Sligo v. Galway - Connacht Final

[GalwayBayBoy]

I'm afraid Galway will have way too much for Sligo and will win by 7 or 8 pulling up.

I think we'll win in the end but not sure we'll win that comfortably. From what I saw of Sligo against Roscommon they seem like a very fit team with plenty of running in them.

I think we'll have too much firepower for them in the end and I don't expect our full back line to be as uncomfortable as Declan Maxwell made it for them but I still expect that there might only be 3 or 4 points in at at the end.

[DJGaliv]

There's a lot of misinformation on this thread.
Galway's full back line, as everyone who's actually watched this team over the last couple of years knows that it's probably our best line. I think our troubles there are a bit exaggerated. Fair enough Hanley had a poor game, although he was carrying a knee injury into it. Maxwell did end the game with only two points. PJ got three points at the other end, but had a poor game.
Our problem in the full back line started much further out. We were very poor in midfield, and only got to grips with Leitrim when the big beast came on. With Leitrim on top in the middle it allowed them to send better ball into their full forward line.
Meehan, PJ, and Bane, all had quiet games although they all scored from play against a very decent full back line. That's not including Meehan's goal chance, and Joyce's strangely disallowed goal. Savage has been playing his best football in a long time, and got through a fair amount of work hassling Leitrim's half back line. Ja scored two points from play without even playing well.
Nicky Joyce was a revelation in the half forward line. Hopefully he's starting to get to grips with intercounty football now. I wasn't the biggest fan of seeing him out in the half forward line, but I think his direct running has provided a different dimension to our attack. We haven't had such a direct runner with an end product, from the forty since Donnellan in his prime.

The next day I'd hope to see Coyne, Clancy and Armstrong in for Comer, Ja, and Bane. I just think that Ja is able for fifty minutes at most at intercounty level.

[Mano]

There's a lot of misinformation on this thread.
Maxwell did end the game with only two points.

Don't agree with misinformation comment there. He may have scored only 2 points but he was fouled a number of times for frees (many of which were missed by Duignan) and was involved in many other scores where he won clean ball or flicked the ball on.

PJ got three points at the other end, but had a poor game.

Two of those points were frees and he did have a poor game. The starting full forward line for Galway were well held and only scored 3 from play which is lowest from that line for many a year.

If we limited Galway ffl to 3 from play-we would have a great chance i think. But these lads could catch fire again at any time.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Two of those points were frees and he did have a poor game

I don't agree with those saying PJ had a poor game. He didn't have a great game but by no means did he have a poor one.

He was well marshalled by McKeon in the first half but PJ's influence grew as the game went on and he laid on quite a few scores for others in the second half and was twice hauled down by McKeon for frees.

Not a great game by his lofty standards but a decent one.

[GalwaySham]

I still think Galway peaked against Mayo, thats not bitterness, I think Galway were head and shoulders above mayo on the day.

Bitterness is exactly what it is!

[Rossfan]

I fear for Sligo in this game as the Galway forwards may make mincemeat of the Sligo FBL.
Roscommon moved the ball quick to the FFL about 4 times in the whole game and scored 2-2.
Can you imagine how many times Galway will send quick ball into their forwards.
Hope I'm wrong as it would be lovely to see Sligo take the Nestor but I think it's a forlorn hope.

[spectator]

Agree with Rossfan - the few times Ros ran with pace at the Sligo full-back line they made alarming inroads.

Based on Sunday's performance, Galway can ruthlessly exploit this. Sligo's swarming style might struggle against the speedier thought, faster movement and better support play of Galway.

Also, it's hard to see where Sligo will get the scores required from.

Heart says Sligo but the head says a 7-8 points win for the tribesman.

The Sligo half back line & Galway half forward line  tussle should be interesting

[ross matt]

I think Sligo have a real chance but of course they will have to be flying on all cylinders. Once again it's difficult to know what is the real Galway...... the Mayo game or the Leitrim one. Mayo were dire the day in Pearse stadium and Galway literally hit them with everything before they knew where they were. Leitrim showed great attitude and courage against them on Sunday in Carrick and really troubled them. If they had a decent freetaker they could easily have won it. Galway didnt play all that badly. Some of their score taking was excellent. They were petrified under the high ball and as someone rightly posted this is not the first time Maxwell has rattled them in that regard. I think Hanly is a very mature full back for a young player and has great pace but he is suspect in the air and not yet blessed with great physical strength. Sligo should definitely place the likes of Sean Davey in on the edge of the box in the hyde and loft a few high ones in. If they do I think Forde will drop Blake back for the breaks. It worked very well in the first half of the league final against Kerry last year until Brosnan came on and caused havoc with his direct running through the middle. Sligo need to be able to vary it the same way. O'Hara is capable of dominating midfield on current form but then again Bergin is unlikely to be as anonymous as he was against Leitrim. One way or another Sligo will have to convert 90% of their scoring chances to be in with a shout. Not sure if they have the forwards to do so. Galway still have the knack of making scores look easy thanks to ability of everyone of their forwards to knock over a point or two even when playing badly like Bane and Fallon the last day. In fact with all the wides Ja had he could have ended up with 5 or 6 points. I think Savage was playing very well before he took the two bad knocks and he will need watching in the Connacht Final. It would be unwise to judge Sligo too much on the Ross match as (even though I missed it by being out of the country) we should no passion or fight and are just not confident at senior level right now. Like Spectator and most neutrals I'd love to see a Sligo win  I think Galway will edge the same way they did the Leitrim match based purely on the natural ability of their forwards.

[GalwaySham]

I think Hanly is a very mature full back for a young player and has great pace but he is suspect in the air

Hanley is very comfortable in the air and Id trust him under a high ball, just as much as I would any other full back in the country.

[criostlinn]

Where is this match being played

[MaroonAndWhite]

2pm at Hyde Park, Roscommon on Sunday week

[KIDDO]

The referee for this tie will be cavan whistler Brian crowe , who will be  doing his second connacht final.

[myball22]

Am I right in saying that he did the previous Connacht Final between Galway and Sligo in 2002?

[magpie seanie]

No, I think that was some guy from Armagh. Was it McKee?

[Owenmoresider]

It was McKee, the fcuker.