Babhta 3 Tyrone V Galway Saturday 7th March 2009

[INDIANA]

Galway appear to be bigger challengers than people realise.

[Farrandeelin]

Galway appear to be bigger challengers than people realise.

True, the hoors you can't write them off.

[ross matt]

Thought it was a decent match considering the atrocious conditions. Both sides competed well and their intention was to play quality football at all times. Galway deserved their win and should have won by more had they taken all their chances. Meehan (who had a good 1st half) missed a few chances in the 2nd and just before half time Conroy should have goaled when he was put through after a sublime pass by Joyce (who scored a brilliant point at the finish) but he kicked it straight at Devine from 10yds out.

Galway defenders tackled well. Hanley did well on Cavanagh. Mullaghly (what an engine)  and Bradshaw were excellent. They'll have some backline when the Corofin contingent return. Apart from their stlylish brand of football Sammon has added some steel to them. They funnelled men behind the ball tonight and used the short handpass/keep ball tactic until they got past midfield. Bergin grew in to the match as it progressed and hit 2 massive points against the wind in the 2nd half as well as winning some clean high catches. If he stays injury free and mans the middle for the summer they're definitely massive favourites for the Connacht championship and potential last 4 AI finishers.

Tyrone however were missing players and were'nt as cohesive as you'd normally expect them to be. They turned over alot of balls by opting to kick long over the top only for it to be cut out by the likes of Blake, Hanly etc. They did'nt look as hungry as their opponents which is understandable and in the longterm scheme of things tonight's loss will hardly bother them too much although I'm sure they'll want to retain top flight status in the league.

[leenie]

cavanagh and mc gingley hardly sniffed the ball, brian mcguigan didn't get the chance to play...

game was grand couldn't have expected more what with them conditions, pitch was tore up by the end..

fair play to galway..

[clarshack]

very disapppointing performance. i know the conditions were terrible but the likes of sean cavanagh should be doing better than what we witnessed tonight. the forward line in general was quite poor and players like manies devlin (not being biased), snowy o'neill and jason mcanulla must be wondering what they have to do to get a game.

[Rodman]

fancied tyrone to go on and win it when they drew level but fair play to Galway, they dug in well to get the result.  TMG had good chance to draw it and really should of done better. I know Cavanagh was excellent at FF last year but think we need him at MF where he gets more space and not as tightly marked. I think Cavanagh's 14 yard free could possibly have been the worst ever taken in an inter county game!!

[ardmhachaabu]

All Ireland champions lose 2 in a row shocker

[GalwayBayBoy]

As for ourselves thought Bergin, Hanley, Bradshaw and Conroy were excellent. Mullahy good. Meehan had a very good first half. Quieter in the second. Nicky didn't score from play but was busy and took his frees. Armstrong and Bane quiet enough. PJ sprayed the passes around and got the clinching point. Cullinane did well after he came on. Defence was good overall. Tyrone didn't really have any goal chances. Thought we overdid the long kick passing at times into the forwards. In those conditions you are better off controlling possession a little and shortening your game. Any misplaced kick goes flying off the surface in treacherous conditions like that.

[mouview]

Glad I took the odds at 2/1 !  I was absolutely delighted to see Tyrone defeat Kerry last September but with the greatest respect to them tonight's game reinforced my suspicion that they are quite an ordinary team with average forwards, although SoN would have been a big addition. Galway are far from the finished article but showed commendable determination when brought back level and their work rate was good all through. Should have been out of sight by the end however.

[GaillimhIarthair]

Definitely played too many long hopeful balls into the forward line early in the first half but thought we smartened up the longer the game went on.  Should have been a lot more comfortable on the score board at HT but showed great resolve to kick the last 2 scores and eek out a good win in the end.  Bradshaw, Bergin, Conroy and Meehan the pick of the Galway lads.  Great clincher by PJ off his "standing" foot to seal the win!

[RedandGreenSniper]

Galway looked good tonight in conditions that you would think Tyrone would be more adept in. Meehan had an excellent first half, Bradshaw tremendous throughout and Paul Conroy was immense in the second half. Mullahy, Coyne, Hanley and Bergin put in good shifts too. The two Joyces showed good flashes but, worryingly, Armstrong and Bane were quiet. Ironically it was probably a game much more suited to the much maligned Fiachra.

A lot of poor performances from Tyrone. Not too many of the lads on audition put their hands up for further consideration. It looks like its just not gonna happen for poor Ray Mulgrew. Young McCarron at wing-back looked a bit light and Peter Donnelly, even in the weather like tonight, was way too loose and lacking in pace for P Joyce.

Anyway let their be no doubt, Galway at even money to win Connacht is the bet of the year given that Mayo and Ros are on the other side of the draw.
Also 2/1 for tonight was a great price for Galway. Glad I took that for my accum!

One final thought - I saw the Dublin game and I was amazed how Liam Sammon refused to funnel men behind the ball when Galway were well clear - the veyr time you could and probably should close out a game. I thought it was naive but tonight he was practical and got men behind the ball to good effect so perhaps he's not the naive coach many thought - he's a football coach but can cut his cloth to suit his measure. They're at the front of the queue behind Kerry and Tyrone for All-Ireland contenders.

[INDIANA]

I'd agree with that I'm going to throw a punt on them. there is no-one else outside kerry and tyrone who could possibly pull it off.

[An Fhairche Abu]

Definitely played too many long hopeful balls into the forward line early in the first half but thought we smartened up the longer the game went on.  Should have been a lot more comfortable on the score board at HT but showed great resolve to kick the last 2 scores and eek out a good win in the end.  Bradshaw, Bergin, Conroy and Meehan the pick of the Galway lads.  Great clincher by PJ off his "standing" foot to seal the win!

I'd agree that Galway played the conditions better as the game wore on, most people would have put the money on Tyrone to adapt better to the conditions but I thought we performed best of the two teams in the appalling weather.

Tyrone were missing a lot of their top players and it showed, Galway were the better team for large parts of the game and should really have been much further ahead at half time. When the scores got level at 8 points each in the second half it was set up for the home team to grind it out but Galway came well again and should have won by a few more than the 2 points. Bergin, Bradshaw and Conroy were excellent, with Meehan also very good in the first half bar the missed free although he was quieter after the break.

A great two points to pick up on the road and I think after tonight we can look ahead to perhaps trying to get to the league final now, obviously nothing to get carried away about at this time of year but beating the all Ireland champs in their own backyard definitely shows we are moving in the right direction.

Kudos to the hardcore supporters who went out in that weather tonight to attend the match, brutal conditions.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Glad I took the odds at 2/1 !  I was absolutely delighted to see Tyrone defeat Kerry last September but with the greatest respect to them tonight's game reinforced my suspicion that they are quite an ordinary team with average forwards, although SoN would have been a big addition. Galway are far from the finished article but showed commendable determination when brought back level and their work rate was good all through. Should have been out of sight by the end however.

Wonder what that makes some of the other counties in Ireland. It was a league game on a shit night on a shit pitch (why do we want to play Armagh there?) with Dooher/O'Neill/Joe McMahon/Jordan/Ricey etc missing. Wouldnt read to much into it. We had too many nice footballers on tonight for those conditions.

[orangeman]

Glad I took the odds at 2/1 !  I was absolutely delighted to see Tyrone defeat Kerry last September but with the greatest respect to them tonight's game reinforced my suspicion that they are quite an ordinary team with average forwards, although SoN would have been a big addition. Galway are far from the finished article but showed commendable determination when brought back level and their work rate was good all through. Should have been out of sight by the end however.
[/quote


Average team alright - just makes you wonder how they've won 3 AIs recently - it must give other "average" teams a lot of encouragement.