National Forum

Galway Hurling thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To 1shot:  "Surprising to start so many young lads together against the All Ireland champions. Surely we should have learned from the lesson we got last year. Young lads need a bit of experience around to prosper. Sink or Swim more like"
It's the League. Why not start them? Let's see what they're made of. Playing against Kildare or Westmeath won't show us much but this match might. Hon Galway!

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 187 - 24/01/2026 05:58:51    2652838

Link

Lively match despite the conditions. I'm happy with Galways passing and effort but the wides are killing us. Young guys are doing well. Rabbitte looks like a stud.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 187 - 24/01/2026 20:31:59    2652964

Link

Replying To galway19:  "Plenty of youth in for tomorrow night and it looks like they will all get plenty of chances in the league. Usually you'd say that having this many involved in a senior panel is too many but this 2026 u20 panel is well above average. Let them get their feet wet early in senior hurling."
We've had touted 'well above average' u20 panels for a few seasons now. Well above average that is, until the Leinster u20 championship actually starts, and 'expectations' get revised then quite quickly.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4520 - 24/01/2026 22:24:45    2652986

Link

Replying To SouthGalway:  "It's the League. Why not start them? Let's see what they're made of. Playing against Kildare or Westmeath won't show us much but this match might. Hon Galway!"
That's the attitude! Not a bad game at all, given the conditions. Galway kept tight to Tipp for most of it. Home venues help in these kind of games, too. That's not to take from Tipp, who are AI champs after all.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2432 - 24/01/2026 22:42:54    2652990

Link

Replying To SouthGalway:  "Lively match despite the conditions. I'm happy with Galways passing and effort but the wides are killing us. Young guys are doing well. Rabbitte looks like a stud."
The young guns done well. Great to see. But remember it's January, miserable playing conditions and hurling is a different animal come knock out championship. A much faster game, firm ground and no space. The two corner forwards looked like U16s. For me size and pace could be the problem for some of them last night.

Armchairreporter (Galway) - Posts: 138 - 25/01/2026 09:04:23    2653015

Link

Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "We've had touted 'well above average' u20 panels for a few seasons now. Well above average that is, until the Leinster u20 championship actually starts, and 'expectations' get revised then quite quickly."
All depends how many of them drop back into u20 while the senior championship is going. It's a long time since we have had this many u20s in a senior panel. I'd stick my neck out that this group is very good this year if they have everyone to pick from for the u20 championship.

galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 1042 - 25/01/2026 11:26:34    2653028

Link

Replying To foreveryoung:  "That's the attitude! Not a bad game at all, given the conditions. Galway kept tight to Tipp for most of it. Home venues help in these kind of games, too. That's not to take from Tipp, who are AI champs after all."
Liam Sheedy very very worried beforehand that Galway would get a hiding, if they they hadn't 'come down the road' with their heads in the right place, because he felt that Tipp would be wanting to 'make a statement'. After the game, Liam made the statement, that Galway would be happy enough 'going up the road'.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4520 - 25/01/2026 11:37:01    2653030

Link

I was wrong…young guys did really well . Green shoots for sure. In terrible conditions Trayors, Burke, Niland and Rabbitte are impressive . Improve on the discipline even though I thought the ref was tough on us and not them.
Well done all

1shot (Galway) - Posts: 37 - 25/01/2026 15:18:19    2653075

Link

Replying To 1shot:  "I was wrong…young guys did really well . Green shoots for sure. In terrible conditions Trayors, Burke, Niland and Rabbitte are impressive . Improve on the discipline even though I thought the ref was tough on us and not them.
Well done all"
The ref gave Tipp 14 frees, Galway got 4.

Crashingwaves (Galway) - Posts: 280 - 26/01/2026 11:09:00    2653274

Link

Overall plenty of positives when compared to last years drubbing . All of last year Galway played with no fight, no bite, even when we won games we sleepwalked . At least on Saturday there was a bit of energy, even the dirty ball that Aaron Niland won and got a free there was heart. It was very hard for supporters last year to engage with the team with how we played.

Cork on Saturday another test but if there are changes with the likes of Whelan and Evan introduced they need to set the tone just like Rory Burke and Rabbitte did .

Thought we defended better as a unit . Conditions horrendous and Thurles is not the carpet it once was!

Plenty to take from it , but two points Saturday would be a great return from playing the All Ireland finalists back to back

puckemhard (Galway) - Posts: 246 - 26/01/2026 13:59:14    2653339

Link

Replying To puckemhard:  "Overall plenty of positives when compared to last years drubbing . All of last year Galway played with no fight, no bite, even when we won games we sleepwalked . At least on Saturday there was a bit of energy, even the dirty ball that Aaron Niland won and got a free there was heart. It was very hard for supporters last year to engage with the team with how we played.

Cork on Saturday another test but if there are changes with the likes of Whelan and Evan introduced they need to set the tone just like Rory Burke and Rabbitte did .

Thought we defended better as a unit . Conditions horrendous and Thurles is not the carpet it once was!

Plenty to take from it , but two points Saturday would be a great return from playing the All Ireland finalists back to back"
Anything other than ZERO points for Galway from the opening two games against Tipperary and Cork in this year's NHL would be very surprising imo.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4520 - 26/01/2026 14:32:06    2653351

Link

Replying To puckemhard:  "Overall plenty of positives when compared to last years drubbing . All of last year Galway played with no fight, no bite, even when we won games we sleepwalked . At least on Saturday there was a bit of energy, even the dirty ball that Aaron Niland won and got a free there was heart. It was very hard for supporters last year to engage with the team with how we played.

Cork on Saturday another test but if there are changes with the likes of Whelan and Evan introduced they need to set the tone just like Rory Burke and Rabbitte did .

Thought we defended better as a unit . Conditions horrendous and Thurles is not the carpet it once was!

Plenty to take from it , but two points Saturday would be a great return from playing the All Ireland finalists back to back"
He needs to start E Niland, C Mannion and C Whelan keep Rabbit and Burke on the team and utilise Rabbit full forward with plenty of direct ball.
Don't be doing too much tinkering with the team start putting out the strongest best 15 possible and give the League everything.
With Cork going full tilt We need to get upto speed quickly or it could be a disaster of a League campaign

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2781 - 26/01/2026 15:04:50    2653361

Link

Replying To katser:  "He needs to start E Niland, C Mannion and C Whelan keep Rabbit and Burke on the team and utilise Rabbit full forward with plenty of direct ball.
Don't be doing too much tinkering with the team start putting out the strongest best 15 possible and give the League everything.
With Cork going full tilt We need to get upto speed quickly or it could be a disaster of a League campaign"
Absolutely no need to be going back to the older lads just because we lost one game. Cathal fair enough to come back in but Whelan has been a bit off the level for the last year or so and didn't look too hectic in Parnell a few weeks ago. No harm to leave in Darragh Neary, Burke, Aaron Niland, Trayers, Rabbitte against Cork and see how they go. We can't be going back to the old guard just to try and win one game when we are trying to build a new squad for the championship.

galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 1042 - 26/01/2026 15:49:15    2653378

Link

Replying To galway19:  "Absolutely no need to be going back to the older lads just because we lost one game. Cathal fair enough to come back in but Whelan has been a bit off the level for the last year or so and didn't look too hectic in Parnell a few weeks ago. No harm to leave in Darragh Neary, Burke, Aaron Niland, Trayers, Rabbitte against Cork and see how they go. We can't be going back to the old guard just to try and win one game when we are trying to build a new squad for the championship."
No point putting out the old guard v Offaly or Waterford.
Start them v Cork and Kilkenny.
What about E Niland, J Rabbitte, C Whelan Full Forward line
J Fleming, R Burke, A Niland half forward line
Lee and C Mannion midfield
That's a decent front 8

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2781 - 26/01/2026 16:44:35    2653398

Link

Replying To galway19:  "Absolutely no need to be going back to the older lads just because we lost one game. Cathal fair enough to come back in but Whelan has been a bit off the level for the last year or so and didn't look too hectic in Parnell a few weeks ago. No harm to leave in Darragh Neary, Burke, Aaron Niland, Trayers, Rabbitte against Cork and see how they go. We can't be going back to the old guard just to try and win one game when we are trying to build a new squad for the championship."
Would Whelan be good off the bench I wonder? Maybe the last 20 minutes of every match.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 187 - 26/01/2026 17:17:47    2653408

Link

Replying To katser:  "He needs to start E Niland, C Mannion and C Whelan keep Rabbit and Burke on the team and utilise Rabbit full forward with plenty of direct ball.
Don't be doing too much tinkering with the team start putting out the strongest best 15 possible and give the League everything.
With Cork going full tilt We need to get upto speed quickly or it could be a disaster of a League campaign"
I don't care about winning the League I just care about getting the best team out together as we possibly can. If we get some wins in the process then so be it.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 187 - 26/01/2026 17:20:06    2653410

Link

Replying To katser:  "No point putting out the old guard v Offaly or Waterford.
Start them v Cork and Kilkenny.
What about E Niland, J Rabbitte, C Whelan Full Forward line
J Fleming, R Burke, A Niland half forward line
Lee and C Mannion midfield
That's a decent front 8"
what about letting the management select the team?
they're the ones who know what's going on.

SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 380 - 26/01/2026 17:23:50    2653412

Link

Replying To katser:  "No point putting out the old guard v Offaly or Waterford.
Start them v Cork and Kilkenny.
What about E Niland, J Rabbitte, C Whelan Full Forward line
J Fleming, R Burke, A Niland half forward line
Lee and C Mannion midfield
That's a decent front 8"
Neary deserves another few run outs, a few mistakes but overall showed a lot of promise. A few Loughrea lads will come into the panel as well, Killeen etc

Trucker1 (Galway) - Posts: 464 - 26/01/2026 17:43:54    2653414

Link