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Galway Football thread

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Replying To S1234:  "It's also a public forum and called free speech ! You can't blame Meath after you lot belittled them . Ye bottled it again after bottling it last year to only yourselves to blame after celebrating like you won the all Ireland in Connacht enjoy the long summer & winter !"
At least we won Connacht. Like I said the other week, Mayo won f all. Think about that over the summer and winter!

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 920 - 30/06/2025 12:29:22    2622592

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "If we were that confident in our research, what were we hoping would happen for us offensively in the first half, with such a remarkably static approach at times, with very decent possession supply. Thompson was so stuck for options at times that he nearly let the ball fall out of his possession with the lethargy of it all.

Did Meath's defensive setup stymie us that much? If it did, you'd imagine that Galway could learn a lot from such a blueprint, or is it just that Meath have better defenders than we have?"
Pope I think many teams could learn a lot from Meath's blueprint defensively.
Kept Dublin, Louth, Roscommon to 17 scores, Kerry to 16 points and Cork to 12 points. Kept us to 10 scores and highest they've conceded all year is 21 total points.
They play with high energy high intensity and totally block out the middle. I will say they seem a bit easier to expose around the back but very difficult to score through middle and they defend the arc very well.
Think their average shots conceded per game all year was under 21 which is mad.... Lowest in championship.

I think we quickly realized the hill end was not an end for kicking long range points so we needed to work fisted score or 20 yd point. Very cagey.

systematic (Galway) - Posts: 225 - 30/06/2025 12:34:40    2622596

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All the talk of PJ on should he stay or should he go. I feel a new voice is needed personally and new selectors and S&C set up. But the most important thing would be getting Caroline Currid from Moycullen proven track record look at limerick hurlers without her. She got make all the difference. I would move heaven & earth to get her on board as feel our window is very short with this team to get over the line and win SAM. McDaid Walsh Comer Silke Finnerty Maher etc we have the players. PJ should take some flak with his swapping goalies mid year. Flaherty did not play in league (1 half I believe) I feel mis managmeent our end. Gleeson failings with kick outs were shown again yday. Look at Ryan from Kerry and the kickouts he got off short when needed now this is not all down to Gleeson were other palyers making runs. Ultimatley this is on PJ & Co.

Eire89 (Galway) - Posts: 359 - 30/06/2025 12:36:32    2622597

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Replying To Kew:  "I think Joyce like the media attention. The media love him because he gives them what they want but it may not be what the players want or need.

I heard all week how great Joyce was because of his answer about Shane Walshs performance. He said it took him long enough. You won't heard a Kerry manager throwing out anything like that it's always yerra this yerra that.

Also how Galway keep getting put in the group of death and no one from management to county board makes a song and dance about it il never know."
It's supposed to be an open draw (albeit with glass bowls!!), not a fix. What are the county board going to make 'a song and dance about'? Draw fixing?!! That's one we haven't heard before.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4281 - 30/06/2025 12:41:17    2622599

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Commiserations Galway, that's a hell of a team yous still have and will be back in contention again next year no doubt. Not too long ago yous were in a similar situation as us, a rolling mid table Div2 team struggling to get near quarter finals and have since built yourselves up to one of the top teams in the country unlucky to not have a few more all Ireland's in your back pocket. That's a path we are very much looking to follow!

LowerHogan (Meath) - Posts: 80 - 30/06/2025 12:48:20    2622600

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I had a boeing view of Croke park yesterday from section 707 row R so I indulged in trying to focus on the kick outs , I was astounded at the number of Galway players who turned their back on the goal keeper as he rushed to try and get a restart away on most occasions only 5 or 6 were viewing the ball and this number invariably included the 3 enforced up top players.it was hard to know whether this was due to lack concentration or the lack of an actual plan? another observation was the lack of any hard on the shoulder running.

backtooldwall (Galway) - Posts: 157 - 30/06/2025 12:52:56    2622604

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "If we were that confident in our research, what were we hoping would happen for us offensively in the first half, with such a remarkably static approach at times, with very decent possession supply. Thompson was so stuck for options at times that he nearly let the ball fall out of his possession with the lethargy of it all.

Did Meath's defensive setup stymie us that much? If it did, you'd imagine that Galway could learn a lot from such a blueprint, or is it just that Meath have better defenders than we have?"
Yeah, we were very poor in the first half, too passive and lateral but it appears we were going to be happy with that approach as we left McDaid, O'Flaherty, Comer, Conroy, Culhane etc. on the bench hoping to turn on the offensive tap in the second half and blow Meath away, how spectacularly that failed. We had no one in the first half who ran at the Meath defence but I know one that would have, McDaid. We had no movement from our inside line and again I can name at least 2 who would have, Culhane and Comer. Too much chopping and changing, goalkeeper changes again, Sean into midfield, I thought we tried that already and it failed but we try it again! 3 big men in the half forward line, no line-breakers.

Year lost. Did he say if he didn't win an AI in 3 years he would have failed...move on, new voice and new ideas required!

Dualstar22 (Galway) - Posts: 14 - 30/06/2025 12:55:45    2622607

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Replying To Kew:  "I think Joyce like the media attention. The media love him because he gives them what they want but it may not be what the players want or need.

I heard all week how great Joyce was because of his answer about Shane Walshs performance. He said it took him long enough. You won't heard a Kerry manager throwing out anything like that it's always yerra this yerra that.

Also how Galway keep getting put in the group of death and no one from management to county board makes a song and dance about it il never know."
What do you want them to do about the draw?? It's random

Should they write a list of teams they will accept in their group?

Maybe our hurlers request they don't have to play Kilkenny in Leinster group.

Give your head a wobble

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1611 - 30/06/2025 12:56:30    2622609

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If the Galway races started today it'd be a throw back to the good old days. What a disastrous year, for both codes. More so the football, the players to win an all Ireland is there.

CillTormoir (Galway) - Posts: 564 - 30/06/2025 12:56:50    2622610

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "We're only pipping 2022, 2024,2025, or being pipped 2020 2021 2023nfl 2023 by Mayo for all of PJs tenure. Yet absolutely no one is saying that Mayo have the footballers to win Sam.

If we're remotely as good as you say we are there, why don't we beat div1 opposition by 3to6 points in championship on occasion? It doesn't happen.

The margins are tight. We win by a point or two, we draw, we lose by a point or two. Those few outcomes would cover most of our results in the big games for the last 4 seasons. What happened yesterday? One point loss......oh right!! Very hard to win Sam, when you have to win about 6 of 8 games against top opposition, operating absolutely consistently at those tight margins."
Beat Derry Monaghan all by large margin then 3 last year

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1611 - 30/06/2025 12:58:09    2622614

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My feeling is that this team under Mr Joyce has run it's course. We had the chance last year sadly. Hope we will not struggle in league next season, but head says we will along with Mayo, be in relegation battle. Heart of course says Galway will win it. Unless our "handpassing" style changes. And the "big match charlies" are sorted out. Leave Mr Joyce in job, but conditional on Division one survival. Gaillimh abú

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2625 - 30/06/2025 12:58:48    2622615

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Replying To FullOfPorter:  "Big time, I know Ulster is a bigger province but it's like a rising tide raises all boats there. The success of one county seems to drive on another 3 or 4 and they are chomping at the bit to take each other down. There's still a bit of soft underbelly to the Connacht teams as well. Meath have spent a good while in Div 2 and yet still have an edge to them that we are all told you won't get unless you are consistently playing Div 1 opposition.

For Galway maybe Philly McMahon is right, when it comes to the big games there's a reliance on individual brilliance to get them through. Still think there's an AI in that Galway team. Why change managers now when Joyce has got to the final twice? New rules probably threw things a bit this year. I'd let him have one more crack and then see next year."
He hasn't done it in six years, but sure, seventh time lucky?
Might as well give him a twenty-year deal and let him retire with a GAA pension.

Yvrjd (Galway) - Posts: 14 - 30/06/2025 12:59:08    2622617

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Galway missed the boat last year by letting an average Armagh team beat them in the All Ireland Final…. Walsh kicked it away on his own… Yesterday they got turned over by a Meath team whilst plucky are no great shakes…in a quite dreadful game.. The defender who got robbed while in possession for the vital 2nd goal for Meath will have nightmares.. the 1st Meath goal wasn't much better as regards defending.. Meath will not be afforded such generous gifts when they take on Donegal that's for sure..

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 4202 - 30/06/2025 13:13:59    2622627

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10 mins. Meath first point comes from a Finnerty effort from play dropped short
15 mins. Meath second point comes from Kelly being turned over after carrying the ball into traffic in front of the hill
21 mins. Meath third point, Thompson drops the ball on the Meath 21 and they counter attack
24 mins. Meath fourth point comes from a Thompson cross field ball that goes over Darcy and out for a sideline
27 mins. Meath fifth point. Walsh slips and falls, lays off to Hernon who gets dispossessed and Meath counter
29 mins. Meath score from their own kick out.
35 mins. Meath seventh point, from the throw in. They win a free
41 mins. Meath eight point. Gleeson long to the middle and we lose the break
44 mins. Meath ninth point. Meath go long from kick out caught by Menton and worked up
46 mins. Meath tenth point. Meath mid range kick out won in space and worked up.
49 mins. Meath 11th point. Gleeson goes long and Meath win break and work it up.
53 mins, Meath goal, O'Flaherty loses posession and they counter up the wing. This was not a free having watched it back.
53 mins, Meath 12th point, from the kick out Gleeson goes long and they win the break
60 mins. Meath 13th point. They go long after our second goal and win a line ball and work it up the wing
61 mins. Meath goal, O'Flaherty and McGrath get boxed in by a press after a short kick out and McGrath gets dispossessed
63 mins. Meath 14th point. Mid range kick to a man in space on the sideline after a Walsh wide. Kelly is getting treatment so man free.
66 mins. Meath 15th point. Conroy short into the keepers hands and they counter
67 mins. After Comer point Long kick out won and they score up the wing

I would give Robbie Brennan and Co a lot of credit having watched it back. Destroyed us on breaks around the middle. Managed to find free men in their own kick out and feasted on turn overs. Daniel O'Flaherty central to both Meath goals unfortunately and a lack of a kick out strategy really hurt us. Lots of mistakes in posession possibly caused by third game in a row.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 542 - 30/06/2025 13:33:29    2622635

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Replying To jm25:  "Beat Derry Monaghan all by large margin then 3 last year"
The exceptions that prove the rule perhaps. Derry and Monaghan possibly hovering outside the top6or7 in the 'rankings' too.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4281 - 30/06/2025 13:57:14    2622646

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Replying To Ailteoir:  "At least we won Connacht. Like I said the other week, Mayo won f all. Think about that over the summer and winter!"
Seriously!!! I would have thought that if you had serious notions about winning the All Ireland, that winning your provincial championship is nothing more than a stepping stone. Yeah we won Connnacht barely beating an average Mayo side, but then we have struggled to beat most sides this year. Sorrry but time for Joyce to go, he has had more than enough opportunities to win an All Ireland with a fairly decent squad, and losing to Armagh last year should haunt him for the rest of his days.

gilly1910 (Galway) - Posts: 182 - 30/06/2025 13:58:22    2622647

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Replying To anotheralias:  "Jez I forgot about meath recent underage success. No major surprise that they are coming strong now. Is Gray back in contention to play? He is some player."
I was aware of Gray's potential but was hoping it wouldn't come to the fore for another year! Congrats to Meath, well deserved. Let's not be too hard on Galway. We were beaten by an excellent team. Yes, we did , as we did for most of the year , mix the sublime with the ridiculous and had our chance to pull away at the end. The team provided great entertainment all year, and when the year is over Galways performances ( the good and the bad) will be well remembered. I hope Joyce and the full squad remain in tact for another year and maybe we can unearth another Matthew Thompson or 2 from the underage ranks to freshen things up. As a side note , I did think the ref was harsh . Made mistakes both ways but we came out the wrong side , in my opinion. Having said that we can't complain as a) you could argue that regardless of decisions Meath were the better side and left more scores behind them than we did and b) we have rode our fair share of good luck from refs this year as a whole

anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 997 - 30/06/2025 14:16:41    2622655

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Replying To systematic:  "Pope I think many teams could learn a lot from Meath's blueprint defensively.
Kept Dublin, Louth, Roscommon to 17 scores, Kerry to 16 points and Cork to 12 points. Kept us to 10 scores and highest they've conceded all year is 21 total points.
They play with high energy high intensity and totally block out the middle. I will say they seem a bit easier to expose around the back but very difficult to score through middle and they defend the arc very well.
Think their average shots conceded per game all year was under 21 which is mad.... Lowest in championship.

I think we quickly realized the hill end was not an end for kicking long range points so we needed to work fisted score or 20 yd point. Very cagey."
It may have been what we quickly realised, but it wasn't how Sean O'Shea was thinking in the second match. 3pts in first 3mins from him, two 2pointers in the first half, and a whopping 8pts into hill16 from him before HT.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4281 - 30/06/2025 14:29:06    2622659

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Replying To Yvrjd:  "He hasn't done it in six years, but sure, seventh time lucky?
Might as well give him a twenty-year deal and let him retire with a GAA pension."
Should McGeeney have went after years 6? He had actually done less than Joyce at that point.

It wasn't like Galway had been knocking on the door for the years leading up to Joyce. Ye hadn't been in a final for over twenty years. Mayo were the dominant Connacht force with the odd Nestor cup win for Galway. Even the years ye haven't reached the final under Joyce ye are now considered contenders. That hadn't happended with Galway for a long time.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 231 - 30/06/2025 14:44:14    2622661

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "It may have been what we quickly realised, but it wasn't how Sean O'Shea was thinking in the second match. 3pts in first 3mins from him, two 2pointers in the first half, and a whopping 8pts into hill16 from him before HT."
That's fair Pope. Sean o sé is top class.... Superb striker. We couldn't score too many into hill - Darcy drop short, Finnerty drop short, misses from a good few lads. Felt like we were wasting our time shooting 2 pointers into hill. Hard to know what to do about that as it takes great accuracy.

systematic (Galway) - Posts: 225 - 30/06/2025 14:47:37    2622662

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