Watch out Galway RTE and O'Rourke are on your case, a promising start to the league and the Meath man is already labelling you'se as turning from good footballers to becoming an ugly bunch and surprise surprise he is blaming it on Tyrone; Quote
"We always associate, in the past, Galway with free-flowing, attacking football. Some of the greater footballers of the game have played in Galway attacks," said the veteran RTÉ pundit.

"They've turned a bit ugly, I think with their type of system now. Paddy Tally has been brought in from Tyrone. It is a Tyrone defensive-type system.

2leftfeet (None) - Posts: 130 - 02/03/2018 15:35:12    2081600

Nothing new in what Galway are doing this year, seen them play same way against Meath in Navan last year. Just playing to a plan that suits their panel and it's working. Fair play to them.

leftandwide (Meath) - Posts: 91 - 02/03/2018 15:57:47    2081603

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 02/03/2018 16:03:49    2081605

nobody in Galway is getting carried away with "success" we are delighted to stay in div 1 of course and hope to win in Castlebar in May. Yes it is laughable that a man from the land of tough greats like Mick Lyons, Colm Coyle and the bold Colm O Rourke himself is calling Galway a bit ugly. If you study the stats, Galway have double the footpassing than Mayo, Kildare, Tyrone and probably the rest of div. 1. Now in fairness to O Rourke, Galway are tougher and penetrate defenses more easily this season and he also said that Galway have good footballers that are likely to improve. Galway get bizarre black cards for sure and need to be streetwise when dealing with characters like Cillian O Connor and Lee Keegan in particular. Tally has done a good job imo and I have no problem with Colm O Rourke, he was fair enough there.

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1669 - 02/03/2018 16:05:20    2081606

There whole strategy is based on getting a lead setting up a wall drawing u in and hitting on the break
When Ros and Kerry got good starts against them last year and they were chasing 6 point leads they had no plan b.
This isn't a this year phenomenon it's since Walsh took over it's only been noticed now cause it's division 1 there doing it in.
It's awful to watch but effective to a extent.

OhtobeARossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 1764 - 02/03/2018 16:37:46    2081610

Its the same old Galway as recent years apart from the influx of new players like Cooke and the two Kelly's, the maturing of the likes of Comer, Walsh & Brannigan and a new coach in Tally who's actually taught the Galways players to tackle properly.

Apart from that its the same old Galway

Here's a thought they might just be better than last year and next year they might just be better than this.

Thats what tend to happens when players mature and the better players replace existing ones.

JDF (Galway) - Posts: 322 - 02/03/2018 17:01:48    2081612

What's wrong with being defensive?

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 02/03/2018 17:13:26    2081613

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 02/03/2018 17:32:22    2081616

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2039 - 02/03/2018 17:38:45    2081618

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1946 - 02/03/2018 18:34:56    2081625

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2088 - 03/03/2018 08:22:12    2081657

Bit surprised at the "awful to watch" comments. From the highlights I saw of the Kerry match, I found it quite exhilarating to see the likes of Walsh and Brannigan driving forward at speed and roasting their defenders.
They probably should have had 5-6 goals in the Kerry match.

Monagael (Monaghan) - Posts: 99 - 03/03/2018 09:43:27    2081666

Maybe COR should heed his own advice - have a look at his own county and make some effort at improving their style and substance. I well remember his snide comments re Galway in 1998 and 2001, saying they had 'nice' footballers but would never win an All Ireland! The nice Galway footballers gave Meath a nice lesson in 2001!

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1794 - 03/03/2018 10:07:34    2081669

If anything shows up Colm O'Rourke for being anything other than useless as a pundit, that remark did. Perhaps there's some jealously in it?

What I got from watching Galway is that they attack like a swarm of wasps and if you escape without being stung, you are extremely lucky. If there's one team Dublin won't fancy playing, it's Galway.

Midleton (Cork) - Posts: 643 - 03/03/2018 11:19:07    2081673

theres been a lot of stupid stuff been said by o rourke and other pundits etc
it came across to me as more inaccurate and lazy comment
about paddy tally and and his connection with negative defensive football
and the impression that he somehow was the creator of it
I was beginning to annoy me so I did a bit of research
paddy tally was with mickey harte for 2 yrs only fact
2003 and 2004 when tyrone won the all Ireland
and doing it playing good football as well as defending well
in 2010 he helped down as they reached 2010 all Ireland final
again I renember down playing some good stuff unlucky not to win all Ireland
and in 2017 he coached st marys Belfast to win sigerson
they beat a very talented ucd team who won this years sigerson 2018
so theres a lot more to paddy tally than the perception out there
I don't know where the association between him
and the terrible negative style of football tyrone play in recent years
as he hasn't been involved with tyrone for long time
the only thing they can throw at him is because he comes from tyrone
and that's pretty lazy and miserable comment by these people
you know the biggest thing I see is the improvement in the tackle
the turn over of the ball and breaking at high speed
running off the shoulder to take the pass
that is a technical improvement for sure
and that's down to top class coaching

rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 03/03/2018 11:55:23    2081677

Thought O'Rourke was a bit over the top alright, have been very impressed by the way galway have played so far, defend in numbers and attack with a Good kick pass and huge pace once we have won the ball back, tally has made a difference and I welcome it having spent the last 10 years losing to Wexford, antrim, Westmeath in qualifiers, definitely needed to toughen up a bit and I think that has happened, and O'Rourke is definitely jealous

GaillimhTony (Galway) - Posts: 1 - 03/03/2018 12:13:57    2081679

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 03/03/2018 12:28:54    2081681

Its an integral part of the game defending, every team has a defensive strategy, can you win an all Irealnd these days with an all out blanket defensive strategy and counter? Im not so sure.

The team that wins the all Ireland every year is the team that strikes the right balance between attack and defense, both components are required. Some teams can rack up but also concede huge scores, others can safegaurd their scores against but leave themselves short up front.

Striking the balance is the key, i know its obvious like.

I know everyone says defensive football is horrible to watch, but you cant but admire watching Sean Andy O Ceallaigh what a player and a star this lad is going to be, he stood out in the U21 championship last year and has taken to senior like he has been playing it for years, i wish he was a Dub.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/03/2018 12:30:08    2081682

O Rourke always had a love in with Galway until now. I remember him tipping Galway to beat Mayo in 2013 much to the disbelief of Brolly and Spillane pre match.

He has changed his tune but what should Galway do? Go back to playing loosing football? I'm sure Galway fans are happier at winning. Also I wouldn't describe Galway as ultra defensive...they break at speed. It's good football in my opinion.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11230 - 03/03/2018 14:08:07    2081695

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 03/03/2018 14:41:37    2081701