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Replying To foreveryoung: "You were right. A five point margin is only pretty close. Overall, I feel that the minor grade is no longer any way of a good indicator of what lads might rise to after, particularly since CP reduced the age to 17. Galway has won tons of them, yet what have those minors gone on to do at senior level? Perhaps, and words like mine would be of poor consolation this evening to a 16-17 kid who just lost an AI final, this defeat will make better men of these young Galway lads, going forward. At times, we learn more from defeat than victory. Did the great Gerry Mac of the 1987/88 double for example, ever even play underage? This Galway team was too highly vaunted. It reminded me of the Cork senior team of 1982 and 'Baby Jesus-Tony O'Sullivan'. They'd swept through Munster and all they had to do was pick up the cup when they got to CP for the final. Kilkenny hadn't read that same script however, in particular Frank Cummins hadn't. But Baby Tony did go onto win 3 AI medals afterwards (1984/86/1990). I know that the game and times are different, but if any of those Galway minors who fell down today, pick themselves back up like O'Sullivan and go onto win 3 AI senior medals, then I think the whole county of Galway would be proud: even the Pope, the Katser, and the Baire!" If that's all you know about Gerry Mac, maybe it would be wiser not to be offering any advice, or even opinions, on a Galway hurling page. Fyi, imo Gerry Mac was one of the greatest no7s Galway has ever fielded at minor level, winning that title in '83, and adding an u21 gong in '86. FYI also, a lot of Galway minor winners from 2004, 2005, 2009 & 2011 went on to win all-ireland honours at u21 and senior intercounty level, as of course did numerous members of the 1983 minor winning side. It's really the recent 'glut' of minor wins in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 that hasn't translated to instant success up the ranks for Galway so far, but these players still have most of their senior careers ahead of them, so only a prat would be dismissing their prospects entirely, at this particular moment in time, as Kenny Cunningham might say. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3911 - 05/06/2023 00:05:36 2484087 Link
Replying To LohansRedHelmet: "This is probably an example of the attitude the crept into the squad and resulted in todays performance by Galway." I think you are giving me far too much credit here Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 906 - 05/06/2023 05:49:44 2484099 Link
Replying To LohansRedHelmet: "Yes I felt today we wanted it more and that's the reason we won. Galway were a bit rudderless in the first half. It looked like they they didn't think Clare would be as good as they are. I am very proud of our lads. First minor in 26 years. 2 years after losing to Cork by 40 points in Munster when our hurling future looked bleak. Goes to show, if you get the right lads in charge you can turn things around quite quickly. Looking forward to hearing from Skehill tomorrow." I think Cathal Moore hit the nail on the head before the sliotar was thrown in - he was asked about Aaron Niland who attends the school where he teaches and he said that there was too much pressure put on the shoulders of young fellas, that it wasn't right. He felt the tag of favourites was an added pressure and that it was unfair on 16 year olds. I don't think it had anything to do with that old cliché, wanting it more or taking Clare for granted. You mention Skehill and I'm not sure what you're insinuating but you seem to suggest that he said something negative about Clare. This is what he said about Clare: "The quality of the opposition we're going to face, it will be the best we have faced so far," said Skehill. "I think we've got progressively better as the Leinster championship and the All-Ireland series has gone on but Clare is definitely going to be our biggest test. We're drumming it into the lads that this is going to be a ferocious battle and that if we're not ready, we'll go home with nothing." baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 05/06/2023 08:20:32 2484110 Link
Replying To PoolSturgeon: "No we didn't. That Galway minor team is a really good team. They didnt play well today and got beaten but these things happen especially at minor level." I was a few of the minor matches this year and in Thurles yesterday. Yes, Galway are good hurlers but they need space. Clare were more aggressive in the tackle and the rucks, Clare attcked every ball. Galway couldn't match them physically. A big shout to the Clare no 6. He was impressive. Armchairreporter (Galway) - Posts: 81 - 05/06/2023 10:21:26 2484129 Link
Replying To foreveryoung: "You were right. A five point margin is only pretty close. Overall, I feel that the minor grade is no longer any way of a good indicator of what lads might rise to after, particularly since CP reduced the age to 17. Galway has won tons of them, yet what have those minors gone on to do at senior level? Perhaps, and words like mine would be of poor consolation this evening to a 16-17 kid who just lost an AI final, this defeat will make better men of these young Galway lads, going forward. At times, we learn more from defeat than victory. Did the great Gerry Mac of the 1987/88 double for example, ever even play underage? This Galway team was too highly vaunted. It reminded me of the Cork senior team of 1982 and 'Baby Jesus-Tony O'Sullivan'. They'd swept through Munster and all they had to do was pick up the cup when they got to CP for the final. Kilkenny hadn't read that same script however, in particular Frank Cummins hadn't. But Baby Tony did go onto win 3 AI medals afterwards (1984/86/1990). I know that the game and times are different, but if any of those Galway minors who fell down today, pick themselves back up like O'Sullivan and go onto win 3 AI senior medals, then I think the whole county of Galway would be proud: even the Pope, the Katser, and the Baire!" Don't often find myself agreeing with you but very well said! PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1968 - 05/06/2023 11:27:56 2484143 Link
Replying To Gaillimh_Abu: "I agree with the sentiment of your post. However, Gerry Mac was in fact a star at underage. He was on the 1983 minor team that won Galway's first ever all-Ireland in the grade and I think he won man-of-the-match in the final. That team also included Joe Cooney, Anthony Cunningham, Pat Malone and John Commins and much the same team won the under-21 title in 1986. So at least that particular group of players definitely delivered on their potential." Aaron Niland is definitely a name to watch for in future.Class player Ryanteam (Cork) - Posts: 417 - 05/06/2023 11:35:27 2484146 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "If that's all you know about Gerry Mac, maybe it would be wiser not to be offering any advice, or even opinions, on a Galway hurling page. Fyi, imo Gerry Mac was one of the greatest no7s Galway has ever fielded at minor level, winning that title in '83, and adding an u21 gong in '86. FYI also, a lot of Galway minor winners from 2004, 2005, 2009 & 2011 went on to win all-ireland honours at u21 and senior intercounty level, as of course did numerous members of the 1983 minor winning side. It's really the recent 'glut' of minor wins in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 that hasn't translated to instant success up the ranks for Galway so far, but these players still have most of their senior careers ahead of them, so only a prat would be dismissing their prospects entirely, at this particular moment in time, as Kenny Cunningham might say." Gerry Mac played at No5 in the 83 Minor team SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 330 - 05/06/2023 15:36:16 2484171 Link
Replying To Ryanteam: "Aaron Niland is definitely a name to watch for in future.Class player" Yes Aaron is a fine player and obviously he was closely marked and fouled a number of times yesterday but its very difficult to be a "superstar" in a team where all the other players depend on you to perform well in every game. Up to Galway winning the AI senior in 2017 everyone was saying that Joe Canning was carrying the team on his back and he had some "quiet" games himself but that year at least 7 or 8 other players assisted him in a big way either on the scoreboard or in making scores including many of the midfielders / forwards like David Burke, Johnny Coen, Conor Whelan, Conor Cooney, Cathal Mannion and Jason Flynn / Niall Burke when introduced. Unless you have a broad spread of scorers and have all players working like dogs throughout with a clear game-plan and a plan B if that doesn't work out, you're not going to win any AI final. tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 05/06/2023 16:01:28 2484176 Link
Arguably the most important team selection of Shefflin's tenure on Sunday. We have to win this one but he has no shortage of selection headaches. Conor Cooney completely out of form, Fintan not going well, no idea who will start in corner back positions, positions up for grabs at corner forward and wing forward. Collins, Fahy, Linnane, Grealish and even Flynn all have arguments to start. We desperately need Cathal to be fit but I'd like to see four or five personnel changes from the Dublin game as well as a few positional changes (Whelan to half forward). Whether Shefflin is brave enough to make mass changes for a Leinster final remains to be seen. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 806 - 05/06/2023 16:35:57 2484186 Link
Replying To Armchairreporter: "I was a few of the minor matches this year and in Thurles yesterday. Yes, Galway are good hurlers but they need space. Clare were more aggressive in the tackle and the rucks, Clare attcked every ball. Galway couldn't match them physically. A big shout to the Clare no 6. He was impressive." Hegarty He is a super prospect. He looks like he will be physically ready for senior in the short term LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2684 - 05/06/2023 17:14:38 2484194 Link
Replying To baire: "I think Cathal Moore hit the nail on the head before the sliotar was thrown in - he was asked about Aaron Niland who attends the school where he teaches and he said that there was too much pressure put on the shoulders of young fellas, that it wasn't right. He felt the tag of favourites was an added pressure and that it was unfair on 16 year olds. I don't think it had anything to do with that old cliché, wanting it more or taking Clare for granted. You mention Skehill and I'm not sure what you're insinuating but you seem to suggest that he said something negative about Clare. This is what he said about Clare: "The quality of the opposition we're going to face, it will be the best we have faced so far," said Skehill. "I think we've got progressively better as the Leinster championship and the All-Ireland series has gone on but Clare is definitely going to be our biggest test. We're drumming it into the lads that this is going to be a ferocious battle and that if we're not ready, we'll go home with nothing."" No no you misinterpret me. I listen to OTB every week. I value his opinion and was just saying I was looking forward to his take on the match. LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2684 - 05/06/2023 17:16:20 2484195 Link
Replying To SixtiesKid: "Gerry Mac played at No5 in the 83 Minor team" Great call, I'd forgotten that. Only moved over to 7, because Finnerty was going to be no5? Coming back to me now. Forty years, been awhile. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3911 - 06/06/2023 00:08:00 2484249 Link
Replying To LohansRedHelmet: "No no you misinterpret me. I listen to OTB every week. I value his opinion and was just saying I was looking forward to his take on the match." I think we'll see lads from that Clare team, the Galway team, that Kilkenny team, and that Cork team, etc in the near future. Lots of fine young hurlers coming up…. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2282 - 06/06/2023 00:35:32 2484250 Link
Replying To LohansRedHelmet: "No no you misinterpret me. I listen to OTB every week. I value his opinion and was just saying I was looking forward to his take on the match." Fair enough. baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 06/06/2023 07:27:56 2484258 Link
Replying To LohansRedHelmet: "Hegarty He is a super prospect. He looks like he will be physically ready for senior in the short term" He looks very good alright, but how short term are you referring to here, out of interest? Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 906 - 06/06/2023 13:20:53 2484399 Link
Replying To tommy k: "Yes Aaron is a fine player and obviously he was closely marked and fouled a number of times yesterday but its very difficult to be a "superstar" in a team where all the other players depend on you to perform well in every game. Up to Galway winning the AI senior in 2017 everyone was saying that Joe Canning was carrying the team on his back and he had some "quiet" games himself but that year at least 7 or 8 other players assisted him in a big way either on the scoreboard or in making scores including many of the midfielders / forwards like David Burke, Johnny Coen, Conor Whelan, Conor Cooney, Cathal Mannion and Jason Flynn / Niall Burke when introduced. Unless you have a broad spread of scorers and have all players working like dogs throughout with a clear game-plan and a plan B if that doesn't work out, you're not going to win any AI final." Forgot to mention Joseph Cooney was very good in that 2017 AI championship also - hard to believe its 6 years ago already! tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 06/06/2023 13:54:57 2484413 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "Great call, I'd forgotten that. Only moved over to 7, because Finnerty was going to be no5? Coming back to me now. Forty years, been awhile." Once again a mistake of fact by the once erstwhile infallible pope. foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2118 - 06/06/2023 14:23:15 2484422 Link
Replying To foreveryoung: "Once again a mistake of fact by the once erstwhile infallible pope." The Pope does not make mistakes, merely unavoidable errors Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 906 - 07/06/2023 07:18:47 2484605 Link
From listening to shefflin yesterday seems highly unlikely mannion or fahy will be involved. My team for Sunday even I admit couple of random choices who are drinking in last chance saloon 1 Murphy 2 grealish 3 gmac 4 morrisey 5 mannion 6 burke 7 fintan 8 joe cooney 9 Monaghan 10 c cooney 11 niland 12 k cooney 13 whelan 14 concannon 15 Flynn jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1308 - 07/06/2023 08:54:58 2484622 Link
Replying To Stool Pigeon: "He looks very good alright, but how short term are you referring to here, out of interest?" Probably 3 years. Unfortunately with the age now of minor it would be remarkable for a player to play senior within 2 years of playing minor. The S&C gap between minor and senior is huge. But in terms of physicality, Hegarty and Gunning look to be at the forefront of this team. Niland is a gem of a prospect for Galway but he needs 2 years minimum I would think under a serious S7C program to be ready. Look at what happened with Offaly and Cork at under 20 level, the S&C and physicality gap of the teams was massive i thought and Cork, rightly or wrongly decided to maximize their advantage LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2684 - 07/06/2023 09:12:40 2484628 Link