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Galway Football thread

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Replying To Trucker1:  "No such thing as luck at this level no matter how much and how many times you try to spin that narrative.
Galway's run to the final involved:
Beat Mayo(top 6),
Beat Derry(3rd favourites at the start of championship and league champions),
Beat a good Westmeath team at home in a tricky fixture,
Draw with Armagh due to concession of a late fluke goal(eventual champions),
Beat Dublin (favourites),
Beat Donegal(Ulster champions led by a legend)
Lose by just a point to the winners Armagh who beat Kerry well(second favourites) despite our fittest best forward going off after 8 minutes, and our other best forward(also only half fit) missing 4/5 shots he would normally kick with his eyes shut. Add in Comer no where near fit, and Matthew Tierney being unable to take frees he normally would take due to a serious groin problem.

The evidence of the above points to a team and management with serious character and consistent ability to beat other top team. It points to a team and management who are very very close to the top level.
A few small percentage incremental improvements on management decisions, kick-outs, forward play, injury management and some further development of lads like Hernon, Tomo,Cillian O Curraoin, McCabe, Cunningham etc could see us across the line. We will not favourites but we are right up there in the mix of the best teams and anyone who says we were 'lucky' this year has a biased agenda. Lots of the games were close but you don't consistently beat the teams listed above over multiple games without being top level. That's not luck, that's a good team,a professional set up, and a team to be proud of."
I see you mentioned Armagh's 'fluke' goal but didn't think to mention Galway's goal against Donegal.
Also left out the Sligo result.

Bdonegal1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 88 - 09/08/2024 12:44:35    2564379

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A not fully fit Comer is still better than Culhane. With Comer in there he occupies at least 2 defenders, and management seemed all year to want a big lad in full forward.
They looked like they were going to put in high balls into him, they were shaping up to do it but ended up not doing it, I think they finally kicked one in before half time, Mulkerrins I think, they should have kicked in a lot more.
Culhane gets mentioned every year, he has been around long enough now that if he was good enough he would be getting more game time. It might sound bit harsh but I think he is in there for of the field reasons.

Tribes88 (Galway) - Posts: 10 - 09/08/2024 12:55:09    2564382

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Replying To Salthillsham:  "I agree with a lot of that. I'm still worried that all these lads were asked to play when they were clearly injured. Surely 15 fit men would have brought us over the line? Most of the walking wounded are tremendous assets and have lit up our winters for years. But, their influence in the final was negligible. PJ needs to have 35 lads he can trust to actually play a half or more. No point in togging off subs if you know you will never actually use them. It must be very disheartening for motivated young lads to watch players being glued together to hobble on and contribute little. Long term, it will turn promising players away. Surely after two lost finals, the penny has dropped. 1. We need a large squad of competent footballers we can trust to actually play their part.(persistent injuries). 2. We must only pick fully fit players to play or sub from that large panel."
100%. I don't think he trusted the bench. I also think the subs were pre planned and even when the Armagh subs came on plans were in place. I just think the Finnerty injury just upset things in lots of different ways.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 429 - 09/08/2024 13:01:13    2564384

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Replying To Trucker1:  "No such thing as luck at this level no matter how much and how many times you try to spin that narrative.
Galway's run to the final involved:
Beat Mayo(top 6),
Beat Derry(3rd favourites at the start of championship and league champions),
Beat a good Westmeath team at home in a tricky fixture,
Draw with Armagh due to concession of a late fluke goal(eventual champions),
Beat Dublin (favourites),
Beat Donegal(Ulster champions led by a legend)
Lose by just a point to the winners Armagh who beat Kerry well(second favourites) despite our fittest best forward going off after 8 minutes, and our other best forward(also only half fit) missing 4/5 shots he would normally kick with his eyes shut. Add in Comer no where near fit, and Matthew Tierney being unable to take frees he normally would take due to a serious groin problem.

The evidence of the above points to a team and management with serious character and consistent ability to beat other top team. It points to a team and management who are very very close to the top level.
A few small percentage incremental improvements on management decisions, kick-outs, forward play, injury management and some further development of lads like Hernon, Tomo,Cillian O Curraoin, McCabe, Cunningham etc could see us across the line. We will not favourites but we are right up there in the mix of the best teams and anyone who says we were 'lucky' this year has a biased agenda. Lots of the games were close but you don't consistently beat the teams listed above over multiple games without being top level. That's not luck, that's a good team,a professional set up, and a team to be proud of."
A lot of that is true but don't ignore the fact that Monaghan hit the cross bar and if not for that we were gone. Same as the Sligo game we had lots of luck. I also accept we had very little of it in the final.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 429 - 09/08/2024 13:03:01    2564385

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Replying To smallfrank:  "A lot of that is true but don't ignore the fact that Monaghan hit the cross bar and if not for that we were gone. Same as the Sligo game we had lots of luck. I also accept we had very little of it in the final."
Blatant foul on Maher that led to Monaghan chance taken out in mid air so bad luck that free was not given. Galway dominated Monaghan last 20 so we have no way of knowing what would have happened if they scored that goal

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1249 - 09/08/2024 13:54:36    2564396

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Replying To Bdonegal1991:  "I see you mentioned Armagh's 'fluke' goal but didn't think to mention Galway's goal against Donegal.
Also left out the Sligo result."
The key point is if a team gets across the line multiple times against the very top teams, it evidences a very good team with character, who is consistently beat teams at the top table in 2024.
I left out Sligo as they are a Division 3 team and also left out London as they are Division 4. Westmeath won the Tailtean Cup recently, got promoted to Division 2, ran our other group teams close, and generally are considered to be tricky opponents so included them. Sure you could(and you will pick anything that supports your anti Galway narrative) pick out in game moments like the Donegal goal or say the late free against Mayo might not have been given on another occasion but a reasonable observer could pick put other moments in the same games where Galway could have gotten different decisions, outcomes or frees given in our favour. The facts are that this team has consistently stood up to the occasion in the key moments, against big teams, and won. 3 Connaught championships and two all Ireland appearances in the past three years demonstrates that this team is not too far away.

Trucker1 (Galway) - Posts: 392 - 09/08/2024 14:19:08    2564402

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Replying To smallfrank:  "A lot of that is true but don't ignore the fact that Monaghan hit the cross bar and if not for that we were gone. Same as the Sligo game we had lots of luck. I also accept we had very little of it in the final."
There was plenty of time left in the Monaghan game for Galway, certainly weren't gone inf the goal went in.

You could also say lady luck went Armagh's way in the group game to come back from 5 points down and Galway didn't get much luck with injuries to Walsh, Comer, Sean Kelly, Hernon, John Daly & Finnerty.

Whichever you look at it Galway made the final and they certainly weren't lucky as you put it.

TheBishop (Galway) - Posts: 285 - 09/08/2024 14:20:41    2564403

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Replying To smallfrank:  "A lot of that is true but don't ignore the fact that Monaghan hit the cross bar and if not for that we were gone. Same as the Sligo game we had lots of luck. I also accept we had very little of it in the final."
I agree Sligo was very very hairy but think ultimately we were saved by a fit rampaging Damien Comer not necessarily luck. I don't really agree with you on Monaghan, I always felt in that game that we had a bit more in the tank than them and think we would have come back had that goal gone in. The final was a disaster from our perspective but fair play to Armagh, they took their chances and we didn't.

Trucker1 (Galway) - Posts: 392 - 09/08/2024 14:24:15    2564404

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With Shane not in the kilmacud squad for this evening, I wonder is he getting an injury treated or taking a well earned rest after the inter County season, like a lad who needs a rest anyway

Knocknadrough (Galway) - Posts: 30 - 09/08/2024 18:59:40    2564452

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Replying To Trucker1:  "The key point is if a team gets across the line multiple times against the very top teams, it evidences a very good team with character, who is consistently beat teams at the top table in 2024.
I left out Sligo as they are a Division 3 team and also left out London as they are Division 4. Westmeath won the Tailtean Cup recently, got promoted to Division 2, ran our other group teams close, and generally are considered to be tricky opponents so included them. Sure you could(and you will pick anything that supports your anti Galway narrative) pick out in game moments like the Donegal goal or say the late free against Mayo might not have been given on another occasion but a reasonable observer could pick put other moments in the same games where Galway could have gotten different decisions, outcomes or frees given in our favour. The facts are that this team has consistently stood up to the occasion in the key moments, against big teams, and won. 3 Connaught championships and two all Ireland appearances in the past three years demonstrates that this team is not too far away."
"Anti-Galway narrative"??
Thats a strange one, where have I been anti-Galway?

Anyway, as you say you could pick out momemts in games but just pointing out originally you conveniently picked out the moments that suited your argument and left others out but whatever suits I suppose.

Bdonegal1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 88 - 09/08/2024 19:41:45    2564456

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Replying To Bdonegal1991:  ""Anti-Galway narrative"??
Thats a strange one, where have I been anti-Galway?

Anyway, as you say you could pick out momemts in games but just pointing out originally you conveniently picked out the moments that suited your argument and left others out but whatever suits I suppose."
Where have you been anti Galway :) have a read of many of your previous inputs suddenly turning up on this forum. I'm not the first to point this out to you either.

And in any event you are wrong again, the Sligo and Donegal matches support my argument, winning out in tight games in critical moments. Good teams find a way to win. Calling this fine team who have beaten multiple top teams 'average' or 'lucky' just doesn't match the facts or the results.
If Dublin or Kerry won it, people would be saying they were good teams and great Champions but when it's Armagh (or within a kick of a ball Galway) they are average or lucky and it's a bad year etc.
ill leave it at that.

Trucker1 (Galway) - Posts: 392 - 10/08/2024 00:13:42    2564493

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Replying To Trucker1:  "Where have you been anti Galway :) have a read of many of your previous inputs suddenly turning up on this forum. I'm not the first to point this out to you either.

And in any event you are wrong again, the Sligo and Donegal matches support my argument, winning out in tight games in critical moments. Good teams find a way to win. Calling this fine team who have beaten multiple top teams 'average' or 'lucky' just doesn't match the facts or the results.
If Dublin or Kerry won it, people would be saying they were good teams and great Champions but when it's Armagh (or within a kick of a ball Galway) they are average or lucky and it's a bad year etc.
ill leave it at that."
I haven't been anti Galway in the slightest. I have said there one of the few teams who can perform above the average.
There not the best team in the country, there probably is no best team in the country at the minute, there are 8 teams,I would say, with very little between them. My opinion is out of those 8 teams Galway would be at the lower end in terms of an all round panel and they would have been in the bottom 2 or 3 in terms of who out of that 8 would have been expected to be in an All ireland. So would Armagh but thats what I'm saying there is very little between these, when the top couple underperform the others, with a bit of luck, can reach a final or win.

Not sure what you're saying I'm wrong about? And what point you're trying to make about the Sligo and Donegal games is lost on me.

The Galway fans were very quick to jump all over Armagh's win and say they were lucky.

Anyway the only thing I have been 'Anti' is the narrative that Galway were somehow strong favourites and the opinion of some Galway fans that Armagh could only beat you because of a collapse and massive luck.
I haven't been Anti the Galway football team.

Bdonegal1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 88 - 10/08/2024 22:40:53    2564559

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Replying To Bdonegal1991:  "I haven't been anti Galway in the slightest. I have said there one of the few teams who can perform above the average.
There not the best team in the country, there probably is no best team in the country at the minute, there are 8 teams,I would say, with very little between them. My opinion is out of those 8 teams Galway would be at the lower end in terms of an all round panel and they would have been in the bottom 2 or 3 in terms of who out of that 8 would have been expected to be in an All ireland. So would Armagh but thats what I'm saying there is very little between these, when the top couple underperform the others, with a bit of luck, can reach a final or win.

Not sure what you're saying I'm wrong about? And what point you're trying to make about the Sligo and Donegal games is lost on me.

The Galway fans were very quick to jump all over Armagh's win and say they were lucky.

Anyway the only thing I have been 'Anti' is the narrative that Galway were somehow strong favourites and the opinion of some Galway fans that Armagh could only beat you because of a collapse and massive luck.
I haven't been Anti the Galway football team."
They missed 7or8 placed ball opportunities, came the wrong side of 3 hawkeyes, and lost by 1 point. No collapse, no bad luck. There probably aren't 5or6 panels in the country better than Galway, so your opinion on that is debatable.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3827 - 11/08/2024 18:10:12    2564624

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "They missed 7or8 placed ball opportunities, came the wrong side of 3 hawkeyes, and lost by 1 point. No collapse, no bad luck. There probably aren't 5or6 panels in the country better than Galway, so your opinion on that is debatable."
Yes, Armagh got the best of a 50:50 contest, partly due to their stronger panel.
Were agreed.

Bdonegal1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 88 - 11/08/2024 21:30:50    2564667

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Replying To GDL:  "That was Sean Walsh (Maigh Cuilinn) in the 2023 Minor team. He had an injury going into the game versus Mayo."
Selected for Ireland u18 rugby team so could be lost to Galway same with Farthing who with Connacht and was super for minors when they won all Ireland

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1249 - 12/08/2024 12:26:55    2564744

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That's two great talents heading for rugby by the looks of things, it's a pity but good luck to them if that's what they want. However, I must say, the provincial setup in this country is one of the most biased farces in sport and practically nobody is calling it out to the IRFU or elsewhere. Leinster now have 10, yes 10 centrally contracted players for the coming season. The rest of us muckers in Connacht, Munster and Ulster have 1 each. I know about the other player funding routes, so let nobody give us that canard - Connacht, Munster and Ulster are being shafted, and our provincial competition is dead. I'm a Connacht fan but have had enough of the IRFU D4 blinkers nonsense. It's out and out bias and favouritism and some great Gaelic football talent is going into our Connacht setup being told about wonderful rugby career prospects, well there's only one province funded to offer those, lads, and it ain't in the west. Or the south. Or the north either!

togoutlads (Galway) - Posts: 960 - 12/08/2024 16:14:08    2564794

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Replying To togoutlads:  "That's two great talents heading for rugby by the looks of things, it's a pity but good luck to them if that's what they want. However, I must say, the provincial setup in this country is one of the most biased farces in sport and practically nobody is calling it out to the IRFU or elsewhere. Leinster now have 10, yes 10 centrally contracted players for the coming season. The rest of us muckers in Connacht, Munster and Ulster have 1 each. I know about the other player funding routes, so let nobody give us that canard - Connacht, Munster and Ulster are being shafted, and our provincial competition is dead. I'm a Connacht fan but have had enough of the IRFU D4 blinkers nonsense. It's out and out bias and favouritism and some great Gaelic football talent is going into our Connacht setup being told about wonderful rugby career prospects, well there's only one province funded to offer those, lads, and it ain't in the west. Or the south. Or the north either!"
Now don't accuse me of being from Leinster that im going to disagree with you as I was from Armagh a couple of weeks ago according to you ( apology awaited) .but look at the players with central contracts and it's hard to argue with it and with the change they are bringing in next year benefit the national team I don't know.

The strength of Leinster schools does benefit the other provinces too we have Prendergast Oliver off top of my head.

I think Munster and particularly ulster who are a bit of a shambles should be doing more

Both also have got to bring in plenty of big money foreigners over last 10 15 yrs prob more then Leinster

Anyway this prob belongs on another thread

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1249 - 12/08/2024 18:22:26    2564829

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Any word are management stayin on?need to say if they are or not

Dunmore10 (Galway) - Posts: 138 - 13/08/2024 10:56:21    2564916

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Replying To Bdonegal1991:  "Yes, Armagh got the best of a 50:50 contest, partly due to their stronger panel.
Were agreed."
I've heard the views of a lot of people on this AI - the over whelming majority of which is that Galway lost it, kicked it away by not converting 7/8 kickable points that went wide or dropped into the keepers hands.

Everyone to their own opinion. Personally I can't get away from that statistic. Armaghs supposedly stronger panel didn't cause the Galway forwards to kick the ball wide from frees / marks and it definitely didn't stop Joyce from instructing someone else other than Walsh to take the frees.

A very difficult loss for Galway to take, difficult to recover from especially if management are blamed for the defeat.

Cbar (Mayo) - Posts: 331 - 13/08/2024 12:35:18    2564938

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Replying To Dunmore10:  "Any word are management stayin on?need to say if they are or not"
They need to say it to you, is it? It's only been two weeks since we lost the All-Ireland final. You'll know in good time.
If I was to guess, I'd say Joyce will want to stay on. Whether he can give the commitment for another year is another matter. Likewise for the backroom team. It must be very difficult to balance it with other commitments.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2147 - 13/08/2024 13:10:14    2564945

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