Gaillimh-Ciarraí 2008

[GalwayBayBoy]

Well those injuries have not helped our chances. Bergin by the sounds of it would have played some part on Saturday even though he's hardly match fit. Well he's not fit at all now.

Armstrong had a good chance of starting after Nicky was ruled out and now he's gone.

Deccie at least we have decent cover for.

Forwards at a guess will be

Conroy  PJ  Bane 

Mattie  Meehan  Breathnach

Either way it doesn't leave us with many options left on the bench for up front or in midfield.

[myball22]

It's true, we were underdogs even with a full deck to choose from, I would say that would be the starting line-up for the forwards,
Lydon will be the only player to be brought on with any big match game time this year, who else would be on the subs bench.

Sice will probably keep his place with Declan Meehan doubtful too.

It's a very tall order now.

[Sylvie]

 Prob best to start with Darren Mullaly and Niall Coyne as half forwards (sweeping up from the half back line with Bradshaw & Sice who are both a bit on the small side for these big kerry boys)......and play PJ close to goal

[Galforever]

Prob best to start with Darren Mullaly and Niall Coyne as half forwards (sweeping up from the half back line with Bradshaw & Sice who are both a bit on the small side for these big kerry boys)......and play PJ close to goal

Just curious if you are being serious?

Starting two half backs in the half forward line in a match as big as this? I could see logic in bringing Mullahy on in the half-forward line of there was somebody struggling there but what you are suggesting is crazy!

[Sylvie]

we need a game plan to win our own kick outs and both bradshaw and mullaly are good going forward, we may need coyne's height and strength to mark the like of brosnan if he comes on (last few times he has killed us under the dropping ball...remember 2002 out wing backs got cleaned under every kick out)

we are seriously short on options if both bergin and armstrong are out (on top of nicky j and d meehan)

we need to be very mobile to pull this off on saturday

[Duine Eile]

Galway Team V Kerry, 2 changes, Conroy in for Nicky and more surprisingly Lydon in for Coleman? Bit unexpected? 

1 Paul Doherty Tuam Stars   
2 Garreth Bradshaw Maigh Cuilinn   
3 Finian Hanley Salthill Knocknacarra   
4 Damien Burke Corofin   
5 Niall Coyne Carna Caiseal   
6 Diarmuid Blake Milltown   
7 Gary Sice Corofin   
8 Barry Cullinane Claregalway   
9 Mark Lydon Maigh Cuilinn   
10 Cormac Bane Caherlistrane   
11 Padraic Joyce Killererin Capt
12 Paul Conroy St James   
13 Matthew Clancy Oughterard   
14 Michael Meehan Caltra   
15 Fiachra Breathnach Leitir Mor

[Zulu]

Galway Team V Kerry, 2 changes, Conroy in for Nicky and more surprisingly Lydon in for Coleman? Bit unexpected? 

1 Paul Doherty Tuam Stars   
2 Garreth Bradshaw Maigh Cuilinn   
3 Finian Hanley Salthill Knocknacarra   
4 Damien Burke Corofin   
5 Niall Coyne Carna Caiseal   
6 Diarmuid Blake Milltown   
7 Gary Sice Corofin   
8 Barry Cullinane Claregalway   
9 Mark Lydon Maigh Cuilinn   
10 Cormac Bane Caherlistrane   
11 Padraic Joyce Killererin Capt
12 Paul Conroy St James   
13 Matthew Clancy Oughterard   
14 Michael Meehan Caltra   
15 Fiachra Breathnach Leitir Mor

That's a decent looking team on paper and IMO will give Kerry a right good rattle if they can live with intensity of the game.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Galway Team V Kerry, 2 changes, Conroy in for Nicky and more surprisingly Lydon in for Coleman? Bit unexpected? 

1 Paul Doherty Tuam Stars   
2 Garreth Bradshaw Maigh Cuilinn   
3 Finian Hanley Salthill Knocknacarra   
4 Damien Burke Corofin   
5 Niall Coyne Carna Caiseal   
6 Diarmuid Blake Milltown   
7 Gary Sice Corofin   
8 Barry Cullinane Claregalway   
9 Mark Lydon Maigh Cuilinn   
10 Cormac Bane Caherlistrane   
11 Padraic Joyce Killererin Capt
12 Paul Conroy St James   
13 Matthew Clancy Oughterard   
14 Michael Meehan Caltra   
15 Fiachra Breathnach Leitir Mor

V surprised that Fitz didnt get the start in the corner and Bradshaw want moved out to 5. ts a fairly bulky backline....they'll need it all come Sunday

It was a bit of a toss up between Lydon & Coleman given that Coleman's not shown particularly good form but definitely expected him to get the start ahead of Lydon, mainly because of the extra physicality he'd bring.

Forwards along expected lines given the injuries to the continually injured Armstrong & Nicky.

[An Fhairche Abu]

Galway Team V Kerry, 2 changes, Conroy in for Nicky and more surprisingly Lydon in for Coleman? Bit unexpected? 

1 Paul Doherty Tuam Stars   
2 Garreth Bradshaw Maigh Cuilinn   
3 Finian Hanley Salthill Knocknacarra   
4 Damien Burke Corofin   
5 Niall Coyne Carna Caiseal   
6 Diarmuid Blake Milltown   
7 Gary Sice Corofin   
8 Barry Cullinane Claregalway   
9 Mark Lydon Maigh Cuilinn   
10 Cormac Bane Caherlistrane   
11 Padraic Joyce Killererin Capt
12 Paul Conroy St James   
13 Matthew Clancy Oughterard   
14 Michael Meehan Caltra   
15 Fiachra Breathnach Leitir Mor

That's a decent looking team on paper and IMO will give Kerry a right good rattle if they can live with intensity of the game.

Conroy had to come in simply as we have no one else to take the left hand side frees. Surprised that Fitz isn't in the fullback line with Bradshaw moving to half back.
Not too much on the bench though, even if that team has enough to rattle Kerry for a good period of the match (which I wouldn't be as confident of as yourself Zulu), the Kerry bench is far superior, which would be the difference even if we could keep it close.

I'm trying to be bullish about our chances but it's difficult to stay positive, we would need to be playing from a full deck and have a midfield on a par with Kerry to be rightly confident of causing an upset.

[MaroonAndWhite]

We need Galway playing above and beyond anything they have reached this year and Kerry at 80% to win.....It happened in Munster final though, could happen again

[Zulu]

Lads Kerry were poor against Clare, brutal against Cork in the second half and only decent against Monaghan with the game turning on two goal chances. Galway are strong down the spine (midfield excluded) and Kerry have their problems too. Declan O'Sullivan was poor last week, the Gooch isn't firing on all cylinders, Tommy Walsh will be some player but he is still young, Donnacha Walsh isn't up to this standard IMO. There are question marks about the Kerry midfield and Adian O'Mahoney is the only Kerry back in line for an All Star at the moment IMO. Galway won't fear Kerry and like Kerry they tend to kick on when they get to Croke Park, so while Kerry are deserved favourites I wouldn't share the pessimisim of some Galway posters.

[An Fhairche Abu]

We need Galway playing above and beyond anything they have reached this year and Kerry at 80% to win.....It happened in Munster final though, could happen again

No doubt, in my opinion we'll have to play at a level we haven't seen from a Galway team in a long time. In our favour is that the team has absolutely nothing to lose, we will be written off by everyone in the press and elsewhere. We're 3-1 rank outsiders with the bookies, we haven't won at match at those odds since the '98 final I'd say. Some Kerry lads are already planning ahead for the possible semi-final against Cork, hope the Kerry team have the same complacent attitude.

Lads Kerry were poor against Clare, brutal against Cork in the second half and only decent against Monaghan with the game turning on two goal chances. Galway are strong down the spine (midfield excluded) and Kerry have their problems too. Declan O'Sullivan was poor last week, the Gooch isn't firing on all cylinders, Tommy Walsh will be some player but he is still young, Donnacha Walsh isn't up to this standard IMO. There are question marks about the Kerry midfield and Adian O'Mahoney is the only Kerry back in line for an All Star at the moment IMO. Galway won't fear Kerry and like Kerry they tend to kick on when they get to Croke Park, so while Kerry are deserved favourites I wouldn't share the pessimisim of some Galway posters.

Fair play Zulu, that's the positive attitude we need. The team needs to come out respecting the test ahead but not fearful of Kerry (too many teams lie down when they go a few points down again the Kingdom), play the brand of Galway football that has served us well historically and give them a match they'll have to fight hard to win.

[magickingdom]

Lads, looking forward to this one as an aftermath to the big game when I can relax after Armagh have booked their place in the semis. I do recall the 2002 encounter at the same stage and was amazed that there was hardly a hard tackle or shoulder charge in the game,instead you would have thought it was an exhibition match, and Galway were defending All Ireland Champions as well.

I trust there will be more of a cutting edge on Saturday?

they play football in galway tony, always have and do quite well at it too! i do think kerry will win this one tho as the monaghan game will have brought us on alot. having said that if joyce and co stay on their game for 70 minutes we could be eating humble pie on sunday.

ps tony, wexford have play bad just once this year. just once....

[MaroonAndWhite]

Lads, looking forward to this one as an aftermath to the big game when I can relax after Armagh have booked their place in the semis. I do recall the 2002 encounter at the same stage and was amazed that there was hardly a hard tackle or shoulder charge in the game,instead you would have thought it was an exhibition match, and Galway were defending All Ireland Champions as well.

I trust there will be more of a cutting edge on Saturday?

they play football in galway tony, always have and do quite well at it too! i do think kerry will win this one tho as the monaghan game will have brought us on alot. having said that if joyce and co stay on their game for 70 minutes we could be eating humble pie on sunday.

ps tony, wexford have play bad just once this year. just once....

Ah ya ould charmer Magic  Sure we'll give ye a good rattle anyway and see how it goes.

Whats the word on O'Mahony....will he make it? He'd be a huge loss if he was out....best no 6 in Ireland by streets

[dodo]

It's all fun and games till someone loses an eye !



Padraic Joyce and Tomás Ó Sé in Croke Park yesterday, picture courtesy of Irish Times