability to keep us to a low score and they have the ammunition up front to put us away if they get a decent share of the ball. We need to get the tempo high from the off and our more experienced players need to show the leadership in bringing the ball forward that they haven't shown too often in recent years.

Having said all that from what I have seen of Derry in the last couple of years, there'd be similar questions over their mentality as Galway. Fell over the line against a weak 14 man Down side at home, lost to Longford at home last year after self-destructing from a winning position at home to Donegal in Ulster. Lost to Down in 2013.

It'll be a tight one, hopefully home advantage will help tilt it our way.

deisedude wrote: »

Do Ianroid Eireann put direct(ish) trains on for when Galway are playing in Thurles?

The supporters club run two+ buses to the games.

One goes direct to the city and the other does the towns.

I can pass on their number when the text goes out as I'm on the list since last year.

Good win for Galway in the intermediate tonight. Portlaoise at 7.30 in the middle of the week doesn't leave it open to many to travel unfortunately. Into the final now against Cork. Most years recently its been treated as an afterthought by Galway and we'd meet teams who had a couple of games under their belt. Entering Leinster at this grade has undoubtedly been positive. Giving some lads on the fringes some game time with the possibility of getting a look in with the seniors has to be good news.

My worry for this is that with Cunningham in charge he will try and spin it that success at this level will show he is bringing through players and might be enough to get him a 5th year.

Having said that its about 1999 I think since we won this competition so would be a nice boost to finish the job.

I have given the footballers enough stick during the year but in fairness when it went to 8-7 early in the 2nd half, the omens weren't good and we've seen Galway fade out in similar circumstances in recent years but to give the lads their credit they got through the bad patch and picked off the scores that were needed to give us an advantage. In such a tight game a goal was always going to be important. We had got on top at that stage and it finished them off.

Brian McIver went out in style throwing all the toys out of the pram at once. He's right that the standard of reffing is generally poor but what's new. I was too far away to make a call on his penalty claim, looked awkward from where I was but while after the first 10-15 minutes I think we got the better of the breaks off the ref, I think McIver should be asking more questions of himself. Derry kept the score down and kicked some good points in the first half but thankfully their one dimensional tactics in the 2nd half made it easy for us.

Few worrying things. First 15-20 we were well off the pace and would have been out of the game against better opponents. Midfield took a long time to come alive. Little prospect of a turnover on Derry ball. Looking down the line, we need to compete much harder for turnovers particularly against the big Northern sides. Some of the tackling by Galway was just plain lazy.

Damien Comer was quiet, Lundy hasn't had a good championship to date, Conroy was his usual mixed bag. O'Griofa we didn't really see much of.

On the positive side, Gary Sice who I wasn't a big fan of at county level for years has brought real leadership to the squad this year, Danny Cummins won us some messy ball when we were struggling. Gary O'Donnell had a good game to be fair. Bradshaw improved in the 2nd half and Cathal Sweeney continued his good year.

It was painful stuff to watch (but was always going to be especially with the incessant rain) its nice to dig out a couple of these games for a change. Again the draw is crucial. If we can get Sligo, I'd fancy us once we keep our heads screwed on. Monaghan not so much. Either way the races will start and at least the footballers will still be alive, hopefully the hurlers will be too after next weekend. Good to see they were there to back the footballers tonight.

Today probably demonstrated again that a revamp of Tuam for these type of games would be welcome. Between the Galway United game, Arts Festival, general Saturday traffic and the rain getting to Salthill was again a nightmare for many even with a crowd of less than 5k.

T0001 wrote: »

One thing I noticed yesterday is how pissed off Galway fans were with us playing defensive and handpassing alot. But one stat I have is, under Mulhollond Galway averaged 13 scores, in 3 years, so far under Kevin Walsh in Championship, Galway are averaging (excluding London and NY respectively) 12. Not much difference really.


Lets look at defense. Under Mulhollond, Galway conceeded an average of 16 scores. Under Walsh so far, Galway are conceeding an average of 11.

You have to play defensive and anyone foolish enough to play 6 on 6 in defence will concede hurling scores... Look what Kerry scored on us last year playing man to man.

What I do have a problem with is slow transition or handpassing around midfield needlessly.
Example being Sweeneys yellow yesterday. Up by 3 with 20 odd to go and arsing about with it in our half.

I think our transition is improving though, there was some nice quick ball moved up at times.
Balls need to be kept out of midfielders hands though, as a rule they're generally slow and lack awareness.
There was a few times we overly used big men on a break.
The ball cant stick to an area or slow, it should never be needlessly passed unless a player hits a defender and a man is coming off the shoulder at pace.

Id actually wonder is it worth having two big players in the middle in the modern game?.

If I was a manager id try one big to contest long hit and hope kick outs and our opponents kicks.
The other would be a half back as you want to kick it short anyway so what's the point in having two guys who's job is to contest kicks that aren't coming, plus you don't have to sacrifice a forward to add another defender.