Have Galway been found out?

[GalwayBayBoy]

We're in the same place we were before the league began. In a chasing pack behind Tyrone and Kerry. Some would say a fair distance behind.

And it should be remembered we did only miss out on the league final on points difference. It just seems disappointing as we lost our last two games so we didn't exactly finish on a high. That said we had a very difficult schedule of games with having to go away to Tyrone, Kerry and Derry in the one campaign. I didn't even expect us to even compete for a league final place to be honest.

Midfield is probably going to let us down at some stage. The last day Kerry won 13 out of 16 kickouts in the first half alone. You can't expect to win big games on numbers like that. Barry Cullinane is a huge physical presence but not much of a footballer while Joe Bergin is a very good footballer he's probably a better half-forward than a midfielder. A young Kevin Walsh would improve that Galway team immeasurably. Unfortunately he's now retired and managing Sligo. Something maybe to be learned from Tyrone who don't have a huge midfield that catches much clean ball but they always get such numbers in there they usually win enough possession to win games.

If we were to play well I think we could probably beat anyone on our day but difficult to see how we can get over the Kerry hump at the moment. Going one on one with them just plays into their hands but I can't see Sammon adopting any other policy.

That said I think we'll probably be in the quarter-finals come August. After that it depends on the luck of the draw and how you play on the day but I don't expect Sam to be going anywhere other than to either Kerry or Tyrone in September although someone else might sneak into the final if the cards fall their way.

[IolarCoisCuain]

April is on the early side for teams to be getting found out. Discount Galway at your absolute peril. I'd put them in the first tier with Kerry and Tyrone. Their forwards are second only to Kerry's and I'd take their midfield bellyaching with a pinch of salt. Seán Fada Ó Domhnaill was no Jack O'Shea but he has the All-Ireland medal just the same. No one with sense is looking forward to playing Galway once the meadow is cut.

[magpie seanie]

There was too much positive overreaction to Galway's early league performances, just as there is too much negative overreaction now to their last two defeats.

[RedandGreenSniper]

There was too much positive overreaction to Galway's early league performances, just as there is too much negative overreaction now to their last two defeats.

Indeed. And I was guilty of the former after seeing them against Dublin. There really is a very level playing field this year with Kerry able to beat everyone bar Tyrone and Tyrone themselves far from able to beat everyone.

[galwayman]

Their forwards are second only to Kerry's

The above quote imo is simply a myth that has been hanging round since the days of John O'Mahoney. Back then fair enough we had a serious forward line - Padraig Joyce, Michael Donnellan, Derek Savage, Niall Finnegan, Ja Fallon, Paul Clancy.
If you look at our attack nowadays then Michael Meehan is the only player in the same league as the above mentioned. Padraig Joyce still produces moments of magic but is not the same player he was circa 2001.
The reason we will struggle against the top teams is that we are simply too reliant on Michael Meehan. If even one other forward had stepped up to the mark we could have beaten Kerry in the AI quarter final last year.
Look at our attack last Sunday => Fiachra Breathnach, Matthew Clancy, Paul Conroy. Honest, hard working players but they are not going to rack up the scores against the top teams simple as that.
If Meehan gets injured we are in deep s***.
There has been no other forward coming through the underage ranks in recent years with star quality I'm afraid.

[An Fhairche Abu]

I don't think that anything new or different has been found out about Galway, we struggled against the top teams around the middle of the field last year, it's the same story this year as no new players have come in to make a difference in these areas. As has been mentioned earlier, if you lose 13 out of 16 kickouts during a half there is no chance of winning the game.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Their forwards are second only to Kerry's

Fiachra Breathnach, Matthew Clancy, Paul Conroy. Honest, hard working players but they are not going to rack up the scores against the top teams simple as that.

I honestly don't think the forwards are the problem. We nearly always rack up big scores. I still think we have better forwards than the vast majority of other counties. Paul Conroy is a fine young player who has been scoring regularly in the league. Nicky Joyce is hugely talented although a bit injury prone and a bit tempremental. Cormac Bane an enigma who can drift out of games but who can kick points from anywhere when given the service. Sean Armstrong maybe hasn't kicked on from his U-21 days due to injuries but again is capable if he can stay fit long enough. Fair enough guys like Breathnach and Mattie are more your honest grafters but even Mattie has been known to have an eye for goal at times. Throw in Meehan and PJ and there is more than enough there to work with. It may be that the others are now content to let Meehan do all the scoring but they are more than capable of kicking their own scores but right now it's all going through Meehan whether by accident or design.

The problem is if you don't win enough possession in the middle third of the field you are going to concede too many scores as no defence can hold out indefinitely when the opposition are winning 75% of the kickouts. The backs actually did remarkably well to hold Kerry the last day to a one point lead at half-time after they caught nearly every single kickout but you can't get away with it for 70 minutes.

[ross matt]

Galway may not have the individual forwards of 98-01 period but they still have a wider range of above average attackers than most counties have. Joyce had an excellent season last year and in my opinion is as dangerous as he was in 01 but being on the 40 reduces his scoring opportunites. Plus on the 40 in a big match in Croker he would struggle to contain a driving centre back like O'Mahony. Think Galway need a more mobile centre forward and push PJ in with Meehan if they're to make it to the last 4 in championship. This might also help the breaking ball gains around the middle of the field where with the exception on Bergin they're limited. Connacht is between them and Mayo as usual. Mayo might be coming right at the right time and they have to be getting something out of 4 connacht winning u-21 teams.

[mouview]

In my usual delusional state I still think Galway are in the top 2/3 teams about, I wouldn't fear for their chances against the likes of Derry or Tyrone to a lesser extent and with a fair wind behind them they could probably even beat regular bogey teams Cork and Dublin this year. Trouble is Kerry are so far and away the best team in the game (miles ahead of Tyrone I have to say) that unless someone removes them out of their way first Galway once again have no chance of Sam this year. Galway have definitely improved under Sammon and perhaps don't rely on Meehan to quite the extent that some believe; however Sammon is still a bit old-fashioned IMHO and doesn't seem to recognize that a tactical approach rather than outright football is needed against Kerry. There must also now be serious questions regarding his judgement about some players, most particularly the continued inclusion of Matt Clancy who was dreadful again last Sunday. On a wider issue, why have the better players from the Minor team 2 years ago not been brought through? Only Conroy is there at the moment, though Fahy and Forde are both injured. This is an area that the hurling counterparts regularly neglect.

In summary, I'd even back our hurlers to beat KK quicker than our footballers to overcome Kerry.

[DJGaliv]

Ah not a chance of anybody getting close to Galway in Connacht anyway. I reckon they will romp home in every game they play. Sligo might test them though.

In a realistic assessment, I think Galway will win Connacht, and believe Mayo might be caught on the hop against the Rossies if I'm honest. We've no need for poor mouthing in Galway.
I don't really see the point in talking down your counties chances on an internet message board. It's not as if after winning the Connacht title, Mortimer will say "AnFhaircheAbu wrote us off at the beginning of the year, and we wanted to stick his/her text down his/her keyboard."

Galway have had a tough league campaign, with some difficult away games, and probably the worst run in they could have hoped for.
We just missed out on a league final place, which we would've taken at the start of the year.
Not happy about losing to Mayo at home, but sure it gives us something to set right in the championship if we end up against them.

Galway, Derry, Dublin, Cork, Mayo are all about the same level. It wouldn't be a surprise if any of those teams beat each other. However, they're all well behind Tyrone, who are the only team capable of stopping Kerry.

Galway's problem is definitely in midfield, and to a lesser extent wing-forward. We don't have a Dooher or Galvin who can come in and help do the dirty work if we're losing out at midfield.

[An Fhairche Abu]

We've no need for poor mouthing in Galway.
I don't really see the point in talking down your counties chances on an internet message board. It's not as if after winning the Connacht title, Mortimer will say "AnFhaircheAbu wrote us off at the beginning of the year, and we wanted to stick his/her text down his/her keyboard."

I'd never write off Mayo anyway DJGaliv, a great bunch of lads altogether

Galway's problem is definitely in midfield, and to a lesser extent wing-forward. We don't have a Dooher or Galvin who can come in and help do the dirty work if we're losing out at midfield.

I agree fully and I think most Galway supporters have seen this midfield issue as the main problem all through the league and since the championship last year, I wouldn't say that pointing this out is poor mouthing or talking down the county's chances, tis just a fact unfortunately.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

In my usual delusional state I still think Galway are in the top 2/3 teams about, I wouldn't fear for their chances against the likes of Derry or Tyrone to a lesser extent and with a fair wind behind them they could probably even beat regular bogey teams Cork and Dublin this year. Trouble is Kerry are so far and away the best team in the game (miles ahead of Tyrone I have to say) that unless someone removes them out of their way first Galway once again have no chance of Sam this year. Galway have definitely improved under Sammon and perhaps don't rely on Meehan to quite the extent that some believe; however Sammon is still a bit old-fashioned IMHO and doesn't seem to recognize that a tactical approach rather than outright football is needed against Kerry. There must also now be serious questions regarding his judgement about some players, most particularly the continued inclusion of Matt Clancy who was dreadful again last Sunday. On a wider issue, why have the better players from the Minor team 2 years ago not been brought through? Only Conroy is there at the moment, though Fahy and Forde are both injured. This is an area that the hurling counterparts regularly neglect.

In summary, I'd even back our hurlers to beat KK quicker than our footballers to overcome Kerry.

Based on what? To many counties let themselves get beat before the ball is even thrown in when they're playing Kerry.

[mouview]

Well, based on the fact that they've already beaten Tyrone in this year's league campaign and have comfortably reached the final unbeaten.

[illdecide]

TBH Derry haven't the goolies for it, neither have Mayo or Dublin...There are a few counties about there with unbelievable talent but when it's put up to them in a championship match the simply haven't the goolies for it...Galway, Kerry and Tyrone are ahead of the rest...

Ulster - Tyrone
Leinster - Kildare
Munster - Kerry in a 2 horse race with Cork
Connaught - Galway in a 2 horse race with Mayo

[DUBSFORSAM1]

TBH Derry haven't the goolies for it, neither have Mayo or Dublin...There are a few counties about there with unbelievable talent but when it's put up to them in a championship match the simply haven't the goolies for it...Galway, Kerry and Tyrone are ahead of the rest...

Ulster - Tyrone
Leinster - Kildare
Munster - Kerry in a 2 horse race with Cork
Connaught - Galway in a 2 horse race with Mayo

On what basis are you tipping Kildare to win Leinster and how can you claim Galway are ahead of the rest...

If we are talking forward lines then Dublin are easily one of the top forward lines going...