Leitrim v Galway

Started by 45GoneShort, June 13, 2007, 04:55:38 PM

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45GoneShort

Thought i'd get the ball rolling on this game.  From a Leitrim angle there were bet 1-11 to 0-8 by Westmeath last night.  Some injury doubhts over McKeon, Duignan and McCloskey but I'd still expect them to play regardless.  As usual Galway willl be favourites and rightly so but having said that it'll be a close game - but if we are to beat Galway we'll have to be able to close out the game if we are in front in the second half unlike last year against Mayo where we were wasteful - but then again you never know stranger things have happenned.

AhFeckRef


Heard that they were poor enough against Westmeath. Any idea what kind of a team was out and what was the tempo like?
Don't like to read to much into these challange games.

Still expect then to give Galway a good game of it. Main worry is have they enough in the center to frustrate Bergan and co.

45GoneShort

While I was not at the game, I would imagine that players knowing that the team is already picked, they weren't going to push themselves too hard in a challenge game in case of injury only a week and half before a game they have been training for over six months for.  Would see the the winning of our own kickouts being vital with the use of Shane Foley and Maxwell as extra target men for the kickouts.

AhFeckRef


See the Sunday game all but ruled Leitrim out of this Game on sunday.... >:(

magpie seanie

Don't mind the media. I didn't see one of them predicting our win either. I'm not saying Leitrim will win but I'd expect it to be pretty close. Intend being there to cheer on our minors. Should be a great atmosphere.

Farrandeelin

It seems all the Galway posters ever appear whenever they play Mayo. Hopefully the team of theirs is in the same mind. It'd be nice to see a Sligo v Leitrim Connacht final for a change!
Inaugural Football Championship Prediction Winner.

magpie seanie

QuoteIt'd be nice to see a Sligo v Leitrim Connacht final for a change!

It would be the first time. Can you imagine! I'd only think it a good thing if we won it though!

Fishead_Sam

Quote from: magpie seanie on June 18, 2007, 12:51:35 PM
QuoteIt'd be nice to see a Sligo v Leitrim Connacht final for a change!

It would be the first time. Can you imagine! I'd only think it a good thing if we won it though!

Well I know its the Final we would like to see in Mayo anyways. Send Galway into the Qualifiers so we can have another shot @ them, our turn to win.

GaillimhIarthair

Quote from: Farrandeelin on June 18, 2007, 12:42:15 PM
It seems all the Galway posters ever appear whenever they play Mayo. Hopefully the team of theirs is in the same mind. It'd be nice to see a Sligo v Leitrim Connacht final for a change!
We just prefer the auld low key build up as opposed to that HYPE version that ye lads in Mayo have perfected over the years  ;)

No team ever gets anything soft above in Carrick and I expect nothing less next Sunday, however, I do expect us to come through by a few points and setup a final meeting with Sligo in Castlebar (?).  I reckon our lads should hit about 1-14 ish and I cannot see where Leitrim will match that based on the forward currently available to them and more so based on the preformances of our defence over the past 18 months.


GalwayBayBoy

Quote from: Farrandeelin on June 18, 2007, 12:42:15 PM
It seems all the Galway posters ever appear whenever they play Mayo. Hopefully the team of theirs is in the same mind. It'd be nice to see a Sligo v Leitrim Connacht final for a change!

I just don't think there's much point of filling page after page with inane ramblings and gossip about a game. When the teams are announced then at least you have something to talk about.

For what it's worth I expect it'll be another tough encounter up in Carrick as they usually are up there. If we match Leitrim's work rate we probably win the game. Simple as that. Match their effort and we have the better footballers and the extra class that should get us over the line. If they don't put in the effort though (as you know the home side will) then it could get interesting.

I expect the Galway team won't be too different from the one that played against Mayo.

An Fhairche Abu

Quote from: Farrandeelin on June 18, 2007, 12:42:15 PM
It seems all the Galway posters ever appear whenever they play Mayo. Hopefully the team of theirs is in the same mind. It'd be nice to see a Sligo v Leitrim Connacht final for a change!

With all due respect to Leitrim, it's not a game that's going to fire the imagination as much as a game against Mayo (last years All Ireland finalists, Johno in charge for 1st championship game since leaving Galway).

As for next Sunday, I don't imagine anyone in the media will give Leitrim a prayer and I think that's unfair because it's not based (I believe) on any fair appraisal of Leitrim's merits or weaknesses. The general standard of pundits knowledge outside of their own county and the top 6 or so counties is terrible. If Pat Spillane had questioned any of the 3 lads on last nights show about the Leitrim line-up you'd have got blank stares back. If I was paid for my opinions on teams I'd go out of my way to know more than the average punter. No such motivation in the Sunday Game studios.
Even when analyzing Galway all we heard was the usual clichés from Paul Curran (bar Bernard Flynn a contender for worst RTE pundit) about Galway forwards, nothing about our defence which is the part of the Galway team that is our strongest by far. All I heard out of Spillane was about Galway being "very physical" against Mayo, this was surprising for Pat, as he obviously expected us to not bother in a championship match against our biggest rivals.
Apologies for the rant but in terms of previewing one of their live games next Sunday, I thought it was woeful stuff.

Leitrim should have at least drew with us in the last championship meeting in 2005, a very poor game that didn't have much to offer in terms of entertainment to the few who bothered going. I was very impressed by the Leitrim full back line of Reynolds, McKeon and McGuinness that day and lamented the fact that we didn't have a defence to match them. This time around we have as good a set of backs as anyone in the country and I think that the team is in better shape now then June 2005.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Galway lost next Sunday, it's in Carrick (got to be worth a few points to Leitrim), can't see many Galway fans bothering to travel so the Leitrim fans should well outnumber us, the Galway team is far too unpredictable to know whether it's going to be good or bad football from one half to the next, it's set up for Leitrim to have a really good crack at us.
All that said however, if by some chance we can get consistency, start to play to our overall potential and match the effort in terms of the work ethic and determination shown against Mayo then I honestly can't see Leitrim getting a win.

GalwayBayBoy

To be honest I think the assorted Sunday Game pundits have very little time for Connacht football in general and their knowledge of it is absolutely appaling.

Last night we had Paul Curran saying how Galway had some "brilliant forwards" and they should be the winning of the game against Leitrim. Now while we do have some very good forwards the best performing unit of the team over the past two years has been the defence. He then mentioned Sean Armstrong as one of these brilliant forwards even though he has yet to even establish himself in the team let alone as one of the main men up front.

Maybe it's just my paranoia but I always get the feeling they are bluffing their way through previewing or analysing games in the Connacht championship.

mouview

*IF* it's a Galway - Sligo final, where will it be played? I think it's Sligo's call and after yesterday's good display in the Hyde they may go for a swift return trip (and Magpie Sean may finally get his wish of seeing Sligo defeat Galway in a c'ship game!) Hyde would suit me more than C'bar I must say as access would be that easier. That's all supposing we do the business next Sunday. Don't agree with An Fhairche, I think there'll be a decent Galway following; the season is well under way now and the fans will be hungry for a bit of action again following the long delay from the last match. Team will be much the same I'd say though there's doubts over Ja who didn't field for Tuam last week. Matt Clancy is unlucky again, he suffered hamstring damage in the recent Oughterard game having starred v. Kildare in a previous challenge game lately.

magpie seanie

QuoteMagpie Sean may finally get his wish of seeing Sligo defeat Galway in a c'ship game

If we go ahead and win it I couldn't care less who or where we're playing. In fact it might be better if Leitrim win the semi cos if we've to play Galway then no doubt it will be bucketing down! As for the final venue I'll admit I'm not sure how these things are decided but '02 was in Castlebar v. Galway. I personally prefer Roscommon as a match venue. Am at a wedding the day before so we'll probably organise a bus anyway.

pairc sean

I'd say Leitrim/Sligo will definitely be in the Hyde!!

Think the summing up of the situation from the Galway posters here is fairly accurate - our limit up front seems to be 1-10 to 1-12 even against poorer teams. But then you never know when Galway will hit an off day up front or when our fellas will get a few lucky goals to boost that 1-10 to 3-10!! We were pretty good against London (even if the scoreboard suggested differently) and I was quite happy with the performance.

Barry Mc Weeney will be back too, so I would think we'll line out: Gill, Mc Guinness, Mc Keon, Reynolds, Prio or Kennedy, Mc Weeney, Shane Foley, Mc Closkey, M Duignan, Regan, Maxwell, M Foley, Brennan, Glancy and D Duignan with cameos for Fintan Mc Brien, Shane Canning and Pat Gilmartin (possibly Colm Farrell or Philip Howard); would think Maxwell will be put in on the edge of the square at some stage as he didn't look comfortable at 11 in the London game.