Na Cait v Gaillimh, AIF 9 Sept

seafoid · August 20, 2012, 06:09:33 PM

Discuss

seafoid · August 20, 2012, 07:35:49 PM

If the 2 teams are playing to their potential it should be a great match.

AZOffaly · August 20, 2012, 08:50:53 PM

If Kilkenny play to their potential they will do unto Galway what Galway did unto them. I hope Galway win it, but Kilkenny are ruthless when they get the foot on your neck. Galway need the fast start again.

seafoid · August 20, 2012, 09:17:43 PM

It'll come down to who gets the possession and uses it. Is one of the KK midfielders not out for the final ?

AZOffaly · August 20, 2012, 09:22:19 PM

Michael Rice is out I think.

orangeman · August 20, 2012, 10:56:59 PM

Will Galway send Joe after Tommy ?

brokencrossbar1 · August 21, 2012, 09:45:53 AM

I would love to see Galway win the AI but not this one, I want to see thon hoor Cunninghm get another black and amber blitz to shut him up, he might come across as a decent chap but he has a rotten streak in him. Think Billy Sheehan x 10!

seafoid · August 21, 2012, 10:12:47 AM

It probably is a bit early for Galway but on the other hand they have taken so many bad beatings from Kilkenny and they have no shortage of motivation.

This is a good analysis

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0813/1224322103000.html

NICKY ENGLISH

HURLING ANALYST: Anthony Cunningham's men stuttered whenever they seized the upper hand but had too much for a raw Cork

THE BEST team by some distance only managed to win by a few yards. It was predictable enough in the end, as was the face that the expectation on Galway to replicate the start they had made against Kilkenny in the Leinster final would prove too great.

Expectation had soared due to that performance, and so had the pressure levels. They reacted accordingly, looking a very nervous team in the opening exchanges. All of them. Even Joe Canning until he settled to produce a fine individual display.

Joe went for a goal early on from that angled free when they trailed by a point. There was no need to do that but he did and got nothing in return.

That increased the pressure some more. As did the concession of handy scores, allowing Cork to grow into the game.

Still, the risk was understandable by Canning. Unless they got a goal it was always going to be a victory born out of hard labour. That is evident in this Galway team now but that and Joe's brilliance is not enough to win an All-Ireland in most years. And considering the two counties contesting the other semi-final next Sunday, 2012 is certainly most years.

Ultimately, Galway came out in the second-half and cancelled out Cork's primary method of attacking. Cork had far too much latitude in the first-half with short puck outs and the like. Paudie O'Sullivan was also looking dangerous inside.

Whatever Anthony Cunningham said under the Hogan Stand they returned to the field and closed down all the obvious Cork avenues of attack. The Galway defence dominated most exchanges in the second-half. That was the winning of this game.

They eventually settled and the nerves lifted off their shoulders. Anthony Nash had to send it long, down field where Niall Donoghue, Tony Óg Regan and David Collins did their jobs effectively, be it winning or breaking ball.

Too many mistakes were evident though. Donoghue was, to my mind, the best defender on show but even he struggled to clear the huge amount of ball he was winning. That epitomised the Galway performance really; almost excellent but stuttering whenever they seized the upper hand.

Niall Burke's goal chance in the second half is another example. Great save that it was by Anthony Nash, it needed to be buried for the big performance to be confirmed.

So, they nearly produced back- to-back performances of the highest quality.

Not the worst way to go into an All-Ireland final. Whoever wins next weekend will still be hot favourites. Just how Cunningham and his players want it.

The blitzing of Kilkenny remains an isolated and extra-special showing and nobody really knows whether they can repeat it. Maybe they know themselves.

When Galway are being analysed by their All-Ireland final opponents, whoever they may be, the focus will yet again come onto Joe Canning. He demands such scrutiny due to the consistency of his performances and condition he is in this summer.

He put over some fantastic points yesterday. There was that reverse pass to Damien Hayes early on and of Galway's first seven points, five came from Joe.

Brian Murphy did a good job marking him too. But Canning is a top player on top form.

That man aside, they have plenty to work on. At times positionally they seemed flawed, hammering balls downfield with no Galway player in sight, in what was a shapeless game really for long tranches (I think the low sun is to blame for some aimless passing and the jersey similarity as well).

Sure, Iarla Tannian and Andy Smith dominated midfield but the team in general conceded far too much possession. Against better opposition, they will be severely punished. Kilkenny or Tipperary would have torn them apart if presented with that amount of ball.

In seeking out positives, the manner in which Galway have reached the final can be viewed as two performances of sufficient quality. They did beat a young Cork team who I felt would shake up one of the major counties this year. They ensured it wasn't another hard luck Galway story. They got the job done without playing well and for now that is enough.

It also makes them a far more dangerous animal. It makes the management's job easier. The weight of expectation can be lifted when they look back on this performance. Their own supporters and the rest of the country will lay off them. Most believe they are not ready.

Both the players and Galway people can travel to Croke Park next month with quiet confidence. They do have Joe, now 23 years old and finally playing in his first All-Ireland final.

Cork produced a performance similar enough to that which what ran Tipp close in the Munster semi-final. They have a group of young players all hitting a similar level of performance, albeit below top class.

It allows them send on the likes of Daniel Kearney, Stephen Moylan and Darren Sweetnam knowing the standard will be maintained. It remains a period of rebuilding and potential but when push came to shove their inexperience and lack of physical and mental strength saw them fall short. They have improved but they are clearly the fourth best team in the country.

Besides the Pa Cronin chance it seemed extremely unlikely they would engineer the goal to make Galway bleed. They will learn, but remain some way off the elite.

Galway's defence will play its part in delivering an All-Ireland. It's the forwards who must improve. The over-reliance on Canning and Damien Hayes to gather most of their scores will not be enough, I feel. They must spread the scoring load more to the likes of Niall and David Burke, Conor Cooney and Cyril Donnellan too.

If they can rediscover the opening 25 minutes from the Leinster final they are capable of winning the All-Ireland final

orangeman · August 21, 2012, 10:15:00 AM

Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on August 21, 2012, 09:45:53 AM
I would love to see Galway win the AI but not this one, I want to see thon hoor Cunninghm get another black and amber blitz to shut him up, he might come across as a decent chap but he has a rotten streak in him. Think Billy Sheehan x 10!

That is nasty alright.

Doesn't come across as a nasty man at all. Seems very decent.

Nice boys win nathin !

Is there any nastiness in the Cross boys ?.

brokencrossbar1 · August 21, 2012, 10:46:29 AM

Quote from: orangeman on August 21, 2012, 10:15:00 AM
Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on August 21, 2012, 09:45:53 AM
I would love to see Galway win the AI but not this one, I want to see thon hoor Cunninghm get another black and amber blitz to shut him up, he might come across as a decent chap but he has a rotten streak in him. Think Billy Sheehan x 10!

That is nasty alright.

Doesn't come across as a nasty man at all. Seems very decent.

Nice boys win nathin !

Is there any nastiness in the Cross boys ?.

Nah, we're angels

.

orangeman · August 21, 2012, 10:57:36 AM

Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on August 21, 2012, 10:46:29 AM
Quote from: orangeman on August 21, 2012, 10:15:00 AM
Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on August 21, 2012, 09:45:53 AM
I would love to see Galway win the AI but not this one, I want to see thon hoor Cunninghm get another black and amber blitz to shut him up, he might come across as a decent chap but he has a rotten streak in him. Think Billy Sheehan x 10!

That is nasty alright.

Doesn't come across as a nasty man at all. Seems very decent.

Nice boys win nathin !

Is there any nastiness in the Cross boys ?.

Nah, we're angels .

Thought so.

Asal Mor · August 21, 2012, 01:14:28 PM

I think it's well set up for Galway to produce a great performance in the final. I don't know if we'll have enough to win but if we keep it close anything can happen. It's great to be going in as massive underdogs. That'll always suit a Galway team. There's more to the Galway attack than Joe and Damo and I wouldn't agree with Nicky that we've been over-reliant on them. Cyril donnellan was brilliant before his injury putting up huge scores from play in the Leinster Championship. David burke has been having a great year too though he wasn't quite as good against Cork. Niall Burke has been winning loads of ball all year but his shooting has been hit and miss. Conor Cooney is playing quite well for his first year. He hasn't scored much but it might happen for him in the final. He's a great talent and he'll go for goal if he gets a sniff. We also have James Regan and Johnathon Glynn to come in if anyone is not playing well. We'll cause the Kilkenny backs a lot of problems. Unlike previous years we have a forward line capable of winning 50/50 balls. Also we'll hassle the Kilkenny backs when they have the ball as much as the Kilkenny forwards will hassle ours

The midfield's cause should be helped by Michael Rice's injury although Buckley did well on Sunday. Tannian and Smith are capable of breaking even there anyway.

You could see how some of the Galway backs might struggle 1 on 1. Hynes on Larkin say , or Coen on Henry especially under the high ball. Tony Og on Power as another example. These would all be dangerous match - ups for Galway but rightly Cunningham will make sure there are always numbers back there and try to stop Kilkenny from scoring goals. If we can keep Kilkenny under 2 goals then we've a great chance. Kilkenny will be 100% ready this time so it will require a hell of a performance. Our boys have the ability though. They won't be far off.

seafoid · August 21, 2012, 01:18:51 PM

If they can do something with the ball they win in the middle third rather than belt it nowhere like in the Cork match they should be in with a shout. The cats will be favourites alright but they have a lot of miles on the clock. The most striking image from the leinster final was the thousand yard stare on the black and amber player faces after the match. That really got to them.

orangeman · August 21, 2012, 01:31:04 PM

This news comes as no surprise. Pity for the lad who has to miss out on the big day.

Kilkenny's Michael Rice is set to miss the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final against Galway.

The Carrickshock midfielder suffered a hand injury during the semi-final victory over Tipperary, and is said to have suffered several fractures and tendon damage.

Rice was admitted to St James' Hospital Dublin on Sunday night and is still awaiting test results and to find out if he needs surgery.

Asal Mor · August 21, 2012, 01:40:50 PM

Yeah seafoid the same performance as against Cork would see us get the same treatment as Tipp got but that was always going to be a nervous game. In some ways the pressure is off now - or at least a lot of the expectation is. We certainly won't get away with pucking away so much possession against the Cats.