Galway v Kerry. Super 8s Round 1. 15 July Croke Park.

[yellowcard]

I think Galway still don't get the credit they deserve and even after yesterday the consensus appears to be that Kerry were very poor givig no credence to Galways performance. League form is the best barometer of a teams level and the reality is that Dublin are the only team to have beaten Galway this season to date. They were 3/1 to beat Kerry yesterday which in hindsight was madness based on this seasons form alone.

[Paudi Meehan]

For me the main takeaway was that we got into the trenches with Kerry and outfought them. The game could have been won more convincingly but the first time any team takes a signifcant champ scalp it doesn't matter how it's achieved. The belief now has to be as good as it can ahead of an inevitable show down with the Dubs.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/john-divilly/galway-turned-up-with-a-plan-what-was-kerrys-472838.html?&session=ulw2JAkrRqo8DHRwLkS7cLKXL+KA0KdznSDCLEEOM4U=

Divilly sees Galway as tactically far superior to Kerry - not sure about that but the fight was definitely better than Kerry's.

[omagh_gael]

For me the main takeaway was that we got into the trenches with Kerry and outfought them. The game could have been won more convincingly but the first time any team takes a signifcant champ scalp it doesn't matter how it's achieved. The belief now has to be as good as it can ahead of an inevitable show down with the Dubs.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/john-divilly/galway-turned-up-with-a-plan-what-was-kerrys-472838.html?&session=ulw2JAkrRqo8DHRwLkS7cLKXL+KA0KdznSDCLEEOM4U=

Divilly sees Galway as tactically far superior to Kerry - not sure about that but the fight was definitely better than Kerry's.

Careful now, there's still a lot of water to pass under the bridge now before that becomes a reality.

[Hound]

The difference between Meehan and Keegan as pundits is night and day. Meehan came off as knowledgeable and articulate. Keegan clueless and classless.

Disagree strongly.

I expect newbies to be pretty crap, but Keegan was very good. Only downside was a few times he'd more to say and was talked over by Brolly.

[Hound]

Wasn't a good game needless to say but I thought a 3 point margin in the end flattered Kerry considerably. They clawed back 1-1 deep in injury time and the goal should never have stood. Both sides hit too many wides but I thought ours were much worse. We missed some right sitters throughout the game. Both sides can play a lot better than they showed today I think even if the surface was like an ice rink.

That said I would have been delighted with a 1 point win beforehand.

That goal could end be being important if the end.
Could have the situation of Monaghan getting 6 points and the others all 2. Or Kildare getting none and the others all getting 4. In which case points difference will be key.

[joemamas]

Don't forget they lost a man for a stupid, selfish action with 15 minutes to go and the game still in the balance.

The guy they lost was useless, it says it all about Kerry's backs or lack thereof that he is even close to a starting place, remember the stupid free he gave away on the inside the 13 meter line, with two other defenders next to him.

[yellowcard]

Don't forget they lost a man for a stupid, selfish action with 15 minutes to go and the game still in the balance.

The guy they lost was useless, it says it all about Kerry's backs or lack thereof that he is even close to a starting place, remember the stupid free he gave away on the inside the 13 meter line, with two other defenders next to him.

It had no impact on the outcome as Galway were winning that match regardless of the sending off.

Fitzmaurice knows how to prepare a team physically but his in game management from a tactical perspective is poor. Some of his substitutions and switches (or lack of them) have been baffling. Taking off Geaney against the Dubs, allowing Enright get cleaned out by Andy Moran until it was too late are just two that spring to mind. Kerry have the players to challenge the Dubs but underperformed in a big way yesterday. I'd expect them to come out fighting against Monaghan next week with their season on the line. If the don't and Kerry suffer another defeat then I think it is curtains for Fitzmaurices reign.

[Unlaoised]

They were very poor yesterday but I fully expect them to beat Monagahn by 6 or 7 points!

[yellowcard]

They were very poor yesterday but I fully expect them to beat Monagahn by 6 or 7 points!

I also expect them to have too much for Monaghan up front. The qualifier teams will have played now for 5 consecutive weeks which will begin taking it's toll mentally and physically. 

[Duine Eile]

Ian Burke was excellent again yesterday, he's turning into the most important player in that forward line, the way he brings others into the game is brilliant along with his movement and his finishing.

[shark]

Ian Burke was excellent again yesterday, he's turning into the most important player in that forward line, the way he brings others into the game is brilliant along with his movement and his finishing.

He is the perfect team mate.

[DJGaliv]

I would have to wonder do lads even like Gaelic football the way they speak of the games.
Did people really think that this was going to be a free-flowing game of attacking football?
Are people not interested in how teams try and work each other out? Why can't we get some analysis of Galway's game bar they had X amount of players in their own half. I saw Ros and Tyrone the day before and they had every lad back too, but still was great to see how Tyrone could fashion chances, or how Ros got their goal but we hear nothing about it.

I was really looking forward to this game, and was delighted with the result. The atmosphere was flat as shocking day, world cup final and the super 8s meaning it's like you're playing three times as many quarter-finals - I'd wonder how many can afford attendance at all of them.

Back to the game, Galway looked like they had a plan. Kerry reminded me of how Galway used to play a defensive system pre-Tally. Not really getting it. Shows you the quality of Clifford that he still kicked as much as he did.

You couldn't say that any Galway lad played above himself, but we still managed to win relatively comfortably. That's a great sign that we are going well.

[An Fhairche Abu]

After watching the match back earlier the scoreline flatters Kerry hugely. Galway, given the platform we got from winning the midfield battle comprehensively, should have won that match by 7-8 points, some terrible wides in both halves that a more clinical performance would have surely seen them converted.

Ian Burke is a magician with the ball in hand and never stops making runs to make himself an outlet for the pass from other players, the difference he makes up front for Galway is hard to overstate.
Sean Kelly was fantastic, hard to believe the progress he's made this year, such a shame that his U21 cohort McDaid isn't also available, what a tandem they would be.

Best of luck in his recovery to Paul Conroy, sad to see such a horrible injury ending his year. Midfield depth has gone from a big strength to much weaker over the past few weeks, Cooke was very good when called upon though.

Daly and Comer didn't have great days but in fairness to Comer he occupies so much attention from the opposition that he makes it easier for other players. Varley with a another telling impact from the bench.

Clifford was excellent for Kerry, some prospect. Kerry midfield beat up a stick. James O'Donoghue was cleaned out by Kerin again this year. Nice to see Declan Kyne getting the score that his performance deserved as well.

Some baffling decisions by the ref, how Brannigan and Burke didn't get two cast iron, kickable frees in the second half was bewildering, very whistle happy for other innocuous incidents in contrast.

If scoring difference comes into it after the 3 matches then I'll be fairly livid that Clifford's goal was allowed to stand, Geaney just threw the ball out to him, should have been a free out.

Great to get rid of two unwanted records yesterday but there's still big scope for improvement looking to next Sunday in Newbridge, Galway need to keep this going.

[maigheo]

Question for the Galway lads-how come it has taken Ian Burke so long to establish himself on the Galway team?He really only made the starting 15 against Donegal last year.I saw him playing for Mayo in New York 2 years ago and he was by a distance  the best player in every game despite often being double and tripled marked.He has that rare ability to always do the right thing when he has the ball whether it is to lay it off or take the shot on.If I was giving advice to any young player on good forward play he would be the first example I would give .An absolute gem of a player

[GalwayBayBoy]

Question for the Galway lads-how come it has taken Ian Burke so long to establish himself on the Galway team?He really only made the starting 15 against Donegal last year.I saw him playing for Mayo in New York 2 years ago and he was by a distance  the best player in every game despite often being double and tripled marked.He has that rare ability to always do the right thing when he has the ball whether it is to lay it off or take the shot on.If I was giving advice to any young player on good forward play he would be the first example I would give .An absolute gem of a player

I think there was a fear for a while that he would just be too small and slight for intercounty football and he's not even particularly quick for a small lad. What he does have incredible movement, game intelligence and vision. Always keeps making runs and knows exactly when to lay the ball off or turn and take his own score.