Galway v Kilkenny

[GalwayBayBoy]

Might as well start a thread on this one.

THE much-anticipated showdown between Galway's star forward Joe Canning and teak-tough Kilkenny defender Noel Hickey is in severe jeopardy with both players rated as major injury doubts ahead of next Saturday's Leinster SHC semi-final.

Canning suffered a recurrence of a stomach/groin injury during a training camp last week and team management will wait until later this week before making a final decision the Portumna star's availability for the Tullamore clash.

Hickey, meanwhile, sustained a knee injury in training last Saturday and although early reports of medial knee ligament damage have been played down, the All Star full-back looks set to miss out on this occasion.

Midfielders James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick and Derek Lyng are also rated as doubtful starters but defender Michael Kavanagh and forward Richie Power are expected to line out after recovering from hamstring damage.

Power did not train on Saturday but is expected to take part in this evening's session at Nowlan Park.

casualty

Brian Hogan is Kilkenny's long-term injury casualty with a broken collarbone while Galway are without cruciate ligament victims Ciaran O'Donovan and Iarla Tannian.

Last year's goalkeeper James Skehill is also ruled out with a broken finger and Kevin Hayes is suspended for the Tribesmen.

Andy Smith is also a doubtful starter after the shin injury he sustained against Laois turned septic while Alan Kerins is struggling with an ankle injury. On the plus side for Galway, former All Star defender Ollie Canning is fit.

[An Fhairche Abu]

You'd have to think that while Kilkenny can sustain the loss of some of their starters due to the panel depth, the loss of Joe Canning can't be even half adequately filled by Galway.

I've never been to O'Connor Park before, can anyone tell me the best place to park up the car before the ground coming from Portlaoise?

[INDIANA]

Galway have no chance now in my view. Canning at 70% won't be enough. They need to concentrate on producing a performance.

[Reillers]

Typical, TYPICAL!! Canning would be feckin injured wouldn't he be, Kilkenny lucky again as per usual. If and I mean IF Canning was 100% fit and nothing else, and the other Galway players were on their top game then I was hoping that Galway could go on and actually beat Kilkenny. They are the best without question, but they do get a cake walk ever season to the semi final/final usually the final. And I was hoping that Galway would be able to put it up to them and might even beat them, but now I can see them being blown out of the water. FFS. Typical, just so fuckin typical.

[AZOffaly]

You'd have to think that while Kilkenny can sustain the loss of some of their starters due to the panel depth, the loss of Joe Canning can't be even half adequately filled by Galway.

I've never been to O'Connor Park before, can anyone tell me the best place to park up the car before the ground coming from Portlaoise?

I'd nearly park down in the Bridge Centre, or maybe the Car Park near Tullamore Dew. Parking around O'Connor Park can be a mare, but it's a handy walk from the town. Picture attached...

[AZOffaly]

Kilkenny lucky again as per usual.

Sorry, I don't usually do this but....

[EddieMerx]

Typical, TYPICAL!! Canning would be feckin injured wouldn't he be, Kilkenny lucky again as per usual. If and I mean IF Canning was 100% fit and nothing else, and the other Galway players were on their top game then I was hoping that Galway could go on and actually beat Kilkenny. They are the best without question, but they do get a cake walk ever season to the semi final/final usually the final. And I was hoping that Galway would be able to put it up to them and might even beat them, but now I can see them being blown out of the water. FFS. Typical, just so fuckin typical.

In all honesty Reillers Munster hasn't exactly produced anything to challenge KK this year so far, two games - 1 ok but highlighted more weaknesses than strengths for both teams and the other game was truly awful. You worry about your own Province and we will worry about ours.

I can't see Galway beating Kilkenny, they might stick with them for 40 or 50 mins but KK to pull away

[Reillers]

Typical, TYPICAL!! Canning would be feckin injured wouldn't he be, Kilkenny lucky again as per usual. If and I mean IF Canning was 100% fit and nothing else, and the other Galway players were on their top game then I was hoping that Galway could go on and actually beat Kilkenny. They are the best without question, but they do get a cake walk ever season to the semi final/final usually the final. And I was hoping that Galway would be able to put it up to them and might even beat them, but now I can see them being blown out of the water. FFS. Typical, just so fuckin typical.

In all honesty Reillers Munster hasn't exactly produced anything to challenge KK this year so far, two games - 1 ok but highlighted more weaknesses than strengths for both teams and the other game was truly awful. You worry about your own Province and we will worry about ours.

I can't see Galway beating Kilkenny, they might stick with them for 40 or 50 mins but KK to pull away

It's not the point, I know Kilkenny are by far better then anything in Munster, but for the Munster teams to challenge Kilkenny they need fair ground, Munster is competitive it's hard games, Kilkenny as good as they are have a cake walk to the semi usually the final, every season with the likes of the poorer teams in Leinster. I know Kilkenny are better but it'd be a hell lot easier if there was even ground and teams weren't running out of steam by the time they get to the final, while Kilkenny are there nice and fresh and having been able to time their peak to perfection. Kilkenny are excellent, but there should be even ground, as it is there's not and Munster are far more competitive and you'll get much tougher games there then you will in Leinster. It probably wouldn't have much impact on the Kilkenny preformance anyway, but it would help if both teams were after the same level of matches when they met eachother.

[Reillers]

Kilkenny lucky again as per usual.

Sorry, I don't usually do this but....

You know what I mean, they are fantastic obviously, but they always seem to get the lucky draw or the lucky breaks. They'd probably win anyway, but it gives the other team less of a chance.

[heffo]

Typical, TYPICAL!! Kilkenny lucky again as per usual.
FFS. Typical, just so fuckin typical.

What do you mean?

[EddieMerx]

Reillers, Munster has provided the All Ireland finalists for the last two years and we all saw how they went, I think the fact that Offaly beat Limerick and should have beaten Waterford combined with Wexford beating Tipp the previous year and should have beaten Waterford last year goes to prove your point makes no sense.

[Gnevin]

Galway to have a  a competitive lose which will set them up nicely for the rest of the year.

[An Fhairche Abu]

You'd have to think that while Kilkenny can sustain the loss of some of their starters due to the panel depth, the loss of Joe Canning can't be even half adequately filled by Galway.

I've never been to O'Connor Park before, can anyone tell me the best place to park up the car before the ground coming from Portlaoise?

I'd nearly park down in the Bridge Centre, or maybe the Car Park near Tullamore Dew. Parking around O'Connor Park can be a mare, but it's a handy walk from the town. Picture attached...

Thanks a million AZ!

[Reillers]

Reillers, Munster has provided the All Ireland finalists for the last two years and we all saw how they went, I think the fact that Offaly beat Limerick and should have beaten Waterford combined with Wexford beating Tipp the previous year and should have beaten Waterford last year goes to prove your point makes no sense.

Munster have providede finalists for as far as I can remember back 6 years. Limerick were poor and if were honest that was supposed to be Waterford's year to go on and beat Kilkenny, but they lost against Limerick after having played Cork twice, 2 massive high intensity games but ran out of steam against Limerick.  Limerick werer never ever going to win that final. I mean wasn't even in question, and then Waterford made it to the final a year top late and by then they'd nothing left to give.
But for the other 4 years they were massive hard competitive games. No Leinster team tries in Leinster, they don't believe they're beaten by 20 odd points before the game, the qualifiers are their main priorties.

[Ash Smoker]

Noel Hickey vs. Joe Canning would have been some battle had it materialised.
Kilkenny's injury list is growing and Galway have been the closet thing to a bogey team for the Cats under Cody.
Galway might set a tend of beating them every 4 years.
2001, 2005, 2009???