Clare v Galway - The return of GerLock

[GalwayBayBoy]

No word on this one yet so I better start a thread.

[mouview]

Sat. evening will kickstart a busy weekend for Galway GAA fans  - 'deed there'll hardly be time for Mass on Sunday, seeing as the MInor match kicks off...errr.... throws in at 12pm. in the Hyde. For Galway, it will be the first time that quite a few followers will be watching Gerlock over the team in the flesh, such is their fickle nature. A settled team seems further away than ever sadly, a problem exacerbated by the possible absence of Eugene and the unlucky Diarmuid Cloonan. This may mean a long-awaited start for Kerril Wade, the next big thing in Galway hurling, (at least until you-know-who becomes available). That said, if there's any bit of hurling in the team they should have enough to overcome a weak-enough home side.

[GY Joe]

Predictions Please:

Galway due a good one in Hells Kitchen with the old chef in charge...

Galway by 5.............

[GalwayBayBoy]

Well I'd like to see the teams first but I think Galway might shade it although I wouldn't exactly be surprised if it went the other way.

Hard to know how we're shaping up as I only saw brief highlights of the Laois game. Will Fergal Moore be back to play corner-back? Would free David Collins to the half-back line. Who will play Full-back? Who will play midfield? Eoin Lynch was taken off against Laois. Will Fergal Healy be back to fill a midfield position? Will Richie Murray play after coming on as sub the last day? Same with Broderick. Still lots of unanswered questions.

Heading down to Ennis myself on Saturday and with the Connacht final the following day it's a busy old weekend.

[Silky]

I thought there'd be more talk about this around the county but expectations are low in Clare at the minute. Galway will be big favorites dispite not firing on all cylinders against Laois. We'll head up and give it an auld rattle anyway sure ye never know what might happen on the day.

[johnneycool]

Galway are the more settled team of the two and that's saying something. If Diarmuid Cloonan starts ful back that'll be GerLocks fourth person he's tried in there with varying degrees of success. Tony Og Reagan, Shane Kavanagh, Hardiman have all had a go with Kavanagh probably being his preferred choice but i think hes out injured.

John Lee will be the winning of this game for Galway, he's Galways version of Seanie McMahon and will be able to stand up the the physicality of the Clare team and return it in spades. One to watch this summer if his league form continues.

Are the Clare suspensions up now?

[slow corner back]

Yeah the Clare players got a month, which was up before they played Antrim but under the new ruling they had to miss the next match in the competition. They are all available for Saturday as far as I know.

[mouview]

Anyone got a link to Gerlock's column in this weeks Clare Champion? Explosive stuff by all accounts and just the thing to rachet up the stakes even further on Sat. evening.

[belleaqua]

Any sign of a Galway team? Still very unsettled whatever is named. Clare are great value at 9/4

[heineken_on_tap]

Apparently Ger gave out about the Clare county board,underage structure and also gave Antony Daly a bit of stick - saying the players had too much power when he was in charge . Now in fairness he should cut Daly a bit of slack - think those comment were uncalled for. Surely all this is serious motivation for Clare

[An Laoch]

Of all the counties to be sucked in by the Loughnane bombast you would think Clare knew better. It's classic Loughnane to stir things up and detract attention from the match at hand. I think Clare have a big chance of winning this, Galway lack cohesion and still dont seem to be sure who should be playing and where they should be playing.

Admittedly Considine is dealing from a thin enough deck at the moment but I think they still have enough ability - and should certainly have enough motivation - to win this one.

[didlyi]

Dont think Clare are being sucked into anything. Maybe it will motivate Clare to give Galway as good a game as they can give and if that means a win for Clare then Loughnane gets what I believe hes looking for, a tough test.

[slow corner back]

Loughnane got his test OK and failed it. Scrappy enough game with both sides missing a lot of chances,fair play to Clare overall they just about edged it. Galways full back line were very poor when put under pressure

[cicfada]

       
I am a very disappointed Galwayman today. How bad were they last night ??It's backwards they have gone. The fullback line was the Achilles Heel and so it proved with Clare targetting it just like Cork did in 2005 and Kilkenny last year.When was the last time we had a good one btw??Boy is Ollie Canning missed now, it's obvious he felt his high standards were slipping but wouldn't his experience alone be invaluable right now ??John Lee, why won't he try to catch the ball once in a while and become more dominating??why was Ger Mahon switched out from fullback where he was doing allright??Why isn't Collins playing in his favoured position of lhb??God I shudder to think what the Kilkenny or waterford forward lines would do to that backline right now!Alan Kerins did ok but wasted possession and was guilty of an awful wide in the second half. He wasn't the only one either with other established "stars" hitting awful shots as well!David Forde..........whenever I see his name on a teamsheet I grt a cold shiver down my backbone. He is easily the most awkward and inept player ever to wear the maroon shirt.It's one thing to be awkward but then to be useless on top of that!How does he get picked every time??Surely to God there is another option for the critical position of CHF in Galway??Just look a the way he tries to pick a ball, solo with the ball etc etc.Eugene Cloonan, too slow and cumbersone also. Opposing fullbacks never have to worry when he gets possession because he is so slow and laboured, he is easily blocked or hooked!Hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel and if there is one, it's a Waterford or Kilkenny or maybe Limerick train hurtling along at full speed ready to crush anything in its path!What's the point in getting a baseball machine anyway, I mean how many times did a Galway forward get aerial possession last night?? at the very least they need to do a lot of ballwork before the antrim match and before that pray that Limerick win Munster and that they get them rather than Kilkenny. They would be destroyed against KK or Waterford a team they have never beaten in championship hurling!Someone somewhere, give me a crumb of comfort!!The honeymoon is well and truly over Ger, let's see what miracle cure you have for us now!!

[GY Joe]

Losing was bad enough, but the manner of it was the most depressing thing. I wouldn't mind so much if that was a magnificent Clare team, but they are very limited.

Ger... WTF have you done to the team.. They seemed completely lacking confidence, their first touch and control was abysmal? The players themselves were gutless I have to say, not a leader among them.. Shocked is not to strong a word.

Very, very dissolusioned