Galway GAA discussion thread

Diabhal Beag · 19-07-2015 12:29PM

I think that the likes of Sweeney and Silke have tightened ship an awful lot and the corner backs don't leave Hanley as exposed any more. Certainly the best backline in many years for Galway. O'Donnell looks a better all rounder too this year.

Giberto describes my big issue perfectly. There'll be backwards handpassing unfortunately. What's really got to improve is the speed in the build-up. When Galway properly ran at Derry especially early on through Duane it worked but unfortunately the conditions made it difficult to control/slippy. When Lundy was allowed to run at the backs there were two gimme points wasted by him. Then the breakaway for the goal was one of the quickest moves of the day. I think both midfielders can adapt to a quicker gameplan and they are able to run at backs. Flynn seemed a lot more confident going for scores last season.

I know a lot of people are giving the ref a bollocking but it was clear from the first few minutes when he gave Galway absolutely nothing that he was going to blow easily. McIver has to acknowledge how ill-disciplined his side were and there amount of wides in the second half before going after the referee (again).

Big day again for the draw tomorrow. Is it a certainty that the games are in Croker Saturday Raceweek?

19-07-2015 02:39PM

Well after hammering Mayo a few weeks ago the minors have done a complete reverse and are giving a pathetic performance.

A measly 3 points in a half with the breeze and have spurned numerous chances.
And obviously this was further compounded by a goalie mistake for a goal, which is what happens on days like today when nothing goes right.

Need a big turnaround which looks unlikely given the garbage so far, but they have at least had all the chances.

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Big day again for the draw tomorrow. Is it a certainty that the games are in Croker Saturday Raceweek?

I guess it depends on the teams involved.
Wasn't Tipp last year in the same round(?) and that was Tullamore which also involved Sligo(assuming they lose) who wouldn't bring many fans.

With Monaghan winning now that would probably have it in Croker as you'd imagine a few travelling for Tyrone/Galway and Donegal. Though with 3 of the teams from the North somewhere like McHale might be picked?

Tullamore probably wouldn't be picked again as Tipp and Sligo being involved probably factored into that being chosen.

Diabhal Beag · 19-07-2015 02:57PM

It was Tullamore but there were no Ulster sides in that round of the qualifiers on the Galway side of the draw. In 2013 it was in Croker for 3 headers with 2 Ulster sides.

19-07-2015 03:04PM

My lord... 15 wides, 3+ goal chances missed and numerous balls into the goalies hands and 6 points on the board.

Worst Galway minor performance in years id say.

Manager should have whipped off all off them he could.

Sligo could win a Connacht with barely a score in ages and 1-4 on the board including a goalie error goal.

19-07-2015 03:15PM

Management should be sacked after this.

McDaid drops another short, that's a good 8/9 and distance wasn't a problem from most. One of the other lads hadn't a problem with the distance yet he kept getting taken off and on.
A bloody 20mtr was short ffs.

Draw... Disgraceful, Sligo get a draw and they barely scored a point in 50mins.

Utopia Parkway · 19-07-2015 03:45PM

Not a good result for Galway with Monaghan winning. I think it means it'll be Galway v Donegal now. Had Donegal won it would have been either Monaghan or the losers of the Connacht final. Presumably Sligo. A wounded Donegal will be very tough.

elefant · 19-07-2015 03:49PM

With Derry's sour grapes about the referee they seem to forget that they should have been down to 14 by the end too for those kicks on Lundy while he was lying on the ground.

T0001 · 19-07-2015 04:22PM

Donegal next lads! Id say it will be in Roscommon, with Sligo v. Tyrone there aswell

Utopia Parkway · 19-07-2015 04:25PM

T0001 wrote: »

Donegal next lads! Id say it will be in Roscommon, with Sligo v. Tyrone there aswell

Will be a great test for Galway although I was hoping to not come up against a side like that until the quarter-finals.

19-07-2015 04:25PM

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Not a good result for Galway with Monaghan winning. I think it means it'll be Galway v Donegal now. Had Donegal won it would have been either Monaghan or the losers of the Connacht final. Presumably Sligo. A wounded Donegal will be very tough.

Such rubbish that Tyrone get a Sligo team who were beat after 6mins while we have to beat a third top team.

They need to scrap this stupid qualifier system, why should weak teams get easy runs to a 1/4 while a pile of strong teams get stuck on the other side.
Just makes the whole thing easier for the likes of Dublin who can end up getting another sub par team in the 1/4 instead of it being at the least a 8-12 ranked team.

I wouldn't be overly worried about Donegal though, they didn't show a whole pile there. The only team id really worry about is Dublin tbh, that's not to say I think we're better than the others but id give us a chance.
If we were more tactically astute last year we could have beat the eventual AI winners.

Robson99 · 19-07-2015 04:35PM

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Such rubbish that Tyrone get a Sligo team who were beat after 6mins while we have to beat a third top team.

They need to scrap this stupid qualifier system, why should weak teams get easy runs to a 1/4 while a pile of strong teams get stuck on the other side.
Just makes the whole thing easier for the likes of Dublin who can end up getting another sub par team in the 1/4 instead of it being at the least a 8-12 ranked team.

I wouldn't be overly worried about Donegal though, they didn't show a whole pile there. The only team id really worry about is Dublin tbh, that's not to say I think we're better than the others but id give us a chance.
If we were more tactically astute last year we could have beat the eventual AI winners.

You get what you deserve in the qualifiers. Dont lose your first game and you wont be in it.
I would be worried about every team left in it bar probably Sligo. We have beaten two piss poor teams Dont get too carried away thinking we are at Dublin Kerry or Mayos level

19-07-2015 04:43PM

Robson99 wrote: »

You get what you deserve in the qualifiers. Dont lose your first game and you wont be in it.
I would be worried about every team left in it bar probably Sligo. We have beaten two piss poor teams Dont get too carried away thinking we are at Dublin Kerry or Mayos level

Your comment doesn't make sense when the likes of Kildare get Longford.
So are the teams on the soft side getting what they deserve?.

It should be a lottery as it was, it makes no sense to split it. It doesn't help with organisation or travel, its just a change for the sake of change.
Splitting it sees a few teams make the quarter who would likely be dumped in an open draw.
Aren't Kerry waiting on Fermanagh/Westmeath... Another trashing awaits there due to splitting.

Also I didn't say we were at their level, I said I wouldn't give us no hope against any bar Dublin.
Derry were hardly a mile off Donegal lately too.

Robson99 · 19-07-2015 04:52PM

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Your comment doesn't make sense when the likes of Kildare get Longford.
So are the teams on the soft side getting what they deserve?.

It should be a lottery as it was, it makes no sense to split it. It doesn't help with organisation or travel, its just a change for the sake of change.
Splitting it sees a few teams make the quarter who would likely be dumped in an open draw.
Aren't Kerry waiting on Fermanagh/Westmeath... Another trashing awaits there due to splitting.

Also I didn't say we were at their level, I said I wouldn't give us no hope against any bar Dublin.
Derry were hardly a mile off Donegal lately too.

The whole football championship is a joke. Needs to follow a champions league format. Top 16 teams play for Sam. Weak 16 play for their little Sam. Scrap the provincial. No one gives a toss for them anyway.
Would you seriously give us a chance of beating Mayo or Kerry??

19-07-2015 05:00PM

Robson99 wrote: »

The whole football championship is a joke. Needs to follow a champions league format. Top 16 teams play for Sam. Weak 16 play for their little Sam. Scrap the provincial. No one gives a toss for them anyway.
Would you seriously give us a chance of beating Mayo or Kerry??

Course it does, doesn't make sense that Sligo win one game and they're in round 4 while we're on game number 6.

Well ya as we've gave both a game in the recent past.
We had I think 10 wides last year before our first score?.
We man marked which left Kerry with an easy route to get scores-kept everyone in the square then lead out into the open space of the wings.
Its exactly why we constantly gave up big scores under AM.

And would have been closer to Mayo had Manus not took the u10 option of trying to kick a ball instead of going down on it and Cummins had a fisted goal effort saved.

On the basis of those two games yes id give us a chance, we're not a division 4 team at the end of the day.
We need to limit mistakes but we have the players to give us a chance of beating someone of note in a one off game.

Robson99 · 19-07-2015 05:39PM

I'm afraid to say weer s good way of Dublin, Kerry and Mayo

Heraldoffreeent · 19-07-2015 05:48PM

So if Galway beat Donegal, they'll meet Mayo again in the next game??

19-07-2015 05:54PM

Heraldoffreeent wrote: »

So if Galway beat Donegal, they'll meet Mayo again in the next game??

I think its the Monaghan/Tyrone-Sligo side based on previous meeting between the two.
But either way yes the draw remains closed in regards to who faces whom.

T0001 · 19-07-2015 06:35PM

Quote from hoganstand.com
"The Connacht champions will face either Donegal or Galway in their All-Ireland quarter-final."

19-07-2015 06:58PM

Donegal looked like a side who had hit a brick wall today. There is a lot of mileage on the clock and they met a team hungry for success who to be fair have bounced back well from the trouncing the Dubs gave them last year. However, whether we have the capability to compete physically with Donegal yet I'd have my doubts. After hammering Armagh, Donegal were AI contenders in most people's books and now after a couple of poor performance they are regarded as nobody's despite being inches away from levelling a game where they played very poorly. I don't see them as realistic All-Ireland contenders at present but if they get back to Croke Park they will be a game for anyone.

We are as well to test ourselves at this stage and see how we are faring than get through Sligo and get shown up badly in Croke Park.

threeball · 19-07-2015 07:09PM

It was a defeat to Donegal in the qualifiers a few years back that really was the start of the slump in Galway football. It'd be nice to climb out of it by returning the favour and start a new chapter in Galway football. This is the best group to come together since 98 and have a fairly young age profile too which augers well for the future. Donegal are very strong in the middle third so if we are going to compete we'll need to shore up here. Kicking balls down on top of Gallagher won't be an option.

Hulk Hands · 19-07-2015 10:14PM

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 could tell the difference between a fan who actually plays football yesterday and one who doesn't. Anyone with experience could see that we couldn't kick long ball in, in the second half with that wind and 2 sweepers there. Playing against that system will always lead to these 'handball' sessions with the ball going back and over the pitch. Just the way it is nowadays unfortunately

Was very impressed yesterday. That's twice now we've toughed out games. Take the first 10 mins out and it was dominanace. Kick out look much improved. Half backs, especially GO'D, brilliant. Conroy + Lundy had off days but Sice was very much on, along with Cummins. We've the makings of a very good team. Not top 4 yet,. but firmly in the 5-10 area.

But fecking draw was disgusting today. Really unlucky to have to play Donegal. Was thinking if we won we might have got Monaghan in the QF, but its looking like Mayo. FFS no luck atal. 'We'd have to meet these teams eventually as they say, but still, the lads deserved a nice draw after the last 2 weeks. Should be a cracker vs Donegal anyway

TCDStudent1 · 19-07-2015 10:20PM

Hulk Hands wrote: »

You could tell the difference between a fan who actually plays football yesterday and one who doesn't. Anyone with experience could see that we couldn't kick long ball in, in the second half with that wind and 2 sweepers there. Playing against that system will always lead to these 'handball' sessions with the ball going back and over the pitch. Just the way it is nowadays unfortunately

Was very impressed yesterday. That's twice now we've toughed out games. Take the first 10 mins out and it was dominanace. Kick out look much improved. Half backs, especially GO'D, brilliant. Conroy + Lundy had off days but Sice was very much on, along with Cummins. We've the makings of a very good team. Not top 4 yet,. but firmly in the 5-10 area.

But fecking draw was disgusting today. Really unlucky to have to play Donegal. Was thinking if we won we might have got Monaghan in the QF, but its looking like Mayo. FFS no luck atal. 'We'd have to meet these teams eventually as they say, but still, the lads deserved a nice draw after the last 2 weeks. Should be a cracker vs Donegal anyway

Being very harsh on Lundy there. He worked so hard. While he had a couple of wild shots, he carried the ball well and tracked back constantly. I thought he played very well.

For me, the top 3 Galway players were:

1. Gary O'Donnell
2. Gary Sice
3. Gareth Bradshaw

All 3 have been heavily criticised by Galway fans in the past. But I felt all of them were absolutely brilliant yesterday. O'Donnell picked up an awful lot of breaks, and broke forward at pace whenever he could. Sice seemed to be all over the place and his frees were excellent.

Hulk Hands · 19-07-2015 10:46PM

Maybe I am. Must watch it back. He looks a little burnt out to me, although thats an easy thing to say

Big championship match now to look forward to at the end of race week

I'm nearly hungover thinking about it

TCDStudent1 · 19-07-2015 11:26PM

Was just reading back on the first page of this thread (from 2011!). A lot of posters were suggesting that Sice wasn't good enough for the Galway panel. I have an awful lot of respect for what he has done. He is around the same age as me, and I played against him many times at under age. Never thought he was that good at all, but he has worked & worked throughout the years and emerged as one of the leaders on this current Galway team. He was pointing towards players, telling them where to go in the Derry match. His physique has also come on a lot. When he was younger, he was a fairly scrawny guy. But he's strong and tough now. I guess years of inter county training will do that. He is a terrific example to young footballers, to show that hard work can pay off!

Hulk Hands · 19-07-2015 11:32PM

Why are we playing Mayo in the quarters if we beat Donegal does anyone know? Why can't we meet Monaghan like? The winners of that Mayo quarter have to play Dublin too (small chance me make it that far tho obv). Feeling a little pissed off at this draw tbh

19-07-2015 11:47PM

Apart from Hoganstand I haven't seen any indication that it would be Mayo if we beat Donegal. In fact going by this it'd be Monaghan if we beat Donegal.

Wikipedia is a dodgy source but it looks well updated for the 2015 football championship. It says: 'The quarter-finals feature the four provincial champions who play the teams that progress from Round 4 of the qualifiers. If one of the teams coming from the qualifiers has already met one of the provincial champions in an earlier match in the competition then those two teams cannot be drawn together'.

Anyway we have it all to do to beat Donegal. They'll have no fear of us and as always will travel in numbers. Hopefully we'll get a good support up to Castlebar (most likely) to support the lads. Crowd got behind the team more than I've heard for a long time with Galway yesterday which was good to see. More of the same the next few weeks.

Minor final replay set for Tuam next Friday. Hopefully they can learn from today and put their near meltdown behind them.

donnem33 · 20-07-2015 09:12AM

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Apart from Hoganstand I haven't seen any indication that it would be Mayo if we beat Donegal. In fact going by this it'd be Monaghan if we beat Donegal.

Wikipedia is a dodgy source but it looks well updated for the 2015 football championship. It says: 'The quarter-finals feature the four provincial champions who play the teams that progress from Round 4 of the qualifiers. If one of the teams coming from the qualifiers has already met one of the provincial champions in an earlier match in the competition then those two teams cannot be drawn together'.

Anyway we have it all to do to beat Donegal. They'll have no fear of us and as always will travel in numbers. Hopefully we'll get a good support up to Castlebar (most likely) to support the lads. Crowd got behind the team more than I've heard for a long time with Galway yesterday which was good to see. More of the same the next few weeks.

Minor final replay set for Tuam next Friday. Hopefully they can learn from today and put their near meltdown behind them.

Is there any chance there would be a double header in croke park along with sligo v tyrone?

Baggy Trousers · 20-07-2015 10:22AM

Outright betting for Sam:

Donegal 11/1
Galway 33/1

Interesting that Monaghan are 12/1 after beating Donegal.

TCDStudent1 · 20-07-2015 10:58AM

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

Outright betting for Sam:

Donegal 11/1
Galway 33/1

Interesting that Monaghan are 12/1 after beating Donegal.

Donegal have proven in the past that they can beat the Dublins / Mayos of this world. I know that was in previous years & not this year, but it still counts for something. Monaghan have yet to really prove they can give those teams a game. I'd still put Donegal as more likely AI winners than Monaghan (but I don't think either will win it).

christy c · 20-07-2015 11:29AM

Regarding playing Mayo in the quarters, was it not changed in 2001 after we beat Roscommon so that you could not meet someone you already played?

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