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Galway Football thread

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Replying To Marooned:  "It's very similar situation to the Galway hurlers in 2015 when they got rid of Anthony Cunningham. Both PJ and Cunningham were Galway legends that had done solid jobs. Been to All-Ireland finals but just couldn't get over the hump. The hurlers knew something had to change before their chance was gone completely. Micheal Donoghue came in and they finally dragged themselves over the line. If anything the need is even more urgent for the footballers as the age profile of some of their top players is older than the hurlers were in 2015."
To be fair it's a bit different. Donoghue has been shown now twice to give guys a chance year 1 and then move guys on and build a young team. A lot of the guys involved in the heave against Cunningham weren't around in 2017

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 608 - 30/06/2026 16:17:01    2683223

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Replying To rover08:  "As the dust settles and having reflected on this latest defeat, while also hearing described on a well known GAA podcast as like a DVD of the Meath QF in '25 and not dissimilar to the Armagh final in '24 - it's clear this Galway era will be remembered as a talented group and nearly men. That said, they are still only subtle tweaks away from success.
Here are the key areas I think needs changing.

1. Management Personnel - PJ has his friends on the back room team. All successful/bring value in their own right, Mickey Graham, Dave Morris etc but it's clear that a quality coach like Cian O'Neill or Kieran Donaghy (Dave Herity or Paul Kinney in Hurling) are not involved. These are people who bring the key edge, that extra 5%. Could a Jason Sherlock be tempted to move from Roscommon ? . Maybe he is not an option but there has to be some coach out there who can bring that 'grain of rice'?
2. Playing Personnel - PJ has been too loyal to this group for too long. Look at Kerry, Dublin, Armagh - all make two-three new additions to the team each year - and not forced changes. The injection of new faces keeps things fresh, keeps the more established lads on their toes and drives up training intensity.
Replace Conroy with Patrick Egan (may be forced), get Costello game time, get Cogger game time. Make new leaders like Hernon, Shane McGrath. Be ruthless with lads not performing consistently. It's been 3-4 seasons since this last done.
3. Playing style - management are welded to a system - slow & methodical that suits and old game. The current game is built on pace and quick ball. Look at Mayo - not as good as Galway on paper, but it's heads up football, scanning who is an option and pinging it in.
With Walsh, Comer & Finnerty (among others) as inside men, let the ball do the work. In parallel, the O'Laois and Sean Kelly's can cover ground, while the physicality is there in spades to win primary ball, allied with a kick out strategy.
4. Ruthlessness - arguably the biggest flaw with this group looking back to Mayo '23 and the defeats that ended the championship in all years since. The ability to go for the jugular, when 6 up with 15 to go - the next 5 minutes are hell for the opposition! Foot on the throat - kill the game.

Galway are not that far away but the management team and players need freshening up, a new style and a ruthlessness are needed.

In terms of coaches to come in - to replace Cian O'Neill, anyone have any ideas?

In terms of new managers - also tricky to see right now who internally is ready but maybe if Joyce and county board are focussed on the next two years - why not start a succession plan now, with a Kevin Johnson as someone touted?

The next 12 months will be a transition but if done right, can be a transition that keeps us at the top table as a contender, if done wrong - it could set Galway back a few years."
This is a good post but it brings me to the conclusion that a change is needed at the top. I don't blame Joyce for what happened in 24. We missed frees left right and centre and lost by a point. Hard to blame the manager for that. I think a bit like Mayo and the likes of Cillian O'Connor etc you have to accept that those players are not going to get over the line and move on. That's what we need to do otherwise next year will run along the same lines. I'm even looking at McGuinness this year, the game has moved on.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 608 - 30/06/2026 16:20:44    2683226

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Replying To Marooned:  "It's very similar situation to the Galway hurlers in 2015 when they got rid of Anthony Cunningham. Both PJ and Cunningham were Galway legends that had done solid jobs. Been to All-Ireland finals but just couldn't get over the hump. The hurlers knew something had to change before their chance was gone completely. Micheal Donoghue came in and they finally dragged themselves over the line. If anything the need is even more urgent for the footballers as the age profile of some of their top players is older than the hurlers were in 2015."
I don't see the similarity at all. That Galway team was built from scratch by Cunningham, first in 2012 from a 'farther than ever-McIntyre goodbye assessment 2011 position'. Then AC rebuilt again in 2014-2015, and the 2015 end product was a very very young side. The current Galway football side is, I'd guess, at least 4or5 years older on average than hurling 2015, and key men like Conroy and Walsh are around for well over a decade. 2015 was a year 1or2max for that hurling side. 2026 is year5 at least for the bones of the current football team, and year10-18 for some keymen in the setup. In age profile terms, Galway football 2022 and hurling 2015 might be a closer comparative, but not the current football side, with the provincial success and somewhat mixed national baggage they've accumulated over 5 seasons 2022-2026.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4837 - 30/06/2026 16:32:22    2683231

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Reasons for joyce to go:
1.The keeper situation.This has been a problem for years.I don't blame Gleeson he's being asked to play like Cluxton when he's not able to play that way and his decision making and shot stopping just isnt good enough.
2.No tactical knowledge whatsoever.....he's barely reactive to how other teams play and he's never proactive in his tactics.An example is when they bring on Comer they continue the same slow play on the edge of ark.Comer is the same type of player as Con and is only effective if you feed into him in dangerous areas.You have an absolute weapon of mass destruction off the bench in Comer and then when you bring him on you don't play to his strengths.Playing into him would create space around the ark aswel.
3.The kickouts.....asking a keeper to ping it out wide to individuals when that keeper isn't capable of those type of kicks.This problem has actually gotten worse not better.
4.Afraid to make big decisions.Leaving big names on when injured or playing bad.Cost us an all ireland against Armagh doing this.
5.Same players more or less last few years and gives new blood no real chance to prove themselves.
6.Style of play.This slow basketball style worked well before the new rules but now there is so much space you don't need to play like that.We have unbelievable forwards let them play.
7.Hes fallen out with alot of players and staff.
One thing I will give joyce he's very honest in his interviews and I respect that.But that is little consolation when you see what's happening on the pitch.

Diabeag (Galway) - Posts: 3 - 30/06/2026 16:45:53    2683234

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The question I'd ask Padraig Joyce what is he going to do differently than he has last 2/3, years to justify him staying on , if Padraig was playing in this present Galway team the way they play no one kicking the ball he would go off his head but he is allowing it happen on his watch which has gone on 7 years it's harder get off the panel that get on it same bunch last 5 years ,,if Clifford or con were playing in forward line for Galway they do well get a score or 2 I've said this numerous times the Galway backs and 2 midfielders prib in every game do not kick the ball into forward at all doubt 10 times a match between the 8 of them and that's the reality I've never seen such a set up in my life watching football and he want 2 more years what will change ? If he stays on most posters on here could pick 12 of team that play next year if not 15 of them

Kickitout (Galway) - Posts: 1163 - 30/06/2026 17:30:32    2683249

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Wouldn't it be great for Connaught football to see Mayo win the AI. If they did, it would give young Galway players coming through development squads great belief that they could progress and aspire to winning an AI title. It's great to see Kobe breaking lines and using that beautiful slicing technique to score points and goals from distance. Many Galway people have Mayo connections, so I don't see why we shouldn't support our neighbours. Before the advent of social media we always supported our neighbours - Roscommon too. But things have turned very petty and begrudging.

AnCrúiscínLán (Galway) - Posts: 126 - 30/06/2026 20:13:54    2683283

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Replying To AnCrúiscínLán:  "Wouldn't it be great for Connaught football to see Mayo win the AI. If they did, it would give young Galway players coming through development squads great belief that they could progress and aspire to winning an AI title. It's great to see Kobe breaking lines and using that beautiful slicing technique to score points and goals from distance. Many Galway people have Mayo connections, so I don't see why we shouldn't support our neighbours. Before the advent of social media we always supported our neighbours - Roscommon too. But things have turned very petty and begrudging."
Love thy neighbour.... And maybe a rising Connacht tide could lift all our boats :-)

Gaillimh_ar_dtús (Galway) - Posts: 8 - 30/06/2026 21:42:27    2683306

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I know it's unrealistic to compare but the 1998 team had a good sprinkling from a 1994 minor team, which was U18 at the time. Meaning they were 22 in 98.
In 2022, we won minor all Ireland which is now U17. Next year, these lads will be 22 years of age. Of this team, only McGlinchey has played championship football and it seems like there is very few of the others ready to play senior IV yet. So the the question or conclusion is that if we haven't a sprinkle of youth to come through, we are going to have to rely on much of the same personnel again next season.
Granted, we will have Mattie Thompson back which will be a boost.
It will be interesting to see how Tomás Farthing, minor poty in 2022, gets on in Championship in his first season playing adult football.
Thoughts on the above folks?

gaillimhboy (Galway) - Posts: 418 - 30/06/2026 21:53:38    2683310

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