PP have Galway slight favourites at 10/11 with Laois at 11/10
Galway have had some bad results against Laois in recent years so its about time we changed that.
It will be a totally unrecognisable back line with probably 4 backs making their 1st league start. I don't think anyone from Galway will be going into the game feeling overconfident, will Laois have a similar team to last year or will there be plenty of new faces?
Laois are also missing a good few players ....Quigley in midfield is suspended for first two games which is a massive loss.
Attride,McMahon,Healy, and O'Leary are all not playing football this year which leaves the back line short.
Conor Boyle and James Finn are missing from the forwards they are working away and can't commit.
They do however have some of the Portlaoise lads back and they are all good footballers especially Cahillanne.
Laois have an incredicle record against Galway over the years but this is too hard to call.
Could and should be a good open game of football maybe with Laois just getting over the line if they can keep goals out!
A win over laois would be a super start
Quote from: seafoid on January 27, 2016, 11:57:09 AM
A win over laois would be a super start
Post of the year.
We have a very poor record against Laois in recent years. Hard to explain really as we've regularly enough beaten better teams than them during the same time period. Just one of those things I guess. I think they might beat us again this weekend too.
Quote from: Unlaoised on January 27, 2016, 11:03:31 AM
Laois are also missing a good few players ....Quigley in midfield is suspended for first two games which is a massive loss.
Attride,McMahon,Healy, and O'Leary are all not playing football this year which leaves the back line short.
Conor Boyle and James Finn are missing from the forwards they are working away and can't commit.
They do however have some of the Portlaoise lads back and they are all good footballers especially Cahillanne.
Laois have an incredicle record against Galway over the years but this is too hard to call.
Could and should be a good open game of football maybe with Laois just getting over the line if they can keep goals out!
I don't think Quigley is a big loss for Laois, although he has some tremendous attributes I always feel his work rate for a midfielder leaves a lot to be desired and his failure to track runners would have been a major weakness against a midfield like Galways. Meaney and O'Loughlin could make a more effective partnership in the long run with Quigley being an option on the bench if struggling to win kickouts.
Evan O'Carroll should be available for Laois with NUIM being out of the Sigerson, that should be a bonus too as he is a serious prospect.
Galway have one win from the last 8 league games against Laois, thats a very strange oddity that needs changing
It looks like there will only be 5 starters this weekend from last years game against Laois so it shows how many players we have missing. I'm hoping we can turn this into a positive and we find new players that put pressure on some of the bigger names who won't be playing this weekend like Bradshaw, Hanley & Sice.
Kevin Walsh called for consistency in our performances after last years game against Donegal; Last years campaign probably had 5 good performances and 2 poor performances at home to Laois & Cavan that ultimately cost Galway promotion.
What's the story with Maughan for Galway? I see he played a fbd game, will he be able to make the step up to senior?
No, too slow, not mobile enough, too injury-prone also.
Those odds on Laois look great value, sadly. At the risk of sounding like a parrot, this is a dreadfully ordinary Galway squad, injuries not withstanding. Untried defence, hot and cold midfield, turgid not free-scoring forwards. Just incapable of playing with any flair or elan these days.
On a side note, St. Jarlaths, (only Galway school in the A c'ship), copped a hiding from St. Muiredachs the other day and are out. This would be practically unthinkable going back 15+ years ago and is rather symptomatic of the decline of the game in North Galway and the county in general.
All the pressure seems to be on Comers to carry the forwards along with him, he is a terrific footballer, maybe a fit Walsh will take some of the pressure off him, outside of that Galway do look very ordinary
Galway team v Laois
Thomas Dolan (Athenry)
David Wynne (Moycullen)
Declan Kyne (An Fhairche)
Eoghan Kerin (Annaghdown)
Liam Silke (Corofin)
Gary O'Donnell (Tuam Stars)
Johnny Heaney (Killanin)
Paul Conroy (St James)
Fiontain O'Curraoin (Michael Breathnach)
Tom Flynn (Athenry)
Eddie Hoare (St Michael's)
Enda Tierney (Oughterard)
Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks)
Eamon Brannigan (St Michael's)
Fairly inexperienced Galway side. Half of them hardly featured at all last year.
Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on January 29, 2016, 07:30:52 PM
Galway team v Laois
Thomas Dolan (Athenry)
David Wynne (Moycullen)
Declan Kyne (An Fhairche)
Eoghan Kerin (Annaghdown)
Liam Silke (Corofin)
Gary O'Donnell (Tuam Stars)
Johnny Heaney (Killanin)
Paul Conroy (St James)
Fiontain O'Curraoin (Michael Breathnach)
Tom Flynn (Athenry)
Eddie Hoare (St Michael's)
Enda Tierney (Oughterard)
Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks)
Eamon Brannigan (St Michael's)
Fairly inexperienced Galway side. Half of them hardly featured at all last year.
Is that the same team that started the FBD final last Sunday?
Debutant goalie. FB line looks horrific. HF line poor enough also. HB line / midfield as good as could be hoped for. Any idea what's on the bench?
Quote from: mouview on January 29, 2016, 08:03:47 PM
Debutant goalie. FB line looks horrific. HF line poor enough also. HB line / midfield as good as could be hoped for. Any idea what's on the bench?
Same team as last week bar the keeper. All 3 in the FB line deserve their chance based on what we seen through the FBD. Would be great to get the win on Sun and settle the team ahead of the two tough following games.
Quote from: mouview on January 29, 2016, 08:03:47 PM
Debutant goalie. FB line looks horrific. HF line poor enough also. HB line / midfield as good as could be hoped for. Any idea what's on the bench?
Great to see 2 Athenry men lining out
Galway are starting the same 15 as the FBD final, we've made eight changes from our team. I guess the FBD matters more to the lower down teams.
Quote from: Syferus on January 29, 2016, 09:25:44 PM
Galway are starting the same 15 as the FBD final, we've made eight changes from our team. I guess the FBD matters more to the lower down teams.
Smart arse condescending comment as usual. You just can't resist can you! So full of sh*t it's not even funny.
In actual fact it was always going to be a similar team for the simple fact that the squad is severely depleted with injuries.
Nothing to do with taking the FBD seriously or otherwise.
Quote from: galwayman on January 29, 2016, 11:52:09 PM
Quote from: Syferus on January 29, 2016, 09:25:44 PM
Galway are starting the same 15 as the FBD final, we've made eight changes from our team. I guess the FBD matters more to the lower down teams.
Smart arse condescending comment as usual. You just can't resist can you! So full of sh*t it's not even funny.
In actual fact it was always going to be a similar team for the simple fact that the squad is severely depleted with injuries.
Nothing to do with taking the FBD seriously or otherwise.
::)
Lighten up ladeen. It was a joke.
Our panel is probably more depleted but we still rested most of those who'd be starting this weekend so there was a clear difference in approach by both counties.
Quote from: seafoid on January 29, 2016, 09:21:02 PM
Quote from: mouview on January 29, 2016, 08:03:47 PM
Debutant goalie. FB line looks horrific. HF line poor enough also. HB line / midfield as good as could be hoped for. Any idea what's on the bench?
Great to see 2 Athenry men lining out
No. Respect to Athenry, but it would be greater to see 2 each from Milltown, Dunmore, Tuam, Mountbellew, Annaghd..(oh, wait, they have 2), Carraroe, Killererin, Salthill, Cortoon etc. Galway has to get back to the stage where it is a mark of honour, a status symbol for a player and a club to have a man or men on the team, it has to be an ultimate achievement for 'caps' to be handed out.
I repeat, absolutely no disrespect to any of the lads selected or their clubs, but our standards have to be higher now to make real progress. The traditional 'heartland' clubs have to stir themselves again to emerge from 'slumber deep'.
Quote from: mouview on January 30, 2016, 12:47:05 AM
Quote from: seafoid on January 29, 2016, 09:21:02 PM
Quote from: mouview on January 29, 2016, 08:03:47 PM
Debutant goalie. FB line looks horrific. HF line poor enough also. HB line / midfield as good as could be hoped for. Any idea what's on the bench?
Great to see 2 Athenry men lining out
No. Respect to Athenry, but it would be greater to see 2 each from Milltown, Dunmore, Tuam, Mountbellew, Annaghd..(oh, wait, they have 2), Carraroe, Killererin, Salthill, Cortoon etc. Galway has to get back to the stage where it is a mark of honour, a status symbol for a player and a club to have a man or men on the team, it has to be an ultimate achievement for 'caps' to be handed out.
I repeat, absolutely no disrespect to any of the lads selected or their clubs, but our standards have to be higher now to make real progress. The traditional 'heartland' clubs have to stir themselves again to emerge from 'slumber deep'.
I think the Athenry angle is down to economics and migration of football people to the commuting areas. I agree on the caps thing. Galway seems to go through these phases of deep mediocrity (but we can always bate Roscommon( and then every so often the sublime comes along.
Quote from: Syferus on January 30, 2016, 12:06:41 AM
Quote from: galwayman on January 29, 2016, 11:52:09 PM
Quote from: Syferus on January 29, 2016, 09:25:44 PM
Galway are starting the same 15 as the FBD final, we've made eight changes from our team. I guess the FBD matters more to the lower down teams.
Smart arse condescending comment as usual. You just can't resist can you! So full of sh*t it's not even funny.
In actual fact it was always going to be a similar team for the simple fact that the squad is severely depleted with injuries.
Nothing to do with taking the FBD seriously or otherwise.
::)
Lighten up ladeen. It was a joke.
Our panel is probably more depleted but we still rested most of those who'd be starting this weekend so there was a clear difference in approach by both counties.
Galway used over 30 players in the FBD and in addition there must be about 10 players who would be on the panel unavailable for various reasons. KW obviously used the final for preparation for this weeks game and no doubt we'll see plenty of other changes as the weeks go on as others are given a chance and some of the experienced heads return from injury.
Only 7 of the players who started against Donegal last August start tomorrow.
Quote from: Syferus on January 29, 2016, 09:25:44 PM
Galway are starting the same 15 as the FBD final, we've made eight changes from our team. I guess the FBD matters more to the lower down teams.
Fcuk off with your Roscommon shite somewhere else, no one cares.
Quote from: mouview on January 30, 2016, 12:47:05 AM
Quote from: seafoid on January 29, 2016, 09:21:02 PM
Quote from: mouview on January 29, 2016, 08:03:47 PM
Debutant goalie. FB line looks horrific. HF line poor enough also. HB line / midfield as good as could be hoped for. Any idea what's on the bench?
Great to see 2 Athenry men lining out
No. Respect to Athenry, but it would be greater to see 2 each from Milltown, Dunmore, Tuam, Mountbellew, Annaghd..(oh, wait, they have 2), Carraroe, Killererin, Salthill, Cortoon etc. Galway has to get back to the stage where it is a mark of honour, a status symbol for a player and a club to have a man or men on the team, it has to be an ultimate achievement for 'caps' to be handed out.
I repeat, absolutely no disrespect to any of the lads selected or their clubs, but our standards have to be higher now to make real progress. The traditional 'heartland' clubs have to stir themselves again to emerge from 'slumber deep'.
You are absolutely being disrespectful to those players and clubs. If a player is good enough he should start. Just because he's from the same club as Ray Silke or Derek savage means nothing.
Why would it be better to have two each from North Galway clubs Mr. Brehony? For years if you weren't from North Galway you wouldn't get a sniff. At least bit more of a meritocracy there now.
Have you watched club football in Galway? Not many putting their hands up.
This year we'll get more out of the Corofin lads so it could be interesting
Quote from: DJGaliv on January 30, 2016, 04:26:53 PM
Quote from: mouview on January 30, 2016, 12:47:05 AM
Quote from: seafoid on January 29, 2016, 09:21:02 PM
Quote from: mouview on January 29, 2016, 08:03:47 PM
Debutant goalie. FB line looks horrific. HF line poor enough also. HB line / midfield as good as could be hoped for. Any idea what's on the bench?
Great to see 2 Athenry men lining out
No. Respect to Athenry, but it would be greater to see 2 each from Milltown, Dunmore, Tuam, Mountbellew, Annaghd..(oh, wait, they have 2), Carraroe, Killererin, Salthill, Cortoon etc. Galway has to get back to the stage where it is a mark of honour, a status symbol for a player and a club to have a man or men on the team, it has to be an ultimate achievement for 'caps' to be handed out.
I repeat, absolutely no disrespect to any of the lads selected or their clubs, but our standards have to be higher now to make real progress. The traditional 'heartland' clubs have to stir themselves again to emerge from 'slumber deep'.
You are absolutely being disrespectful to those players and clubs. If a player is good enough he should start. Just because he's from the same club as Ray Silke or Derek savage means nothing.
Why would it be better to have two each from North Galway clubs Mr. Brehony? For years if you weren't from North Galway you wouldn't get a sniff. At least bit more of a meritocracy there now.
Have you watched club football in Galway? Not many putting their hands up.
As I said, I don't mean any disrespect to them at all. Maybe more my point is that it's a damnation of how far North Galway clubs have fallen from prominence that they are producing very few players good enough to wear the jersey. This is still where the game is strongest and it's very difficult to see how the county can ever win anything without a contingent from this area - they never have in the past.
Similarly, could you imagine Galway winning a hurling final with all players from north of Athenry or west of Galway city?
Quote from: laoislad on January 30, 2016, 03:53:31 PM
Quote from: Syferus on January 29, 2016, 09:25:44 PM
Galway are starting the same 15 as the FBD final, we've made eight changes from our team. I guess the FBD matters more to the lower down teams.
Fcuk off with your Roscommon shite somewhere else, no one cares.
;D
Quote from: laoislad on January 30, 2016, 03:53:31 PM
Quote from: Syferus on January 29, 2016, 09:25:44 PM
Galway are starting the same 15 as the FBD final, we've made eight changes from our team. I guess the FBD matters more to the lower down teams.
Fcuk off with your Roscommon shite somewhere else, no one cares.
;D brilliant post
Did I hear Galway are ahead 2-6 to 0-1? Is there a strong wind or have Galway just exploded out of the traps?
Galway playing well but Laois were shocking in that first half. Comer and Varley with the goals. Kingston missed an early penalty.
Quote from: Zulu on January 31, 2016, 02:46:34 PM
Did I hear Galway are ahead 2-6 to 0-1? Is there a strong wind or have Galway just exploded out of the traps?
Galway were actually against the wind in the first half.
Damien Comer with his 2nd goal just now.
3.11 is a super score
FT
Laois 1-10 Galway 3-12
Game virtually over at HT. Galway had an 11 point lead with the wind to come in the 2nd half. On the debit side they lost the 2nd half by 1-9 to 1-6. Probably took the foot off the gas a little even though it's cost them in the past doing that.
Considering past results this really is a super win. The only Connacht county to win on top.
Great to get the win and a decent team performance all round. Comer and Varley were way too much to handle for any of the Laois backs and the majority of the debutants had their moments. Laois improved a little in the second half but the game was out of their reach by then. Based on today, they will do well to avoid relegation - need some of their more experienced guys back ASAP. Tyrone at home next for our lads and that should give us a better idea of where we are at right now with this very inexperienced team.
Positive start definitely. Plenty of tougher tests ahead now.
Couldn't make Portlaoise today in the end as had club training but I would be concerned about our current fb line. Don't think Kyne is up to it in our problem position & also believe that Kerin in the corner is too small and light for county.he can be exposed by bigger forwards.
I havent seen much of the other corner man Wynne from Moycullen so will be interested to see him in action now.
Quote from: galwayman on January 31, 2016, 08:20:27 PM
Positive start definitely. Plenty of tougher tests ahead now.
Couldn't make Portlaoise today in the end as had club training but I would be concerned about our current fb line. Don't think Kyne is up to it in our problem position & also believe that Kerin in the corner is too small and light for county.he can be exposed by bigger forwards.
I havent seen much of the other corner man Wynne from Moycullen so will be interested to see him in action now.
Presumably they would hope to have Cathal Sweeney back in time for the championship? I know with his injury he's not expected to play much if at all in the league anyway.
Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on January 31, 2016, 08:28:46 PM
Quote from: galwayman on January 31, 2016, 08:20:27 PM
Positive start definitely. Plenty of tougher tests ahead now.
Couldn't make Portlaoise today in the end as had club training but I would be concerned about our current fb line. Don't think Kyne is up to it in our problem position & also believe that Kerin in the corner is too small and light for county.he can be exposed by bigger forwards.
I havent seen much of the other corner man Wynne from Moycullen so will be interested to see him in action now.
Presumably they would hope to have Cathal Sweeney back in time for the championship? I know with his injury he's not expected to play much if at all in the league anyway.
Did well last year but I think he might need a good league behind him to have a good year.
Wynne looks good going forward but he was extremely loose in the FBD final. Not so sure corner back is his best position. Where does he play for his club?
I would be feeling very negative about the year ahead if I was a Laois fan this evening as this Galway team are definitely no great shakes.
Quote from: mckieran on January 31, 2016, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on January 31, 2016, 08:28:46 PM
Quote from: galwayman on January 31, 2016, 08:20:27 PM
Positive start definitely. Plenty of tougher tests ahead now.
Couldn't make Portlaoise today in the end as had club training but I would be concerned about our current fb line. Don't think Kyne is up to it in our problem position & also believe that Kerin in the corner is too small and light for county.he can be exposed by bigger forwards.
I havent seen much of the other corner man Wynne from Moycullen so will be interested to see him in action now.
Presumably they would hope to have Cathal Sweeney back in time for the championship? I know with his injury he's not expected to play much if at all in the league anyway.
Did well last year but I think he might need a good league behind him to have a good year.
Wynne looks good going forward but he was extremely loose in the FBD final. Not so sure corner back is his best position. Where does he play for his club?
I would be feeling very negative about the year ahead if I was a Laois fan this evening as this Galway team are definitely no great shakes.
There wasn't many of us being positive even before yesterday's game
A good start to the league especially considering its a game where many were predicting Galway to get beat, I doubt anyone will be getting carried away. From the team picture it looked like Flynn & O'Currain looked to have filled out whilst Conroy looks a bit trimmer than he has done previously.
Peter Cooke is obviously in KW's plans with him coming on as a sub. A big test lies ahead next week against Tyrone where we'll find out a lot more about this fullback line.
I do remember a few predicting on here last year that Cathal Sweeney would be found out in the championship despite good league performances.