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[or in the full backline.]

If you'd have told someone on the evening of July 19th 2015 when Mayo put 6-25 past Sligo to win their fifth Connacht title in a row that the next four Connacht finals would all be contested between Galway and Roscommon it would have seemed an unbelievably fanciful tale - yet here we are.

If both teams play to 2019 championship form so far then Galway will be in more than a bit of bother but although the injury situation for some important players seems like it's very slow to resolve, I'm cautiously optimistic that we'll see an improvement from Galway for the final, it's certainly required to have any aspirations on retaining the title.

It'll be very interesting to see what is the starting fifteen that actually plays for Galway in the final, particularly around who will be the midfield partner for Flynn (FOC injured in club action at the weekend by the sounds of it, Cooke didn't play), who will be in goals, who will be full forward (we cannot line out with the same FF line as against Sligo, it didn't work) and most importantly in my opinion, who will line out in the half back positions on the team.

Rossies looked good at times in the semi-final, they are setup as a team differently from the McStay regime and Cox looks to be a massive addition as a focal point and scorer up front, the impact from the bench was also really noticeable although Enda Smith will surely start on June 16th.
Although I strongly disagree with Liam McHale's assertion that Roscommon should have won 3 Connacht titles in a row from 16-18 they certainly have no fear of Galway and have a reasonable recent record against us. I expected to see Mayo in opposition but I don't think there's any chance whatsoever that Galway will take Roscommon for granted in the final given the past 4 years of championship matches.

FOC's injury has come at a bad time for us with Cooke, Duggan and Conroy having all been out injured for a long time.
Conroy played for his club at the weekend (kicked 1-5 from play from what I hear) but it's hard to imagine he would be fit enough for a starting berth in a Connacht final after such a long lay off. Neither Cooke nor Duggan featured for Moycullen/Annaghdown.
It's very hard to know who we will play there if Fiontain doesn't recover in time - D'Arcy not up to that level not yet anyway and we don't have any other midfielders in the panel.
Michael Day would be a decent shout as an emergency option/cover if needed - he's well up to it as he showed at underage in the past (although tweaked a hammer at the weekend I believe).
Kieran Molloy came on as a sub for Corofin.
I can't see any change in goal - Power was solid the last day - or in the full backline.
Half back line very much depends on injuries and match fitness (Molloy, Sean Kelly, McDaid).
Up front it is hard to overstate how badly Comer is missed in the ff line. The 3 the last day were all small lads - you'd imagine we could do with a ball winner in there.
I think both Cummins and O'Laoi will come under pressure.
Heaney, Walsh, Burke, Daly are certs to start imo.
Farragher could be given the number 14 jersey yet.
Walsh could be played inside either.
Lots of question marks unfortunately

I can definitely envisage a change in the full back line, albiet its probably for the worst. Kyne is back in full training and has been an ever present for Walsh since 2016. I can see the same full back line as last year with Silke at wing back. He'll see that as an easy solution, as I doubt he'll play Molloy now after getting injured so early vs Sligo.

Midfield is similar to Kyne to an extent. He certainly trusts Conroy, and probably Duggan and FOC to a lesser degree. Whichever player can probably give him 50 mins will likely start, with one of the other walking wounded in reserve to take his place. A flier here is Cillian McDaid, who he clearly loves, could possibly be tasked with a third midfielder/ working half forward role. Ditto Heaney, who tbf has actually been named as a midfielder in the past.

That would leave 4 or 5 forwards, with Daly, Walsh and Burke as certs. Cant see him risking Comer, who unlike Kyne etc is way too valuable going forward. My guess would be Brannigan, interchanging with Walsh in the FF and HF lines

Although I strongly disagree with Liam McHale's assertion that Roscommon should have won 3 Connacht titles in a row from 16-18 they certainly have no fear of Galway and have a reasonable recent record against us.

McHale has really gone into the group with David Brady as laughing stock radio analysts with those couple of interviews he did. Its a wonder how newstalk can keep justifying using them. He has an agenda against Galway. Even besides those ridiculous comments above, he doubled down on the assertion that Mayo would be at least semi finalists after the weekend, said previously that Galway would have to expand to even be in with a chance of beating one of the TOP teams such as Mayo Kerry etc (despite having beaten and got further than both last year) and left Galway out of his list of Dublin challengers, including the likes of Donegal

Did anyone else see the double hop before Andy Moran took a pass and kicked a point?

Yep I spotted it at the time. Roscommon could certainly have had grievances had they not got the result.

David Gough once again likes to be the star of the show. He's being praised now (as was his intention), for letting the game flow. Every other referee would've given the majority of those instances as fouls. Yet Gough thinks hes 'ahead of the game', and lets it go. Either Gough is right and every other ref needs to be retrained or Gough is wrong. He cant just rewrite the rules. With hilarious irony, he is completely picky on all the little things, like very slight contact off the ball, handpasses, steps, stuff that gets him attention, and then is completely unpicky when people are clashing and fouls on the man in possession.

I do know this , it was two years ago I was sat in the croke park hotel in the front lobby as a few mayo players came in after drawing with ros , one player said quietly to a couple of us  " we"ll make mince meat of them in the replay "  . His arrogance really impressed me and I made a right few quid out of it .

Mayo fans would've been going into the bookies with butter vouchers at that stage, given how the year had gone to that point punting wise? Had a few bottle caps on the -3 at 10/11 did ya?

5365 people ,jeez wtf is wrong with Galway people they are pure useless at supporting the county team .

There are 4 teams to support in Galway, including a top class hurling team, rather than just one. How's the support been for the Mayo hurlers recently? Or ladies?

There also tends to be rather more to do in Galway City in the summertime than other spots nearby

Strokestown, Castlerea and Ros Town are thriving, vibrant and beautiful areas

All those are definitely unfit. It's largely interesting with a couple of disappoting parts. He really needs to get Molloy a bit of inter county game time. Understandable that maybe he wants experience beside John Daly by playing O'Donnell, but still, you won't get any better opportunities. Always thought he viewed Silke as a half back over corner back, this confirms that. Michael Daly as midfield is interesting with a view to him possibly being a third midfielder later in the year. O'Laoi and Cummins deserved to keep their place

I'd prefer to see Silke in the corner and Molloy at wing-back. We have quite a few half-backs now but we're still quite thin in the corner. I think that would maximise the potential overall rather than Silke taking up a spot where we already have a very good young playing coming through. Get both of them on the field.

Would agree with that purely because our need is greater in the corner.
Without wishing to disrespect David Wynne he is there for the taking by any decent intercounty inside man.

Wasn't Wynne a starter on the Galway 2016,2018 Connacht winning teams and when he was sub in 2017 they didn't win Connacht?

Kerin was injured in 2018, came on at half time though for Wynne, Wynne's only start. He played in 2016 alright but we could barely get 20 lads together at that stage. He'd be 2 or 3 down the pecking order

All those are definitely unfit. It's largely interesting with a couple of disappoting parts. He really needs to get Molloy a bit of inter county game time. Understandable that maybe he wants experience beside John Daly by playing O'Donnell, but still, you won't get any better opportunities. Always thought he viewed Silke as a half back over corner back, this confirms that. Michael Daly as midfield is interesting with a view to him possibly being a third midfielder later in the year. O'Laoi and Cummins deserved to keep their place

Not really getting the same assumption about O'Donnell starting. He's obviously been the vice captain up until now and captain before that. He didn't get his game at all last year after the Mayo game, and that area is looking a lot busier this year with the addition of McDaid (who he clearly loves), Silke (guaranteed starter)and John Daly. He'll have to try fit in players like Heaney who he's always started, Kelly whos constantly improving and Molloy who the fans all want to start. People say Walsh is over loyal to Bradshaw and GO'D but he has no trouble trying Michael Farragher as a left field alternative to Bradshaw in early 2017, and dropping GO'D last year. Injuries will likely dictate everything versus London and Sligo for starters though

Could be more advantageous to lose a Connacht final this year, especially with Kerry looking far from invincible towards the end of the league. Guesses on how it could play out in second part

Connacht Winner
Leinster winner - Dublin
Ulster RU v Q - Donegal
Munster RU v Q - Monaghan

Connacht RU
Munster winner - Kerry
Ulster winner - Tyrone
Leinster RU v Q - Meath.

Provided the qualifier was manageable, give me option B. Extreme example, but just to show that Connacht is less important this year than in other years

As a Mayo supporter said on boards.ie they have a better chance of reaching the AI final if they avoid Dublin in the semi final. No one knows what the qualifers will bring as Mayo found out last summer.

Dont think that's necessarily true. If Scenario A is finishing second to Dublin in Group A, and then having to beat Group B winners like Kerry, and scenario B is finishing top of Group B and beating 2nd from Group A, scenario B is slightly more likely for any team. I worked out the odds for all potential scenario's one day when bored and it works out near equal for winners and runners up of Connacht.

Obviously you'll want to be winning Connacht, getting the bit of silverware and not breaking momentum. Its just that there'll be mass hysteria when one of Mayo/Galway/Ros lose in June (most hysterical if Mayo by far), when in reality it wont change their chance of reaching a final or winning Sam all that much

Could be more advantageous to lose a Connacht final this year, especially with Kerry looking far from invincible towards the end of the league. Guesses on how it could play out in second part

Connacht Winner
Leinster winner - Dublin
Ulster RU v Q - Donegal
Munster RU v Q - Monaghan

Connacht RU
Munster winner - Kerry
Ulster winner - Tyrone
Leinster RU v Q - Meath.

Provided the qualifier was manageable, give me option B. Extreme example, but just to show that Connacht is less important this year than in other years

Galway's game management going down the home stretch was superb. Time keeping in gaelic football is a total farce at this stage but Galway exploited it to the max. There was 6 minutes of injury time and 3 of those were stoppages, yet Deegan blew up as soon as the 6 were up...jokeshop. Compare Galway's time wasting in the second half, when they were against the wind, with Mayo. Not one Mayo player tried to slow the game down in the first half when we were against the wind. Mayo need to wise up.

How did he blow up when 6 were up, when Vaughan's last point was scored into the 7th min of added time, and there was two more kickouts after that? 6 mins added was more than fair in the first place. Galway didnt get that in the first half despite injuries. It's accepted practice to take the wind first and try build a lead but a past club manager of ours used to always take it for the second half, on the basis that you'd get far more added at the end of 60 (or 70) than at the end of H1. Hard argue against it

I was right in line with O'Laoi's pass and it was a beauty. Very inventive and superb vision. The winning of the game. His cameo at the end of the first half, ball over to Walsh, run for return, shimmy the defender and kick a score is a sign of a very classy player. Certainly needs to bulk up, so probably a year too soon alright but he has impressed no question.

Willie Joe's blog makes entertaining reading this morning. "Galway always target the league and will be pooped come August" after Galway beat Mayo while missing 2/3rds of their panel. "I'd rather lose than play as defensively as Galway tonight". This is a game where Galway with 13 players scored 1-1 against a Mayo side that funneled everyone back to defend that 2 man advantage. In fairness you get weirdos in every bunch, they just seem to have a high number count over there

There is a slow denial going on here in Mayo. The three Connacht Championship losses to Galway in a row are seen as sort of flukes. Many don't see that the 2012-2017 group is in decline and it's just a case of adding one to five new faces and we are up and running again.  Many in Mayo  have forgotten that Mayo have fallen back into the chasing pack (if not behind) and Galway are in the chasing pack. Problem is the Chasing pack are all well behind Dublin.

Yeah that would be a source of frustration for me talking with Mayo mates, a general lack of acceptance that Galway might finally be on their level. The seeds of this have been sown in all the underage victories for Galway sides when they've met in the past 5 years. At the same time, hard to argue about Galway getting respect until they put it up to Dublin in the way Mayo did

Willie Joe's blog makes entertaining reading this morning. "Galway always target the league and will be pooped come August" after Galway beat Mayo while missing 2/3rds of their panel. "I'd rather lose than play as defensively as Galway tonight". This is a game where Galway with 13 players scored 1-1 against a Mayo side that funneled everyone back to defend that 2 man advantage. In fairness you get weirdos in every bunch, they just seem to have a high number count over there