Latest Developments In Galway Hurling Saga Show How Bleak The Situation Is

[seafoid]

Its April so Galway are priming up for their annual capitiation and blood letting

Not this year

I was looking at how the team has changed in the last 3 years

2014 GALWAY (v Tipp in Thurles, qfs) : C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; I Tannian, Daithí Burke, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony (0-1); David Burke (1-0), J Canning (capt) (0-5, one sideline), C Mannion (0-2); J Flynn (1-0), C Cooney (0-4, all frees), J Glynn (2-0).

2017 Galway (today) : C Callanan; A Tuohy, J Hanbury, A Harte; P Mannion, G McInerney, Daithi Burke; J Coen, David Burke; P Brehony, J Canning, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Mannion, C Cooney.

Pretty ruthless

And they are not far away from the top

[johnneycool]

Its April so Galway are priming up for their annual capitiation and blood letting

Not this year

I was looking at how the team has changed in the last 3 years

2014 GALWAY (v Tipp in Thurles, qfs) : C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; I Tannian, Daithí Burke, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony (0-1); David Burke (1-0), J Canning (capt) (0-5, one sideline), C Mannion (0-2); J Flynn (1-0), C Cooney (0-4, all frees), J Glynn (2-0).

2017 Galway (today) : C Callanan; A Tuohy, J Hanbury, A Harte; P Mannion, G McInerney, Daithi Burke; J Coen, David Burke; P Brehony, J Canning, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Mannion, C Cooney.

Pretty ruthless

And they are not far away from the top

Moore, Tainnion, Smyth, Collins were /are coming to the end of their careers so no surprises there and to be fair to the players and management they've had two good years on the bounce beaten by the eventual AI winners both years and IMO one team that Tipp will fear come the knockout stages of the championship

[ashman]

Its April so Galway are priming up for their annual capitiation and blood letting

Not this year

I was looking at how the team has changed in the last 3 years

2014 GALWAY (v Tipp in Thurles, qfs) : C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; I Tannian, Daithí Burke, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony (0-1); David Burke (1-0), J Canning (capt) (0-5, one sideline), C Mannion (0-2); J Flynn (1-0), C Cooney (0-4, all frees), J Glynn (2-0).

2017 Galway (today) : C Callanan; A Tuohy, J Hanbury, A Harte; P Mannion, G McInerney, Daithi Burke; J Coen, David Burke; P Brehony, J Canning, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Mannion, C Cooney.

Pretty ruthless

And they are not far away from the top

To be honest Galway weren't very impressive yesterday .  Limerick were utterly awful .

[From the Bunker]

Its April so Galway are priming up for their annual capitiation and blood letting

Not this year

I was looking at how the team has changed in the last 3 years

2014 GALWAY (v Tipp in Thurles, qfs) : C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; I Tannian, Daithí Burke, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony (0-1); David Burke (1-0), J Canning (capt) (0-5, one sideline), C Mannion (0-2); J Flynn (1-0), C Cooney (0-4, all frees), J Glynn (2-0).

2017 Galway (today) : C Callanan; A Tuohy, J Hanbury, A Harte; P Mannion, G McInerney, Daithi Burke; J Coen, David Burke; P Brehony, J Canning, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Mannion, C Cooney.

Pretty ruthless

And they are not far away from the top

Galway are never far from the Top in Hurling. That's because there are feck all real hurling Counties. There can't be many that are better than you!

From a Mayo perspective and my own club Ballyvary which is struggling badly. Liam McCarthy would be such a boost to Mayo Hurling as we all shout for Galway here.

[seafoid]

Its April so Galway are priming up for their annual capitiation and blood letting

Not this year

I was looking at how the team has changed in the last 3 years

2014 GALWAY (v Tipp in Thurles, qfs) : C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; I Tannian, Daithí Burke, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony (0-1); David Burke (1-0), J Canning (capt) (0-5, one sideline), C Mannion (0-2); J Flynn (1-0), C Cooney (0-4, all frees), J Glynn (2-0).

2017 Galway (today) : C Callanan; A Tuohy, J Hanbury, A Harte; P Mannion, G McInerney, Daithi Burke; J Coen, David Burke; P Brehony, J Canning, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Mannion, C Cooney.

Pretty ruthless

And they are not far away from the top

To be honest Galway weren't very impressive yesterday .  Limerick were utterly awful .

Their stickwork is good and their passing is accurate so you would have to be happy with that.
Limerick are a couple of years behind Galway

[Asal Mor]

Its April so Galway are priming up for their annual capitiation and blood letting

Not this year

I was looking at how the team has changed in the last 3 years

2014 GALWAY (v Tipp in Thurles, qfs) : C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; I Tannian, Daithí Burke, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony (0-1); David Burke (1-0), J Canning (capt) (0-5, one sideline), C Mannion (0-2); J Flynn (1-0), C Cooney (0-4, all frees), J Glynn (2-0).

2017 Galway (today) : C Callanan; A Tuohy, J Hanbury, A Harte; P Mannion, G McInerney, Daithi Burke; J Coen, David Burke; P Brehony, J Canning, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Mannion, C Cooney.

Pretty ruthless

And they are not far away from the top

Ronan Burke was a bit unfortunate really. He was the first victim of the new Seamie and was thrown on the scrapheap after that 2014 game. Callanan has destroyed everyone else since too though, bar Daithi.

[seafoid]

Via Indo

You look at the centre of their defence, Daithi Burke was at number six, then they put him back to three. He has thrived there. 

"Gearóid McInerney has been a big find in this league at centre back. He's very strong and very mobile.

"Up front, people ask what if Joe Canning has an off-day?

"But in this league, we have seen the likes Cathal Mannion, Conor Cooney and Conor Whelan in particular share the scoring load.

"As a result, Canning is thriving in that playmaker role at number 11

[seafoid]

This article from 2011 is a classic

http://www.independent.ie/sport/columnists/vincent-hogan/vincent-hogan-have-galway-become-a-soft-touch-26743621.html

[mouview]

This article from 2011 is a classic

http://www.independent.ie/sport/columnists/vincent-hogan/vincent-hogan-have-galway-become-a-soft-touch-26743621.html

Loughnane's tenure was disastrous but with a smidgin of luck could have taken KK in the '07 1/4 final. Well in it for a good hour and Damien Hayes, only for a slip, oh so nearly got behind the FB line where he would have been in on goal. Fergal Moore went off with a hamstring injury and Tannian was taken off. Only then did their direct opponents, Eddie Brennan and Tommy Walsh, thrive. The former went on a scoring spree to finish the match.

McIntyre was a small improvement. Shudda beaten KK in the Leinster semi' in '09 in Tullamore only for timid finishing from Aongus Callinan and Niall Healy when leading. Ditto in the qualifier v W'ford when in control; got caught badly on the hop that day. Again, won the league in '10 but went down bad in Leinster final. Recouped v. Tipp in 1/4 final but a late injury to Ollie may have been so costly; probably wouldn't have beaten KK in final anyway. Went down bad to Dublin in '11 semi-final. Regrouped well v Clare and Cork and looked to have good momentum going again until they ran into W'ford in Thurles and again went down bad. One step up, one step back.

I've said it before; Brian Cody largely ushered in a more modern approach to hurling, with more of an emphasis on strength and physicality in tandem with the skills of the game. It's taken Galway a long time to get up to speed with that, surprisingly so when they've been in Leinster since '09, the 'Vatican II' of Galway hurling.

[seafoid]

This article from 2011 is a classic

http://www.independent.ie/sport/columnists/vincent-hogan/vincent-hogan-have-galway-become-a-soft-touch-26743621.html

Loughnane's tenure was disastrous but with a smidgin of luck could have taken KK in the '07 1/4 final. Well in it for a good hour and Damien Hayes, only for a slip, oh so nearly got behind the FB line where he would have been in on goal. Fergal Moore went off with a hamstring injury and Tannian was taken off. Only then did their direct opponents, Eddie Brennan and Tommy Walsh, thrive. The former went on a scoring spree to finish the match.

McIntyre was a small improvement. Shudda beaten KK in the Leinster semi' in '09 in Tullamore only for timid finishing from Aongus Callinan and Niall Healy when leading. Ditto in the qualifier v W'ford when in control; got caught badly on the hop that day. Again, won the league in '10 but went down bad in Leinster final. Recouped v. Tipp in 1/4 final but a late injury to Ollie may have been so costly; probably wouldn't have beaten KK in final anyway. Went down bad to Dublin in '11 semi-final. Regrouped well v Clare and Cork and looked to have good momentum going again until they ran into W'ford in Thurles and again went down bad. One step up, one step back.

I've said it before; Brian Cody largely ushered in a more modern approach to hurling, with more of an emphasis on strength and physicality in tandem with the skills of the game. It's taken Galway a long time to get up to speed with that, surprisingly so when they've been in Leinster since '09, the 'Vatican II' of Galway hurling.

They didn't have the players in the key positions and maybe the attitude was wrong. They could never seem to build up enough serious experience.  And the psychology was not good.
Getting Daithi Burke in at FB and McInerney at CHB is a huge improvement on previous years.
A decent FB and they could have won in 2015.
Kilkenny ruined hurling development in a lot of counties from 2006 on.

[AZOffaly]

Galway have always had hurlers, but in recent times lacked the grit that their teams of the 80s had. They have gained that physicality and drive now, and they don't have any fear of the likes of Tipp. Tipp seemed to have come up to that level too, which made for great games between them in the last two years. What last Sunday means in terms of championship we'll have to see, but Galway are as close as anyone. I actually fancy Waterford for the All Ireland this year.

[mouview]

Galway have always had hurlers, but in recent times lacked the grit that their teams of the 80s had. They have gained that physicality and drive now, and they don't have any fear of the likes of Tipp. Tipp seemed to have come up to that level too, which made for great games between them in the last two years. What last Sunday means in terms of championship we'll have to see, but Galway are as close as anyone. I actually fancy Waterford for the All Ireland this year.

Seafoid is more correct; a few times square pegs have had to fill round holes, e.g. Kevin Hynes at FB, Tan at no. 6. Don't think it's down to grit or physicality alone. Last Sunday doesn't make Galway any closer to Liam I feel; not that long ago at all McInerney and Tuohy were being overrun by Wexford in Salthill and heaven forfend if Daithi Burke gets injured.

I still fear Tipp'. If they get a run on a team and edge 4/5 points ahead they have the explosiveness to double that lead in a short time. They would have pushed on same as Galway had they led by 0-11 to 0-5 at half-time on Sunday.

[AZOffaly]

By recent times, I don't mean this crop. I think this team for the last 2/3 years, have been noticeably big, physical and athletic.

[manfromdelmonte]

they've basically copied the Kilkenny model
big physical hurlers all over the field - 'power hurling'
the way that county games are now refereed the rules favour heavy hitting players able to bulldoze their way through tackles

[seafoid]

By recent times, I don't mean this crop. I think this team for the last 2/3 years, have been noticeably big, physical and athletic.

There was no consistency prior to 2012. The turnover of players was very high.

2010 league winners
GALWAY: C Callanan; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning; D Barry, T Regan, D Collins; G Farragher (0-6, four frees, one 65), D Burke (0-1); D Hayes (1-1), C Donnellan (0-1), A Smith (0-2); A Harte (0-3), J Canning (1-5), I Tannian (0-1). Subs: J Gantley (0-2) for Tannian (53 mins), K Hynes for Smith (62 mins), A Callanan for Burke (68 mins).

When Cunningham took over he decided to look ahead a bit and build a team around the 2011 Under 21 all Ireland winners.
. 

GALWAY 2011 u 21 : K Finnegan; D Connolly, P Gordan, G OHalloran; N Donoghue, D Burke (0-4 all frees) , S Óg Linnane; J Coen (0-1) , B Daly; J Regan (0-1), N Quinn (1-2, gl from pen), E Forde (0-3, two frees); R Cummins (0-1) , G Burke, G Kelly (0-2). Subs: B Burke (1-0) for Cummins (half-time), J Grealish for Daly (48 mins), N Burke for G Burke (54 mins), J Cooney for Forde (60 mins).

Any team is usually a mixture of older and younger players

GALWAY 2012 Leinster final : 1 J Skehill; 4 F Moore, 3 K Hynes, 7 J Coen; 2 D Collins (0-1), 6 T Regan, 5 N Donoghue; 8 I Tannian, 9 A Smith; 11 N Burke (0-2), 10 D Burke (1-2), 15 D Hayes (0-1); 14 J Canning (1-10, 0-7 frees), 13 C Cooney, 12 C Donnellan (0-5). Subs: 22 J Glynn for C Cooney (53 mins), 21 J Regan for Tannian (57 mins), 25 T Haran for N Burke (61 mins), 17 J Cooney for Donnellan (71 mins). Yellow cards: Hynes (38 mins), Coen (54 mins), Collins (55 mins).

Hynes isn't  a full back.
Regan wasn't good enough.
Donnellan, Tannian , Moore and  Smith wouldn't be as good as their equivalents now imo

They nearly won in 2012 but normal service was resumed the  year after.

Now the 2011 under 21s are 26/27
And they have better central players