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

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.

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

Michael Rice is out I think.

Will Galway send Joe after Tommy ?

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!

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

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 ?. :)

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 :D.

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 :D.

Thought so.  ;)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Quote from: orangeman on 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.

What do people on here think of Maher's pull that injured him? Loughnane thought it was nothing - purely accidental. Cody was furious though. I thought it was a bit wild at the very least though I wouldn't have played enough competitive hurling to be a good judge.

Quote from: Asal Mor on 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.

It didn't really matter against Cork- the match was won with 20 mins left. It was probably the best type of win to go into the final with anyway . Lots of work to do and the cats as favourites.   I think Leinster will stand to them as well.

Maher's pull was a red card, just didn't look bad as he caught him where he was holding the hurl. Now if he caught him with the boss...

There is an AI in this Galway team but not this year. Much the same way that Cunningham got to the Leinster club final with Garrycastle, it took him 3 years to win it. Rice out gives them a chance of winning the middle again but I can't see KK being caught unaware twice in the one year. KK have won the second half of all their championship games if memory serves and was enough to power home in the last two. I fear they will power home in the last 10 to win by about 5.

This is good

http://live.irishexaminer.com/Event/Water_Cooler_9_July?Page=0

Quote from: seafoid on August 21, 2012, 05:36:45 PM
This is good

http://live.irishexaminer.com/Event/Water_Cooler_9_July?Page=0

The only thing I can see from that link is that there was not much work done on July 9th.

Anyone know when the tickets go on sale?

Galway by at least 15

Quote from: Bud Wiser on August 22, 2012, 08:31:58 AM

Quote from: seafoid on August 21, 2012, 05:36:45 PM
This is good

http://live.irishexaminer.com/Event/Water_Cooler_9_July?Page=0

The only thing I can see from that link is that there was not much work done on July 9th.

no better than you'd see on here and they're the boys with the inside track.

Anyone with one or two tickets to spare please let me know by pm.

Thanks in advance.

Just got sorted myself yesterday. If I come across a spare one or two juice I will PM although I reckon you probably have a better chance searching outside of Galway.

Lads, wont tickets be available the morning of the  match no??  In Dublin I mean . People panic a lit over tickets every year!! There will hardly be 25000 there from Kilkenny !!

Got a ticket sorted, thanks all the same.

Should be handy enough to get tickets sorted for the hurling this year, and should be a quite a few on sale in Dublin on Sunday morning. The football will be impossible this year and i'm sure there has been quite a bit of swapping going on among the participating counties.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0904/1224323574528.html

The Irish Times - Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Calm leader pointing the way to the summit


Galway manager Anthony Cunningham has introduced a batch of talented new players to the squad and overseen a dramatic revival in the county's fortunes since his appointment. "It is no use being second best, it is no use having a moral victory and saying, well 'we advanced a lot this year'. That doesn't wash." Photograph: Colm O'Neill/Inpho



In this section »
This Mayo team have finally shouted 'stop'
Ballyhale Shamrocks sharp shooter: Shefflin has Keher's Kilkenny tally in his sights and can finish the season as top scorer

Anthony Cunningham is a firm believer in the talent at his disposal in Galway and only an All-Ireland title will suffice, writes IAN O'RIORDAN

A YEAR in the life of Anthony Cunningham. Where to begin?

On the heels of Galway's 10-point defeat to Waterford, in the All-Ireland quarter-final, to his appointment as hurling manager, dropping one-third of the panel, to condemning league champions Dublin to relegation, still doubling as Garrycastle football manager, guiding them to Croke Park on St Patrick's Day, doubling as Galway under-21 manager too, to beating Kilkenny, a first Leinster title west of the Shannon, to an All-Ireland rematch in Croke Park.

To his life outside of hurling too – at home, just outside Kiltoom, at work, in Athlone IT, in software research, fighting for funding from Enterprise Ireland, to sitting down in an empty classroom in St Brigid's in Loughrea to explain how on earth he finds the time.

"It's your hobby," he says. "You'd like it to be your job, too, because it is every day of the year, 365 days of the year, but it is totally enjoyable"

They all say it, that they wouldn't do it if they didn't enjoy it, yet more than most of the so-called modern managers, Cunningham seems to have found the perfect balance between the coming and the going, the pleasure and the pain.

Then he hasn't rushed into it, either. At age 47, his own hurling days are well in the past, the minor and under-21 All-Irelands of 1983 and 1986, the back-to-back senior All-Irelands of 1987 and 1988.

Football was actually the learning ground, too, with St Brigid's in Roscommon and then Garrycastle, and while he did manage the Roscommon hurlers for a year, in 2005, it was only when he guided Galway to the 2011 All-Ireland under-21 title that his ascendance to the senior role looked likely.

He was given a three-year term, told to take his time to get things right, which, if anything, would put him ahead of schedule.

"Well I wouldn't say we are ahead," he says. "Every year you start off you want to win the All-Ireland, and we knew Galway had the talent.

"What has taken us by surprise, really, is what the players have given us. Every time they trained we were amazed by their professionalism, the amount they do, and then the additional amount they do, which is unreal.

"They have wanted to learn so much, too, they have worked so hard, and have reaped the reward by reaching the final. But this is a high-stakes game, winner takes all. It is no use being second best, it is no use having a moral victory and saying, well 'we advanced a lot this year'. That doesn't wash.

"We took some hard decisions at the start of this year, got some criticism for it. We believed in the panel we put together, particularly that the young players coming in would advance more."

Cunningham's fellow under-21 selectors Mattie Kenny and Tom Helebert completed the senior backroom team, and that faith and togetherness spilled over the panel they ultimately assembled.

"I suppose the one thing we didn't know was did we get the mix right, and there will always be criticism 'Why didn't you play this fella, why didn't you play that fella?' But we wanted to get a right blend there really.

"We met Fergal Moore early on, met a lot of the senior players early on, and they wanted to win an All-Ireland. They had no hesitation, they wanted it, no matter how many times you trained or what you did. So we knew early on that this was going to go in the right direction. We'd have a lot of belief in our own system as well.

"We have been a good while involved with teams, and you have to have conviction, I think. You can't win unless you have the raw material and unless you get the response, and we got a huge response."

Despite the severe cull last November, there is still a strong air of experience about this Galway team, and it's helped on by Joe Canning's return to form or the reforming of players such as Damien Hayes.

"But there was also an element that this was going to be a tougher regime," says Cunningham, "and your level of fitness and the level of work you're going to put in was going to be much higher. So, teams are going through whatever angle they'll get, and we wanted to lay down a marker as well.

"But the likes of Tony Óg Regan, Fergal Moore, David Collins, we wouldn't be getting this shot without them. They showed the leadership this year and I really hope that they get just reward for their effort because they've given some tremendous performances for Galway. It's Damien Hayes's 10th or 11th year.

"They've had some tough, tough times. In a sense the younger guys coming in who won an under-21 medal last year and is now in an All-Ireland final, he hasn't seen the bad times. That's going to drive these guys on as well."

Juggling between Galway hurling and Garrycastle football defined the first three months of his year, and yet in many ways helped make it.

"Say on a Saturday, we'd train probably with Galway early in the morning. But it's easy when you're trying to win a Leinster with a club or you're trying to get started with a county team. The enthusiasm that was there was second to none on both sets, so it was easy."

But only now, as a senior All-Ireland winner with Galway, can he relate his own personal experiences of the big day to his team and tell them what's required on this, the biggest stage of all.

What ultimately matters against Kilkenny on Sunday, and the importance of not letting this ultimate chance slip.

"That's the big one. I think back in 1986, when we played Cork, we let in two goals before we knew we were even in the game. Sometimes management and players get caught up in the occasion, and you've got to impart that knowledge. Like the first 10 minutes, on Sunday, will be absolutely hectic, and if you don't match Kilkenny then you're not going to beat them.

"I think we've seen that in the last four or five years now, that the first five or 10 minutes in the hurling finals have been crunching tackles and that's going to be no different this Sunday."

CUNNINGHAM'S CODE: Kilkenny still setting the hurling benchmark

On Brian Cody's fears that the referee will crack down after the Kilkenny-Tipperary semi-final

"All those games Kilkenny have been involved in, winning eight All-Ireland titles since 2000, those have been fantastic spectacles. There hasn't been any dirty play. They play it hard and fair and I don't think it'll be any different the next day. It'll be hard, fast and fair, an intense game, that's what we expect from Kilkenny and it's what they'll expect from us."

On the prospect of facing Kilkenny for the second time? "I've always said Kilkenny were the team to beat, and whoever beats them would win the All-Ireland. So it's a match of the top teams in the country this year. The other thing Kilkenny bring to it is they are sportsmen. You never hear a Kilkenny player say 'I'm this or I'm that . . . they're so humble and right through our own days of playing, you never met a Kilkenny player who thought he was above his station."

On Joe Canning's return for form and fitness

"Definitely early in the season he put in tremendous work, then he got a couple of injuries that set him back slightly. We met with Joe early on, and the first couple of conversations, we stressed we wanted to get him back to his 2008 form. That first year Joe came on as a senior, a league semi-final against Cork in Limerick, he was nearly unmarkable. His nerve to go and score dipped a bit. I don't think it was as a result of any lack of effort but if you're a forward and your nerve dips your finish can dip. He really turned it around. I could ring Joe on a Monday night and we might have been training that night, and still he'd have been in the gym, or been in a recovery plunge pool."

On taking the Galway under-21 job as well as the senior job

"Well it was very much built in with the seniors, so it was fine. Having said that we were very disappointed, to lose the All-Ireland semi-final, to Kilkenny. We had our chances . . . "

Quote from: CitySlicker11 on September 04, 2012, 12:50:35 AM
Should be handy enough to get tickets sorted for the hurling this year, and should be a quite a few on sale in Dublin on Sunday morning. The football will be impossible this year and i'm sure there has been quite a bit of swapping going on among the participating counties.

It should be easy get tickets if Galway bring their usual 500 supporters to the game.

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 03:31:32 PM

Quote from: CitySlicker11 on September 04, 2012, 12:50:35 AM
Should be handy enough to get tickets sorted for the hurling this year, and should be a quite a few on sale in Dublin on Sunday morning. The football will be impossible this year and i'm sure there has been quite a bit of swapping going on among the participating counties.

It should be easy get tickets if Galway bring their usual 500 supporters to the game.

I thought the final was on 2 weeks ago.

Quote from: seafoid on September 04, 2012, 04:10:15 PM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 03:31:32 PM

Quote from: CitySlicker11 on September 04, 2012, 12:50:35 AM
Should be handy enough to get tickets sorted for the hurling this year, and should be a quite a few on sale in Dublin on Sunday morning. The football will be impossible this year and i'm sure there has been quite a bit of swapping going on among the participating counties.

It should be easy get tickets if Galway bring their usual 500 supporters to the game.

I thought the final was on 2 weeks ago.

It was.

See Ollie Canning's views here on video, interviewed in Portumna on Sunday evening - http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=176818 (http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=176818)

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 04:14:33 PM

Quote from: seafoid on September 04, 2012, 04:10:15 PM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 03:31:32 PM

Quote from: CitySlicker11 on September 04, 2012, 12:50:35 AM
Should be handy enough to get tickets sorted for the hurling this year, and should be a quite a few on sale in Dublin on Sunday morning. The football will be impossible this year and i'm sure there has been quite a bit of swapping going on among the participating counties.

It should be easy get tickets if Galway bring their usual 500 supporters to the game.

I thought the final was on 2 weeks ago.

It was.

How did it go ?

Quote from: seafoid on September 05, 2012, 10:53:26 AM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 04:14:33 PM

Quote from: seafoid on September 04, 2012, 04:10:15 PM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 03:31:32 PM

Quote from: CitySlicker11 on September 04, 2012, 12:50:35 AM
Should be handy enough to get tickets sorted for the hurling this year, and should be a quite a few on sale in Dublin on Sunday morning. The football will be impossible this year and i'm sure there has been quite a bit of swapping going on among the participating counties.

It should be easy get tickets if Galway bring their usual 500 supporters to the game.

I thought the final was on 2 weeks ago.

It was.

How did it go ?

We eventually managed to nominate a team to go and beat Galway in the final.

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 05, 2012, 11:03:13 AM

Quote from: seafoid on September 05, 2012, 10:53:26 AM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 04:14:33 PM

Quote from: seafoid on September 04, 2012, 04:10:15 PM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 04, 2012, 03:31:32 PM

Quote from: CitySlicker11 on September 04, 2012, 12:50:35 AM
Should be handy enough to get tickets sorted for the hurling this year, and should be a quite a few on sale in Dublin on Sunday morning. The football will be impossible this year and i'm sure there has been quite a bit of swapping going on among the participating counties.

It should be easy get tickets if Galway bring their usual 500 supporters to the game.

I thought the final was on 2 weeks ago.

It was.

How did it go ?

We eventually managed to nominate a team to go and beat Galway in the final.

nominate is hardly the correct word as Kilkenny weren't looking for any Tipp consent.

North and south unite to support Galway's drive for hurling success

TheScore.ie columnist and Galway native Ciaran Murphy on how his county's unique GAA dividing lines are becoming more blurred as their supporters awaits next Sunday's showdown in Croke Park.

THE RAILWAY LINE to Dublin goes straight across East Galway, through Oranmore, Athenry, Woodford and Ballinasloe, and acts as a pretty accurate dividing line between the respective strongholds of hurling and football in the county.

North of that line is football's heartland – Enda Colleran's Mountbellew, Killererin (Padraig Joyce country), Corofin and Kilconly, and my own home club of Milltown. South of that line lies Athenry, Portumna, Gort, Loughrea and 90% of the senior hurling clubs in the county.

It's almost as if Iarnrod Eireann had a part to play in it.  Certainly the division couldn't be any clearer – you were either north or south of it; one, or the other. In fact, until recently, there simply wasn't any such thing as a dual club in Galway.

Monivea-Abbeyknockmoy won county titles in the late 80s and early 90s in both hurling and football, and while there's no doubt what an extraordinary achievement that was, there was also little doubt that in both years, in both codes, it was a major shock.  The hurlers were so surprised they won that championship in 1988 that they promptly lost the Connacht final (traditionally a turkey-shoot and held, as befits a turkey-shoot, around Christmas time) to Four Roads of Roscommon.

In fact the only up-close, in the flesh experience we ever got of the great Galway hurling team of the late 80s in Milltown came courtesy of the Monivea-Abbey Junior B football team, because they sometimes had in their midst Michael Coleman, the chain-smoking, non-timber-sparing midfielder that typified the sort of gruff appeal which made that Galway team one of the more memorable of recent times.

In later years, I got to play against them, and it was always pretty easy to spot the dual players – their hair was cut a little more closely, their tackles were a little more robust, their teeth were a little more... absent. The thought occurred to us that they were dangerous enough on the football field, without then providing them with a lethal weapon for the hurling.

And those no-nonsense characters I encountered in the Monivea full-back line were pretty much playing up to the stereotype we had in our heads of the hurlers. Galway football folk saw ourselves as 'guardians of the flame' – when we were good, we were very good, and the neutrals loved us. We had ideas about how the game should be played; we were artists; we had class.

The hurlers had no such pretensions.  They had taken enough beatings over the years to ensure they weren't fussy how the wins were coming, once they were coming.  And when 1980 came around, it was tough, uncomplicated men like Bernie Forde, PJ Molloy and Noel Lane who helped make the breakthrough.  And after that came Brendan Lynskey, Sylvie Linnane and Peter Finnerty. A conveyor belt of hard men had been created and Galway reaped the benefits.

Three All-Irelands in eight years set the template for Galway hurling. We produced plenty of artists in those days too of course – the Connolly's, the peerless Joe Cooney, Eanna Ryan and the current manager Anthony Cunningham.  But to be successful, Galway had to have steel.

Given the type of hurler he was, it's interesting to see the premium Anthony Cunningham has put on physicality.  In the Leinster final, Galway shocked us all with their intensity. I remember even the following morning playing and replaying the moment in the first quarter when Johnny Coen ran through and over Richie Power. I was poring over it like it was the Zapruder film, because we haven't seen a Galway team do that in years.

The dividing lines between football and hurling are becoming more and more blurred now. The hurlers still train in Athenry but the only representative that club had in county colours this year was Tomas Flynn, half-forward for the footballers. And Cunningham's managerial style maybe speaks in some way to sporting ecumenism, given his prior experience as a football manager outside the county with St Brigid's and Garrycastle.

There was something unmistakably (distastefully even, to some of the more delicate flowers in the hurling aristocracy) football-esque about some of Galway's play in the All-Ireland semi-final against Cork – withdrawn wing-forwards, packed defences, isolated full-forward lines.

On the ground, Flynn aside, the divide is still there.  We've grown used to sending our second teams down to play the traditional hurling clubs as they dip their toe in the football, but those hurling clubs are starting to take it more and more seriously. Hurling remains a vast, unopened book for us big-ball merchants based around Tuam.

A story from my own club illustrates a point when my late neighbour Johnny Connolly once tried to start a hurling club in Milltown, in the 1960′s. He counted among his most devoted disciples a young Jim Carney (the first ever host of the Sunday Game), but, so far from other hurling clubs, the game flowered, flourished briefly, then died.   My father was born in Waterford, and so we had hurleys in our house growing up, but we might have been the only ones, even in the heyday of Galway's success in the late 80′s.

You could say the railway line has done us a favour – its neat division of East Galway has allowed us to be competitive at one code or the other in every decade since the 1920s.  And perhaps it's too dramatic to call it a dividing line. Maybe it's more like the household fence you chat to your neighbour over.

After all, come Sunday, fans from north and south will head along that line for Croke Park, and an All-Ireland final appearance we can all celebrate.

I've put together a preview of the Hurling 7s taking place on the eve of the final for anyone interested http://action81.com/blog/?p=6187

Cracking tournament and great days craic after you are put out :o

I can't wait for this match. It's going to be timber.

The Galway management are on a different level to last year and they know they have the talent at hand and on the other side Kilkenny got whupped in Leinster and will be gagging for revenge but have a lot of miles on the clock and 2 knockout matches lost in 3 seasons.


This was in the indo last year before before Galway lost to dublin


Vincent Hogan: Have Galway become a soft touch?
Vincent Hogan tries to solve one of hurling's great mysteries with the help of three legends from the West – Brendan Lynskey, Conor Hayes and Noel Lane
By Vincent Hogan
Saturday June 18 2011
"Manliness was a central part of that squad. There were no whingers or cry babies."
Cyril Farrell on the Galway team of the 80s in his autobiography, 'The Right to Win'.
Brendan Lynskey pauses, as if to gather his words into more orderly bundles. He is angry. Not irritable or uneasy, but stridently, palpably angry.
"I'm trying to say this without blowing a head gasket," he sighs. "But there's a problem here in Galway..."
Conor Hayes is on first-name terms with Lynskey's "problem." Having guided the county to their last All-Ireland final appearance in 2005, he stepped down one year later, exasperated.
He talks now of a "culture of excuses" in Galway hurling. "People will be down my throat now when they read this," says the last man to carry the Liam MacCarthy Cup west.
"I don't care, let them talk away. I've seen it at close quarters."
Noel Lane's frustration is asterisked by an innate reluctance to be seen as opportunistic or unfair. "I hate ever questioning players," says the manager of the 2001 defeated All-Ireland finalists.
"But you have to ask do they not have the mental toughness or physical ruthlessness, that savage will to win? And there's only one way for them to answer that question."
NOBODY KNOWS QUITE what awaits Galway tonight in Tullamore. Nobody ever knows. Twenty-three years after their last senior All-Ireland win, Galway are still -- habitually -- touted as serious contenders for the MacCarthy Cup.
Why? Maybe because they've won two of the last six All-Ireland U-21 crowns and three of the last seven at minor grade. Maybe because Galway's champions have won four of the last six All-Ireland club titles.
The raw material is, apparently, there.
Yet, since Galway's swashbuckling defeat of Kilkenny in the '05 semi-final, they have not even progressed beyond the All-Ireland quarter-final stage.
Worse, their record of wins in properly competitive championship fixtures during that period reads an abysmal -- played 14, won 4.
Those four wins, it should be said, were all claimed under the current management. Galway's only victories of '06 were against Laois (7-18 to 2-13) and Westmeath (3-21 to 0-6), while Ger Loughnane's two years in charge also decanted only victories against Laois (two) and Antrim.
You can detect, then, more than the usual amount of electricity fizzing around tonight's engagement with league champions Dublin.
There may be nothing more tiresome to the modern player than old soldiers carping about lost glory.
Yet, the uniformity of opinion from three members of the last Galway team to win a senior All-Ireland can't be blithely disregarded either.
All three are unequivocal in a belief that defeat tonight will, essentially, terminate another championship season for Galway. For they see the qualifiers as a death march to oblivion.
So, tonight is freighted with uncommon tension.
You ask Lynskey is he pessimistic? "Very," he says bluntly.
Having served as a selector during Loughnane's first season as Galway manager, the teak-tough former All Star centre-forward believes the county inculcates too many bad habits in its young players.
"Galway win an All-Ireland minor and, all of a sudden, these lads' heads become as big as buckets," says Lynskey. "They're on Galway Bay FM, they're down in Supermacs, they're opening up this, opening up that, signing jerseys. There's too much made of them.
"We're making superstars out of middling hurlers in Galway, blowing up bad hurlers as good.
"And they end up putting on the jersey as if they're entitled to it. They're not entitled to it.
"In fact, my honest opinion is that three or four of the lads on the current senior team are not entitled to be wearing a maroon and white jersey at all."
Hayes looked to have ignited something remarkable six years ago when Galway fired a scarcely believable 5-18 past Kilkenny in one of the most spectacular championship games ever seen. But they were relatively subdued in the subsequent final against Cork and haven't been anywhere close to that precinct since.
For the captain of the winning teams of '87 and '88, the slow unraveling of focus was difficult to stomach.
"What we built up in '05, just all drifted away again," says Hayes. "They couldn't be spoken to. They knew it all, had everything sussed. They were the next Kilkenny. The next Cork. The attitude was, 'Yeah, this is it. We've made it!'
"As if winning an All-Ireland was inevitable.
"One of the issues I had with Galway was: I found them to be very much a bunch of individuals. And, when you're losing, the individual goes to mind himself and nobody else.
"When you got them all going together, they were capable of brilliance.
"But I found it difficult to instil a team ethic into them. I'll be shot for saying this, but some of these lads' biggest worry with 10 minutes to go seemed to be whose jersey they'd bring home.
"I know it'll be fired back at me that I'm talking s***e, only trying to cover up the fact that I didn't get it out of them myself.
"But that's what I found. When backs are to the wall, they don't come out fighting. They remain against the wall. They capitulate too easily."
Like Lynskey, Hayes believes that far more is made of minor victories in Galway than is perhaps healthy.
The arithmetic, he says, casts doubt on the value of minor All-Irelands to future senior teams.
"I find myself wondering how high is the standard of minor hurling," says Hayes. "And I don't mean that as any disrespect to Mattie Murphy, who has a great system in place here.
"But you hear fellas picking teams in Galway now with Joe Canning at full-forward and some lad who's maybe 16 in the corner beside him. That'd be a great team, wouldn't it?
"You say to them 'But he's only 16!'
"And you get, 'Ah yeah, but when he comes through...'
"Senior hurling is a completely different game to minor hurling.
"But clubs and families are making living gods out of young players in Galway. Next thing, they're picked to play with the seniors and they don't know what's hit them.
"John Gardiner or JJ Delaney isn't going to shake hands with you and say 'Jaysus, you're the famous Galway minor!'
"So, 20 minutes into the game, the young fella is wondering, 'Why isn't this happening for me?'"
Lane expresses a high regard for the current senior management team. Indeed, he suggests that a reflex of culling managers after each big-day disappointment has served Galway poorly since '88.
If the team fails to perform now, he doesn't doubt that there will be "a strong heave" against John McIntyre.
"Do that and the whole thing starts again," he says.
"The players want continuity, but we've a funny set-up here where you get a couple of years to win an All-Ireland.
"There's nothing in terms of a long-term strategy.
"County boards, hurling boards and supporters can have very low patience thresholds and I think the huge turnover of managers has had a negative impact on Galway hurling.
"If they go that way again this year, you'll have young fellas like Joe Canning wondering what the hell is going on."
But what is the strength of McIntyre's hand now?
THE TEAM'S NATIONAL LEAGUE campaign petered out limply after a Pearse Stadium thrashing by Tipperary that Lane recalls as "unforgiveable."
Yet, Hayes identifies last year's Leinster final against Kilkenny as the day that annoyed him most.
"In my opinion, they literally walked away from that game," he says. "Apart from Damien Hayes, I felt they didn't put up any kind of a fight at all.
"Looking at them, I don't think they tried that day. And there's nothing worse than not trying."
Lynskey delves into a specific that, endlessly, fuels his ire now. He sees this Galway team as catastrophically weak in the air. Worse, he suspects that weakness to be born of physical fear.
"Loughnane tried to change this, to his credit," says Lynskey. "He brought in a machine to try and get fellas catching the ball. But it didn't work because I firmly believe it's too late if they haven't been doing it at minor level.
"Our players have got to start winning puck-outs, not bat them. Why are we afraid to put up our hand to catch the ball? Like, what is wrong with these guys?
"If you're an inter-county hurler, you're an inter-county hurler.
"God almighty, fine, you might get a few broken nails or broken fingers. We got them and played on with them. Are we taking the easy options now? I'm trying to be as mild as I can, but I just cry with vexation at what's happening in Galway hurling.
"Our players are a little bit on the shy side. Afraid to put up their hands or a little bit cowardly. Are we prepared to win the hard ball? We're not. We are just not winning primary possession.
"All we're doing is batting the ball out to midfield, where we're probably getting bet anyway.
"All the top managers in the country know what we're going to do. Their midfield just has to sit deep and, the minute we bat the ball, it's 'thank you very much...'
"GET YOUR HANDS ON THE BALL! Print that please. If you're refusing to put your hand up even to win your own puck-outs, then my God almighty how are you going to win games? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out."
Galway's team selection this week suggests that McIntyre is aware of this as a pressing issue.
There is little enough criticism of his management skills from any of the 80s team, albeit Lynskey is inclined to question whether or not he knows his "best 15."
In spite of the laboured quarter-final defeat of Westmeath recently, there is widespread acknowledgement too that Galway's presence in Leinster has been a positive.
"The system is much fairer," says Hayes. "Beat Dublin now and they can kick on. Actually, I think they have a real chance of winning a Leinster title here. But that's the thing, they have to kick on."
IF THIS IS ABOUT A GENERATIONAL divide, at least Lane, Hayes and Lynskey have more than their medals to defend them now. All have tried to return Galway to the hurling summit and, if each fell short to different degrees, they can't -- at least -- be accused of sermonising from ivory towers.
For all three, patience has simply been worn down to a thread.
Maybe Lynskey expresses it most candidly.
"The time for talking is over now," he says. "As Johnny Cash sang, it's time to 'Walk the line!' And you can print that. This is it now.
"No more telling us what we want to hear, sending out the right vibes, lawdee, dawdee, daw.
"You see, there's a perception, wrongly, here in Galway that if we'd beaten Tipperary last year, we'd have won the All-Ireland. Well I can guarantee you we would not. Kilkenny would have blown us off the field.
"So, it's about the players now. No more excuses, no more nothing. Make it personal. Show the county some respect and go and do it."
Hayes, too, believes that that narrow loss to Tipp last July merely spun an illusion.
"People have been singing their praises for that," he says. "But, if Galway had played Tipp in the All-Ireland final at that level, they'd have been beaten by 13 or 14 points.
"I don't think Galway have any excuses anymore. And, while I don't want to be raising Dublin's hackles, to lose this game now would be to lose at a level that should be below Galway's. I know they are worrying about this game.
"But, without being arrogant, Galway should be able to beat Dublin."
Lane suspects that defeat tonight could have "a seriously adverse effect on Galway hurling." He says: "I think we're on very thin ice here. There's an awful lot of doubt around.
"Galway have so much success at minor, U-21 and club level, the public are kind of wondering what the hell is going on.
"This team is at a crossroads and I think pride has to come into the equation. If people are questioning their ruthlessness, well there's only one way to answer that.
"I see this as a milestone for Galway hurling. It's a very critical game."
More on the line than the bourgeosie scalp of new champions.
- Vincent Hogan
Irish Independent
 

Kilkenny are seriously going to put this up to Galway in the physical exchanges, Galway will need to respond in a disciplined manner as Kilkenny have mastered the fine line of what you can get away with and what you can't irrrespective of what the rule book says.

There's an artform to the several small fouls enough to impede an opponent, but leave the referee in a quandry about blowing his whistle, whereas one big foul will almost certainly draw a whistle and card!

Kelly will be aware of the goings on in the semi-final and won't want a repeat but his patience will be tested early on.

Roll on sunday.

That was a great interview with Lynskey, Hayes and Lane and it was good to read it again. They were proven right in pretty much everything they said too. We went down without a fight to Waterford and Dublin last year. And we got cleaned out in the air as the 3 boys predicted we would. Niall Burke and Niall O Donoghue have been huge additions on that score, both are excellent in the air and Johnathon Glynn on the subs too. I think he'll have a big role on Sunday.

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on September 05, 2012, 01:48:30 PM
North and south unite to support Galway's drive for hurling success


You could say the railway line has done us a favour – its neat division of East Galway has allowed us to be competitive at one code or the other in every decade since the 1920s.  And perhaps it's too dramatic to call it a dividing line. Maybe it's more like the household fence you chat to your neighbour over.

After all, come Sunday, fans from north and south will head along that line for Croke Park, and an All-Ireland final appearance we can all celebrate.

etc.

Not absolutely correct. Athenry is on the railway line; Turloughmore and Pearses are both North of it. A more exact geographical dividing line would be the N17 from Galway out to Loughgeorge, branch off on the N63, on out through Turlough', Abbey, Moylough, Mountbellew, Caltra, Agascragh and on to Ballinasloe.

Abbeyknockmoy is probably the most 'split' parish; if you were from Abbey, you went to school in Tuam and played football. If you were in Monivea, you went to Athenry and hurled. Of course, citizens claim dual nationality and can speak with authority on both codes.

Mike Coleman will be on the pitch on Sunday in a suit. I wish he was wearing a jersey . You could put the place on Galway if he was.

Quote from: mouview on September 06, 2012, 02:53:02 PM

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on September 05, 2012, 01:48:30 PM
North and south unite to support Galway's drive for hurling success


You could say the railway line has done us a favour – its neat division of East Galway has allowed us to be competitive at one code or the other in every decade since the 1920s.  And perhaps it's too dramatic to call it a dividing line. Maybe it's more like the household fence you chat to your neighbour over.

After all, come Sunday, fans from north and south will head along that line for Croke Park, and an All-Ireland final appearance we can all celebrate.

etc.

Not absolutely correct. Athenry is on the railway line; Turloughmore and Pearses are both North of it. A more exact geographical dividing line would be the N17 from Galway out to Loughgeorge, branch off on the N63, on out through Turlough', Abbey, Moylough, Mountbellew, Caltra, Agascragh and on to Ballinasloe.

Abbeyknockmoy is probably the most 'split' parish; if you were from Abbey, you went to school in Tuam and played football. If you were in Monivea, you went to Athenry and hurled. Of course, citizens claim dual nationality and can speak with authority on both codes.

Mike Coleman will be on the pitch on Sunday in a suit. I wish he was wearing a jersey . You could put the place on Galway if he was.

and Sylane ...
plus Tomas Mannion went to school in Athenry and played football for the county ....

And what is wrong with Ballinasloe? Such a big town and nothing happening GAA wise really since the Brennans

Quote from: mouview on September 06, 2012, 02:53:02 PM

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on September 05, 2012, 01:48:30 PM
North and south unite to support Galway's drive for hurling success


You could say the railway line has done us a favour – its neat division of East Galway has allowed us to be competitive at one code or the other in every decade since the 1920s.  And perhaps it's too dramatic to call it a dividing line. Maybe it's more like the household fence you chat to your neighbour over.

After all, come Sunday, fans from north and south will head along that line for Croke Park, and an All-Ireland final appearance we can all celebrate.

etc.

Not absolutely correct. Athenry is on the railway line; Turloughmore and Pearses are both North of it. A more exact geographical dividing line would be the N17 from Galway out to Loughgeorge, branch off on the N63, on out through Turlough', Abbey, Moylough, Mountbellew, Caltra, Agascragh and on to Ballinasloe.

Abbeyknockmoy is probably the most 'split' parish; if you were from Abbey, you went to school in Tuam and played football. If you were in Monivea, you went to Athenry and hurled. Of course, citizens claim dual nationality and can speak with authority on both codes.

Mike Coleman will be on the pitch on Sunday in a suit. I wish he was wearing a jersey . You could put the place on Galway if he was.

Big fan of Colemans back in the day as well, not to be messed with, but it always seemed that injuries hampered him.

Quote from: johnneycool on September 06, 2012, 03:58:57 PM

Quote from: mouview on September 06, 2012, 02:53:02 PM

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on September 05, 2012, 01:48:30 PM
North and south unite to support Galway's drive for hurling success


You could say the railway line has done us a favour – its neat division of East Galway has allowed us to be competitive at one code or the other in every decade since the 1920s.  And perhaps it's too dramatic to call it a dividing line. Maybe it's more like the household fence you chat to your neighbour over.

After all, come Sunday, fans from north and south will head along that line for Croke Park, and an All-Ireland final appearance we can all celebrate.

etc.

Not absolutely correct. Athenry is on the railway line; Turloughmore and Pearses are both North of it. A more exact geographical dividing line would be the N17 from Galway out to Loughgeorge, branch off on the N63, on out through Turlough', Abbey, Moylough, Mountbellew, Caltra, Agascragh and on to Ballinasloe.

Abbeyknockmoy is probably the most 'split' parish; if you were from Abbey, you went to school in Tuam and played football. If you were in Monivea, you went to Athenry and hurled. Of course, citizens claim dual nationality and can speak with authority on both codes.

Mike Coleman will be on the pitch on Sunday in a suit. I wish he was wearing a jersey . You could put the place on Galway if he was.

Big fan of Colemans back in the day as well, not to be messed with, but it always seemed that injuries hampered him.

Not always, he hurled until well into his thirties. Crucially however, he injured his shoulder in the closing stages of the '93 semi' v Tipp and was withdrawn, having provided his usual  power. (Tipp tried several markers on him without success). Straight from the throw-in in the final one of the KK midfielders pulled high across him, injuring him again, and affecting his performance for the rest of the match. (Wonder where they learnt that from). Similarly, in '97, he suffered injury v Offaly in the closing stages of the league and was unfit for the rest of the championship. Galway were going well that year and could have had a real go at Liam, only for his absence (and Cyril Farrell and the gang disintegrating in Thurles v KK, and the idiots in the hurling board who voted for the back door rule).

I somehow managed to lose the lengthy essay i had composed on the game somewhere in the ether so i will summarise as follows with this simple equation,

1.Skehill plus 3.Hynes = Kilkenny.

Quote from: homeofhurling8 on September 07, 2012, 03:50:01 PM
I somehow managed to lose the lengthy essay i had composed on the game somewhere in the ether so i will summarise as follows with this simple equation,

1.Skehill plus 3.Hynes = Kilkenny.

wouldn't it be absolutely sickening in premierstan if Galway won an all Ireland against the cats at the first attempt ?

Certainly not in this house anyway, i would love to see Galway win Sunday and i would say i will be shouting myself hoarse in croker sunday for the heron chokers.

Have ticket sorted and ready to travel. I haven't done a tap of work all day!

Hawn Galway!!!

Quote from: homeofhurling8 on September 07, 2012, 05:11:36 PM
Certainly not in this house anyway, i would love to see Galway win Sunday and i would say i will be shouting myself hoarse in croker sunday for the heron chokers.

I think they are going to win an all Ireland in the next while but it would be great  to do it on Sunday.

The Galway team selected to play Kilkenny in this Sunday's All-Ireland Hurling Final is as follows:

James Skehill (Cappataggle)
David Collins (Liam Mellows)
Kevin Hynes (Sarsfields)
Fergal Moore (Turloughmore) Captain
Niall Donoghue (Kilbeacanty)
Tony Og Regan (Rahoon-Newcastle)
Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
Andy Smith (Portumna)
Iarlaith Tannian (Ardrahan)
David Burke (St. Thomas)
Niall Burke (Oranmore-Maree)
Cyril Donnellan (Padraig Pearses)
Damien Hayes (Portumna)
Joe Canning (Portumna)
James Regan (St. Thomas)

Kk team for Sunday: 1. D. Herity. 2. P. Murphy. 3. JJ Delaney. 4. J. Tyrrell. 5. T. Walsh. 6. B. Hogan. 7. K. Joyce. 8. M. Fennelly. 9. R. Hogan. 10. H. Shefflin. 11. TJ Reid. 12.E. Larkin. 13. C. Fennelly. 14. R. Power. 15. A. Fogarty.

Come on Galway!

Hope they are up for a war because I think anything less and they will get a roasting.

TJ to midfield I suppose. Expect to see Shefflin in at full forward.

Galway for the cup, milk for the Cats.

Quote from: thejuice on September 07, 2012, 09:56:28 PM
Come on Galway!

Hope they are up for a war because I think anything less and they will get a roasting.

I expect they are going to give it bhfaca tu. They have no shortage of motivational beatings at the hands of the cats.

The thousand yard KK stare after the Leinster Final was something else.

At the risk of being accused of being anti Galway,again ( really, a south Tipp man ?) I have reservations with numbers 1,3,6,9,12 and 15, I would love to be proven wrong but i cant have Skehill and Hynes in particular and Tannion, Donnelan and the horse either, please God I'm proven wrong.

Fair enough-my doubts would be similar. 3 is my big worry. Harsh on Donnellan-nailed on All Star had he played against Cork. Our best hurler this year and at last meeting his potential. One of the real reasons Galway have played so effectively this year. He is what the Bonner Maher is to Tipp and more except the media have yet to pick up on this yet so seems most people have to be told about it too. Named to play tomorrow but by all accounts not fully fit so I think he may struggle. Hopin Coen and Donoghue meet the demands of tomorrow-the occasion is what worries me. Let's wait and see....

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0908/1224323739703.html

The Irish Times - Saturday, September 8, 2012
Kilkenny have plugged all the gaps since July
Kilkenny's Richie Power struggles to get in his block as Iarla Tannian of Galway shoots during July's Leinster senior hurling final upset. The unshakeable core consideration that militates against Galway repeating their success in tomorrow's All-Ireland final is that in the areas where they did most damage Kilkenny are stronger.

SEÁN MORAN, GAA Correspondent
ALL-IRELAND SENIOR HURLING FINAL Galway v Kilkenny: SEVEN WEEKS isn't that long a stretch but it feels like a lifetime. Never has a provincial final been so prominent in the deliberations of early September. Tomorrow's GAA All-Ireland hurling final reunites the Leinster finalists for the first time since 2000.
That wouldn't be a happy precedent for champions Kilkenny, who 12 years ago re-administered the spanking they had given Offaly in Leinster but this is a different world. For all of the talk that Galway had re-shaped the hurling landscape with their phenomenal coup against Kilkenny, the brave talk has faded to a whisper.
It's an indication of the dominance of Brian Cody's teams that amongst their eight All-Ireland titles, not one had to be won through the qualifiers.
Beating the same team twice in the one championship is difficult in either football or hurling for reasons that are obvious: motivation, familiarity with the opponent's game plan and the opportunity to address weaknesses in the team.
In this case there is more to it than just those dynamics. Under Cody, Kilkenny have never lost two successive matches to the same opposition, a thirst for vengeance or redress with which Galway are sadly familiar.
One observer in the county noted there was among some, "a sense of fear" at what might happen.
That's probably unduly alarmist. There are plenty of reasons to believe that under Anthony Cunningham's management Galway have been a mentally sturdier, less flaky collective.
Even the audacity of the Leinster final proved that they had strong self-belief.
They also have Joe Canning threatening to deliver his best season and crown it with an All-Ireland, an achievement that most would regard as inevitable at some stage.
But the speed, energy and disrespect for reputation that constituted the high-wire act in July is going to be difficult to repeat.
It's one of Galway hurling's most enduring narratives: the explosive opening, with goals going off and the opposition in a state of shock. But it always raises the question as to what happens when the earth doesn't move in the first 10 minutes.
Disregarding psychobabble and sundry motivations, Kilkenny simply bring an indisputably stronger hand to the table. JJ Delaney has known satisfying afternoons on Canning and he wasn't there to influence the Leinster final. Maybe he'll mark him tomorrow or Jackie Tyrrell will be given the opportunity to atone for last July. Either way, the options are already improved.
Hurler of the Year Michael Fennelly brings to centrefield exactly the strength, athleticism and combativeness that was missing the last day and up front Aidan Fogarty has run into terrific form in the All-Ireland series.
It's a decisive improvement but it doesn't doom Galway. The challengers don't have to demolish Kilkenny in the first quarter and don't need to win by 10 points but they will need to be in contention throughout, as no-one launches comebacks against the champions.
The defensive reservations will be under the spotlight, as the back six weren't tested to any serious degree seven weeks ago and still Kilkenny got in for two goals, which was sufficient to spook Galway supporters into going nowhere until the match was over.
Kilkenny's ability to get goals at the time that is most beneficial for them and most demoralising for the opposition is legendary.
A tight match can burst its elastic in the space of two minutes.
Galway would have preferred not to have lost the under-21 semi-final to Kilkenny given the prominence of the players in their senior panel but again it's not an infallible pointer. For whatever reason seniors still eligible for the under-age grades often don't perform to the best of their ability – anxiety, trying to do too much or simple lack of focus.
The gap between the teams in terms of experience and accomplishment is vast, as embodied in Henry Shefflin's bid to set a new record for senior All-Ireland medals but age brings its disadvantages too and if the match is open going into the last 10 minutes, Galway will fancy their chances.
It's been a strange year for Kilkenny unlike any other since 2004. Similarly to then, the team has stuttered from awesome displays of destruction to less impressive performances. Galway can take comfort from the fact they last met the champions after the shock and awe of the Leinster semi-final against Dublin, just as tomorrow Kilkenny are coming off the annihilation of their closest rivals in recent years, Tipperary.
All of these power plays take their toll and a subdued display can't be ruled out, either.
But the unshakeable core consideration that militates against Galway is that in the areas where they did most damage – centrefield, full forwards and half backs – Kilkenny are stronger and given the unlikelihood of another first-quarter blitzkrieg will Galway believe they can take this all the way?
A second ascent looks too steep.

Quote from: homeofhurling8 on September 07, 2012, 11:14:07 PM
At the risk of being accused of being anti Galway,again ( really, a south Tipp man ?) I have reservations with numbers 1,3,6,9,12 and 15, I would love to be proven wrong but i cant have Skehill and Hynes in particular and Tannion, Donnelan and the horse either, please God I'm proven wrong.

Definitely doubts but the question is how they play as a collective. I was very impressed with the interview with Cunningham in the Irish Times earlier in the week. I think he is doing a job like Horan in Mayo or McGuinness in Donegal.

Galway have underachieved for so long and the management took a hatchet to last year's team and brought in 5 or 6 under 21s.   
Of course they don't have the experience of the cats but the  thing about sport is that great teams fade eventually. Is that where kilkenny are now or are they on for another 4 in a row ?

I'm really hoping we stay competitive tomorrow. I'm worried we'll leak goals and it will turn into a no-contest. I'd be worried about Hynes too at full-back. Actually apart from Moore, Donoghue, Canning , Hayes , Niall Burke, David Burke and Donnelllan I'd wonder if we're good enough to even compete with Kilkenny but Cunningham has really toughened this team up and they'll match Kilkenny for workrate and physicality. This team has restored a lot of pride in Galway hurling and have given us everything this year so I really hope for their sakes they produce their best tomorrow. And if we get a bit of luck and Kilkenny aren't quite flying then maybe, just maybe ..................

Popping in tomorrow in the hope of picking up a ticket and seeing Dublin win a national hurling championship for the first time in my lifetime.Really hope they don't flop like they have done the last 3 finals.
Will be hoping for a Leinster double as I really admire the way Kilkenny hurl and conduct themselves.

Am going to put a smallish  double bet on a Dublin win and a draw in the senior game as there is one due statistically.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0908/1224323741554.html

Hurling's wholesome undead defying gravity by hook or spook

PM O'SULLIVAN

ALL YEARS settle to grimace or smile and down the line 2012 will be a rictus in collective memory. Rain pilfered so many skies, June and July and August. The forecast for tomorrow is good and sunshine would be a sliver of compensation after so Gothic a summer, one in which Kilkenny chimed with the weather by becoming the undead.
The ultimate result is pending and victory for Galway, for the first time in 24 years, would be a hallmark delivered with an axe.
And yet the champions, whatever happens, will have left an impression unlikely to dissolve even if there is a downpour from here to Christmas and the Nore swells round the Castle and the Corrib swallows the Twelve Pins and Marty Morrissey morphs into Vincent Price.
Four weeks past, hurling pundits must have felt they were locked in a rackety mansion, fearful of mirrors. There has come to be something uncanny about Kilkenny, an energy in excess of meadow physics. Things are meant to come and flourish, have their day, and then die back, leaving all to compost.
"We only bloom once," said John McGahern.
Then Kilkenny, the wholesome undead.
They might well go down tomorrow but it would be a loss rather than a defeat. Whatever happens, they will be front force in 2013. Would anyone have predicted such with confidence in late 2010, as Tipperary eyed the decade like a vampire hoisting his cloak before a maiden?
The moment passed.
You could call it the wonderful and frightening world of counter-intuition. Had the five-in- a-row been won, Tipperary would probably have taken 2011, leaving them in rude health for a right spell. The death of the coveted drive for five sent blood to Kilkenny parts mere success could not reach.

Which or whether, the current team endure in open air, hurling's version of those Easter Island statues, all the more impressive for their part in the inexplicable. The Dublin footballers were deemed hoist last weekend with lack of hunger. Seven seasons in a row, Brian Cody has sent out ravening sides.
It has gone beyond a poke, mere rousing of the troops. Gravity is being defied, by hook or by spook.

Galway supporters must love this narrative. Ten weeks after they eviscerated Leinster final opposition, they are back in the same place, hands hanging in scant chance saloon.
I would be nothing so sure.

The bookmakers' odds are a farce. Three of their forwards – David Burke, Joe Canning and Damien Hayes – are in better form than any Tipp attacker mustered this summer.

Again, unlike almost every other outfit, they have a corner back to mark Henry Shefflin. Presuming the match up happens, Fergal Moore's clash with same will be a fascinating subplot.
The co-ordinates stack easily enough for a Galway triumph. To a remarkable degree, pressure has sluiced away from them. If they have the nerve, they have the verve.

Same time, Galway would want to fork hay. There are no guarantees about soon being back on September grass. The rest of this decade should see the most competitive seasons in hurling history, with eight serious contenders around 2015. Maybe even a couple more, if Offaly and Wexford square their shoulders.
Allow me the cliché about no time like the present. Galway are 70 minutes away from highest heaven with a backline whose spine has prompted much muttering. What else, though? Tellingly, when their U21 management went looking for a replacement defender in the All Ireland semi-final, they introduced a minor, Paul Killeen.
Kevin Hynes and Tony Óg Regan might not be Brian Lohan and Seánie McMahon, but Galway look already to have harvested the one candidate of requisite quality in that back six, Johnny Coen.
Some version of the current defence will have to serve for a while.
So, the present, first and last and always. Hurling's undergrowth is astir.
Clare are favourites for next Saturday in Semple Stadium and should be there again in 12 months' time.
The under-21 Munster final reiterated Tony Kelly's brilliance. Consistently sent zipped ball, Darach Honan and Conor McGrath would be a laxative for any full-back line. Will Davy Fitz do zipped ball?
Limerick leave the season far haler than they entered it. Dublin are nothing like as unpromising as self-painted. Nor have Tipperary gone away, so long as a proper manager sits down. This time round, Cork are probably more asparagus than mushrooms, cropping in the third year.
We shall enjoy all that seeing in the coming times. Right now, one last facet.

A preview in these pages of the Kilkenny-Limerick quarter-final mentioned a certain stripe of fastidiousness, a strain that would blanch at an All- Ireland won via the back door.
Such sentiment exists in the county. If anything, it became more pronounced after the semi-final, once the havoc wreaked on Tipp was weighed and pronounced the measure of several All Irelands. The maiden has been decked with garlic.
As per Peter Mandelson on the filthy rich, much of the Kilkenny support is intensely relaxed about coming home disappointed.
Mainly, their desire centres on seeing the reign of Henry the Ninth.
But it is not the supporters who will be out on the pitch. Planted there will 15 good hurlers, iron intent to right matters.
All men have secrets and here is mine: Galway in a tight one or Kilkenny by eight plus.
Any queasiness about the indirect route, should the latter win by a bit, is offset.

Basically, Kilkenny would have been beaten in the championship but twice since 2006, carrying four injuries on both occasions.
2010: Brian Hogan, Henry Shefflin, John Tennyson, Tommy Walsh. 2012: JJ Delaney, Colin Fennelly, Michael Fennelly, Michael Rice.
Like sex, sport rarely does neatness. Tomorrow should surprise.
Goalkeeping performance will be crucial. Neither man has convinced.
The sun, having every choice, shone this week. Emphatically an outdoor occasion, tomorrow is Croke Park and daylight, far from Bram Stoker and moonlight.
Praise be, after such a summer, whatever the result.

He's right about the odds

http://www.oddschecker.com/other-sports/gaelic-games/hurling/kilkenny-v-galway/winner

It's going to be timber for the first 10 minutes

This is a great video about the Leinster Final

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb52kJeCzoA

Quote from: seafoid on September 08, 2012, 11:07:02 PM
It's going to be timber for the first 10 minutes

This is a great video about the Leinster Final

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb52kJeCzoA

Anyone looking a ticket PM me and I'll be in Dublin from 12 tomorrow, I think the group I'm with will have an extra one

How you getting down? We're on the 10.00 train.

Quote from: Lecale2 on September 09, 2012, 07:31:47 AM
How you getting down? We're on the 10.00 train.

Getting a lift at 9.30. looking forward to this one

The final hour is almost upon us. May God bless the Galway team and give them every single bit of luck going today. I'm listening to the build up on Galway Bay FM and there seems to be a good bit of optimism amongst Galway people though some of them had audibly started early. It's great to be back in a final but we are playing the greatest team ever . I'm a bag of nerves just looking at that Kilkenny line-up but hopefully our lads won't be daunted by the day and the opposition. Could be our greatest day ever, le chuine de.

I think 3/1 is an attractive price.

Galway are fit, they are aggresive and they play with great intensity.

Scaoil amach an bobailin.



http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/hurling/2012/0907/336713-galway-can-end-long-wait-for-title/

Essentially, this game will be decided by which Galway side turns up.

You know what you are getting with Kilkenny. The reason their Leinster final collapse was so shocking is that it rarely happens that they are so well beaten.

Galway have long been on the other end of the spectrum, capable of being fantastic one day and pure poison the next.

But Cunningham appears to have cultivated the consistency his many predecessors failed to.

The big question is can Galway reproduce their Leinster final performance? This is still an incredible Kilkenny outfit, but they did not have enough to cope with Galway at full pelt in July, and they probably still wouldn't at this juncture.

Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin is aiming to land his ninth Celtic Cross on Sunday, but it is the performance of the pretender to his throne - Joe Canning - that will tell the tale of this particular game.

Canning has all the qualities Shefflin possesses. But what he doesn't have is the Ballyhale's man medal collection.

He may still be only 23, but the sooner Canning starts winning All-Irelands, the more he'll have to look back on at the end of his career.

Believing you can beat Kilkenny is half the battle when you are facing the Cats, and Galway should have more than enough faith after their Leinster heroics.

Verdict: Galway

Quote from: seafoid on September 09, 2012, 02:08:17 PM
I think 3/1 is an attractive price.

Galway are fit, they are aggresive and they play with great intensity.

Scaoil amach an bobailin.



http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/hurling/2012/0907/336713-galway-can-end-long-wait-for-title/

Essentially, this game will be decided by which Galway side turns up.

You know what you are getting with Kilkenny. The reason their Leinster final collapse was so shocking is that it rarely happens that they are so well beaten.

Galway have long been on the other end of the spectrum, capable of being fantastic one day and pure poison the next.

But Cunningham appears to have cultivated the consistency his many predecessors failed to.

The big question is can Galway reproduce their Leinster final performance? This is still an incredible Kilkenny outfit, but they did not have enough to cope with Galway at full pelt in July, and they probably still wouldn't at this juncture.

Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin is aiming to land his ninth Celtic Cross on Sunday, but it is the performance of the pretender to his throne - Joe Canning - that will tell the tale of this particular game.

Canning has all the qualities Shefflin possesses. But what he doesn't have is the Ballyhale's man medal collection.

He may still be only 23, but the sooner Canning starts winning All-Irelands, the more he'll have to look back on at the end of his career.

Believing you can beat Kilkenny is half the battle when you are facing the Cats, and Galway should have more than enough faith after their Leinster heroics.

Verdict: Galway

Time for the fun to begin!
Good luck, neighbour.
I'm behind ya.

Great shtart with a goal .

Is today the day for Joe Canning ?

1 point for the cats. Interesting.

Plenty of cynical fouling.  Thought that was supposed to only be a football thing.

Galway on top 25mins gone 1-5 to 0-3

1-7 Gaillimh 0-3 Cill chainnigh.

Sounds like the cats haven't settled down yet. Under a lot of pressure.

1-8 to 0-4

Surprised doctor didn't pull Hynes out of it.

Galway simply a better team. Would love to see Kilkenny come back but just think Galway have too much for them all over the field. Compare how hard Kilkenny have to work compared to Galway to get a score.

I wouldn't write kilkenny off just yet but for the sake of my wallet i hope Galway can keep their noses in front

I hope Galway can keep their heads when/if the onslaught comes (for my heart and wallets sake).

This Kilkenny team never ceases to amaze. Unreal side, regardless of result.

53mins gone and it's level. The cats on top now 1-10 0-13

Goal for Galway out of nothing.

Jesus. Thats one of the best saves Ive ever seen

This throwing the hurl lark is getting to be a right blight on the game. Really bugs me.

Penalty for the Cats this could win the or lose the All Ireland.

What a rollercoaster.

Big balls on Joe to pull it level. Would have been a shame to have the previous miss hanging over him.

Draw a fair result replay 30th September.

Both replays to be doubled up??

Incredible. Game had the lot. So many shots bottled at the end but at the very end some serious courage showed by Canning on that last free. It was a charge and a dive to get it though so Cats might feel aggrieved.

How this Kilkenny team came back from that first half just shows how special they are. Galway deserved to be up by more than 5 at the break - they were more dominant than that.

Reply is anyones game. Impossible to call.

They should play extra time in All Ireland finals. People come from all over for these games and a draw is such an anti climax

Tannian was immense.

Quote from: BennyHarp on September 09, 2012, 05:07:26 PM
They should play extra time in All Ireland finals. People come from all over for these games and a draw is such an anti climax

There hasn't been a hurling draw since 1959.

Agree Seafoid, Tannion was man of the match for me, just a pity about his miss near the end, if he'd scored it would have capped an immense performance.

Replay = extra big bonus for the GAA moneymen

Agree though, should be extra time.

Quote from: seafoid on September 09, 2012, 05:11:27 PM

Quote from: BennyHarp on September 09, 2012, 05:07:26 PM
They should play extra time in All Ireland finals. People come from all over for these games and a draw is such an anti climax

There hasn't been a hurling draw since 1959.

I know - but in an All Ireland final Sunday they should try to get a result.

I think Tom Helebert said it well on RTE : .

"We didn't  lose- that was very important for us. This is the first AIF for this group. It took huge nerve to get ourselves back in to the game when Kilkenny seemed to be pulling away from us.
This experience will do a huge amount of good for us. It's a huge job to dethrone Kilkenny. We are incredibly proud of the players "

Tannion was MOTM for me as well.  He seem to be on the ball all the time.  I remember him playing for Galway here in NY for a summer, he was a joy to watch.  He was easily the best hurler that has played here in my time.  Draw was a fair result, really enjoyed that game and look forward to the replay.

whats the story lads, they are all saying replay on 30th, isn't ladies final always on that sunday, week after the mens? i know the armagh women are in it anyway, will it get shafted aside for the hurling?

Quote from: Orchardman on September 09, 2012, 05:32:22 PM
whats the story lads, they are all saying replay on 30th, isn't ladies final always on that sunday, week after the mens? i know the armagh women are in it anyway, will it get shafted aside for the hurling?

Ladies put back 1 week

Quote from: Orchardman on September 09, 2012, 05:32:22 PM
whats the story lads, they are all saying replay on 30th, isn't ladies final always on that sunday, week after the mens? i know the armagh women are in it anyway, will it get shafted aside for the hurling?

Hurling replay on 30th and women play 7th Oct. Bit of a shitter for people having booked hotels and days off work etc.

I don't give a shite about the ladies and i wouldn't go to watch them, but they would have had their date in the calender all year for 30th sept. Anyway, great game of hurling 2day, another big pay day no doubt and stretches the summer out a bit

Quote from: seafoid on September 09, 2012, 05:10:45 PM
Tannian was immense.

MotM for me seafoid, I agree. I've been seriously impressed with the way he has reinvented himself as a midfielder this year.

Delighted for big Joe that he got the equaliser, he's a lovely lad and always has time for the kids on the pitch after the games, so it's nice to see the good guys come through.

Henry Shefflin was unreal, as was Brian Hogan in that second half.

PS, I think Anthony Cunningham showed Tipp how to negate Tommy Walsh for a lot of that game. Move his man in corner forward, Tommy hates it in there. He came on well in the second half but for a long time he was decidely uneasy.

Was there some reason the replay couldn't have been next weekend?

Enjoyed that game today, thought the draw was a fair result but surely shefflin should have went for goal with the peno, very un-kilkenny that decision. Thought the free for the equaliser was a bit soft too but fair play to canning, was a tough free even without the pressure.

Quote from: Rav67 on September 09, 2012, 06:11:15 PM
Was there some reason the replay couldn't have been next weekend?

Ticket distribution needs more than a week and the camogie final is on next Sunday

Exciting game, lung busting stuff from he players. Don't think too many saw that performance from Tannian coming, totally overshadowed Michael Fennelly. Fair play to him he has got into excellent shape, before this year he wasn't conditioned well enough to succeed at inter county level. He has great skill levels. No reason why Galway can't beat them in the replay, the lazy analysis will be that Galway have "missed the boat" but that's twice ow they have played KK in finals this year and they havent been beaten yet. Galways greater youth may just stand to them in the replay.

The experience of playing in an all Ireland final has to stand to Galway the next day.
A nerve wracking tense game in the second half but not as "great" as the panellists told us.
Then again hurling is always great with them lads while their football counterparts are always looking for the negatives.

All the pundits this morning were sayng this Kilkenny team always avenges a defeat.
It was a sign of the character of the Galway lads that they refused to give in once the cats took the lead. 


Johnny Coen has to get an all star.

Quote from: Rossfan on September 09, 2012, 06:38:01 PM
The experience of playing in an all Ireland final has to stand to Galway the next day.
A nerve wracking tense game in the second half but not as "great" as the panellists told us.
Then again hurling is always great with them lads while their football counterparts are always looking for the negatives.

Not a great game as you say but in terms of excitement I thought it was excellent.

I think Shefflin messed up not going for goal.
Henry Shefflin of a few years ago wouldn't have even considered taking a point.

The cats of the 4 in a row  vintage would have gone out of sight after taking the lead. With 20 minutes left i thought it might end up like the 06 final but fair play to galway for forcing the draw.   

Wouldn't consider myself a huge hurling man but had my eye out for Tannion from 10 minutes in, the stick he took and kept coming back, awesome performance on that basis alone. KK boys have huge miles on the clock when was the last time one county outplayed them in championship twice in the one year I think Gway  will take a bit from today. Also club championship is a huge deal in KK so this could cause a bit of distraction over the next few weeks

Wouldn't be hurling man and I got a bit annoyed today that only two men in the field seem to be able to shoot accurately (as well as my usual bugbear of men in space hitting aimless long balls to men not in space).

That said, I was impressed with Galway. Kilkenny are obviously a seasoned bunch, as strong as oxen, and blatantly cynical. But Galway weren't in awe. Thought their no.2 and no.12 were superb, along with that Iarla boy.

Some of the the tackling on both sides was immense, technically superb. But it's still a bit odd to me that in a game in which the ball is moved so quickly to attack, that attackers can get swallowed up so quickly by multiple defenders. It's hard to see from TV if this is done to sweepers, fitness levels, or both. But the whole 'pump it in long' didn't do either side any favours. There was hardly a free or a score from the D inwards.

A joy to watch this game and a great advert for Ireland.

Hard hitting and great skill.

Didn't enjoy today as much as any of the Tipp finals as I think both team were very sloppy at times. Probably the right result in the end but think Kilkenny will feel luckier to have got out of jail. Galway ruled midfield - Tannian hurled for the full 70 for the first time and Fennelly didn't show up. Hogan competing against Tannian in the air looked ridiculous at times.

Brian Hogan had a phenomenal second half (even though he got taken for 1-2) and the Galway forwards really tuned out. The weaknesses on KK's bench really showed - thought Buckley might have been chanced after playing so well against Tipp in the semi. Changes were needed at midfield and Cody surprisingly didn't make any. Thought TJ might have been brought out given how he's stepped up this year and toughened up.

The KK forwards, a few cameos aside, were very, very poor. I haven't seen Richie Power play so badly in a long, long time.

In saying all of this, can't wait for the replay. KK will need to up it by several gears to have a chance again. Gone is any sense that Galway's final was in Leinster - they're here to stay.

"@AlanShearerMOTD: Just watching the All Ireland Hurling Final it's crazy! Sort of like a cross between Hockey and Second Degree Murder! #Galway to win" 

Quote from: Minder on September 09, 2012, 10:29:00 PM
"@AlanShearerMOTD: Just watching the All Ireland Hurling Final it's crazy! Sort of like a cross between Hockey and Second Degree Murder! #Galway to win"

Shearer isn't on Twitter.

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 09, 2012, 10:41:34 PM

Quote from: Minder on September 09, 2012, 10:29:00 PM
"@AlanShearerMOTD: Just watching the All Ireland Hurling Final it's crazy! Sort of like a cross between Hockey and Second Degree Murder! #Galway to win"

Shearer isn't on Twitter.

RTE retweeted it.

Quote from: Minder on September 09, 2012, 10:47:36 PM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 09, 2012, 10:41:34 PM

Quote from: Minder on September 09, 2012, 10:29:00 PM
"@AlanShearerMOTD: Just watching the All Ireland Hurling Final it's crazy! Sort of like a cross between Hockey and Second Degree Murder! #Galway to win"

Shearer isn't on Twitter.

RTE retweeted it.

One of the commentators on ESPN America on the American Football game in the Aviva last week said Hurling was like a cross between lacrosse and second degree murder.

Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman were definitely at the game. Don't know about Shearer.

Very proud of the Galway lads. They don't fear this Kilkenny team at all. Thought it was a great contest today even though Kilkenny were quite ragged at times in the first half and Galway likewise in the second. When Galway passed the ball and ran at Kilkenny it caused the cats defence all sorts of bother but as the game wore on Galway reverted to pumping in too many aimless high balls into a full-forward line that didn't have Joe Canning inside as he was way out the field. This was meat and drink to Brian Hogan in particular and allowed Kilkenny to get a grip on the game. Really thought it was game over when Kilkenny got the penalty. I was sure Shefflin would go for goal and didn't expect him to miss it. All in all though a draw was a fair result I feel.

Word of praise to Iarla Tannian who was absolutely immense today. Always been a talented player but maybe didn't have the right physical conditioning until this year. His workrate was always questioned but he was everywhere today swooping on loose ball and bursting though tackles. Pity he sent that late point chance wide as it would have capped a brilliant performance from him.

Have to do it all again in 3 weeks now.

Quote from: Minder on September 09, 2012, 10:47:36 PM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 09, 2012, 10:41:34 PM

Quote from: Minder on September 09, 2012, 10:29:00 PM
"@AlanShearerMOTD: Just watching the All Ireland Hurling Final it's crazy! Sort of like a cross between Hockey and Second Degree Murder! #Galway to win"

Shearer isn't on Twitter.

RTE retweeted it.

If RTE put their hand in the fire would you copy them?!

Never a free to level it at the end, but a fair result. The Kilkenny team of old would have finished the job off once they took the lead late on. Shefflin should have buried that penalty.
GAA were the real winners today, another 80 odd thousand at €80 a pop.

Beyond high tackling or whatever else, it was a wild clatter that the Kilkenny player put in. 100% of the time that should be a free, I can scarcely believe it's even been made into talking point.

Quote from: Syferus on September 10, 2012, 01:10:07 AM
Beyond high tackling or whatever else, it was a wild clatter that the Kilkenny player put in. 100% of the time that should be a free, I can scarcely believe it's even been made into talking point.

I haven't seen it on TV yet,  but it looked like he was charging to me.

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on September 09, 2012, 11:02:07 PM
Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman were definitely at the game. Don't know about Shearer.

Very proud of the Galway lads. They don't fear this Kilkenny team at all. Thought it was a great contest today even though Kilkenny were quite ragged at times in the first half and Galway likewise in the second. When Galway passed the ball and ran at Kilkenny it caused the cats defence all sorts of bother but as the game wore on Galway reverted to pumping in too many aimless high balls into a full-forward line that didn't have Joe Canning inside as he was way out the field. This was meat and drink to Brian Hogan in particular and allowed Kilkenny to get a grip on the game. Really thought it was game over when Kilkenny got the penalty. I was sure Shefflin would go for goal and didn't expect him to miss it. All in all though a draw was a fair result I feel.

Word of praise to Iarla Tannian who was absolutely immense today. Always been a talented player but maybe didn't have the right physical conditioning until this year. His workrate was always questioned but he was everywhere today swooping on loose ball and bursting though tackles. Pity he sent that late point chance wide as it would have capped a brilliant performance from him.

Have to do it all again in 3 weeks now.

They did the same in the second half against Cork. Definitely something to work on for the replay.
I think 3 of the KK backs were on yellow cards at the end of the first half.

Anthony Cunningham made the point that Galway are an improving team. That performance will stand to them the next day.
White heat against Kilkenny in the last 10 minutes of the AIF  and they survived it.

Imagine the Monday after the Waherford match last year thinking they could progress so far in one season.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/galway-the-masters-in-art-of-illusion-2830714.html

Galway the masters in art of illusion

While Waterford underlined their credentials, Tribesmen once again deluded everyone into thinking that they are better than they actually are, writes Colm Keys

Tuesday July 26 2011

The apology has become a common tool in hurling this summer so, first up, we'll take a leaf out of the books of John Mullane and John McIntyre and issue one ourselves.
This is to the Waterford players and those who have involved in the careful husbandry of talent in the county over the last decade or more, ensuring that, since their initial breakthrough under Gerald McCarthy against Len Gaynor's Tipperary in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in 1998, they have remained one of the most prominent hurling forces in the game.
Last Sunday's comprehensive victory over Galway ensured that the Deise will contest a sixth hurling semi-final in successive years, a ninth since that day in Cork 13 years ago when they finally mined a championship win of some consequence over the then All-Ireland finalists.

For the last 10 years they have consistently been one of the top three teams in the game, third behind Cork and Kilkenny at the height of their hegemony around the middle of the decade and third again behind current pacesetters Kilkenny and Tipperary.

Players have come and gone on the back of huge disappointments, others have had to succumb to ageing legs and signed off on long careers of great service, but the county's status as a top-three team has remained in tact.
It's a pity we haven't always recognised that fact. It's a pity we have been too quick to point to the defeats and the nature of them rather than the days when the sun has shone brightly for them.
It's a pity we have looked at where the underage titles have all been going, noted their absence and come to the conclusion that there can't be a lot happening there.

It's staggering to think that they have won just one Munster minor title (2009) and one Munster U-21 title (1994) in the 20 years since they did the provincial double in '92.
Their record at U-21 level in particular has been quite shocking, with defeats in the 2007 and '08 Munster finals hugely forgettable from their point of view.
But what has it mattered in the greater scheme of things?

STRUCTURE
The system, structure and ease with which they have brought players through is working seamlessly.
It is an insult to Waterford hurling that Galway have been pitched above them so often as the team more likely to threaten the duopoly established between Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary a different stages of the last decade.

But then Galway hurling has consistently managed to cast a spell over the game and deluded everyone into thinking that they are better than they actually are. On Sunday last that delusion reached its highest ever level.

Is the vast success they have enjoyed at underage level now more of a millstone around their neck than a springboard from which to launch themselves? In terms of building undue expectation it has been a weight bearing down on them.

Since their last All-Ireland title in 1988 they have matched the number of All-Ireland minor titles (seven in all) won by
Kilkenny and have also been beaten in a further seven finals, three more than Kilkenny.
At U-21 level they have also kept step impressively, winning five to Kilkenny's seven. But they haven't been a means to an end.

The former Galway hurler Cathal Moore put it well last night when he drew comparison to the work being done at underage level in Dublin.
"A lot of people would tell you now that they never want to hear of Galway winning a minor or U-21 again because we have won a lot over the past 20 years," said Moore.

"But having said that, when you take the Dublin situation, everyone is saying they have improved so much this year because of the great underage system that they have. You can't have it every way. Galway have a great record at underage, but we do have a big problem bringing those players through."

There is far greater opposition in Galway to signing up their underage teams to Leinster competition and, it must be said, there is strong opposition in Leinster, particularly from Wexford and Offaly, to such an arrangement too.
But wouldn't Galway get a far more accurate insight into the strength of their U-21 teams if they were to contest a province every year rather than enjoy a free ride to the play-offs every August?

It would appear that senior manager McIntyre has signed his own departure papers with the admission that Galway hurling is as far away from an All-Ireland title as it has been in the last 20 years.

McIntyre has been honest, fair and protective of players over the course of the last three years, players who badly let him down in the minutes after half-time on Sunday when they let the game run away from them with almost casual nonchalance.

But ultimately that hasn't nearly been enough.
Is there a better alternative to the management team that has effectively put its hand up and invited someone else to come in? If there is, it's not patently obvious.
Mattie Murphy, who has spearheaded some of the most recent minor successes, has been there twice before. Noel Lane was an interested candidate the last time, as was Michael Bond.
Undoubtedly Galway will go knocking on the door of Eamonn O'Shea, the former Tipperary coach who worked in tandem with Liam Sheedy until last year's All-Ireland success. O'Shea lives in Galway city and if Galway are in the market for new management then he would be the first obvious port of call.
Would Galway be bold enough to pursue Sheedy too, despite the obvious pressures of work that called time on his three-year stint with Tipperary last September?
Living near Nenagh and with the luxury of a new motorway to the heartlands of Galway hurling from his work base in Dublin, Sheedy could be tempted, unless the obvious bond with these Tipp players is too strong.
But it would be another tremendous challenge for the pair. And Galway need to be bold.

very close game and a draw possibly the correct result as neither team deserved to lose.

Firstly I'd have to credit Barry Kelly as I felt he got most of the calls right, the penalty, Galway keeper lying on the ball, etc, etc. Maybe his pickiness led to players playing for frees a bit, but if'd he'd let things go like the Cork man in the semi-final he'd have been condemned as well!!

Kilkenny have no right to feel aggrieved about the last free as Richie Power got a free for almost the very same thing when Fergal Moore give him the slightest of touches and he went down. Glennon IMO didn't charge directly at Tyrell, he certainly went into contact but at an angle which would have taken him passed Tyrell when the bigger man hit him. Tyrell wasn't wanting to get into a footrace and used the arms to slow him down, Glennon hit the deck like Power before him. To use a soccer term, it all balances out in the end!

I have to say, the Galway defence have serious pace about them barring O'g Regan, I can't remember once the likes of Fennelly, Fogarty or Power pulling away from their opposite number with any great gusto. Ditto in the forwards in the first half when a lot of the clearances were landing in space, the Galway men were first to it,turning and going at their opposite numbers and getting their rewards. With their half backs almost to a man batting the balls down and not allowing Kilkenny forwards to catch that they needed Tannion and Smyth to be first there for it to work.
In the second half, with the men withdrawn the balls shouldn't have been pumped down the middle for Hogan in particular to gobble up and return with interest as Kilkenny were picking off points nicely and only for Burkes goal against the run of play would have been curtains for Galway. I can't fathom how they felt that they could hold onto a 3 or 4 point lead against a team like Kilkenny by allowing almost pure domination of that end of the field where the Klikenny lads had time to pick out their passes even against a packed defence.

Hopefully Cunningham will learn from that and defend high up the pitch as I think he's a good enough set of defenders to work man for man.

Cody's substitutions didn't seem to have any telling effect yesterday, but he's got Shefflin on the park and he showed why he's one of the best yesterday by taking the game to Galway, opening them up and making the scoring chances for the others, an example to all even if he does gurn in the ear of the referee quite a lot now!

Galway should learn more and that may stand by them, but if Cody can freshen up Kilkenny for the next day it'll be another humdinger.

Will Gavin get the refereeing gig?

QuoteThe weaknesses on KK's bench really showed

What about Galway?

I wouldn't be a hurling man but taking off Burke, the one that scored 1-2, and the only forward apart from Canning to score looked very very foolish. As for putting on a young lad, Cooney og and taking him off again I hate to see that happening and it's not the player I'd blame in that situation but the manager.

Galway were saved by Skehill much the same as we were saved by Clarke the week before. Galway forwards need to take a serious look at themselves for the next day. Without such good play from Burke, Canning, Tannin and Skehill Galway would have been done and dusted yesterday.

In fairness, I thought both those calls were correct. I know it's hard on Cooney, but when he came in he was beaten badly for 3 balls, including one where he was waiting for the ball to come to him and Paul Murphy or Kieran Joyce steamed in ahead of him from about 8 yards away. He just wasn't at the pitch of the game, and it wasn't going to happen for him.

With regard to Burke coming off, I might have moved him rather than replacing him, but Brian Hogan was absolutely lording it there in the second half, and they had to do something there.

Word for David Collins who I thought had a great match at wing back.

An absorbing contest, but I thought the referee came close to ruining it by being too whistle happy. The players seemed to cop on early (or maybe knew his form in advance) that going down nearly always got you the free, with the result that I can't recall seeing so much leg-straightening and collapsing forward on minimal contact in a hurling match before. You don't often see this in hurling, as referees generally seem still to understand the physical clash. It's a pity to see it creeping into the game, though maybe that's the impetus the legislators, who don't seem to give a shite about football or, worse, are actively trying to destroy it, need to tackle the diving culture in the games generally.

That apart, I thought the game illustrated the essence of sport, one interpretation of which - "having your manhood tested and not being found wanting" - applied to just about everyone on the field. The replay should be something special.

Wonderful day at HQ yesterday, from start to finish. Feeling coming out of the ground was that KK left it behind them as they owned the second half as well as the start of the game. Even though Galway went 1-3 to a point up KK started the better. Power missed two long range frees and Shefflin forced two early 65s, like a golfer over thinking his swing. Shefflin had some second half though, he hasn't covered that much ground in years. Brian Hogan was my motm though, lorded the skies and made sure Galway didn't come though the center. The other KK forwards got crowded out as did their midfield. Michael Fennelly doesn't like being bottled up and surprised Ritche Hogan lasted as long as he did.

On the Galway side obviously you could hold up any of the backs for having a good game but I thought Tony Og and the much maligned Hynes held the center very well while Collins and Moore were superb. Tannin and Smith were like oxen ploughing through the tackles and certainly won the midfield battle. Damien Hayes wasn't at the races at all and will be counting down the days till the replay. Joe won't be too happy with some of the frees but his run was memorising for the goal, genius. Wouldn't have taken off Burke either. Galway will have to look at what they did in the second half when the pressure came on, they can't just clear the ball down to four KK men for it to come right back in on top of them.

Shefflin made the right call for the penalty, the wind was in their sails and chipping away at the points was eating into the Galway resolve. Fair play to them for lifting themselves at the end, we'll probably be seeing Glennon earlier the next day, brought a lot of energy onto the field.

Only blight on the day was the muck they were playing over the PA, I can live with Hector and Kathryn Thomas but no need to near deafen you with that excuse for music. And certainly not on AI final day. The Galway lads on the Hill were getting louder with The Fields of Athenry as the minutes passed, they had the place heaving in 05, but you couldn't hear a note from them once they started blaring out that rubbish.

Of the totals yesterday what was scored from play?

Quote from: nrico2006 on September 10, 2012, 10:32:40 AM
Of the totals yesterday what was scored from play?

Galway got 0-8 from frees, Kilkenny 0-10 (maybe 0-11??)

It was a definite free at the end. It happened right in front of me.
I was watching on television after and RTE didn't seem to have any good replays of the incident.

Brian Cody was a disgrace at the end and a lesser man than Anthony Cunningham would have laid into him!

Quote from: Hardy on September 10, 2012, 10:06:51 AM
An absorbing contest, but I thought the referee came close to ruining it by being too whistle happy. The players seemed to cop on early (or maybe knew his form in advance) that going down nearly always got you the free, with the result that I can't recall seeing so much leg-straightening and collapsing forward on minimal contact in a hurling match before. You don't often see this in hurling, as referees generally seem still to understand the physical clash. It's a pity to see it creeping into the game, though maybe that's the impetus the legislators, who don't seem to give a shite about football or, worse, are actively trying to destroy it, need to tackle the diving culture in the games generally.

That apart, I thought the game illustrated the essence of sport, one interpretation of which - "having your manhood tested and not being found wanting" - applied to just about everyone on the field. The replay should be something special.

Interesting. I thought the ref did the right thing in most cases and if anything was too lenient. I know it's a contact sport but you can't just wrap your arms and hurley around a player every time he has the ball. No sport has coped very well with the reality of the participants being stronger and fitter than previous generations and it's really showing in hurling now where players are able to shrug off challenges with ease, which means they're seen as weak or cowardly if they're not able to shrug off the challenges with ease. The amount of timber Iarla Tannian shipped was unreal, yet that seems to be the norm now.

I really enjoyed that game yesterday.
I also thought Henry should have buried the penalty into the back of the net,I was shocked when he put it over the bar.
Strange decision IMO.
Some fella on Today FM friday morning tipped this to be a draw,think he said it was 9/1 ?
Anyway how bad,we get another helping of the biggest day in the GAA calender to look forward too.
I think Galway will win the next day.

Quote from: Jonah on September 10, 2012, 12:01:16 PM
I really enjoyed that game yesterday.
I also thought Henry should have buried the penalty into the back of the net,I was shocked when he put it over the bar.
Strange decision IMO.
Some fella on Today FM friday morning tipped this to be a draw,think he said it was 9/1 ?
Anyway how bad,we get another helping of the biggest day in the GAA calender to look forward too.
I think Galway will win the next day.

I'm sure if Henry thought that it was guaranteed that he would 'have buried the penalty into the back of the net' I'm sure he would have. The problem being there was three Galway men 20 metres away doing their damnest to stop it.

I'm not sure if anyone has even done stats on hurling penalties success rates, but I'd say it mightn't be that high.

He played the percentages, levelled the game and then Kilkenny went onto score the next point to take the lead.
IF he'd scored the goal then yes it was game over,  as it would have been hard to see Galway pull two points back at that stage. If it had of been saved, Galway would have been still up a point and got a huge lift in spirit which possibly seen them hold onto their lead.

It's all conjecture at this stage, and Henry can still win his 9th AI medal. Right decision IMO.

Yes - definitely the correct percentage play, in my view, which is not something you often see chosen properly in the heat of competition.

There are two to five minutes left, depending on the ref.

He sores the penalty. Estimated probability - 80% (though that may be generous). KK nearly certainly win.
He misses the penalty. Estimated probability - 20%. The momentum and psychological advantage are handed to Galway. Galway more likely than KK to win.
He takes the point. Estimated probability - 100% for all intents and purpose. The momentum and psychological advantage stay with KK, with a good chance of a win and a probable worst case outcome of a draw.

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on September 10, 2012, 10:26:32 AM
Brian Hogan was my motm though, lorded the skies and made sure Galway didn't come though the center.

Wouldn't have Brian Hogan down for MOTM to be honest. Even though he did have a very good second half he had a fairly shaky first half when Galway ran at him and Niall Burke also caught a couple of high balls off him and planted them over the bar.

As far as Kilkenny defenders go I thought Paul Murphy was the best of them throughout.

will the ticket allocation for the replay be the same as Sunday? What i mean is will for example a club who got say 6 tickets in a county outside 4 finalists get the same this time

I'm very surprised he didn't go for goal with the penalty. This is Henry Shefflin for crying out loud, he hasn't gotten to the point in his career where he's on the cusp of winning more Celtic crosses on the field than anyone else by playing it safe or having a low return on penalties. The stunned disbelief in Michael Duignan's voice in the immediate aftermath of the score said it all.

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on September 10, 2012, 01:10:29 PM

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on September 10, 2012, 10:26:32 AM
Brian Hogan was my motm though, lorded the skies and made sure Galway didn't come though the center.

Wouldn't have Brian Hogan down for MOTM to be honest. Even though he did have a very good second half he had a fairly shaky first half when Galway ran at him and Niall Burke also caught a couple of high balls off him and planted them over the bar.

As far as Kilkenny defenders go I thought Paul Murphy was the best of them throughout.

Jaysus I wouldn't say he was shaky, I can recall one incident where Burke just caught it before him and turned him before he landed and he had to grab his hurl to stop him powering away. He got through a huge shift in the first half as well, dropping back to sweep in front of the full back line before pegging it out into the middle once KK turned over possession. Himself and Henry drove the second half, unreal hunger from them.

I've watched the incident that led to the last free a few times and I think Kelly got it right actually. Glennon was going past him and Tyrell made contact. Glennon's fall was a bit theatrical in suppose but he was fouled. Also, Barry Kelly booked Tyrell so he  obviously felt sure about it. Cody's reaction was out of order but the tension was unreal. He calmed down later for the interview - he'd do well to remembed the penalty in 2010 and the chat with Marty afterwards.

Tannian, Coen, Skehill and Moore were excellent but a lot of the Galway lads didn't really perform that well yesterday and we still got a draw. Kilkenny could say the same i suppose.

As a team Galway tackled brilliantly all over the place but we gave possession back to Kilkenny fairly easily too. The delivery into the forwards is the big thing we need to improve on. Obviously it's very difficult in the modern game when lads have so little time on the ball but we'd be better off looking for a fee man around the middle and shooting from distance than pucking it into a Galway forward with JJ and Hogan for company. I know it's very easy to say these things from the sofa though.

I think there's a lot to be optimistic about. We have loads of room for improvement and we'll need it. We won't get away with 2-13 again. I was surprised to hear Duignan say at the end that Galway would be the more disappointed. Kilkenny had a penalty and a great goal chance in .the last few minutes. And Henry had two great chances for the insurance point in injury time.

I thought Cunningham was right to take off Cooney too. He's a great talent but he might need another year. i'd be surprised to see him in the replay. I think Glennon and Glynn would both offer more than Regan or Cooney. Glennon seems to have the stuff for it but the management might be afraid he'd get himself sent off. Glynn would give us another aeriel option. As AZ suggested I'd have moved Burke rather than take him off. I wouldn't have taken off Damien Hayed either unless he was after getting a knock. Always lively and capable of creating a chance.

A tight, very intense and nervous sort of a game yesterday i thought with neither team hurling anywhere near their full potential but unreal excitement. I'm stuck out the other side of the world and could only listen to the game last night(downloaded it today - thanks irishtorrents). I switched off the radio stream for the last 15 minutes. Couldn't handle it anymore. My nerves were shot. Thankfully Joe's nerves are a good bit better than mine.

Quote from: deiseach on September 10, 2012, 01:57:20 PM
I'm very surprised he didn't go for goal with the penalty. This is Henry Shefflin for crying out loud, he hasn't gotten to the point in his career where he's on the cusp of winning more Celtic crosses on the field than anyone else by playing it safe or having a low return on penalties. The stunned disbelief in Michael Duignan's voice in the immediate aftermath of the score said it all.

I'm also amazed. Can't believe our luck really. I could understand if the game was already in injury time but with about 5 minutes left? He had a great game but between that and the two missed chances in injury time I'd say Henry will be tossing and turning a bit in the leaba for a few days.

I was delighted when he took the point.
His real chance to win the game was a few minutes after when he stuck a simple chance wide.

Quote from: Cyril Farrell fan on September 10, 2012, 02:32:16 PM
I was delighted when he took the point.
His real chance to win the game was a few minutes after when he stuck a simple chance wide.

CFF - What was the mood of the Galway folowers after the game? I thought it was a great result considering we didn't really get going in the second half at all.

Quote from: Asal Mor on September 10, 2012, 02:23:25 PM

Quote from: deiseach on September 10, 2012, 01:57:20 PM
I'm very surprised he didn't go for goal with the penalty. This is Henry Shefflin for crying out loud, he hasn't gotten to the point in his career where he's on the cusp of winning more Celtic crosses on the field than anyone else by playing it safe or having a low return on penalties. The stunned disbelief in Michael Duignan's voice in the immediate aftermath of the score said it all.

I'm also amazed. Can't believe our luck really. I could understand if the game was already in injury time but with about 5 minutes left? He had a great game but between that and the two missed chances in injury time I'd say Henry will be tossing and turning a bit in the leaba for a few days.

Agree with the both of you.
I would be fairly certain if the same opportunity arose in the replay he won't even think twice about going for goal.
I'd say he is kicking himself today for not going for it.

Very hard to know how to feel about the next day after a draw. I think it's fair to say these Galway players have no fear of Kilkenny despite our fears as supporters. There's a hundred ways to look at it.

One thing is noticeable is that Kilkenny really lack depth in their squad-something that has never been the case over the years. Galway aren't bursting with bench talent either but seem to have a couple more options than KK now. Horrible to see Conor Cooney replaced again and I think that's him done for the year given that his confidence is shot and I feel sorry for him-form just gone at the wrong time.

One thing I found very interesting was Kilkenny's man to man approach and Tommy Walsh's tracking of Cyril Donnellan. I would like to hear other posters opinions on this duel as the analysts and media seem to have ignored it. It appears to me that when the Galway management saw Tommy track Donnellan that they shoved him in full forward to take Tommy out of the game in the half back line? I certainly dont think it was the tactic from the start to play Donnellan full forward?

This raises a number of points. Why like Tipp were management paying so much heed to Tommy?

Did this have an influence in keeping Joe Canning away from the full forward position as they were keen to keep Donnellan is there thus keeping Walsh out of the half back line?

It restricted Donnellan's influence as he is a half forward who wins ball and is best running at the defence? He won a couple of puckouts when in the half forward line and thought he would have troubled Kilkenny much more out in his natural position.

I thought they cancelled each other out overall yet reading the ratings today you would swear Walsh eat Donnellan up.

Harsh on Niall Burke being substituted too-great man to take a score eevn when he is out of the game.

Quote from: belleaqua on September 10, 2012, 02:56:39 PM
Very hard to know how to feel about the next day after a draw. I think it's fair to say these Galway players have no fear of Kilkenny despite our fears as supporters. There's a hundred ways to look at it.

One thing is noticeable is that Kilkenny really lack depth in their squad-something that has never been the case over the years. Galway aren't bursting with bench talent either but seem to have a couple more options than KK now. Horrible to see Conor Cooney replaced again and I think that's him done for the year given that his confidence is shot and I feel sorry for him-form just gone at the wrong time.

One thing I found very interesting was Kilkenny's man to man approach and Tommy Walsh's tracking of Cyril Donnellan. I would like to hear other posters opinions on this duel as the analysts and media seem to have ignored it. It appears to me that when the Galway management saw Tommy track Donnellan that they shoved him in full forward to take Tommy out of the game in the half back line? I certainly dont think it was the tactic from the start to play Donnellan full forward?

This raises a number of points. Why like Tipp were management paying so much heed to Tommy?

Did this have an influence in keeping Joe Canning away from the full forward position as they were keen to keep Donnellan is there thus keeping Walsh out of the half back line?

It restricted Donnellan's influence as he is a half forward who wins ball and is best running at the defence? He won a couple of puckouts when in the half forward line and thought he would have troubled Kilkenny much more out in his natural position.

I thought they cancelled each other out overall yet reading the ratings today you would swear Walsh eat Donnellan up.

Harsh on Niall Burke being substituted too-great man to take a score eevn when he is out of the game.

Yeah I think that's the reason Donnellan spent so much time in the full-forward line. I'm all for forwards moving around but I'd agree that Donnellan and Canning both spent too long away from their best positions. Galway should just play their own game. All of Kilkenny's backs are brilliant so there's not much point in trying to take one lad away from the action. Hogan and Murphy were Kilkenny's best backs yesterday.

Quote from: Asal Mor on September 10, 2012, 02:40:12 PM

Quote from: Cyril Farrell fan on September 10, 2012, 02:32:16 PM
I was delighted when he took the point.
His real chance to win the game was a few minutes after when he stuck a simple chance wide.

CFF - What was the mood of the Galway folowers after the game? I thought it was a great result considering we didn't really get going in the second half at all.

Mixed emotions. Having been 7 points up, there was a feeling that we lost a great chance.
On the other hand, KK got level with us with 20 to go and didn't pull away.
There was mayhem when Joe put over equalizer, though people were happy for the final whistle to blow too.

People had dismissed the Leinster final as a fluke, but yesterday was Kilkenny trying their hardest.

Galway people are now looking at Kilkenny and seeing weaknesses. The more we thought about it after, the more we felt Galway could learn a lot for the replay.
As the pints flowed, every one of us agreed that Joe Canning would have gone for goal and scored it with the late penalty.

Henry could have won an All Ireland on his own with 1-1 at the end but he didn't...or he couldn't. Kilkenny are fallible!

Yeah it was the first final for most of this team and I think they'll grow from it.

About belle aqua's point on the lack of depth in the Kilkenny squad. I was surprised too that they only had Matthew Ruth to bring on - a guy who has had chances and hasn't cut it at this level at all, especially after the beating they gave Galway in the U-21 semi- final. I'd have thoguht some of those lads like Walter Walsh or Ger Aylward would be a better bet than Ruth.

Quote from: Hardy on September 10, 2012, 12:50:33 PM
Yes - definitely the correct percentage play, in my view, which is not something you often see chosen properly in the heat of competition.

There are two to five minutes left, depending on the ref.

He sores the penalty. Estimated probability - 80% (though that may be generous). KK nearly certainly win.
He misses the penalty. Estimated probability - 20%. The momentum and psychological advantage are handed to Galway. Galway more likely than KK to win.
He takes the point. Estimated probability - 100% for all intents and purpose. The momentum and psychological advantage stay with KK, with a good chance of a win and a probable worst case outcome of a draw.

Hardy I think you have omitted one of the most likely outcomes - Henry goes for a goal and the ball is deflected for either for a point or a 65.  Either way a point is as good as given.

When this is factored in I reckon he didn't actually play the percentages at all.

(http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/578437_527670993915782_1695399146_n.jpg)

Great pic ballinaman and the new background on my desktop.

Quote from: Franko on September 10, 2012, 04:41:46 PM

Quote from: Hardy on September 10, 2012, 12:50:33 PM
Yes - definitely the correct percentage play, in my view, which is not something you often see chosen properly in the heat of competition.

There are two to five minutes left, depending on the ref.

He sores the penalty. Estimated probability - 80% (though that may be generous). KK nearly certainly win.
He misses the penalty. Estimated probability - 20%. The momentum and psychological advantage are handed to Galway. Galway more likely than KK to win.
He takes the point. Estimated probability - 100% for all intents and purpose. The momentum and psychological advantage stay with KK, with a good chance of a win and a probable worst case outcome of a draw.

Hardy I think you have omitted one of the most likely outcomes - Henry goes for a goal and the ball is deflected for either for a point or a 65.  Either way a point is as good as given.

When this is factored in I reckon he didn't actually play the percentages at all.

I said the same to the woman in front of me who was giving out about him going for goal from the early free on the 21. He put the resulting 65 wide.

Does anyone have the stats for possession? I'd say Galway had the ball more often than the cats.
The ball into the forwards is a definite area for improvement the next day for Galway.

I also think the aura of the cats isn't what it was.
A lot of their forwards failed to turn up and they made a lot of poor calls under pressure.

Cunningham has been on an amazing journey with the u21s last year and now this and it is so encouraging.


Mayo now to perform against Donegal . 

RTE had Galway possession at 52% to 48% Kilkenny at the end of the match.

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on September 10, 2012, 04:48:32 PM

Quote from: Franko on September 10, 2012, 04:41:46 PM

Quote from: Hardy on September 10, 2012, 12:50:33 PM
Yes - definitely the correct percentage play, in my view, which is not something you often see chosen properly in the heat of competition.

There are two to five minutes left, depending on the ref.

He sores the penalty. Estimated probability - 80% (though that may be generous). KK nearly certainly win.
He misses the penalty. Estimated probability - 20%. The momentum and psychological advantage are handed to Galway. Galway more likely than KK to win.
He takes the point. Estimated probability - 100% for all intents and purpose. The momentum and psychological advantage stay with KK, with a good chance of a win and a probable worst case outcome of a draw.

Hardy I think you have omitted one of the most likely outcomes - Henry goes for a goal and the ball is deflected for either for a point or a 65.  Either way a point is as good as given.

When this is factored in I reckon he didn't actually play the percentages at all.

I said the same to the woman in front of me who was giving out about him going for goal from the early free on the 21. He put the resulting 65 wide.

I wonder if that was on his mind. He'd another 21yd free a couple of minutes before the penalty decision and opted for the point as well. On another day he could have taken 3goals.

19 pts each from all 4 teams yesterday - useless stat for yous there!

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0910/1224323800002.html


The Irish Times - Monday, September 10, 2012
Hurling the winner as thriller goes to the wire
NICKY ENGLISH
HURLING ANALYST: HURLING HAS – yet again – shown itself to be a quite unique and magnificent sport. This All-Ireland final was a fantastic, unbelievable occasion and, for those of us looking on, it has left us licking our lips in anticipation of a repeat and an extension of a great season: Kilkenny and Galway all over again? What could be better?
This was a final that ebbed and flowed and, just like the minor appetiser, producing a game played in the oppressive conditions that fittingly came down to the wire. It was as tense an All-Ireland final as I ever saw in latter years and, if the final free won by Davy Glennon which was pointed by Joe Canning was a little questionable, the fact Canning stood up and converted it under pressure from an awkward angle demonstrated immense character and provided probably the fitting conclusion. A draw, but hurling was the winner!
I was sure Kilkenny would win the Leinster final earlier in the year and I was wrong. I was less confident about yesterday's All-Ireland final but still thought they might do it. Now? I just don't know.
It will be even harder to win the next day and the manner in which Galway played in this game underlines just what a tonic they have been for this year's championship. Galway might feel they left it after them having had a seven-point lead; however, on the evidence of the season, it's possible the next three weeks could still be more wearying in Nowlan Park than in Galway.
Looking back on it, I believe the period just before half-time – when Galway conceded a number of frees – was critical. Up to then, Galway's defence was on top, they had all the energy and all the momentum. Their half-back line, just as in the Leinster final, was superb and their midfield, and Andy Smith in particular, dominated this area.
Galway didn't get as great a start as they'd got in the Leinster final but seemed well in control and that seven-point lead they amassed at one stage confirmed how far they've come this year.
In the first half, Kilkenny had no answer to Galway until that late spell when Henry Shefflin, who had been off target with frees earlier in the game, found his radar and allowed the champions to get closer at half-time than they might, or should, have been.
There were a number of untypical wides from Kilkenny, including a scenario where Shefflin went for a goal from a 20- metre free and then put the subsequent 65 wide. It was like a double blow and perhaps highlighted just how Galway had all the momentum at that stage.
At half-time, I felt Galway could go on and win the game but Kilkenny are Kilkenny and you have to hand it to Brian Hogan, Paul Murphy and Henry, in particular, for hauling them back into the game.
They fought unbelievably hard to get back level and, then when Henry put them in front, there was a sense they had turned the tide against the odds and were the ones with the momentum until Niall Burke struck with Galway's second goal.
Shefflin, going for his ninth All-Ireland medal, might have expected more from his attacking colleagues than to have to turn back the clock and take up the cross at number 11 again just as he did so often in the past.
TJ Reid apart, none of the others matched Shefflin's appetite or delivered as much.
The last 10 minutes was a drama with two central characters, King Henry seeking to hold on to his crown from the emerging Joe Canning.
There were a number of critical happenings towards the death. James Skehill's save from Colin Fennelly was brilliant and brave but Fennelly shouldn't have given the goalkeeper any chance.
Then, there was Shefflin's decision to take the point from the penalty.
Now it was down to King Henry. Do you go for a goal? He weighed up the options. He asked the referee how much time was left in the game.
I can honestly say I would have done the same thing to take the point if in his position. It was high stakes at that stage but the percentage call was to take the point. It definitely would have won the match for Kilkenny if he went for a goal and got it.
But, in taking the point, he knew the worst thing that could likely happen was that the match would be a draw and they would have taken that after 30 minutes.
I thought the referee Barry Kelly had a very good game but I could fully understand why Brian Cody should have been so animated over the awarding of that late free that ultimately allowed Galway to level matters.
Still, Canning had to stand up and be counted. For some reason, maybe it had to do with the wind, but shooting at height – from frees and general play – was less accurate down the Hill 16 end of the pitch. Canning had only minutes earlier missed a free from a similarly awkward position. He showed what a great player he is by making no mistake with a low- struck free that defied the wind to level the match.
No winners, except those who witnessed it. Shefflin was great. Joe Canning was great. Kevin Hynes, Johnny Coen were outstanding in the Galway defence. Iarla Tannian was hugely influential. Kilkenny's Brian Hogan was brilliant in the second half.
What's more, it's going to be hard to call the next day as well because the same questions are still there. What about Kilkenny's energy levels? How much has this taken out of them?
Galway have been a tonic for the championship this year. They nearly did again what they did in the Leinster final and it took an unbelievable rearguard action from Kilkenny, with some of the greatest players of all time at the pin of their collar, to deny them. You have to hand it to Kilkenny as well because they fought valiantly and a draw was a fair result and great for hurling.

Excellent analysis by English. If himself and Henry thought it was the right call for the penalty who are we to argue ;)

Quote from: Franko on September 10, 2012, 04:41:46 PM

Quote from: Hardy on September 10, 2012, 12:50:33 PM
Yes - definitely the correct percentage play, in my view, which is not something you often see chosen properly in the heat of competition.

There are two to five minutes left, depending on the ref.

He sores the penalty. Estimated probability - 80% (though that may be generous). KK nearly certainly win.
He misses the penalty. Estimated probability - 20%. The momentum and psychological advantage are handed to Galway. Galway more likely than KK to win.
He takes the point. Estimated probability - 100% for all intents and purpose. The momentum and psychological advantage stay with KK, with a good chance of a win and a probable worst case outcome of a draw.

Hardy I think you have omitted one of the most likely outcomes - Henry goes for a goal and the ball is deflected for either for a point or a 65.  Either way a point is as good as given.

When this is factored in I reckon he didn't actually play the percentages at all.

That's a good point, Franko, that I confess I had overlooked. I'm not going to try and re-estimate the percentages, not least because I'm only guessing at penalty strike rates in general. The penalty strike rate for H. Shefflin is probably in a different book.

Quote from: seafoid on September 11, 2012, 06:49:31 AM
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0910/1224323800002.html


I can honestly say I would have done the same thing to take the point if in his position. It was high stakes at that stage but the percentage call was to take the point. It definitely would have won the match for Kilkenny if he went for a goal and got it.

Not only would he do the same thing but he did the same thing in the 88 final against Galway when he took a point from a second half penalty, although his auld memory is fading as he had to be reminded of it on Sunday night ;)

Sundays game reminded me very much of the 88 final as both were low scoring high tension affairs, I'm not sure i have ever felt so tense as a neutral in the last five minutes of a game, a draw was probably a fair result in the end, i wouldn't have a problem with the last free awarded as Kelly had been consistent throughout, he had awarded JJ a free earlier in almost exactly the same circumstances, the only time i have a problem with refs is when they make a decision completely out of keeping with how they reffed the game up to that point (Diarmuid Kirwan 09 anyone ?) but Kelly was very clear and consistent from the throw in and has to be commended for that.

It was a strange game in many ways as i don't think either team will be happy with their performance, only two Galway forwards scored and Kilkenny were destroyed in centrefield, its hard to imagine winning an All Ireland with so many malfunctioning parts, i don't buy into the line of thought that Galways chance is gone either, they have at least as many areas capable of improvement as Kilkenny have, my biggest worry,were i a Galway man, would be the fact that Barry Kelly wont be reffing the next day which will mean it will be one of the "let it flow " brigade and I'm afraid that will suit only one team, I'm not suggesting Kilkenny are any more cynical than any other team just that they have more experience of the "let it flow" type of refereeing that has been prevalent in the last few All-Irelands.

Quote from: Declan on September 11, 2012, 10:25:18 AM
Excellent analysis by English. If himself and Henry thought it was the right call for the penalty who are we to argue ;)

Have keyboard, will argue

One thing more I'd say about the should he have gone for it debate is that I can't remember Henry scoring that many penalties or 21 yard frees. Everyone remembers '09 but I can't remember too many more in big games for Kilkenny. I'm open to correction on this but he's never struck me as a really powerful striker of a dead ball like a DJ, a Joe Canning or a Paul Flynn. Of course DJ could turn a 21 yard free into a 15 yard free with that pick-up of his.

Quote from: Declan on September 11, 2012, 10:25:18 AM
Excellent analysis by English. If himself and Henry thought it was the right call for the penalty who are we to argue ;)

It has been very interesting progress by Nicky English over the course of the season

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0707/1224319601475.html

The over-riding feeling about the championship now is that although the Cork-Tipp match in Páirc Uí Chaoimh was exciting, Kilkenny are performing at a different level and if they replicate that level of performance others are going to struggle.
It's not Kilkenny's fault but they're getting better and better, finding new quality players every year and of the other counties, only Tipperary are anywhere within reach.


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0910/1224323800002.html
I was sure Kilkenny would win the Leinster final earlier in the year and I was wrong. I was less confident about yesterday's All-Ireland final but still thought they might do it. Now? I just don't know.

Seafoid ; When the facts change I change my mind.... what do you do? ... keynes.

I think it's great. Punditry is a treacherous business really, now .

That's the difference between Nicky and Babs.  ;D
Nicky will subtly change his views, Babs will insist he was right all along and refuse to recognise the changing facts!

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 11, 2012, 07:28:59 PM
That's the difference between Nicky and Babs.  ;D
Nicky will subtly change his views, Babs will insist he was right all along and refuse to recognise the changing facts!

How dare you defame the man who single handedly brought Tipp out of the wilderness (in his own mind anyway!)

Quote from: seafoid on September 08, 2012, 10:31:44 PM

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0908/1224323741554.html

Hurling's wholesome undead defying gravity by hook or spook

PM O'SULLIVAN

Like sex, sport rarely does neatness. Tomorrow should surprise.

What a fecking pervert!

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 13, 2012, 07:51:01 AM

Quote from: seafoid on September 08, 2012, 10:31:44 PM

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0908/1224323741554.html

Hurling's wholesome undead defying gravity by hook or spook

PM O'SULLIVAN

Like sex, sport rarely does neatness. Tomorrow should surprise.

What a fecking pervert!

God Almighty! Surely it's Vincent Hogan under a pseudonym?

 
[/quote]

God Almighty! Surely it's Vincent Hogan under a pseudonym?
[/quote]

Not quite Hardy but you may remember him as Arrigle from his many and varied meltdowns on AFR, himself and Trimble had a few right ding dongs back in the day.

OK. I do remember the name Arrigle, but I was a very rare visitor to AFR. I think Arrigle might have been registered here, too at one time. Whatever, his prose has more flower power than the three days of Woodstock.

He was on here briefly Hardy, in fairness he is as sharp a judge of a hurler and hurling as Ive come across, some of his posts on Premierview, Afr and Kilkenny cats were among the best I've read on the subject, unfortunately he was as mad as a box of frogs though and ended up fighting battles on many fronts on various fora.

Fair play to him, anyway, for getting a gig with the Irish Times. I don't think anyone else here has done that.

Sure madness is a prerequisite at the Times as well as a liking for smoke and strong liquor ;)

I know someone who writes for the Times and it was a natural progression really as the vast majority of their Gaa coverage is rooted in various fora, no harm either as sites like this are where the real experts are ;)

Quote from: homeofhurling8 on September 13, 2012, 02:56:59 PM
Sure madness is a prerequisite at the Times as well as a liking for smoke and strong liquor ;)

I know someone who writes for the Times and it was a natural progression really as the vast majority of their Gaa coverage is rooted in various fora, no harm either as sites like this are where the real experts are ;)

I was reading the coverage of Sunday's match in the Times on Monday thinking the same thing. Journalism could do with a bit of a kick up in the arse in terms of covering matches.  There is a lot of depth to the game that they don't get to. The Sunday Game as well is quite superficial.

And the newspaper coverage can be very stale. Some parts haven't changed much over the years. But the punters are a lot better educated now.   

Quote from: seafoid on September 13, 2012, 03:58:26 PM

Quote from: homeofhurling8 on September 13, 2012, 02:56:59 PM
Sure madness is a prerequisite at the Times as well as a liking for smoke and strong liquor ;)

I know someone who writes for the Times and it was a natural progression really as the vast majority of their Gaa coverage is rooted in various fora, no harm either as sites like this are where the real experts are ;)

I was reading the coverage of Sunday's match in the Times on Monday thinking the same thing. Journalism could do with a bit of a kick up in the arse in terms of covering matches.  There is a lot of depth to the game that they don't get to. The Sunday Game as well is quite superficial.

And the newspaper coverage can be very stale. Some parts haven't changed much over the years. But the punters are a lot better educated now.

It's head wrecking stuff! It's like some of them are writing for an audience that didn't see the game-maybe only heard it on the radio. No real analysis of games at all and then trot out the usual old cliches and simple lines.

Same on the Sunday Game. Just watched the entire thing now and a couple of things would strike ya. One example being Loughnane on about the same old players storming into it, turning the game, etc. Out he comes with Tommy Walsh being marvelous. He was by no means bad but I never seen him as quiet. Felt that way live and backed up watching it again. What about Paul Murphy?? Hard to believe he wasn't one of the 3 nominations for MOTM.

Where is the bit of depth at all? Few things I would love a pundit or 'analyst' to bring up the last day but I hear no mention of by anyone:

Fergal Moore wrapped up Henry (admittedly in the corner) in the 1st half. Occur to anyone to question why was he not brought out to curtail him? Will he mark him in the replay?? (I am aware of the counter arguments and reasons not to but my point is that this is not even being brought up)

Why wasn't Niall Burke deployed over at the corner flag under the Hill to keep Brian Hogan out of the way for a few minutes given that Kilkenny were gone man to man and not for changing. Would this have curbed is influence or would Kilkenny break with their plan?

Did Cunningham suffer from Declan Ryan's affliction of Tommy Walsh obsession but get away with it due to circumstances?

Left Donnellan in around the square to keep Tommy out of it which is mind boggling given Donnellan is an out and out wing forward and the form he is in. Instead they were left cancelling each other out of the game. Only balls and frees Donnellan won were out where he was comfortable.

Secondly did this in turn cause Galway not to put Canning close to goal because it meant bringing Donnellan and Walsh out??

Would love to hear someone in the world of punditry hit on these few points and many more but I wont hold my breath.


 

Watched the game back last night for the first time. Slightly less intoxicated mind you. Serious tension around the pitch that day, it was a bit like a Grand Slam tennis match, lads missing shots they would never normally have missed and some great defensive stuff.

Can't wait for the final, may head down again, Galway will come away feeling more confident, and Kilkenny won't let Galway have the same start this time. Will be a lot more high scoring I think. Some strange decisions made by the Galway manager on hindsight, Burke should have been moved just, maybe out to the wing and Iarla Tannian was even better watching second time around, he put in two massive halves yesterday.

While Cody lost his rag with Cunningham was out of order, I'd love to know what Cunningham said to Cody for him to lose it

I dunno about Kilkenny not allowing Galway the same start this time. I presume they didn't want it to happen the last day either.

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 14, 2012, 10:44:19 AMWhile Cody lost his rag with Cunningham was out of order, I'd love to know what Cunningham said to Cody for him to lose it

It was the mouthing motion Cunningham made with his hand that tipped him over the edge I'd say.

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on September 14, 2012, 12:44:53 PM

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 14, 2012, 10:44:19 AMWhile Cody lost his rag with Cunningham was out of order, I'd love to know what Cunningham said to Cody for him to lose it

It was the mouthing motion Cunningham made with his hand that tipped him over the edge I'd say.

Heard Cunningham allegedly was shouting at Glennon to dive to get his free at the end.

Just seen on Twitter that Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman were at the hurling final last weekend. What GAA club are they members of?!

Quote from: seafoid on September 14, 2012, 12:43:47 PM
I dunno about Kilkenny not allowing Galway the same start this time. I presume they didn't want it to happen the last day either.

Yeah granted, but how Kilkenny keep going to the end is beyond me. Should the Cats start a match like how they finish a match they should win by 10 points

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 14, 2012, 09:07:58 PM

Quote from: seafoid on September 14, 2012, 12:43:47 PM
I dunno about Kilkenny not allowing Galway the same start this time. I presume they didn't want it to happen the last day either.

Yeah granted, but how Kilkenny keep going to the end is beyond me. Should the Cats start a match like how they finish a match they should win by 10 points

the dubs nearly caught mayo in the football. Very good teams can do that sort of thing but the cats seem to have a problem with galway's intensity. If galway can keep it going in the third quarter the next day it could be beyond the cats.

Quote from: seafoid on September 14, 2012, 09:30:22 PM

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 14, 2012, 09:07:58 PM

Quote from: seafoid on September 14, 2012, 12:43:47 PM
I dunno about Kilkenny not allowing Galway the same start this time. I presume they didn't want it to happen the last day either.

Yeah granted, but how Kilkenny keep going to the end is beyond me. Should the Cats start a match like how they finish a match they should win by 10 points

the dubs nearly caught mayo in the football. Very good teams can do that sort of thing but the cats seem to have a problem with galway's intensity. If galway can keep it going in the third quarter the next day it could be beyond the cats.

Look if they improve their shot  percentages ie, taking the right shot choice they will do very well, though Kilkenny themselves missed a wile amount of shots that they normally never miss. This was all down to the intensity from, in fairness both defences

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 14, 2012, 09:07:58 PM

Quote from: seafoid on September 14, 2012, 12:43:47 PM
I dunno about Kilkenny not allowing Galway the same start this time. I presume they didn't want it to happen the last day either.

Yeah granted, but how Kilkenny keep going to the end is beyond me. Should the Cats start a match like how they finish a match they should win by 10 points

KK started better than Galway the last day imo, it was Joe's wonder goal that got them into the match. The score before that Smith had to take an unnecessary extra touch before he got their first point, they were the nervier of the two sides.

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on September 14, 2012, 10:40:02 PM

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 14, 2012, 09:07:58 PM

Quote from: seafoid on September 14, 2012, 12:43:47 PM
I dunno about Kilkenny not allowing Galway the same start this time. I presume they didn't want it to happen the last day either.

Yeah granted, but how Kilkenny keep going to the end is beyond me. Should the Cats start a match like how they finish a match they should win by 10 points

That's right. Galway were terribly nervous in the first 6 or 7 minutes but thankfully Kilkenny hit some bad wides and Smith's point settled us.

seafoid and belleaqua are right about the same old cliched analysis. "A shootout between Joe and Henry". Both of them nominated for man of the match ahead of Paul Murphy which was wrong. He kept Kilkenny in it when Galway were on top.
KK started better than Galway the last day imo, it was Joe's wonder goal that got them into the match. The score before that Smith had to take an unnecessary extra touch before he got their first point, they were the nervier of the two sides.

Yeah they missed a lot of shots but Galway took their's when Smith got his point. But most of the exchanges were 50/50 After 6/7 minutes of the first half (leaving nearly 30!!) Galway had the better start!!!

I thought Galway were very dominant in first half from 6/7 minutes till somewhere between 25 and 30 then they switched off. I think this was the period that gave Kilkenny the impetus for the second half.

Second half also I thought you could see the football background from Cunningham. Against cork and Kilkenny he took a lot of men back second half. You do wonder did he need this to dominate Kilkenny forwards as Galway did or were they robbing their own forwards. Every time Galway put a ball forward Kilkenny had spare men. While Paul murphy gets plaudits for such a good game it must be remembered he was effectively a free man for the duration of that game and was playing a sweeper role.

The next day will be very interesting. I can not see 5 Kilkenny forwards being so ineffective again. That being said hard to see Hayes being so quiet again. Though I would say tyrrell always looks like a boy who could be taken to the cleaners but never is so maybe he just did a good job.

According to the Sunday Times Tyrell was Kilkenny's busiest player last Sunday. He's a lad that's rarely let them down on the big day, was very good against Tipp 2 years ago when their defence was being stretched.

Michael Fennelly was KK's biggest disappointment the last day, Richie Hogan was doing the work of 2 men for most of the day, wonder how Smith & Tannion will fare out in the midfield battle the next day.

Another Westmeath man to referee the replay in James McGrath, when can we expect some journalist to ask Cody about the refereeing and Cody won't comment, but just to say that he wants a free flowing manly game!!

Best of luck to McGrath, he did a good job in the Leinster final in so much as no one was talking about him, but with a closer game expected, every decision will be scrutinised.

He's a good young ref. Fair play to him.

If McGrath doesn't listen to Cody and Shefflin and gives Galway a bit of fair play, they'll win this game as comfortably as they won the Leinster final.

hi lads/lassies,
I was pretty pessimistic after the drawn match but have settled into a pattern of ..."we have a chance" territory again now!! Both teams had fallow periods in the match and both teams have players that can play better! For me the worry would be if   both teams play to the pattern that the matches have gone to this year! With the exception of the Semi final Galway have come out of the blocks very quickly in the first half and Kilkenny on the other hand have won every second half of every match they  have played!! Make no mistake  about it, the cats will win if that happens! I can't see  all the kilkenny forwards and Michael Fennelly being so quiet for the next match  as well! Now  on the other hand, Galwya can improve as well,   there are several galway forwards that played poorly as well, 4 of them did not score and another worrying thing about the Galway display was the fact that the team reverted into a panicky use of the ball in the second half as well! This happened in the Cork match and it shows to me a lack of composure in the team which would come down to a lack of experience, understandably so!! The Galway team will have the experience of the first match under their belt  now and that will stand to them! I expect Cyril Donnellan ( 1 of those 4 forwards)  to have a much better game the next day as his arm had not recovered fully, at the time of the last match!! David Burke had a poor match and from what I hear  his training form had not been great either! I hope he recovers his form as this is mandatory for our lads to win! First half again will be vital and again no goals conceded will do nicely!! The great sub plot  to this match is of course the henry v joe competition and indeed  Henry showed his mettle the last day! Quite apart from his very annoying and unsportsmanlike behaviour when it comes to trying to influence refs, he is a superb competitor and this duel will be fascinating again!  Can't wait for the match and there will be another huge crowd form the west there! from what I hear every jackass that has never gone to a hurling match before involving galway, is going this time!! This is my 6th time seeing them this year and I hope that  it's a satisfactory one!  I also  hope that those who have gone supporting them this year will get tickets easy enough and roll on the 30th!

Quote from: cicfada on September 19, 2012, 09:52:21 AM
hi lads/lassies,
Can't wait for the match and there will be another huge crowd form the west there! from what I hear every jackass that has never gone to a hurling match before involving galway, is going this time!! This is my 6th time seeing them this year and I hope that  it's a satisfactory one! I also  hope that those who have gone supporting them this year will get tickets easy enough and roll on the 30th!

Galway have never had such a protracted championship run. Can only be good.

Quote from: cicfada on September 19, 2012, 09:52:21 AM
hi lads/lassies,
I was pretty pessimistic after the drawn match but have settled into a pattern of ..."we have a chance" territory again now!! Both teams had fallow periods in the match and both teams have players that can play better! For me the worry would be if   both teams play to the pattern that the matches have gone to this year! With the exception of the Semi final Galway have come out of the blocks very quickly in the first half and Kilkenny on the other hand have won every second half of every match they  have played!! Make no mistake  about it, the cats will win if that happens! I can't see  all the kilkenny forwards and Michael Fennelly being so quiet for the next match  as well! Now  on the other hand, Galwya can improve as well,   there are several galway forwards that played poorly as well, 4 of them did not score and another worrying thing about the Galway display was the fact that the team reverted into a panicky use of the ball in the second half as well! This happened in the Cork match and it shows to me a lack of composure in the team which would come down to a lack of experience, understandably so!! The Galway team will have the experience of the first match under their belt  now and that will stand to them! I expect Cyril Donnellan ( 1 of those 4 forwards)  to have a much better game the next day as his arm had not recovered fully, at the time of the last match!! David Burke had a poor match and from what I hear  his training form had not been great either! I hope he recovers his form as this is mandatory for our lads to win! First half again will be vital and again no goals conceded will do nicely!! The great sub plot  to this match is of course the henry v joe competition and indeed  Henry showed his mettle the last day! Quite apart from his very annoying and unsportsmanlike behaviour when it comes to trying to influence refs, he is a superb competitor and this duel will be fascinating again!  Can't wait for the match and there will be another huge crowd form the west there! from what I hear every jackass that has never gone to a hurling match before involving galway, is going this time!! This is my 6th time seeing them this year and I hope that  it's a satisfactory one!  I also  hope that those who have gone supporting them this year will get tickets easy enough and roll on the 30th!

As you say its hard to see Michael Fennelly being as quiet again but then again the Galway midfield have had the better of exchanges in the last two games, I'd be a bit worried about Shefflin on Óg Regan and if that match up does happen, Regan should forget about the ball and do all in his power to man-mark Shefflin out of the game. If he does that which is no mean feat Galway will come out on top.

It'd be interesting to see how the attitude in both camp varies, Kilkenny had the game for the taking in the second half but couldn't put Galway to the sword like they have with most other teams in the last 10 years, but Kilkenny had a poor first half and that was compounded by hitting bad wides early on when Galway could have been at their most vunerable due to the big game and lack of experience. Cannings goal changed all that and Galway grew into the game, taking it by the scruff of the neck, Kilkenny were shipping water all over their defence at this point. Galway for all their ascendancy were giving away soft frees and that allowed the margin to remain at the 6 or 7 point mark, very manageable for a team like Kilkenny.
Galway will be relieved to get a second chance, but know such a good first half mightn'd happen again, but everyone was expecting them to be blown out of the water and they most certainly weren't. I'd just wish they'd defended further up the field rather than let kilkenny come at them so much.
Kilkenny at half time would have taken the draw, but would have been gutted at the end of the second half with it as can be seen by Cody's reaction. He now has to get these bunch of players to dig deep, mentally and physically for another battle and his go to players are surely now getting tired from the heavy investment they've made over the years. They'll need Colm Fennelly, Paul Murphy, Joyce and some of the fresher blood to weigh in with their pound of flesh this time though, there's only so many times Shefflin, Hogan and JJ can bale this team out.

If Galway go with a real positive manner for the 70 minutes I can see them winning it.

Quote from: mouview on September 19, 2012, 11:42:26 AM

Quote from: cicfada on September 19, 2012, 09:52:21 AM
hi lads/lassies,
Can't wait for the match and there will be another huge crowd form the west there! from what I hear every jackass that has never gone to a hurling match before involving galway, is going this time!! This is my 6th time seeing them this year and I hope that  it's a satisfactory one! I also  hope that those who have gone supporting them this year will get tickets easy enough and roll on the 30th!

Galway have never had such a protracted championship run. Can only be good.

Lord help ye!
Galway won 2 All Irelands by winning just 4 games in the 80s.

did they not have to play Roscommon back then?

Quote from: AZOffaly on September 19, 2012, 04:38:01 PM
did they not have to play Roscommon back then?

No, straight into the semi final.
It was a farce!

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 19, 2012, 05:29:08 PM

Quote from: AZOffaly on September 19, 2012, 04:38:01 PM
did they not have to play Roscommon back then?

No, straight into the semi final.
It was a farce!

Yes but it was not their fault that the system was that way back then.
At least now Galway and everyone else compete on the same terms

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 19, 2012, 04:32:31 PM

Quote from: mouview on September 19, 2012, 11:42:26 AM

Quote from: cicfada on September 19, 2012, 09:52:21 AM
hi lads/lassies,
Can't wait for the match and there will be another huge crowd form the west there! from what I hear every jackass that has never gone to a hurling match before involving galway, is going this time!! This is my 6th time seeing them this year and I hope that  it's a satisfactory one! I also  hope that those who have gone supporting them this year will get tickets easy enough and roll on the 30th!

Galway have never had such a protracted championship run. Can only be good.

Lord help ye!
Galway won 2 All Irelands by winning just 4 games in the 80s.

They won 3 all irelands with 6 games . 2  of them involved reintroducing Tipperary to Croke Park after a long absence.   

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 19, 2012, 05:29:08 PM

Quote from: AZOffaly on September 19, 2012, 04:38:01 PM
did they not have to play Roscommon back then?

No, straight into the semi final.
It was a farce!

They were good enough to beat the big teams in the final though, sure ya got a free one against Antrim in 89, take that off your list :o

This is a good preview of the first day that they can reuse

http://tv.gaa.ie/#/62300/976/-round-the-square-episode-6-2012

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 19, 2012, 04:32:31 PM

Quote from: mouview on September 19, 2012, 11:42:26 AM

Quote from: cicfada on September 19, 2012, 09:52:21 AM
hi lads/lassies,
Can't wait for the match and there will be another huge crowd form the west there! from what I hear every jackass that has never gone to a hurling match before involving galway, is going this time!! This is my 6th time seeing them this year and I hope that  it's a satisfactory one! I also  hope that those who have gone supporting them this year will get tickets easy enough and roll on the 30th!

Galway have never had such a protracted championship run. Can only be good.

Lord help ye!
Galway won 2 All Irelands by winning just 4 games in the 80s.

Are ya getting over that 18 point massacre ok PE? Give it time anyway.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0925/1224324358712.html

SEÁN MORAN

THE FIRST All-Ireland final hurling replay in 53 years brings strains for both Kilkenny and Galway. It's not just that the last drawn final was in 1959 but in recent years it's unusual even to have matches replayed in the latter stages of the championship.

Two managers who have had important matches against both the All-Ireland finalists have a similar view of next weekend's contest and tend to the view that Kilkenny have more potential for improvement.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy's Cork side lost the league final to Kilkenny and lost the All-Ireland semi-final against Galway. He believes the unexpected additional weeks present a challenge for both teams.

"The first thing that strikes me is that it drags things out and makes it very hard to maintain things at the pitch you want, which can be a big problem."

His Dublin counterpart Anthony Daly, who is expected to be reappointed as manager this week, faced Galway in April's relegation play-off and saw his side well beaten by Kilkenny in the Leinster semi-final. He also had extensive experience of championship replays as a player and like Barry-Murphy, who managed Cork to All-Ireland success in 1999, was involved in a final decided by a point.

"It's a fair bit of time and gives a chance to adjust to what's a desperate anti-climax. During the summer it doesn't matter but a final is supposed to be the end of the season and players have given everything. Afterwards you're supposed to be licking your wounds or having a ball and it's very hard to get used to that not happening.

"This is very different, if only because we're not used to it.

"We had a lot of replays: Tipperary and Galway in 1999 and Waterford and Offaly in '98. But they were all in the middle of the season and you were happy that even if you hadn't won you hadn't lost either. Midstream, it's just another game. Finals are different.

"In 1997, it was looking on the cards and I was getting worried because my wedding was on the next Saturday. It was bad enough for me but (now wife) Eilish was in the Cusack Stand, appalled at the prospect.

"Players would have planned a bit of a session before getting back into club training so you can imagine the anti-climax.

"Anthony Cunningham put them on the bus and took them home that night. Fellas would have been there with their new suits and banquet tickets and they have to go home!"

Barry-Murphy says the final demonstrated the extent to which Kilkenny need to get improved performances from established players and how Galway need to address the tendency to drop back on leads.

"I was interested in the Kilkenny subs bench not being used because I think there's a misconception about strength in depth. The fact is in any county once you go beyond the top 15 you're probably going to struggle a bit.

"There's a number of Kilkenny forwards who didn't play well and will be looking to improve after the last day. Henry Shefflin gave an unbelievable display but all of the others have room for improvement.

"I'm fascinated by Galway and the way they cede territory and possession to opponents as soon as they get a lead. They did it against us and we hadn't the experience to take advantage; we should have had taken more scores when we had the chances.

"I'd discount the Leinster final because the margin made it irrelevant but I'd imagine Anthony Cunningham will be looking closely at this and the way Joe Canning can become marginalised."

Daly was working at the drawn final for RTÉ radio and suspects that just as Kilkenny had targeted Dublin in Leinster before performing disappointingly in the provincial final, the All-Ireland semi-final demolition of Tipperary may have drained them a bit for the final.

"I though they were flat. They took it out on Tipp in the semi-final and that fury and fire were missing in the final. They seem to have forgotten that they'd been humiliated in the Leinster final and that Galway were expecting a backlash.

"But the second-half performance was huge. One way of looking at it is they won't be as bad again. I said on radio that they had been very flat and then allowed the referee issue sidetrack them. They allowed funny things to happen, like Tommy Walsh ending up spending so much time on the edge of the square and leaving Richie Hogan on Iarla Tannian for the whole match."

Kilkenny's stamina at this level has been nearly unprecedented. Should they win next weekend they will have won more than Mick O'Dwyer's Kerry football side from the 1970s and '80s. Both currently have accumulated eight All-Irelands in 12 years but Kilkenny could move to nine in 13.

But there have been signs of faltering.

"Any team that's on top for a long time can find their edge going a bit and it's hard to keep that at the level needed to win an All-Ireland," says Barry-Murphy.

Daly agrees but isn't sure that the champions are there for the taking just yet.

He does, however, remember the process through which his own team's desire became blunted.

"We never won what they won but by the end of 1999, we didn't have the edge any more to keep winning and hating other teams! But Kilkenny are so unique they keep digging and going to the well.

"I think we trained 21 nights out of 23 before playing Tipperary in 2000 but it wasn't there. No matter what Ger Loughnane said about Tipp, we couldn't get going

I just got two Hogan tickets for Sunday. I feel like a kid on Christmas eve. Can't wait.

Looking forward to sunday now that we have the tickets in hand.Like most neutrals I would love to see Galway winning it,hurling needs a different name on the trophy.
Galway have twice gone to war with Kk over the summer and although KK were forewarned a couple of weeks ago they were unable to put Galway away.
The Galway defence,in hindsight,were outstanding in the drawn game in that 4 or 5 of the Kk forwards looked very ordinary on the day and we know what they are capable of from previous performances.Without Shefflins performance the last day KK were in real trouble,it will be interesting to see how Galway will try to shackle him on sunday.
Could Iarla Tannian produce a similar performance the next day,hardly.
KK after all the experience and success over the past several years showed glimpses of mere mortals and possibly a little lack of confidence and maybe fear,fear of losing during the drawn game,none more so than Henry himself in refusing to go for the win from the late penalty and he hit a bad wide soon after and one he dropped into the goalie if I remember correctly.
One thing this Galway team have showed us is that if you can keep KK out of their comfort zone of being 4 or 5 points ahead they are a different team and not at all as surefooted.I cannot see Galway lumping long ball into the KK defence on sunday,their short game will more likely be used to better advantage.
It should be a great game,pity the weather forecast is not too good,Galway may just about do it this time.

does anyone know if there is a special train on from belfast or just the full price enterprise? 

This will feel very strange going to an AI twice in the same year. Looking forward to it as much as the first one.

Any changes expected on Sunday in either side?

Quiet enough build up to the game. Michael Fennelly was saying its a strange situation even playing an All Ireland final in late September and there hasn't been a replay for so many years that people aren't sure how to prepare for it. Kilkenny forwards can improve from last day. Galway should attack more as I felt they dropped too deep in 2nd half the last day.It could be a low scoring game if defences are on top in bad weather. Looking forward to it now.

Michael Fennelly, the only place you'll find him is in a newspaper or on the radio.
There was sign of him in Croke Park 3 weeks ago!

I think the drawn match experience will stand to Galway. They have a really great chance to win on Sunday if they can use their possession more effectively in the third quarter.   
I think Kilkenny have been shown to be human this year.

Quote from: seafoid on September 28, 2012, 10:03:50 AM
I think Kilkenny have been shown to be human in terminal decline this year.

Fixed that.

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 28, 2012, 10:04:46 AM

Quote from: seafoid on September 28, 2012, 10:03:50 AM
I think Kilkenny have been shown to be human in terminal decline this year.

Fixed that.

What does that say about Tipp? A KK team in terminal decline can put a whipping like that on what is supposedly one of the best teams in the country? You kept very quiet after the hammering they dished out to you.

Heard on the radio this morning that Tennyson is in contention to start. Not sure how they'd work that to be honest - would be difficult to drop any of the backs. Tennyson last played at LHB and Joyce has been very impressive there this year. In saying that however, Tennyson would walk onto almost any team in the country. Hasn't done much county hurling in the last two years though.

One thing that might be interesting (although highly unlikely), would be to see Tennyson slot in at RHB, move Tommy Walsh to midfield and push Hogan up at the expense of Colin Fennelly (or maybe even Power) after poor performances the last day.

Quote from: gallsman on September 28, 2012, 10:41:34 AM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 28, 2012, 10:04:46 AM

Quote from: seafoid on September 28, 2012, 10:03:50 AM
I think Kilkenny have been shown to be human in terminal decline this year.

Fixed that.

What does that say about Tipp? A KK team in terminal decline can put a whipping like that on what is supposedly one of the best teams in the country? You kept very quiet after the hammering they dished out to you.

One swallow doesn't make a summer and one bad performance doesn't make a bad team.
Judge us next year.

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 28, 2012, 10:50:20 AM

Quote from: gallsman on September 28, 2012, 10:41:34 AM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 28, 2012, 10:04:46 AM

Quote from: seafoid on September 28, 2012, 10:03:50 AM
I think Kilkenny have been shown to be human in terminal decline this year.

Fixed that.

What does that say about Tipp? A KK team in terminal decline can put a whipping like that on what is supposedly one of the best teams in the country? You kept very quiet after the hammering they dished out to you.

One swallow doesn't make a summer and one bad performance doesn't make a bad team.
Judge us next year.

Yet KK are in terminal decline? They were "in decline" according to some people here after winning in 2009 as Tipp ran them so close. Then they were "definitely in decline" after 2010 but happened to go out and annihilate Tipp last year (maybe not as significantly on scoreboard but they were hurled off pitch).

Every possibility KK can go out and win by 10+ points tomorrow (and lose by same margin). If that happens, are they still in terminal decline?!

Quote from: gallsman on September 28, 2012, 11:04:22 AM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 28, 2012, 10:50:20 AM

Quote from: gallsman on September 28, 2012, 10:41:34 AM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 28, 2012, 10:04:46 AM

Quote from: seafoid on September 28, 2012, 10:03:50 AM
I think Kilkenny have been shown to be human in terminal decline this year.

Fixed that.

What does that say about Tipp? A KK team in terminal decline can put a whipping like that on what is supposedly one of the best teams in the country? You kept very quiet after the hammering they dished out to you.

One swallow doesn't make a summer and one bad performance doesn't make a bad team.
Judge us next year.

Yet KK are in terminal decline? They were "in decline" according to some people here after winning in 2009 as Tipp ran them so close. Then they were "definitely in decline" after 2010 but happened to go out and annihilate Tipp last year (maybe not as significantly on scoreboard but they were hurled off pitch).

Every possibility KK can go out and win by 10+ points tomorrow (and lose by same margin). If that happens, are they still in terminal decline?!

If they win tomorrow it won't count. The match is on Sunday

Look at the odds though : Cats are still raging favourites

http://www.oddschecker.com/other-sports/gaelic-games/hurling/all-ireland-senior-hurling-championship/winner

QuoteThis will feel very strange going to an AI twice in the same year.

It should be possible again about 2065! 

Sadly, the weather might not quite match the occasion

Sunday morning will start off wet in most places and southerly winds will be fairly strong. A clearance develops across Ulster and Connacht during Sunday afternoon, but the rain wont finally clear the east and south of the country until evening time.

Has Skehill gone and broken his wrist does anyone know?

I wonder will Sunday be like 1956 with Galway as Wexford , the Cats as Cork and Henry as Ring

http://www.blackrockhurlingclub.com/blackrockhurling.org/jimmy%20brohan%20feature.htm

The images, the vivid descriptions, the verbal accounts, the old photographs, the vast crowds of men in dark or grey suits, the few minutes of flickering black and white RTE film clips can scarcely do justice to this extraordinary contest which captured the imagination of the entire country and which resonates in the telling through the years.

Described as a "titanic struggle" by Raymond Smith, "full of tension, grandeur and drama" by Seamus King, a game "frenzied with excitement" by Norman Freeman, "one of the most absorbing matches in decades" by Michael O'Hehir, a "magnificent struggle" by Tim Horgan, the 1956 All-Ireland Final has assumed iconic status in hurling folklore.

Christy Ring going for his record ninth All Ireland medal...Wexford powered by the giant Rackard brothers of Killanne in the famous hurling parish of Rathnure... the Art Foley save from Christy Ring...Ring continuing into Foley, catching his hand "you've cost us the All-Ireland"...Ring being carried shoulder-high from the field by Wexford's Nick O'Donnell and Bobby Rackard. 

The stories of this All-Ireland final have captured the imaginations of thousands of young hurlers and cemented in a unique way the mutual respect between the hurlers and people of Wexford and Cork. To day Jimmy Brohan remains rather philosophical at the happenings of 1956, where he marked Tom Dixon from Enniscorthy closely throughout the game and supplied the trademark long clearance to Paddy Barry which resulted in a goal to bring the sides level in the final quarter. He still expresses disappointment at the result.

" We could have won it, but it just didn't go our way on the day and good luck to Wexford, they wanted it more".

Rumour on twitter that Galway goalie James skehill broke his collarbone in training tonight, he's out for Sunday.... BS surely????hopefully.

Walter Walsh to start for KK ?

Quote from: ballinaman on September 28, 2012, 08:42:39 PM
Rumour on twitter that Galway goalie James skehill broke his collarbone in training tonight, he's out for Sunday.... BS surely????hopefully.

Galway goalkeeper James Skehill has suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder in their final training session before Sunday's All Ireland Hurling final replay with Kilkenny.

The Tribesmen goalkeeper, who made a stunning save in the first final from Colin Fennelly, sustained the knocking while diving to save the ball.

He has been taken to hospital for a scan but he is now a massive doubt for Sunday's game.

A Galway county board spokesman confirmed that Skehill is "extremely doubtful," for the showpiece final.

I hope they can bring the intensity of the Leinster final to the match on Sunday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=rb52kJeCzoA&NR=1

Quote from: Minder on September 28, 2012, 08:50:29 PM
Walter Walsh to start for KK ?

I see the team on Hogan Stand and yes Walter Walsh starts at full forward,a big lad,will KK be playing the long ball in to the full forward line,this will be some tactical battle on sunday,Skehill is a huge loss to Galway if he doesn't make it.

I think Kilkenny have realised that Johnny Coen is cleaning everyone that he's been up against this Summer. He's too quick and his touch is excellent. Putting Walter Walsh on him I think they have decided to take on Coen with size and strength.

Although I see Walsh has been selected at 14 so he could be up against Hynes. Same theory prevails though. Cody isn't going to try and match pace with the Galway defence. Maybe he feels size and strength is the way to go instead. Especially if the weather is bad.

Looks like Skehill will play now. Apparently they popped his shoulder back in. Wonder will it knock some yards off his puck-outs though.

I'd say Walsh will be told to get in and rattle skehill early on if he plays

That's very bad news about Skehill. I don't think he should play if he's not right and after googling shoulder dislocations I can't see how he would be right. I came across this on ehow.com. They say the typical full recovery time ranges from 4 to 12 weeks

"Treatment and Timeline
The initial phase of treatment is to push the head of the humerus back into the shoulder joint. This is most easily done immediately after the dislocation, as after 30 minutes or so the joint becomes swollen and stiff. If this happens, IV pain medication or muscle relaxants may be necessary to push the joint back into place. Afterward, the doctor will place the injured arm in a sling which will immobilize the joint. This sling should be worn for two or three weeks. After that, physical therapy will be prescribed to continue the healing process."

I hope he's fine and has a stormer again but playing lads who are carrying injuries is a tactic that usually backfires. I'm not sure who our sub keeper is, Ciaran Callanan? Maybe someone on here knows. It might be time to show a bit of faith in him anyway.

Desperation from Cody now. Putting a giant mullocker on the edge of the square!
And to think Kilkenny fans used to sneer at Tipp using Redser O'Grady at full forward.

Quote from: Paul Callanan on September 29, 2012, 01:53:24 AM
That's very bad news about Skehill. I don't think he should play if he's not right and after googling shoulder dislocations I can't see how he would be right. I came across this on ehow.com. They say the typical full recovery time ranges from 4 to 12 weeks

"Treatment and Timeline
The initial phase of treatment is to push the head of the humerus back into the shoulder joint. This is most easily done immediately after the dislocation, as after 30 minutes or so the joint becomes swollen and stiff. If this happens, IV pain medication or muscle relaxants may be necessary to push the joint back into place. Afterward, the doctor will place the injured arm in a sling which will immobilize the joint. This sling should be worn for two or three weeks. After that, physical therapy will be prescribed to continue the healing process."

I hope he's fine and has a stormer again but playing lads who are carrying injuries is a tactic that usually backfires. I'm not sure who our sub keeper is, Ciaran Callanan? Maybe someone on here knows. It might be time to show a bit of faith in him anyway.

Wasn't he in goal when they won the League 2 years ago? 

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 29, 2012, 08:47:12 AM
Desperation from Cody now. Putting a giant mullocker on the edge of the square!
And to think Kilkenny fans used to sneer at Tipp using Redser O'Grady at full forward.

Tsk tsk. And to think as well that Eddie Keher said Kilkenny had no interest in back door all Irelands.
What is the world coming to ? 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0929/1224324602453.html

Cats' spirit should prove key

Over the course of 140 minutes, Kilkenny have slowly come to grips with the Galway threat, writes NICKY ENGLISH

THE LONGER the rivalry has gone on this year the less certain the outcome. I gave Galway no chance before the Leinster final but they caused Kilkenny all kinds of trouble that day and up to a point in the drawn All-Ireland three weeks ago.
But not all of the trends have been positive for them. Whereas we'd thought Galway had weaned themselves off total reliance on Joe Canning and Damien Hayes, the more the two matches went on the more their attack has looked like a Joe show.
It still poses problems for Kilkenny and there's a big decision to be made on who marks Canning given the failures of Jackie Tyrrell the first day and JJ Delaney three weeks ago.
There were some defensive successes for Kilkenny in the All-Ireland. Tyrrell did a good job tracking Damien Hayes and Brian Hogan took a grip on the game in the second half, but with Galway having retreated the danger was Kilkenny defenders getting in each other's way – which is how Niall Burke's goal against the run of play happened.
The man-marking model they adopted the last day may have impacted negatively on Kilkenny in that it kept Tommy Walsh quiet and I'd say Brian Cody won't let that happen again.
There's one element of the three-week break that will suit Kilkenny and that's the time of year. Already the leaves are down and the ground is so much heavier than when Galway implemented the fast striking and movement plan that worked so well in July.
It's not that Galway can't 'surprise' Kilkenny a third time; it's that they're unlikely to be able to do it to the same extent. If Cillian Buckley's introduction can bring about any sort of improvement in the middle the champions can make at least some inroads into Galway's dominance in the area.
I take the view that Kilkenny have been getting to grips with Galway and have won almost 120 out of the 140 minutes after the early hammer blows in the Leinster final. They've also ridden out a few sucker punches. The latest of these is having had to keep going for an unscheduled extra three weeks in unfamiliar conditions. This could prove the biggest obstacle of all but I think they have enough resilience to pull through.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0929/1224324603079.html

The Irish Times - Saturday, September 29, 2012

'Stay chasing. Stay being honest'
The most pleasing thing for the Galway management was their young team had the composure to compete and play, writes KEITH DUGGAN


THE BROAD message from Kilkenny is they didn't do themselves justice in the All-Ireland final but for Galway, that drawn match was a lesson of immense importance.
Kilkenny are seasoned practitioners in the rhythms and ceremonies of hurling's special Sunday but for Galway, it was all blazingly new. And the most pleasing thing for Anthony Cunningham and the selectors was their young team proved they had the composure to compete and play through the occasion.
"The message I would pass on is that whoever takes the initiative and shows the most nerve will win," Cunningham remarked as the build-up for tomorrow's replay resumed in earnest.
"There are areas we can improve. Our forwards didn't score as much in the second half as we would like.
"Our defence will have to be as good the next day – and we let them in for two chances in the last 10 minutes. We can ask questions about coping. Henry Shefflin orchestrated at centre forward and really pulled strings. If he produces a performance again like that, he will cause us problems.

"We had two or three glorious chances after half-time. And we kept saying: we have to show composure when those chances come up. Because we will have a run and Kilkenny will have a run and it is down to containing Kilkenny a bit more and being a bit more ruthless in front of goal.


"They have so much class – they can fire in a few goals and rattle over three or four points in a short period of time. There is never a bad Kilkenny player. We had a tremendous performance that last day from Paul Murphy, a young player coming through. Brian Hogan took the game by the scuff of the neck when he was maybe outplayed in the first half."

It is fair to say that as meticulous as the Galway backroom team is, they had not planned in great detail for a draw. But it didn't take them long to realise that they wanted to get back west as quickly as possible.

"I'd say as we were leaving the field, as you are walking off the pitch, you are thinking about 10 different things," coach Mattie Kenny says, " but that was something we decided very quickly."

That plunged Cunningham into unexpected and slightly comical territory. As a member of Galway's 1987 All-Ireland winning team, he was invited to Dublin for a Saturday evening banquet. The team were due to be honoured before Sunday's game. Instead, his wife and children went to Dublin on Saturday and he stayed at home alone with the family dog for company.
"And to make matters worse, they were all staying on the Sunday night and we headed off home with the team. The dog was delighted to see me. He wasn't planning on seeing me until Monday evening."

And so Cunningham did what a lot of Galway hurling people did on the Sunday night: he watched the game.
"Well, part of it anyway. The following night we would have worked on it and the following few nights with Mattie when the players were resting, we went through it. So we figured out analysis and one-to-ones. It was no different than any other match. We did it after the Leinster final and after the Cork match."

Much like James Horan and Mayo, the Galway hurling management have spent the season emphasising the areas in which their players can improve. One of the least mentioned aspects of the drawn final was the September experience was new to the Galway sideline as well. One of their bravest – and toughest — decisions was to call Conor Cooney ashore after sending him on as a substitute.

"It was a very harsh decision to have to make because we are conscious of the impact on the player," Tom Helebert says.
"But we just felt that Conor hadn't got to the pace of the game quickly enough as an impact substitution. In the context of the game for 75 minutes, we had to make it and were prepared to make it. It can be hard sometimes because there is so much going on. The tendency is to watch the ball but you can't do that. You have to watch the guys – what they are doing, how they are shaping up and how they are coping.

"If you see warning signs of a guy starting to leak or run out of juice, then you have to respond to that. But all those scenarios are considered long in advance. But we spoke about it and Conor is a very important part of our panel and has been good for us and is very much in our thinking for the next day."

They have heard the various interpretations of the drawn final, including the theory that Galway will never have as good a chance to beat Kilkenny, and just don't see it that way.  "Before the final, we were going to Croke Park and 82,000 people except those in Galway thought we were on a hiding to nothing trying to beat the reigning champions," Helebert says. "That it was mission impossible to try and beat the reigning champions. But there were points that reinforced that what we are doing is right.

"Players look for stability, trust and reinforcement and that's what we bring to the table. We have a game process that is broadly working and they understand it and are playing for it. So we are starting to tick boxes that are no longer things to worry about. You know: I am fit. I am hurling well within myself, I am comfortable within my environment. And then you move on to the next level: how do we compete?

"But critically for us – we saw in the relegation play-off against Dublin – we don't quit. That has been a big, big thing for this group to get their heads around. Stay working; stay chasing; stay being honest."

All of which the Galway team will have to do again tomorrow. The sense emanating from Kilkenny is of a team set upon righting what they feel was a collectively flat performance saved by the heroics of Shefflin.
"You should always expect anything from Kilkenny," Cunningham says, "they can burn you from any corner with scores and with defending. For instance, Michael Fennelly, may have been disappointed with his performance and will thunder into the game tomorrow.

"So you can expect fireworks from Kilkenny and we will have to meet that."

And he smiles when asked what he hopes Galway can bring to Kilkenny.
"Fireworks as well."

It might just be a decent game.

Quote from: Paul Callanan on September 29, 2012, 01:53:24 AM
That's very bad news about Skehill. I don't think he should play if he's not right and after googling shoulder dislocations I can't see how he would be right. I came across this on ehow.com. They say the typical full recovery time ranges from 4 to 12 weeks

"Treatment and Timeline
The initial phase of treatment is to push the head of the humerus back into the shoulder joint. This is most easily done immediately after the dislocation, as after 30 minutes or so the joint becomes swollen and stiff. If this happens, IV pain medication or muscle relaxants may be necessary to push the joint back into place. Afterward, the doctor will place the injured arm in a sling which will immobilize the joint. This sling should be worn for two or three weeks. After that, physical therapy will be prescribed to continue the healing process."

I hope he's fine and has a stormer again but playing lads who are carrying injuries is a tactic that usually backfires. I'm not sure who our sub keeper is, Ciaran Callanan? Maybe someone on here knows. It might be time to show a bit of faith in him anyway.

I know a lad who regularly dislocates a shoulder during games, puts it back in and plays on, the problem with Skehill is how it might affect his puckouts I'd imagine.

Quote from: seafoid on September 29, 2012, 09:09:35 AM

Quote from: Paul Callanan on September 29, 2012, 01:53:24 AM
That's very bad news about Skehill. I don't think he should play if he's not right and after googling shoulder dislocations I can't see how he would be right. I came across this on ehow.com. They say the typical full recovery time ranges from 4 to 12 weeks

"Treatment and Timeline
The initial phase of treatment is to push the head of the humerus back into the shoulder joint. This is most easily done immediately after the dislocation, as after 30 minutes or so the joint becomes swollen and stiff. If this happens, IV pain medication or muscle relaxants may be necessary to push the joint back into place. Afterward, the doctor will place the injured arm in a sling which will immobilize the joint. This sling should be worn for two or three weeks. After that, physical therapy will be prescribed to continue the healing process."

I hope he's fine and has a stormer again but playing lads who are carrying injuries is a tactic that usually backfires. I'm not sure who our sub keeper is, Ciaran Callanan? Maybe someone on here knows. It might be time to show a bit of faith in him anyway.

Wasn't he in goal when they won the League 2 years ago?

He was the keeper in 2010 seafoid but I don't even know that he's on the panel anymore. I'm just saying I'd prefer we picked whoever  than pick Skehill if he's not fully fit. If bp is right and it only knocks a bit of yardage off his puckouts, that wouldn't be the end of the world, but I think it would have a mental impact which could affect every part of his game.

As for Walter Walshe, anytime I've seen hiim he's looked like a class act and I was surprised and relieved that he wasn't used in the first game. I think he could pose huge problems for Kevin Hynes and could well be Kilkenny's match-winner. I'd strongly disagree with the big mullocker description, he's a very skillful lad with a great touch.

You can tell Kilkenny was a Norman stronghold just by the names on the hurling team. Richie Power and Walter Walsh would have been wearing chainmail 800 years ago.

if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Are you for real? What do you mean usless and have nothing to do with the All Ireland final? I've went to the last 14 odd finals and I haven't seen these Antrim outfits you talk about

Nothing against antrim, they are obviously way ahead of the rest in ulster, which says it all when u see what happened them in the key games this year, eg the limerick game and then the under 21's semi against clare.

No joke, last year especially i couldn't believe the amount of antrim gear on show, i would have nearly thought antrim were playing. Like i wouldn't wear an armagh jersey to the hurling or football final, but then i wouldn't really wear it anywhere outside of training.

It would be great to see antrim in the final though

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 10:18:31 PM
Nothing against antrim, they are obviously way ahead of the rest in ulster, which says it all when u see what happened them in the key games this year, eg the limerick game and then the under 21's semi against clare.

No joke, last year especially i couldn't believe the amount of antrim gear on show, i would have nearly thought antrim were playing. Like i wouldn't wear an armagh jersey to the hurling or football final, but then i wouldn't really wear it anywhere outside of training.

It would be great to see antrim in the final though

Well they won't be there for a while yet, Antrim fans would use their full allocation of tickets handed out to the clubs, as for the antrim tops sure what odds, I've been to a serious amount of finals and I've not seen that many in fairness. We are a million miles away from getting to a semi final nevermind a final a bit like Armagh in football I suppose :o

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Says the f**king Armagh man. A county in which the majority of people wouldn't know one end of the stick from the other.

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 29, 2012, 11:29:47 PM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 10:18:31 PM
Nothing against antrim, they are obviously way ahead of the rest in ulster, which says it all when u see what happened them in the key games this year, eg the limerick game and then the under 21's semi against clare.

No joke, last year especially i couldn't believe the amount of antrim gear on show, i would have nearly thought antrim were playing. Like i wouldn't wear an armagh jersey to the hurling or football final, but then i wouldn't really wear it anywhere outside of training.

It would be great to see antrim in the final though

Well they won't be there for a while yet, Antrim fans would use their full allocation of tickets handed out to the clubs, as for the antrim tops sure what odds, I've been to a serious amount of finals and I've not seen that many in fairness. We are a million miles away from getting to a semi final nevermind a final a bit like Armagh in football I suppose :o

fair enough, though we'd just be glad just to get to the last 8 in the next few years

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 29, 2012, 11:36:35 PM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Says the f**king Armagh man. A county in which the majority of people wouldn't know one end of the stick from the other.

sure that attitude sums it up. I play hurling and football, not sure what you do. Yes antrim are best in ulster but you must think that antrim are sitting at the top table in hurling when in reality the hurling clique in the free state laugh at them. Limerick would be outside the top 6 and still beat you by 30 points or whatever

mon galway

Quote from: Orchardman on September 30, 2012, 12:04:57 AM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 29, 2012, 11:36:35 PM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Says the f**king Armagh man. A county in which the majority of people wouldn't know one end of the stick from the other.

sure that attitude sums it up. I play hurling and football, not sure what you do. Yes antrim are best in ulster but you must think that antrim are sitting at the top table in hurling when in reality the hurling clique in the free state laugh at them. Limerick would be outside the top 6 and still beat you by 30 points or whatever

mon galway

Sums what up? You, a person from Armagh, criticised the presence of Antrim supporters at an AI final. That is the attitude that is strange.

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 29, 2012, 09:43:32 PM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Are you for real? What do you mean usless and have nothing to do with the All Ireland final? I've went to the last 14 odd finals and I haven't seen these Antrim outfits you talk about

Dunno about Antrim gear around the place but there's always a good crowd of Belfast people, largely from Rossa, in Meaghers on final day.

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 30, 2012, 12:11:34 AM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 30, 2012, 12:04:57 AM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 29, 2012, 11:36:35 PM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Says the f**king Armagh man. A county in which the majority of people wouldn't know one end of the stick from the other.

sure that attitude sums it up. I play hurling and football, not sure what you do. Yes antrim are best in ulster but you must think that antrim are sitting at the top table in hurling when in reality the hurling clique in the free state laugh at them. Limerick would be outside the top 6 and still beat you by 30 points or whatever

mon galway

Sums what up? You, a person from Armagh, criticised the presence of Antrim supporters at an AI final. That is the attitude that is strange.

Don't be stupid, i didn't criticise the presence the antrim people per se, why would I? i was questioning why there was so many running about in antrim gear when they were no where near the final, that's all. Just curious, they are obviously proud of their saffron colours so fair play to them, but i don't think i'l see any cork/wexford/waterford/any good hurling team etc stuff so clearly.

Anyway, enuf bout that, lets hope liam goes to the west

Quote from: Orchardman on September 30, 2012, 11:16:22 AM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 30, 2012, 12:11:34 AM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 30, 2012, 12:04:57 AM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 29, 2012, 11:36:35 PM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Says the f**king Armagh man. A county in which the majority of people wouldn't know one end of the stick from the other.

sure that attitude sums it up. I play hurling and football, not sure what you do. Yes antrim are best in ulster but you must think that antrim are sitting at the top table in hurling when in reality the hurling clique in the free state laugh at them. Limerick would be outside the top 6 and still beat you by 30 points or whatever

mon galway

Sums what up? You, a person from Armagh, criticised the presence of Antrim supporters at an AI final. That is the attitude that is strange.

Don't be stupid, i didn't criticise the presence the antrim people per se, why would I? i was questioning why there was so many running about in antrim gear when they were no where near the final, that's all. Just curious, they are obviously proud of their saffron colours so fair play to them, but i don't think i'l see any cork/wexford/waterford/any good hurling team etc stuff so clearly.

Anyway, enuf bout that, lets hope liam goes to the west

Aye maybe I took you up wrong. McCooey's love sportswear.

Mon Galway.

Terrible morning here in the Dublin area,to improve in the afternoon,the day may suit slower players,I have the wet gear out.It will be interesting to see how big Walter Walsh does at full forward for KK,it could be a baptism of fire for him.

Quote from: Absent on September 30, 2012, 11:24:18 AM
Terrible morning here in the Dublin area,to improve in the afternoon,the day may suit slower players,I have the wet gear out.It will be interesting to see how big Walter Walsh does at full forward for KK,it could be a baptism of fire for him.

The galway lads are well used to hurling in rain, sleet and hailshtones since the county final is played on the first sunday in advent.

Quote from: seafoid on September 30, 2012, 01:27:36 PM

Quote from: Absent on September 30, 2012, 11:24:18 AM
Terrible morning here in the Dublin area,to improve in the afternoon,the day may suit slower players,I have the wet gear out.It will be interesting to see how big Walter Walsh does at full forward for KK,it could be a baptism of fire for him.

The galway lads are well used to hurling in rain, sleet and hailshtones since the county final is played on the first sunday in advent.

Brightened up well now, be grand for either team

Quote from: Orchardman on September 30, 2012, 11:16:22 AM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 30, 2012, 12:11:34 AM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 30, 2012, 12:04:57 AM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 29, 2012, 11:36:35 PM

Quote from: Orchardman on September 29, 2012, 09:31:22 PM
if ur at the game 2mro, just wait and count the amount of antrim jersies at it. I've been at the last 4 finals, and for some reason there are always a load of antrim outfits around. Why is this as they are usless and have nothing to do with the all ireland final? Just wondering.

Heading to the game 2mro anyway, i reckon the experience will stand to galway and hope they finish the job 2mro

Says the f**king Armagh man. A county in which the majority of people wouldn't know one end of the stick from the other.

sure that attitude sums it up. I play hurling and football, not sure what you do. Yes antrim are best in ulster but you must think that antrim are sitting at the top table in hurling when in reality the hurling clique in the free state laugh at them. Limerick would be outside the top 6 and still beat you by 30 points or whatever

mon galway

Sums what up? You, a person from Armagh, criticised the presence of Antrim supporters at an AI final. That is the attitude that is strange.

Don't be stupid, i didn't criticise the presence the antrim people per se, why would I? i was questioning why there was so many running about in antrim gear when they were no where near the final, that's all. Just curious, they are obviously proud of their saffron colours so fair play to them, but i don't think i'l see any cork/wexford/waterford/any good hurling team etc stuff so clearly.

Anyway, enuf bout that, lets hope liam goes to the west

I have been to 20-odd hurling finals.  A lot of these were in the days before replica gear was widespread, so most supporters relied on a headband or panda hat.  But I now always wear Antrim gear to the final.  Always gets the hurling conversation going in the pub befroehand.  Was at the final this year and there was two guys in Monaghan gear a couple of rows in front of me!!

What a spell for Galway

Jaysus christ.

What a bloody start to a game

2:2 G
1:5K

Who da fook is picking up Henry?

HT Kilkenny 1-11 Galway 2-4 the cats well on top should be leading by more.

Can't see it, but still up for the tribes men.

At the rate this game is being played I'm proud to be an amateur.

How can the cats train be stopped?

Quote from: ardal on September 30, 2012, 04:10:08 PM
Can't see it, but still up for the tribes men.

At the rate this game is being played I'm proud to be an amateur.

How can the cats train be stopped?

Some intensity by Kilkenny, the tempo from Galway after the Galway goals was unreal, can they keep that going?

slowed down a bit. Have Galway scored a point from play yet; excepting the goals.

4 in it

what was the red for?

listening on radio.

Galway down to 14

Kilkenny should close out the game now.

A needless swing on JJ by Galway lad

Game over

Johnny Glynn is shite, a donkey. Ruined it for Galway, he can't dip a ball. Ref also ruined it, disallowing a legit goal.

Quote from: Gold on September 30, 2012, 04:38:10 PM
Johnny Glynn is shite, a donkey. Ruined it for Galway, he can't dip a ball. Ref also ruined it, disallowing a legit goal.

The hunger by the Cats is unreal

Why do hurlers always celebrate frees? Wise up lads!!

All over now.

What's in it? 10 points

Cakewalk for the cats.

Bad year for Cunningham in Black and amber replays.  he might learn to keep his mouth shut in the future.

Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on September 30, 2012, 04:48:02 PM
Bad year for Cunningham in Black and amber replays.  he might learn to keep his mouth shut in the future.

So what was it he said to wind up the Cross team? You're wile sensitive in Cross :o

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 30, 2012, 04:49:46 PM

Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on September 30, 2012, 04:48:02 PM
Bad year for Cunningham in Black and amber replays.  he might learn to keep his mouth shut in the future.

So what was it he said to wind up the Cross team? You're wile sensitive in Cross :o

He said enough to be never forgotten ;)

Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on September 30, 2012, 04:48:02 PM
Bad year for Cunningham in Black and amber replays.  he might learn to keep his mouth shut in the future.

Deja vu for Mr Cunningham.

Loved to have listened to this with 15 vs 15 on the pitch.

Hope Galway can still restore some pride, although their last goal sounded like a cracker

The sending off ended it. Beidh aris  ann. At least we aren't as bad as tipp.

Well done to the cats .  From a galway perspective this year has been massive . We  got very close. This  team will have learnt a  lot and will be back . Fair play to cunningham, kenny and helebert. We have what it  takes to win all irelands and that was not obvious in august 2011.

RTE seem to be indicating that sending off was a bit unfair. Pity.

Quote from: seafoid on September 30, 2012, 05:08:08 PM
Well done to the cats .  From a galway perspective this year has been massive . We  got very close. This  team will have learnt a  lot and will be back . Fair play to cunningham, kenny and helebert. We have what it  takes to win all irelands and that was not obvious in august 2011.

close ? to use your phrase it was a bit of a   "bitch slapping" really. 

thought ref very harsh on galway
cats always seemed to get easier frees

I think it would have been close but for the sending off. Referee got it right but the disallowed goal was a joke. And but for the width of a post for Joes shot.

Don't think Kilkenny were that much better than Galway when it was 15 vs 15.

What was the official attendance?

Quote from: blanketattack on September 30, 2012, 07:06:36 PM
What was the official attendance?

82274

Quote from: thejuice on September 30, 2012, 07:02:27 PM
I think it would have been close but for the sending off. Referee got it right but the disallowed goal was a joke. And but for the width of a post for Joes shot.

Don't think Kilkenny were that much better than Galway when it was 15 vs 15.

Galway were very lucky to be four points down at half time - their second goal the Kilkenny forward was near decapitated and didn't get a free! The disallowed goal he had already blown, if he has already blown he can't then play on.

The game up to the sending off was always much closer than it should have been but Kilkenny backs were pretty dominant. Stupid stupid stupid from Donnellan but Galway gave away several stupid frees, none more so than latish on in the second half the fells loses the hurl and grabs the legs of the boy despite another back there - they were hardly going to miss a free from 25 yards.

It was an entertaining game for 50minutes but thought Kilkennt always looked likely winners.

Who got MOTM?

Think people are kidding themselves when they say it would have been close other than sending off. Obviously the red card brought a bit of finality to it but KK were out-hurling them all over the pitch for 90% of the match. Galway were gifted two very soft goals (Herity was dreadful for the first, the second shouldn't have even happened as there were two fouls on KK forwards before the ball was cleared) and KK came right back at them after each of them. TJ scored a point within 10 seconds of the first one going in and KK hit 1-7 without replay in response to the second.

Walsh worked brilliantly and KK finally found a way to take Johnny Coen out of the came. Fennelly showed up today after being very, very disappointing last time out. Andy Smith tried hard but Fennelly and Buckley ruled midfield - Tannian was anonymous. Canning was largely kept quiet from play and he was reduced to trying to set up scores for others as he was constantly hounded by two or three defenders. 

Everyone from 7-15 scored from play for Kilkenny. At times the game might have been close on the scoreboard, but it never was on the pitch. Shefflin immense again and would be my MOTM. Power really picked up after being so poor three weeks ago.

Donnellan's swing was disgraceful. If Richie Hogan deserved a red for his slap against Limerick (which he did), then Donnellan deserved three of them for that.

One downside to KK - David Herity has been an absolute liability all summer. he should have claimed the ball in for first goal. Made an awful attempt at swiping at the disallowed one when putting himself in the way would have been better option and also messed up lifting a ball that dropped in front of him - think it was Tyrrell had to clear off the line. Dunno what goalkeeping options they have but Herity will be a lucky boy if he keeps his place next year.

Tipp minors looked very impressive. I was shocked that Dublin got a draw the first time out but this was much closer to the script. They have some outstanding young hurlers in the half backs and midfield. Have seen the LHB, Barry Heffernan, a few times now and he's a fantastic prospect. Big frame on him as well - once he grows into it, Tipp could have another Paraic Maher. Noel McGrath's brother at RHF and the two corner forwards also looked very handy.

Quote from: naka on September 30, 2012, 05:35:54 PM
thought ref very harsh on galway
cats always seemed to get easier frees

Horseshit. They got nothing the last day.

Quote from: hardstation on September 30, 2012, 05:19:47 PM

Quote from: Gold on September 30, 2012, 04:38:10 PM
Johnny Glynn is shite, a donkey. Ruined it for Galway, he can't dip a ball. Ref also ruined it, disallowing a legit goal.

Fcukin hell I thought Glynn did well.

Donnellan is a stupid, selfish fcuker and lost his team the game.

Maybe i was harsh but at that crucial point in second half, when the Cats hunger was at its most ferocious, Glynn missed 3 different attempts to pick a ball up and the cats got the ball and cleared. He went on to score a good goal in the puck about that followed the game

Quote from: Premier Emperor on September 29, 2012, 08:47:12 AM
Desperation from Cody now. Putting a giant mullocker on the edge of the square!
And to think Kilkenny fans used to sneer at Tipp using Redser O'Grady at full forward.

Redser ever manage to score 1-3 in a Tipp shirt?

Walter Walsh man of the match. Not a bad debut. Thought Shefflin would nick it from Hogan.

The sight of some Kilkenny supporters leaving before Liam was even lifted was as dramatic a statement on how cheap success can become when it is the norm.

How I wish I could see our senior team ascend the Hogan Stand just once.

Just once.

As good as Barry Kelly was the first day, I thought James McGrath had a poor day at HQ yesterday. Cats learned more from the first game, got their match ups right and brought more intensity in the first half. Injuries to Skehill and Canning probably meant that Galway were never going to win the game. Cannings shot that hit the butt of the post was the turning point as KK went straight down the field to tag on another point. That and the sending off took the belief out of Galway.

Wonder is there any danger of Cody exciting stage left now? Thought he looked jaded early this year and if was to call it a day now would be a good time after another 2 in a row. Galway need to build on this year and get back to a final next year. If they can keep the heads right they should be there or thereabouts.

As great as an achievement it is, it's hard to listen to Shefflin going on about his 9 AIs when he wasn't asked about them.

Quote from: gallsman on September 30, 2012, 11:09:27 PM
Walter Walsh man of the match. Not a bad debut. Thought Shefflin would nick it from Hogan.

Amazed at that to be honest. Was at the game and admittedly it is hard to fathom who is who alot of the time with the helmets and the speed of the game but I had motm as Brian Hogan with Killian Buckley and especially the corner back Murphy in with a shot.

Galway just didn't have the players to sling it over the bar from outside the 45.
Their half forward line again scored more goals than points.
It meant that Galway had to secure possession much further up the field than Kilkenny to get scores.

Despite all that you'd wonder what would have happened had Galway equalised with one of those goal chances in the 2nd half? They hadn't been playing well, but could they have spooked the Cats who had made all the running up to then?

Kilkenny are masters at piling on the misery when the opposition finally yield, but very often teams stay with them for long parts of the match. There have been several double digit Kilkenny victories under Cody where the margin was only built up late on when the opposition felt they couldn't win.

I feel that the game hinged completely on those five minutes in the second half following Donnelans disallowed goal.
In fairness to the ref he did try to play advantage but by the time Donnelan was striking the ball there had been about three fouls. Don't blame the ref, blame the rule book that does not allow a rugby style advantage.
Even still had Cannings shot hit the net, then it was anyones game, but instead Kilkenny managed to clear it and score, and instantly you could feel momentum was swinging back to the cats, then to top it all off, Donnelan has his red mist moment. Game over.

BRUTAL GAME, SAME AS LAST YEAR, HURLING FAST LOSING ITS REPUTATION - KILKENNY JUST TOO GOOD FOR EVERYONE ELSE......NO EXCITEMENT BAR 2 MINUTES IN THE FIRST HALF........IF I WANT 2 MINUTES OF EXCITEMENT I CAN GO UPSTAIRS WITH THE MISSUS  ;).

Quote from: joe bloggs on October 01, 2012, 02:03:07 PM
I feel that the game hinged completely on those five minutes in the second half following Donnelans disallowed goal.
In fairness to the ref he did try to play advantage but by the time Donnelan was striking the ball there had been about three fouls. Don't blame the ref, blame the rule book that does not allow a rugby style advantage.
Even still had Cannings shot hit the net, then it was anyones game, but instead Kilkenny managed to clear it and score, and instantly you could feel momentum was swinging back to the cats, then to top it all off, Donnelan has his red mist moment. Game over.

But that's just it, there was no foul on Donnellan. There were fouls on Hayes immediately before but the ref decided to play advantage as he turned around once it was clear to Hayes that he wasn't gonna be able to force his way through. Have no idea what advantage he was given to Hayes there. Then Donnellan darts past two and he decides to blow up as he's getting his shot off after not being fouled? Very poor I thought.

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on October 01, 2012, 02:58:32 PM

Quote from: joe bloggs on October 01, 2012, 02:03:07 PM
I feel that the game hinged completely on those five minutes in the second half following Donnelans disallowed goal.
In fairness to the ref he did try to play advantage but by the time Donnelan was striking the ball there had been about three fouls. Don't blame the ref, blame the rule book that does not allow a rugby style advantage.
Even still had Cannings shot hit the net, then it was anyones game, but instead Kilkenny managed to clear it and score, and instantly you could feel momentum was swinging back to the cats, then to top it all off, Donnelan has his red mist moment. Game over.

But that's just it, there was no foul on Donnellan. There were fouls on Hayes immediately before but the ref decided to play advantage as he turned around once it was clear to Hayes that he wasn't gonna be able to force his way through. Have no idea what advantage he was given to Hayes there. Then Donnellan darts past two and he decides to blow up as he's getting his shot off after not being fouled? Very poor I thought.

Watching it again here and it's a terrible terrible decision. Ger Loughnane then thinks that because McGrath has his hand up in the air that he has signified a free while Damian Hayes has the ball. That's the advantage signal Ger.

Donnellan breaks the tackle, isnt fouled and as he lets loose the shot the whistle blows. It does not affect the Kilkenny defenders or goalkeeper. Firstly it was wrong to blow him up in the first place when it was clear he had rode the tackle and secondly he could have had the courage to let it stand. Yes there is no advantage play written in the rule book but refs often play it. Brian Gavin is an example of this and I cant recall the exact game but I remember him letting a goal stand just after blowing a whistle in a championship game in the last couple of years.

It affected the game as a contest but I dont think it affected the result.

Quote from: belleaqua on October 01, 2012, 03:12:17 PM

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on October 01, 2012, 02:58:32 PM

Quote from: joe bloggs on October 01, 2012, 02:03:07 PM
I feel that the game hinged completely on those five minutes in the second half following Donnelans disallowed goal.
In fairness to the ref he did try to play advantage but by the time Donnelan was striking the ball there had been about three fouls. Don't blame the ref, blame the rule book that does not allow a rugby style advantage.
Even still had Cannings shot hit the net, then it was anyones game, but instead Kilkenny managed to clear it and score, and instantly you could feel momentum was swinging back to the cats, then to top it all off, Donnelan has his red mist moment. Game over.

But that's just it, there was no foul on Donnellan. There were fouls on Hayes immediately before but the ref decided to play advantage as he turned around once it was clear to Hayes that he wasn't gonna be able to force his way through. Have no idea what advantage he was given to Hayes there. Then Donnellan darts past two and he decides to blow up as he's getting his shot off after not being fouled? Very poor I thought.

Watching it again here and it's a terrible terrible decision. Ger Loughnane then thinks that because McGrath has his hand up in the air that he has signified a free while Damian Hayes has the ball. That's the advantage signal Ger.

Donnellan breaks the tackle, isnt fouled and as he lets loose the shot the whistle blows. It does not affect the Kilkenny defenders or goalkeeper. Firstly it was wrong to blow him up in the first place when it was clear he had rode the tackle and secondly he could have had the courage to let it stand. Yes there is no advantage play written in the rule book but refs often play it. Brian Gavin is an example of this and I cant recall the exact game but I remember him letting a goal stand just after blowing a whistle in a championship game in the last couple of years.

It affected the game as a contest but I dont think it affected the result.

Why do 90% of GAA players and supporters believe this? There are TWO advantage rules in the hurling rule book and have been for years (and two more in the football rules).

4.34 When a team commits a Technical Foul, the
referee may allow the play to continue if he
considers it to be to the advantage of the
opposing team. He shall signal that advantage
is being played by raising an extended arm
upright. Once he allows play to continue, he
may not subsequently award a free for that
foul. He shall apply any relevant disciplinary
action.

5.41 When a team commits an Aggressive Foul,
the Referee may allow play to continue if he
considers it to be to the advantage of the
offended team. He shall signal that advantage
is being played by raising an extended arm
upright. Once the Referee allows the play to
continue, he may not subsequently award a
free for that foul. He shall apply the relevant
penalty.

What he means, Hardy, is that there is no provision to allow advantage, and if it doesn't work out to bring play back for a free, like Rugby does, and soccer also.

Quote from: belleaqua on October 01, 2012, 03:12:17 PM

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on October 01, 2012, 02:58:32 PM

Quote from: joe bloggs on October 01, 2012, 02:03:07 PM
I feel that the game hinged completely on those five minutes in the second half following Donnelans disallowed goal.
In fairness to the ref he did try to play advantage but by the time Donnelan was striking the ball there had been about three fouls. Don't blame the ref, blame the rule book that does not allow a rugby style advantage.
Even still had Cannings shot hit the net, then it was anyones game, but instead Kilkenny managed to clear it and score, and instantly you could feel momentum was swinging back to the cats, then to top it all off, Donnelan has his red mist moment. Game over.

But that's just it, there was no foul on Donnellan. There were fouls on Hayes immediately before but the ref decided to play advantage as he turned around once it was clear to Hayes that he wasn't gonna be able to force his way through. Have no idea what advantage he was given to Hayes there. Then Donnellan darts past two and he decides to blow up as he's getting his shot off after not being fouled? Very poor I thought.

Watching it again here and it's a terrible terrible decision. Ger Loughnane then thinks that because McGrath has his hand up in the air that he has signified a free while Damian Hayes has the ball. That's the advantage signal Ger.

Donnellan breaks the tackle, isnt fouled and as he lets loose the shot the whistle blows. It does not affect the Kilkenny defenders or goalkeeper. Firstly it was wrong to blow him up in the first place when it was clear he had rode the tackle and secondly he could have had the courage to let it stand. Yes there is no advantage play written in the rule book but refs often play it. Brian Gavin is an example of this and I cant recall the exact game but I remember him letting a goal stand just after blowing a whistle in a championship game in the last couple of years.

It affected the game as a contest but I dont think it affected the result.

To be fair once he blew the whistle he had to bring it back. My issue is why did he blow it in the first place. That was a major incident he made an arse of. There were others too. Good to see Galway aren't hanging on to these though. It took Tipp 3 years to win Liam under Sheedy, Galway can do it in 2 if they keep the heads. That's a big if though if you look at their history in the last 20 years.

I think the free he gave was because one of the Kilkenny lads went in and wrapped his hurl high across Donnelan's shoulders/neck. He actually lost the hurl in that incident. McGrath had given a soft enough yellow card to Micheal Fennelly earlier on for a similar incident, so maybe he was really looking at 'thrown' hurlies?

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on October 01, 2012, 04:28:35 PM

Quote from: belleaqua on October 01, 2012, 03:12:17 PM

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on October 01, 2012, 02:58:32 PM

Quote from: joe bloggs on October 01, 2012, 02:03:07 PM
I feel that the game hinged completely on those five minutes in the second half following Donnelans disallowed goal.
In fairness to the ref he did try to play advantage but by the time Donnelan was striking the ball there had been about three fouls. Don't blame the ref, blame the rule book that does not allow a rugby style advantage.
Even still had Cannings shot hit the net, then it was anyones game, but instead Kilkenny managed to clear it and score, and instantly you could feel momentum was swinging back to the cats, then to top it all off, Donnelan has his red mist moment. Game over.

But that's just it, there was no foul on Donnellan. There were fouls on Hayes immediately before but the ref decided to play advantage as he turned around once it was clear to Hayes that he wasn't gonna be able to force his way through. Have no idea what advantage he was given to Hayes there. Then Donnellan darts past two and he decides to blow up as he's getting his shot off after not being fouled? Very poor I thought.

Watching it again here and it's a terrible terrible decision. Ger Loughnane then thinks that because McGrath has his hand up in the air that he has signified a free while Damian Hayes has the ball. That's the advantage signal Ger.

Donnellan breaks the tackle, isnt fouled and as he lets loose the shot the whistle blows. It does not affect the Kilkenny defenders or goalkeeper. Firstly it was wrong to blow him up in the first place when it was clear he had rode the tackle and secondly he could have had the courage to let it stand. Yes there is no advantage play written in the rule book but refs often play it. Brian Gavin is an example of this and I cant recall the exact game but I remember him letting a goal stand just after blowing a whistle in a championship game in the last couple of years.

It affected the game as a contest but I dont think it affected the result.

To be fair once he blew the whistle he had to bring it back. My issue is why did he blow it in the first place. That was a major incident he made an arse of. There were others too. Good to see Galway aren't hanging on to these though. It took Tipp 3 years to win Liam under Sheedy, Galway can do it in 2 if they keep the heads. That's a big if though if you look at their history in the last 20 years.

The Galway hurling civil war is finished.
I think the management of this team are light years ahead of what went before . They focus on organisation and process. I don't detect any nihilism from the fans either.
This team seems to have the right attitude. They are very positive and they emphasise the importance of learning.
If they win one all Ireland they'll win another.   

Quote from: AZOffaly on October 01, 2012, 04:43:01 PM
I think the free he gave was because one of the Kilkenny lads went in and wrapped his hurl high across Donnelan's shoulders/neck. He actually lost the hurl in that incident. McGrath had given a soft enough yellow card to Micheal Fennelly earlier on for a similar incident, so maybe he was really looking at 'thrown' hurlies?

But Donnellan didn't fall or lose possession of the ball even if you deem it a foul? Why blow when all the momentum is with him?

Looking at it there again now on RTE player and there is absolutely no foul - he breaks the tackle and the defenders hurl falls.

I'm not saying he should have given it, I'm saying I think that's why he gave it. It wasn;t a free for anything to do with Hayes. As I said he had given a free and a yellow card in the first half for a similar challenge by Fennelly.

McGrath audibly blew his whistle before the ball was struck. End of story.

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 05:57:51 PM
McGrath audibly blew his whistle before the ball was struck. End of story.

Did we dispute that?

If you cared to read the posts more carefully you will see the fact that he blew the whistle at all is what we are taking issue with.

You can nit pick through a whole game if you want. He should have blown the whistle and given a 21 yard free when TJ Reid was slapped in the head. Instead of a certain point for KK, Galway broke and got their second goal. Six of one, half a dozen...

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 06:27:36 PM
You can nit pick through a whole game if you want. He should have blown the whistle and given a 21 yard free when TJ Reid was slapped in the head. Instead of a certain point for KK, Galway broke and got their second goal. Six of one, half a dozen...

You're right you can. Is that the way we should look at incidents then? Sure if they cancel each other out it's ok then? The old 'balance themselves out over the course of the season' argument?? How will refereeing standards ever improve if you take that view?

The awarding of that free was a crucial decision. It was blatantly wrong. I have said earlier as a Galway fan that I did not think we would have won the game had it stood.  However that is only an opinion I could be wrong. Arguably it indirectly contributed to the sending off. It's a point worth debating.

I understand your point about certain incidents and watched the TJ Reid incident there and it did look on tv like a slap on the head. Watching it live yesterday from the Davin Collins didnt make contact with Reid but Id see how that would be given from the angle the cameras picked it up. Reid was straight up again too which indicated no contact. That may have been the refs view too.

Quote from: belleaqua on October 01, 2012, 07:13:08 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 06:27:36 PM
You can nit pick through a whole game if you want. He should have blown the whistle and given a 21 yard free when TJ Reid was slapped in the head. Instead of a certain point for KK, Galway broke and got their second goal. Six of one, half a dozen...

You're right you can. Is that the way we should look at incidents then? Sure if they cancel each other out it's ok then? The old 'balance themselves out over the course of the season' argument?? How will refereeing standards ever improve if you take that view?

The awarding of that free was a crucial decision. It was blatantly wrong. I have said earlier as a Galway fan that I did not think we would have won the game had it stood.  However that is only an opinion I could be wrong. Arguably it indirectly contributed to the sending off. It's a point worth debating.

I understand your point about certain incidents and watched the TJ Reid incident there and it did look on tv like a slap on the head. Watching it live yesterday from the Davin Collins didnt make contact with Reid but Id see how that would be given from the angle the cameras picked it up. Reid was straight up again too which indicated no contact. That may have been the refs view too.

No, it's not, but you can't simply turn round with an attitude of "let's focus on our misfortune and ignore theirs". From a Galway point of view, the decision was crucial. Do you think Kilkenny conceding a second goal wasn't crucial to them?

It indirectly contributed to the sending off? Are you having a laugh? Donnellan was so incensed with the referee he decided to do a Benny and try and take JJ's head off?!

You're definitely kidding yourself if you think TJ wasn't slapped - Collins' flapped at him and it 100% made contact. I was sitting in the lower Hogan almost directly in line with it. It wasn't a flick of the wrist but a one-handed swing. Richie Hogan got sent-off (deservedly) for something similar earlier in the year against Limerick. It absolutely should have been a free.

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 07:23:14 PM

Quote from: belleaqua on October 01, 2012, 07:13:08 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 06:27:36 PM
You can nit pick through a whole game if you want. He should have blown the whistle and given a 21 yard free when TJ Reid was slapped in the head. Instead of a certain point for KK, Galway broke and got their second goal. Six of one, half a dozen...

You're right you can. Is that the way we should look at incidents then? Sure if they cancel each other out it's ok then? The old 'balance themselves out over the course of the season' argument?? How will refereeing standards ever improve if you take that view?

The awarding of that free was a crucial decision. It was blatantly wrong. I have said earlier as a Galway fan that I did not think we would have won the game had it stood.  However that is only an opinion I could be wrong. Arguably it indirectly contributed to the sending off. It's a point worth debating.

I understand your point about certain incidents and watched the TJ Reid incident there and it did look on tv like a slap on the head. Watching it live yesterday from the Davin Collins didnt make contact with Reid but Id see how that would be given from the angle the cameras picked it up. Reid was straight up again too which indicated no contact. That may have been the refs view too.

No, it's not, but you can't simply turn round with an attitude of "let's focus on our misfortune and ignore theirs". From a Galway point of view, the decision was crucial. Do you think Kilkenny conceding a second goal wasn't crucial to them?

It indirectly contributed to the sending off? Are you having a laugh? Donnellan was so incensed with the referee he decided to do a Benny and try and take JJ's head off?!

You're definitely kidding yourself if you think TJ wasn't slapped - Collins' flapped at him and it 100% made contact. I was sitting in the lower Hogan almost directly in line with it. It wasn't a flick of the wrist but a one-handed swing. Richie Hogan got sent-off (deservedly) for something similar earlier in the year against Limerick. It absolutely should have been a free.

He clearly swung the hurley across from looking at it here. I felt there was no contact yesterday and that TJ's reaction bore that out. If he got a blow to the head similar to the the strike Richie Hogan gave the Limerick player as you have suggested then you would imagine he would have been in a lot of distress?


No I am not having a laugh regarding Donnellan. He deserved a straight red no question. But are you realistically suggesting that frustration had no part to play?? And that the disallowed goal didn't contribute to this?? He was then pulled back chasing down a ball and lashed out wrongly. I think its a perfectly reasonable connection.

Put it this way had that goal stood I don't think Donnellan would have lashed out.

Saw a  group of Galway fans in the Hill waving their shoes (I kid you not) in the air before the game. Any weshties on here who can explain wtf that was all about?

Donnellan deserved to go although I think he just frustrated after the 2 goal incidents just before it and the fact that JJ Delaney was fouling him (cutely as he knows how to) and the ref wasn't blowing for it. He swung around trying to free his hurl from JJ and cracked him one. Had to go unfortunately. I know it's often said but Cyril Donnellan is very far from a dirty player.  An act of pure frustration.

My issue with the "disallowed" goal was that the ref was playing long advantages all game long (which I even remarked on in the first half to the fella sitting beside me at the game) and then for that incident suddenly blew it up quickly. Nothing worse than inconsistent refereeing.

I think that McGrath should have blown for a free when Hayes was getting mauled on his way into the 21. When Donnellan picked up the ball I believe that McGrath give an easy free (clearly blew before the ball was struck) to make up for not blowing when Hayes was being raped. Club games, most referees would let the goal stand and there wouldn't be much fuss from the players, canny do that at Croke or even at a club county final.

A lot of things didn't go for Galway, thought big Joe was quiet, Galway give Kilkenny an early lead and tactically Galway were caught out, Wrong man on big Walsh and when they won possession they were wastefull in there shot selection or passing, big Hogan swept up a few of the long passes behind his fullback line. If Galway play that tactic then they should be popping the ball over the bar from distance, didn't happen. there should have been players available, Kilkenny knew that and closed those areas down with upping there tempo. Crucially it was the reaction of the Kilkenny lads after the 2 goals that won the match. During the furore of the goals Galway turned off for 10 minutes. Level smart heads should have calmed things down, slowed the game with some treatment to players and take the tempo out.

Midfield was different this time round and Kilkenny did far better, another reason for the Cats win. Plenty to work on for Galway, hopefully they will come back smarter for it next year, though Tipp haven't become a bad team over night and Cork won't be as naive next year. Limerick may up the pace and Clare have good under 21's coming through to senior. All good for the neutral

Quote from: belleaqua on October 01, 2012, 07:35:32 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 07:23:14 PM

Quote from: belleaqua on October 01, 2012, 07:13:08 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 06:27:36 PM
You can nit pick through a whole game if you want. He should have blown the whistle and given a 21 yard free when TJ Reid was slapped in the head. Instead of a certain point for KK, Galway broke and got their second goal. Six of one, half a dozen...

You're right you can. Is that the way we should look at incidents then? Sure if they cancel each other out it's ok then? The old 'balance themselves out over the course of the season' argument?? How will refereeing standards ever improve if you take that view?

The awarding of that free was a crucial decision. It was blatantly wrong. I have said earlier as a Galway fan that I did not think we would have won the game had it stood.  However that is only an opinion I could be wrong. Arguably it indirectly contributed to the sending off. It's a point worth debating.

I understand your point about certain incidents and watched the TJ Reid incident there and it did look on tv like a slap on the head. Watching it live yesterday from the Davin Collins didnt make contact with Reid but Id see how that would be given from the angle the cameras picked it up. Reid was straight up again too which indicated no contact. That may have been the refs view too.

No, it's not, but you can't simply turn round with an attitude of "let's focus on our misfortune and ignore theirs". From a Galway point of view, the decision was crucial. Do you think Kilkenny conceding a second goal wasn't crucial to them?

It indirectly contributed to the sending off? Are you having a laugh? Donnellan was so incensed with the referee he decided to do a Benny and try and take JJ's head off?!

You're definitely kidding yourself if you think TJ wasn't slapped - Collins' flapped at him and it 100% made contact. I was sitting in the lower Hogan almost directly in line with it. It wasn't a flick of the wrist but a one-handed swing. Richie Hogan got sent-off (deservedly) for something similar earlier in the year against Limerick. It absolutely should have been a free.

He clearly swung the hurley across from looking at it here. I felt there was no contact yesterday and that TJ's reaction bore that out. If he got a blow to the head similar to the the strike Richie Hogan gave the Limerick player as you have suggested then you would imagine he would have been in a lot of distress?


No I am not having a laugh regarding Donnellan. He deserved a straight red no question. But are you realistically suggesting that frustration had no part to play?? And that the disallowed goal didn't contribute to this?? He was then pulled back chasing down a ball and lashed out wrongly. I think its a perfectly reasonable connection.

Put it this way had that goal stood I don't think Donnellan would have lashed out.

From a neutral stance I think Galway can feel aggrieved. The only negative thing about this Kilkenny team(so many positive's) are that referees don't treat them the same. Shefflin has been getting lippy for two years now and gets different reactions from refs than most players. I still cant believe the soft penalty they got v tipp in 09 when kirwan was letting worse things go for the whole match.I suppose kilkenny would argue that holding hurls, slapping fingers with the stick and so on is ok as long as the man in black doesn't see it. Benny Dunne reacted the same as Donnellan but know one said anything about Tommy rubbing the butt of his hurl in his ear just before he lashed out. Croke park and the media don't seem to perturbed about the whole thing even if other counties have issues with it. As for Cody and its a man's game stuff, the treatment of young Seamus Hickey by Tyrrell of the ball  in the 07 final v limerick was far from manly. All this made codys pre-final rant about micheal rice's treatment laughable,
they are bigger than the sport it seems in this regard. Still some team though, the best I ever seen

Quote from: seafoid on October 01, 2012, 04:51:21 PM
The Galway hurling civil war is finished.
I think the management of this team are light years ahead of what went before . They focus on organisation and process. I don't detect any nihilism from the fans either.
This team seems to have the right attitude. They are very positive and they emphasise the importance of learning.
If they win one all Ireland they'll win another.   

Management seem to complement each other nicely and continuing the c'ship through the summer would certainly seem to be a plus. Cunningham and co. now have to take it to the next level though; more variety in tactics and unearth a couple of better forwards is also required. Additionally, they really need to work with the players they have, e.g. Tannian and Donnellan have to be taught how to use possession much more wisely instead of hitting it away aimlessly.

Quote from: mouview on October 01, 2012, 09:16:38 PM

Quote from: seafoid on October 01, 2012, 04:51:21 PM
The Galway hurling civil war is finished.
I think the management of this team are light years ahead of what went before . They focus on organisation and process. I don't detect any nihilism from the fans either.
This team seems to have the right attitude. They are very positive and they emphasise the importance of learning.
If they win one all Ireland they'll win another.   

Management seem to complement each other nicely and continuing the c'ship through the summer would certainly seem to be a plus. Cunningham and co. now have to take it to the next level though; more variety in tactics and unearth a couple of better forwards is also required. Additionally, they really need to work with the players they have, e.g. Tannian and Donnellan have to be taught how to use possession much more wisely instead of hitting it away aimlessly.

I wonder if they'll pick a few older forwards in the next trawl for the panel of 30 or whatever it is. It would presumably be easier to get fellas to buy into the programme this time around on the evidence of the progress made to date. There is no shortage of hurlers either.  A bit of competition for places would be no harm either.

I was looking at a report from the 2005 under 21 final just now . Galway beat the cats  by a point . There were 4 or 5 of those cats  playing yesterday. Kilkenny had a system that those players could join. Galway didn't.  There was no continuity. 

A couple of years of this new approach should be very interesting. 

What was with the soccer-style security operation on the Hill?

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 10:50:24 PM
What was with the soccer-style security operation on the Hill?

I hope the rock you were living under was comfy.

Quote from: Syferus on October 01, 2012, 11:18:14 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 01, 2012, 10:50:24 PM
What was with the soccer-style security operation on the Hill?

I hope the rock you were living under was comfy.

Perhaps instead of being snide you could just answer the question? There didn't appear to be any segregation or anything amongst the majority of the Hill.

Have a look at the 5 minute spell from Donnelans goal to his sending off. The game was decided during this period by an erratic ref. It's a shame that poor decision making has left Galway wondering "what might have been..."

Donnelan has his "goal" blown back by a referee that wouldn't give them a free all day instead choosing to give advantage sometimes where there was none...in this case he decided to blow...just as Donnelan was winding for a shot!
A few minutes later Michael Fennelly(yellow carded on 30 mins) timbers Donnelan off the ball as Joe Canning blazes his shot off the bottom of the post.
This incident is clearly caught on camera...how would the game have transpired if it was 15 Galway vs 14 Kilkenny for the remaining 25 minutes???
Donnelans swing back was pure frustration at these incidents that happened him in the previous minutes. When JJ grabbed his hurl he swung back in frustration to release it. He did not intend to catch him on the head. It was pure frustration and poor refereeing led to that frustration

I thought the ref made a few mistakes both ways and I think we have to acknowledge that Kilkenny were the better team by a long way. We hung in there well though and if some of those incidents had gone our way, Kilkenny would have been under huge pressure going into the last 20.

Galway didn't play well. Our forwards were really struggling to win any ball in the first 30 minutes and were getting beaten in the air every time but Johnathon Glynn brought a big improvement in this department.

We got caught in possession a lot and this was leading to Kilkenny scores. Our shooting was poor too when we did manage to create chances. And yet for all that if the goal had stood we'd have been in for a tight finish.

So well done Kilkenny and on to next year. Galway have a lot to be positive about but next year is huge. We got to finals in '93, '01 and '05  with newish teams but followed them up with disastrous performances the year after. I'd agree with seafoid that this management is different and I think the talent is there in the squad with another year of hard work. Outside of any young lads who might come through I would say Shane Kavanagh will have to be considered again. He's certainly good enough. Someone mentioned Ger Farragher but that won't happen.

We've found some excellent young players and hopefully they will keep developing. Coen and Glynn look like future greats to me. Well Coen just has to keep doing what he's doing and Glynn looks like a man who can lead the attack in years to come. We can aim puckouts at him and he'll win most of them - a huge asset. Conor Cooney and James Regan weren't quite ready this year but hopefully they will be next year. And of course we have Joe.

It's important the older guys like Hayes and Tannian stay around and I'd be amazed if they don't. So next year is a huge one. I wouldn't say we have to win the All-Ireland but we have to keep the momentum and the improvement going and get back into the semis at the very least. Tipp will be back next year. Clare, Cork and Limerick are improving too and Kilkenny won't go away (more's the pity). Cunningham will ensure that everything is done right and I'd say if those young lads like Cooney, Regan, Glynn , Burke and O'Donoghue find a little improvement 2013 could well be our year.

Is Farragher completely done? Is he 30 yet? Remember he was quite young in '05.

Shekill admits he wasn't fit

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/1002/1224324725913.html


Skehill was still devastated yesterday by his inability to influence proceedings as he would if fully fit. "To be honest, I'm kicking myself an awful lot, in the sense that you'd even be questioning your faith as to why these things happen.
"But it's the life of a sportsman, isn't it?"
The surgeon has recommended operations on both shoulders and a winter of rehabilitation but these procedures may be postponed due to club championship commitments.

Despite the disappointment of losing an All-Ireland final, Skehill believes the year as a whole can already be looked upon with a degree of satisfaction.
"We often hear of the '87 and '88 teams and we feel like we're in their shadows a bit and we're trying to make our own history and our own future. I think we restored the pride in the jersey."
The young goalkeeper's support for the Cunningham management also remains unwavering.
"And my heart does go out to Anthony in the sense that he's lost two finals after replays but he's a lion of a man and he's got a massive heart. And I guarantee you, as sure as I'm sitting here, we'll be back next year. That's the God's honest truth."

Quote from: gallsman on October 02, 2012, 08:49:32 AM
Is Farragher completely done? Is he 30 yet? Remember he was quite young in '05.

He's still hurling well with Castlegar by all accounts and he wouldn't be that old. It's just that he's not enough of an athlete to play the high intensity, hard-tackling game that Cunningham has them playing now. He's still talked about and plenty of people in Galway feel he should be on the panel but I'd be surprised if Cunningham brought him back.

Quote from: FTJC on October 02, 2012, 12:07:20 AM
Have a look at the 5 minute spell from Donnelans goal to his sending off. The game was decided during this period by an erratic ref. It's a shame that poor decision making has left Galway wondering "what might have been..."

Donnelan has his "goal" blown back by a referee that wouldn't give them a free all day instead choosing to give advantage sometimes where there was none...in this case he decided to blow...just as Donnelan was winding for a shot!
A few minutes later Michael Fennelly(yellow carded on 30 mins) timbers Donnelan off the ball as Joe Canning blazes his shot off the bottom of the post.
This incident is clearly caught on camera...how would the game have transpired if it was 15 Galway vs 14 Kilkenny for the remaining 25 minutes???
Donnelans swing back was pure frustration at these incidents that happened him in the previous minutes. When JJ grabbed his hurl he swung back in frustration to release it. He did not intend to catch him on the head. It was pure frustration and poor refereeing led to that frustration

Agree with all of that except that I thought the game was lost after Galway's second goal. They really had to stay ahead at that stage and hopefully bring more of the forwards into play. They had opened up KK twice in quick succession and they (KK) were bound to be jittery and nervous then. Instead KK responded with scores of thir own, as we did  in the LF.

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 02, 2012, 09:41:20 AM

Quote from: gallsman on October 02, 2012, 08:49:32 AM
Is Farragher completely done? Is he 30 yet? Remember he was quite young in '05.

He's still hurling well with Castlegar by all accounts and he wouldn't be that old. It's just that he's not enough of an athlete to play the high intensity, hard-tackling game that Cunningham has them playing now. He's still talked about and plenty of people in Galway feel he should be on the panel but I'd be surprised if Cunningham brought him back.

He mightn't have the work rate of the others, but he'd at least be able to stick it over from distance.
Too many of the Galway forwards' first instinct is to try and go on a solo run when they get the ball. After a while they become easy to predict. The back can stand off, watch the angle of the run and then cut the player off.
Having a couple of gun-players means that they need to be marked tightly all the time.

Yeah he'd have taken a few of the chances that were missed in the two games against Kilkenny and he's worth having another look at after the failure of our forwards to score a point from play unitl the 71st minute. I would guess that Cunningham feels he'd offer nothing defensively and in terms of winning 50/50 balls but his striking is immaculate and if he gets a chance from anywhere he'll usually put it over. It's a pity lads like himself and Cha are surplus to requirements now. IMO they'd have been superstars 20 or 30 years ago when the game was a little less intense. You don't see any lads built like John Troy or Joe Cooney at the top-level anymore either, though I think they'd both be class against  a packed defence.

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 02, 2012, 03:21:15 PM
Yeah he'd have taken a few of the chances that were missed in the two games against Kilkenny and he's worth having another look at after the failure of our forwards to score a point from play unitl the 71st minute. I would guess that Cunningham feels he'd offer nothing defensively and in terms of winning 50/50 balls but his striking is immaculate and if he gets a chance from anywhere he'll usually put it over. It's a pity lads like himself and Cha are surplus to requirements now. IMO they'd have been superstars 20 or 30 years ago when the game was a little less intense. You don't see any lads built like John Troy or Joe Cooney at the top-level anymore either, though I think they'd both be class against  a packed defence.

Defence actually starts with possession and what they do with the ball. KK got a lot of scores off Galway possession. Scoring instead of foosthering would solve a few problems in one go. 

It was a great year of progress really. This time last year I thought a semi final would be good achievement. 

Was he there as much for his free taking ability as anything? Something largely unnecessary with Canning aorund?

Quote from: seafoid on October 02, 2012, 03:44:14 PM

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 02, 2012, 03:21:15 PM
Yeah he'd have taken a few of the chances that were missed in the two games against Kilkenny and he's worth having another look at after the failure of our forwards to score a point from play unitl the 71st minute. I would guess that Cunningham feels he'd offer nothing defensively and in terms of winning 50/50 balls but his striking is immaculate and if he gets a chance from anywhere he'll usually put it over. It's a pity lads like himself and Cha are surplus to requirements now. IMO they'd have been superstars 20 or 30 years ago when the game was a little less intense. You don't see any lads built like John Troy or Joe Cooney at the top-level anymore either, though I think they'd both be class against  a packed defence.

Defence actually starts with possession and what they do with the ball. KK got a lot of scores off Galway possession. Scoring instead of foosthering would solve a few problems in one go. 

It was a great year of progress really. This time last year I thought a semi final would be good achievement.

Yeah Kilkenny got most of their scores from dispossessing the Galway backs and midfielders. Some of the hooking, flicks and blocks were superb but Galway made lots of mistakes too. It was a great year overall and we're well set up for the next few years. Liam will be heading west before too long.

Quote from: gallsman on October 02, 2012, 04:03:16 PM
Was he there as much for his free taking ability as anything? Something largely unnecessary with Canning aorund?

He was deadly with the frees and never missed. This would have left Canning to concentrate on winning ball coming in instead of running round the pitch taking frees.

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on October 02, 2012, 04:08:33 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 02, 2012, 04:03:16 PM
Was he there as much for his free taking ability as anything? Something largely unnecessary with Canning aorund?

He was deadly with the frees and never missed. This would have left Canning to concentrate on winning ball coming in instead of running round the pitch taking frees.

I'd respectfully disagree Milltown. There was a period when Farragher was there taking the frees and Canning didn't play well. Taking frees is a part of Joe's game and something he's always done brilliantly at club and county level and imo it hasn't affected his performances from play. I thought Joe was excellent this year, even in yesterday's game he did a lot of great things while carrying an injury. A lot of people would have him as player of the year. I'm not sure how much some people expect Joe to do sometimes.

Ger Farragher...no thanks...he doesn't work hard enough and is not aggressive enough.

Having Damien Hayes as the extra man around the middle of the field won't work much longer either though. Would prefer to see a player that can have a pop from distance play this role as it'd keep an opposition back line guessing

Quote from: FTJC on October 02, 2012, 06:22:56 PM
Ger Farragher...no thanks...he doesn't work hard enough and is not aggressive enough.

Having Damien Hayes as the extra man around the middle of the field won't work much longer either though. Would prefer to see a player that can have a pop from distance play this role as it'd keep an opposition back line guessing

Fáilte ar ais

Is JC in FTJC  still Joe Sarsfields or does it now refer to  Joe Óg Sarsfields or Joe Portumna ?

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 02, 2012, 04:18:18 PM

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on October 02, 2012, 04:08:33 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 02, 2012, 04:03:16 PM
Was he there as much for his free taking ability as anything? Something largely unnecessary with Canning aorund?

He was deadly with the frees and never missed. This would have left Canning to concentrate on winning ball coming in instead of running round the pitch taking frees.

I'd respectfully disagree Milltown. There was a period when Farragher was there taking the frees and Canning didn't play well. Taking frees is a part of Joe's game and something he's always done brilliantly at club and county level and imo it hasn't affected his performances from play. I thought Joe was excellent this year, even in yesterday's game he did a lot of great things while carrying an injury. A lot of people would have him as player of the year. I'm not sure how much some people expect Joe to do sometimes.

Did you think he wasn't playing well because he wasn't hitting the frees? I know players grow in confidence when knocking over frees but it fairly takes it outta you even when you are fit to run up settle yourself and take the frees all the time, big Joe on the square receiving a well placed ball will get you scores or close in frees when he gets pulled down running in. Again you Galway lads will know a bit more on the senior lads, though to be fair I have a wee bit of knowledge on the TAD team ;)

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on October 02, 2012, 08:37:50 PM

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 02, 2012, 04:18:18 PM

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on October 02, 2012, 04:08:33 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 02, 2012, 04:03:16 PM
Was he there as much for his free taking ability as anything? Something largely unnecessary with Canning around?

He was deadly with the frees and never missed. This would have left Canning to concentrate on winning ball coming in instead of running round the pitch taking frees.

I'd respectfully disagree Milltown. There was a period when Far ragher was there taking the frees and Canning didn't play well. Taking frees is a part of Joe's game and something he's always done brilliantly at club and county level and IMO it hasn't affected his performances from play. I thought Joe was excellent this year, even in yesterday's game he did a lot of great things while carrying an injury. A lot of people would have him as player of the year. I'm not sure how much some people expect Joe to do sometimes.

Did you think he wasn't playing well because he wasn't hitting the frees? I know players grow in confidence when knocking over frees but it fairly takes it outta you even when you are fit to run up settle yourself and take the frees all the time, big Joe on the square receiving a well placed ball will get you scores or close in frees when he gets pulled down running in. Again you Galway lads will know a bit more on the senior lads, though to be fair I have a wee bit of knowledge on the TAD team ;)
[/quot

Joe has been brilliant this year and is one of the best free takers around. but there was one league campaign for galway when Farragher was popping them over from every where. ill never forget it sideline cuts, 8o yards ,tight angles from both sides it was unreal the stuff he was doing. but he disappeared apart from dead balls. Funny thing is i think last year he was putting in more effort from play.

while we are on galway players what the hell happened to keryl wade, he was the best minor i ever seen, dare i say it better than Joe

Tynagh / Abbey-Duniry? I'm a long way from home but I try to keep an eye on the club scene in Galway. I'd say they were very disappointed with how they went this year. Took a few heavy beatings and their two brightest prospects, Maloney and Brehony seemed to lose their form completely. Hopefully for Galway's and TAD's sakes they'll be back to themselves next year.

And to answer your question Milltown - yes, I thought Joe didn't play as well because he wasn't taking the frees. He strugled to get into those games.

From Hoganstand.com
Kenny lauds Canning courage     02 October 2012

The full forward went into the All-Ireland final replay with ligament damage on the side of his knee but still played the full 70 minutes.

Kenny told The Mirror: "Our medical team had to go fairly hard to get him ready for that game.

"We were delighted he was able to start for us and he managed to come through - credit to Joe for going through all that.

"It wasn't an impact, just something he picked up in training, call it an over-use injury or whatever.

"Our medical team had to work very, very hard. Dr Dan Murphy and Jerry Reilly, our physio in the clinic in Galway, to get the guys right for the final.

"Leinster finals, All-Ireland semi-finals, All-Ireland finals are big matches. So you have to get your best players out on the pitch and these guys have got to make themselves available.

"Under the circumstances, they performed very well, I thought."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In light of this I feel that Joe still deserves to win hurler of the year, an award he was favorite for before Sunday. Henry will probably get it though, and no one could argue with that.

Sunday Game panel suggested candiates should be Joe, Henry and Brian Hogan. I think any of them would be deserving winners. The difference Brian Hogan made to the KK defence after returning cannot be overstated. He seems to improve year on year. Henry's performances in the two finals might nick it for him.

Quote from: seafoid on October 02, 2012, 06:37:05 PM

Quote from: FTJC on October 02, 2012, 06:22:56 PM
Ger Farragher...no thanks...he doesn't work hard enough and is not aggressive enough.

Having Damien Hayes as the extra man around the middle of the field won't work much longer either though. Would prefer to see a player that can have a pop from distance play this role as it'd keep an opposition back line guessing

Fáilte ar ais

Is JC in FTJC  still Joe Sarsfields or does it now refer to  Joe Óg Sarsfields or Joe Portumna ?

Still the original of the species. Neither of the current JC's would lace his boots...yet

Quote from: FTJC on October 04, 2012, 04:13:36 AM

Quote from: seafoid on October 02, 2012, 06:37:05 PM

Quote from: FTJC on October 02, 2012, 06:22:56 PM
Ger Farragher...no thanks...he doesn't work hard enough and is not aggressive enough.

Having Damien Hayes as the extra man around the middle of the field won't work much longer either though. Would prefer to see a player that can have a pop from distance play this role as it'd keep an opposition back line guessing

Fáilte ar ais

Is JC in FTJC  still Joe Sarsfields or does it now refer to  Joe Óg Sarsfields or Joe Portumna ?

Still the original of the species. Neither of the current JC's would lace his boots...yet

Joe Og, no. Other JC, probably better. IMHO, post-1990 the original was never quite as good as what we had seen to that point. The current JC hasn't reached that age or stage yet, but there's been very few games indeed where he wasn't relevant to the play.

That's right mouview. Between the final in'90 where Joe was brilliant and the semi in '91 against Tipp where he was anonymous, Joe seemed to put on a stone or two which he never lost. After that he was never a major force at county level again even though he would only have been in his mid-twenties. He was still the best club-hurler in the country during the 90's despite being out of shape which shows what an amazing talent he was.

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 04, 2012, 03:48:46 PM
That's right mouview. Between the final in'90 where Joe was brilliant and the semi in '91 against Tipp where he was anonymous, Joe seemed to put on a stone or two which he never lost. After that he was never a major force at county level again even though he would only have been in his mid-twenties. He was still the best club-hurler in the country during the 90's despite being out of shape which shows what an amazing talent he was.

Watching him in action down in Kenny Park long after the late 80s was always a pleasure. He was an amazing hurler.

any Galway lads able to say why John Lee was left off the panel?
I thought he was the best or among the best CHB around a few years ago.
Most prob he wasnt committed or fit/fast enough for Cunninghams new regieme - but I'd say he was certanly fecking tough enough and could play!

Quote from: camanchero on October 05, 2012, 03:49:59 PM
any Galway lads able to say why John Lee was left off the panel?

Well the past few years he's been studying to be a doctor so his medical studies took up a lot of his time. His physical conditioning went downhill a bit as well as he probably couldn't do the full amount of training he wanted to. Last time I saw him he was a fair bit over his ideal weight for intercounty hurling. Think he left the panel in 2009 or 2010 and hasn't been back since. No real word on him coming back either whereas everyone expect Shane Kavanagh to be asked back over the winter.

thanks for that. If he ever got back and as fit as the present managment require- he's be some addition !

Having a second look at the match. Now, I'm not complaining about the result, the better team won but I noticed a couple of things. One was how Eoin Larkin won the first free by grabbing Tony Og's hurl between his upper arm and body then wrapping it round himself before diving to the turf. Fierce cute but as dishonest as anything you'd see in a Madrid derby.

The second thing is how soft Kilkenny's first goal was. Skehill said after the game he would normally have caught Larkin's shot and when I saw it again I thought it was very soft. Injuries took a fair toll between Skehill, Canning, Tannian and Donoghue. Kilkenny deserved their win and I think they'd have won anyway but Galway battled well in the circumstances and this team has a huge future. I can't wait for next summer.

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 09, 2012, 03:29:32 PM
Galway battled well in the circumstances and this team has a huge future. I can't wait for next summer.

Sounds like what I heard in 2001 and 2005 as well!

Quote from: Premier Emperor on October 09, 2012, 03:36:28 PM

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 09, 2012, 03:29:32 PM
Galway battled well in the circumstances and this team has a huge future. I can't wait for next summer.

Sounds like what I heard in 2001 and 2005 as well!

Do you ever post anything at here that isn't a dig at Galway?

You can do that on Premier View with the rest of the apes.

Not fair. Sometimes he takes a dig at Kilkenny. Unfortunately Offaly have fallen completely off the radar :D

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 09, 2012, 03:29:32 PM
Having a second look at the match. Now, I'm not complaining about the result, the better team won but I noticed a couple of things. One was how Eoin Larkin won the first free by grabbing Tony Og's hurl between his upper arm and body then wrapping it round himself before diving to the turf. Fierce cute but as dishonest as anything you'd see in a Madrid derby.

That one was obvious from the Hill end of the Hogan. I remember Barry Kelly nabbing Larkin early for the exact same thing in the drawn game, pity McGrath wasn't at the races.

Quote from: AZOffaly on October 09, 2012, 04:03:14 PM
Not fair. Sometimes he takes a dig at Kilkenny. Unfortunately Offaly have fallen completely off the radar :D

Offaly people are too busy following Kilkenny to worry about their own county!

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on October 09, 2012, 03:56:11 PM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on October 09, 2012, 03:36:28 PM

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 09, 2012, 03:29:32 PM
Galway battled well in the circumstances and this team has a huge future. I can't wait for next summer.

Sounds like what I heard in 2001 and 2005 as well!

Do you ever post anything at here that isn't a dig at Galway?

You can do that on Premier View with the rest of the apes.

One man's dig is another man's reality check.

Quote from: Premier Emperor on October 10, 2012, 09:44:20 AM

Quote from: AZOffaly on October 09, 2012, 04:03:14 PM
Not fair. Sometimes he takes a dig at Kilkenny. Unfortunately Offaly have fallen completely off the radar :D

Offaly people are too busy following Kilkenny to worry about their own county!

Yeah sure. Whereas Tipp people can't accept that Kilkenny are on a different planet to ye at the moment.

Quote from: Premier Emperor on October 10, 2012, 09:44:20 AM

Quote from: AZOffaly on October 09, 2012, 04:03:14 PM
Not fair. Sometimes he takes a dig at Kilkenny. Unfortunately Offaly have fallen completely off the radar :D

Offaly people are too busy following Kilkenny to worry about their own county!

Nearly as bad as a Leinster man following Munster :P

Quote from: Premier Emperor on October 10, 2012, 09:45:23 AM

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on October 09, 2012, 03:56:11 PM

Quote from: Premier Emperor on October 09, 2012, 03:36:28 PM

Quote from: Asal Mor on October 09, 2012, 03:29:32 PM
Galway battled well in the circumstances and this team has a huge future. I can't wait for next summer.

Sounds like what I heard in 2001 and 2005 as well!

Do you ever post anything at here that isn't a dig at Galway?

You can do that on Premier View with the rest of the apes.

One man's dig is another man's reality check.

You're good crack PE. A tipp man talking about reality checks.