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Galway Hurling thread

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Replying To festinog:  "Ah Tommy, in fairness, the Galway hurling team deserved no credit yesterday. Individuals on it played like lions and salvaged a draw, but the team and it's set-up was a shambles and that first 35 minutes was embarrassing; the number of times G Mac got turned and left in the dust was just insane, and he's just the first that comes to mind. And please, don't ever make me agree with someone from Tipperary ever again. :)"
Tj is not at the standard either. Goalkeeper reminds me of Skehil, you know a howler or 2 will happen in the match... V irratic.

CillTormoir (Galway) - Posts: 485 - 29/05/2023 17:19:44    2482678

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Replying To CillTormoir:  "Tj is not at the standard either. Goalkeeper reminds me of Skehil, you know a howler or 2 will happen in the match... V irratic."
That first goal.... lord above.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3097 - 29/05/2023 17:45:40    2482689

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Replying To baire:  "Galway should focus on getting their own house in order..."
100%. Any Kilkenny 15 will beat what I saw line out on Sunday. Honestly thought they had met in the car park for the first time Sunday morning and had never hurled together before. I cannot recall a worse Galway 35 minutes. Were there 10 completed Galway passes in the game (they would all have been in the second half). So dire was it at one time in the first half that I came up with a theory they were deliberately trying to lose the match to avoid a future opponent.
On an aside I have supported Galway hurlers fervently for 50 years and imo it is poor form on any Roscommon fan who didn't on Sunday. The few young fellas who took up residency in the Hill are probably not representative of the average Rossie

SouthsideRossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 88 - 29/05/2023 17:45:49    2482690

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Replying To festinog:  "I couldn't figure out if that was the tactic or if they'd get the ball half way up, not be able to find anyone on the inside line and be forced to take shots from too far out. When you consider we scored 25 points and had 18 wides, that's an appalling return. If that's our tactic the opposition will be only too happy to give us all the space we want in midfield.

The failure yesterday was systemic and the only success was 100% a result of individual effort. That's a poor reflection on management."
Management (and players) can take the blame for the beginning but it was the management's substitutions that changed the game. Every one of them to a man (Bar Collins who was on late) made a telling contribution.

No problem blaming management. More intelligent to give some limited praise when its also justified too.

Daithí pointed out the biggest issue which was either the half back line not pushing up or the half forward line not dropping deep enough to pick up the Dublin half forward line dropping deep. Galway did neither and gave them the freedom of the park. To compound matters the strength of the breeze meant they Dublin middle 8 could simply shoot from distance under no pressure and not have to bring it into contact of the non existent Galway half back line. It took 26mins of the first half for Galway management/players to work this out (way way to long.)

Plenty to work out but Galway stayed in the fight. 2021 was similar and Galway never raised a gallop at all.

SamandLiamSoon (Galway) - Posts: 589 - 29/05/2023 17:46:01    2482691

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Replying To katser:  "Typical Kilkenny....they wouldn't give you the steam of their **** going gun-ho full strength to try and beat poor aul Wexford when they were in the LF no matter what the result was, now they have injures! Quiet frankly my dear I don't give a dam!"
Serves them right Katser! Ah no in fairness I'd expect we would be the same if the shoe was on the other foot!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11725 - 29/05/2023 17:48:32    2482694

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Replying To CillTormoir:  "Tj is not at the standard either. Goalkeeper reminds me of Skehil, you know a howler or 2 will happen in the match... V irratic."
TJ Brennan is well up to that standard.He was picked on a UL team of stars and always started.He has had an incredibly hard year and fair play to him for battling back He is 22 hardly washed up just yet

Alwaysencourage (Galway) - Posts: 216 - 29/05/2023 17:52:15    2482697

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Replying To festinog:  "For pure physicality he was solid; put him in a ruck and he'll come out on top. But if it's a footrace or he's tracking someone, God help us."
Yes that is all true - that is why you need pacy cornerbacks that read the game well to help out as well as halfbacks / midfielders to do the same thing but that just didn't happen yesterday as neither Brennan or Morrissey are blessed with natural pace and Brennan is more of a fullback / central player as is Fintan Burke. They are just too slow for corner / wing positions in the modern game of pace allied to power. Unfortunately we don't have Ollie Canning type players at the moment although in fairness Grealish did add a bit of pace of go forward impetus when he came on as did Linnane. That was both of their best halves in a Galway jersey up to now. Also 17 wides are just unacceptable in that kind of game with a lot at stake added to the 19 wides they had against Limerick last year in Croke Park also.

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3314 - 29/05/2023 17:59:15    2482701

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Replying To Viking66:  "Was a bit of a war yesterday"
Vinegar Hill Part 3!
Chin boys says Lee!

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1785 - 29/05/2023 18:00:55    2482702

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Replying To anotheralias:  "Thanks for the clarification. A bit disappointing , but you have confirmed my own observations in recent years. I would always shout for any other county from Connacht against "external " opposition.
Its a bit like when your neighbouring club, who might be fierce rivals of your own, win a county championship you support them in the AI series. Similarly I would have supported Munster and Leinster in the recent European finals. To me that is normal behavior. What I see lately between Connacht counties is abnormal behavior and relates to old fashioned begrudgery...my farm is flooded , but its okay, my neighbour's is too."
I know what you mean. I've supported Munster, Ulster and against any foreign Rugby teams.
In hurling I'd support Wexford, then Limerick then Antrim since the early 90s. But I'd support any county if they were playing one of the big 3 as they would be the historical underdogs. I'd support Kilkenny if they were playing Cork or Tipp usually, though I supported Tipp in the 2010 final.
In football after Wexford I'd support Tyrone as I used to live there. But apart from them I'd support any Leinster team except Dublin against other Ulster, Munster and Connacht counties. Just can't bring myself to support the Dubs at football I'm afraid, though I've supported their hurlers in numerous games.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11725 - 29/05/2023 18:01:18    2482703

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Replying To anotheralias:  "Thanks for the clarification. A bit disappointing , but you have confirmed my own observations in recent years. I would always shout for any other county from Connacht against "external " opposition.
Its a bit like when your neighbouring club, who might be fierce rivals of your own, win a county championship you support them in the AI series. Similarly I would have supported Munster and Leinster in the recent European finals. To me that is normal behavior. What I see lately between Connacht counties is abnormal behavior and relates to old fashioned begrudgery...my farm is flooded , but its okay, my neighbour's is too."
There might be a danger of sounding like a sanctimonious twat too, when delving into the evaluation of supporters' morals and motives.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3410 - 29/05/2023 18:05:52    2482706

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Replying To festinog:  "I think most supporters would throw in behind fellow westeners, nordies, Leinsterners, and that other shower, but when things like this happen, I always take it as a mark for respect. Sure, it must be bad enough for those poor sheep stealers to have to keep watching us lift silverware in the football and then turn around and see us doing it in the hurling too while they're still struggling to get out of Connacht."
Yeah most of that is jealousy as Galway are the only county that bring silverware west of the Shannon most years in at least 1 of the codes either at senior or underage.

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3314 - 29/05/2023 18:38:31    2482715

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Replying To Gaillimh_Abu:  "Farrell addressed this issue in his book and it had nothing to do with Lane's legs. He wrote that Lane would get himself so worked up before an all-Ireland final that the nerves completely took over and the game would just pass him by (as happened in '85 and '86). Farrell felt that he would be much more effective coming on as a sub and he was proven right as Lane got the clinching goal in both finals. I was at the '88 semi-final when Lane had an absolute blinder against Offaly. He was devastated to get dropped for the final and I remember watching him on tv being interviewed on the bus home on Monday - even though he was the goal-scoring hero getting accolades from all around him, he was very deflated and was clearly deeply hurt at not getting the start based on his previous form."
Well that time twas a big issue not to have your head in the team picture, framed at the pub for 'posterity', or make the colouredy team pictures in the back glossy of the Sunday Independent. I don't think the word squad had been invented back in those days.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3410 - 29/05/2023 19:04:35    2482724

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Replying To tommy k:  "We all know Galway were very poor yesterday for much of the game and particularly in the first half. I am pointing out the inconsistencies in the pundits saying one team i.e. Dublin has "bottle" to get an equalizer at the end but Galway had no "bottle" to come back from 12 points down well into the second half (as well as from 7 points down against KK towards the end of that game). Of course they could not admit that as it doesn't fit into the lazy narrative about Galway having "no bottle". The begrudgery / bias against Galway is alive and well no doubt. They really should bring back Cyril Farrell for a bit of objectivity and they already have JC there so that would improve it a lot."
Ya but Tanya purely because Galway are judged by a different standard than Dublin are. Dublin were very clearly the underdog. If Limerick done the same against Dublin I think the narrative would be similar. That's not meaning to disrespect Dublin but that's the way all sport is.
I def wouldn't be getting worked up about it. Try being from Tipp wherever bordering county is a hurling one who want you to fail day in day our!

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 29/05/2023 19:07:53    2482726

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Replying To CillTormoir:  "Tj is not at the standard either. Goalkeeper reminds me of Skehil, you know a howler or 2 will happen in the match... V irratic."
In fairness I've being saying all year that our Corner Backs are a liability, the problem is We have a poor selection to choose from. Did you see Morrissey give away a easy free just when We had taken the lead and the momentum was with Galway! And TJ what was he thinking crossing a ball into our own square! Grealish did ok when he came on but he was dropped for the Antrim and Westmeath games after Coady cleaned him v Kilkenny!

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2192 - 29/05/2023 19:24:46    2482728

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Replying To festinog:  "For pure physicality he was solid; put him in a ruck and he'll come out on top. But if it's a footrace or he's tracking someone, God help us."
BS imo. He's one of the best defensive 'trackers' I've seen in a Galway defense in many a long day.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3410 - 29/05/2023 19:31:43    2482729

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Replying To Gaillimh_Abu:  "Farrell addressed this issue in his book and it had nothing to do with Lane's legs. He wrote that Lane would get himself so worked up before an all-Ireland final that the nerves completely took over and the game would just pass him by (as happened in '85 and '86). Farrell felt that he would be much more effective coming on as a sub and he was proven right as Lane got the clinching goal in both finals. I was at the '88 semi-final when Lane had an absolute blinder against Offaly. He was devastated to get dropped for the final and I remember watching him on tv being interviewed on the bus home on Monday - even though he was the goal-scoring hero getting accolades from all around him, he was very deflated and was clearly deeply hurt at not getting the start based on his previous form."
Lane scored a wonderful goal in the '79 final after having a great semifinal performance that stopped Corks 4 in a row. 1n 1980 two other great semifinal and final performances scoring another spectacular goal against Offaly and chipping in 3 points in final against Limerick .
In 1981 had a good final and brought off a spectacular save from Damien Martin that would probably have won the final but was not to be. The 1985 final did kind of pass him by but Farrell blew the 1986 final by persevering with the two man full forward line which Lane was part of.
'87 & '88 are well documented and as a previous poster noted Lane was frustrated not to have started against the final against Tipp.
Even though he scored 3 or 4 points against Cork in the 1990 final which was a good return one felt that some of those efforts should have ended up in the Cork net at a time Cork were under serious pressure,another final Farrell was found was found wanting in tactical acumen, particularly in defending puck outs.
Besides being a fine hurler Lane was a gentleman and brought us many great days…….and nights.

Galway4ever (Galway) - Posts: 208 - 29/05/2023 19:36:59    2482733

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Replying To CillTormoir:  "Tj is not at the standard either. Goalkeeper reminds me of Skehil, you know a howler or 2 will happen in the match... V irratic."
The goalkeeper in in the top 3 in the country.
He made one error.
You made a spelling error

SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 304 - 29/05/2023 21:16:16    2482749

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Replying To tommy k:  "We all know Galway were very poor yesterday for much of the game and particularly in the first half. I am pointing out the inconsistencies in the pundits saying one team i.e. Dublin has "bottle" to get an equalizer at the end but Galway had no "bottle" to come back from 12 points down well into the second half (as well as from 7 points down against KK towards the end of that game). Of course they could not admit that as it doesn't fit into the lazy narrative about Galway having "no bottle". The begrudgery / bias against Galway is alive and well no doubt. They really should bring back Cyril Farrell for a bit of objectivity and they already have JC there so that would improve it a lot."
Don't let them worry you, Tommy

Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 828 - 29/05/2023 21:46:31    2482755

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Replying To galway19:  "We will have to live with that though as Daithi moving to 6 has given another dimension. Too late to switch back now."
Anyone would think McInerney wasn't one of our better defenders yesterday :)

He did as well as he could do, which is not something that could be levelled at a not inconsiderable number of his colleagues in maroon yesterday.

But they'll have an opportunity to put it right, at least.

Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 828 - 29/05/2023 22:41:20    2482759

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Replying To tommy k:  "The Munster pundits were at it again with their bad-minded attitude towards Galway hurlers yesterday. The "pusses" on Sheedy and Daly in particular could have turned back a clock after the draw and all Daly could say was something like "Dublin let them back into it in the second half and the wind was a factor also" and "what guts Donal Burke showed to get that equalizer!" Nothing about Galway showing "guts" coming back from 12 points down 7 minutes into the second half to possibly even win the game but he would be gushing about Dublin's "guts" and "Galway's lack of bottle" if it was the other way around! Keep it up lads - I'm really enjoying it!"
I know what you mean Tommy but it's best to ignore them, keep your eye on the ball not the pundit! Try mute during the game, it definitely gives you a different view and perspective!

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1785 - 30/05/2023 10:13:33    2482786

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