Sligo V Galway CSFC Markievicz Park 28 June 2009 2.00pm Throw in

[myball22]

So at least we know where Galway are now, no further on than last year and probably worse off!!!

Our midfield is still a disaster area and half forward line are disaster areas fofr us. I would exempt Conroy and Joyce here. They did a lot of work and it's expecting a lot for a 19/20 year old to be our main midfielder at this stage. We still keep coming back to the same guys, Barry Cullinane and Niall Coleman who aren't the answer but who is?
At least we tried to vary some of the kickouts but some ended out over the sideline. It's really hard to know what to do here. Tyrone have recycled some forwards here in midfield in recent years with some success -Enda McGinley, Ryan Mellon. Maybe we need to put guys here but have talents but are not ball winners and look to break everything in midfield. Bradshaw may be worth a punt here or Kieran Fitz??

Our half forward line is another disaster area, Joyce excluded. Bane is infuriating, offers nothing in general play but can score if given opportunities. Coleman, Matthew Clancy are same as ever, good but not good enough.
And how did Coyne stay on for 70 mins? He was being cleaned and looks short of confidence.
Unless we shape up soon, we'll lose to Mayo fairly comfortably and be cannon fodder for some team full of confidence after a run in the qualifiers!!!

[GalwayBayBoy]

And how did Coyne stay on for 70 mins? He was being cleaned and looks short of confidence.

In fairness to Coyne he's not a corner-back but Sammon seems to love him there. He plays nearly all his football for Carna-Caiseal up in the forwards. Time to give Kieran Fitz that spot I think. At least he's a natural defender.

[mckieran]

In fairness to Coyne he's not a corner-back but Sammon seems to love him there. He plays nearly all his football for Carna-Caiseal up in the forwards. Time to give Kieran Fitz that spot I think. At least he's a natural defender.

Bit harsh n Coyne, He has some fine games at bith corner back & wing back for Galway. yesterday wasnt great but he kept battling hard right to the end. I think he is a better option at corner back than anybody else at the moment.

At least we tried to vary some of the kickouts but some ended out over the sideline. It's really hard to know what to do here. Tyrone have recycled some forwards here in midfield in recent years with some success -Enda McGinley, Ryan Mellon. Maybe we need to put guys here but have talents but are not ball winners and look to break everything in midfield. Bradshaw may be worth a punt here or Kieran Fitz??

Those Tyrone players were big enough to play midfield. Galways are not. I thought trying Kieran Fitz there would be worth a look during the league, maybe a bit lightweight too though and a connacht final v Mayo is not where you want to be trying something like that

Bradshaw did ok yesterday but MOTM on the Sunday Game? I thought Armstrong weas far and away the best player on view yesterday.

[Zulu]

Lads you don't have to be 6' 4 to play midfield, Seamus Moynihan played for Kerry at midfield on more than one occasion and he'd be about 5'10 I think. Anyway if you have big men who lack the necessary quality or smaller men who have the quality then you play at least one smaller man at midfield IMO. Develop tactical kickouts and ensure your 'small' midfielder is using his mobility to cause problems on the ground. Galway don't need two big men at midfield as they'll probably have Conroy and Bergin on the park too so one big man is enough, I'd give Bradshaw a run at midfield bring in Fitz at corner back and move Coyne to wing back. By the way I thought playing Meehan at wing back was a very poor decision by the management, as great a player as he once was I wouldn't even have him on the panel.

[GalwayBayBoy]

By the way I thought playing Meehan at wing back was a very poor decision by the management, as great a player as he once was I wouldn't even have him on the panel.

Deccie is well past his sell by date alright. Great wing-back in his day but just doesn't have the legs to make those lung-bursting runs forward he used to. He just gets bottled up now. Gary Sice was a lot more effective when he replaced him.

[mckieran]

Lads you don't have to be 6' 4 to play midfield, Seamus Moynihan played for Kerry at midfield on more than one occasion and he'd be about 5'10 I think. Anyway if you have big men who lack the necessary quality or smaller men who have the quality then you play at least one smaller man at midfield IMO. Develop tactical kickouts and ensure your 'small' midfielder is using his mobility to cause problems on the ground. Galway don't need two big men at midfield as they'll probably have Conroy and Bergin on the park too so one big man is enough, I'd give Bradshaw a run at midfield bring in Fitz at corner back and move Coyne to wing back. By the way I thought playing Meehan at wing back was a very poor decision by the management, as great a player as he once was I wouldn't even have him on the panel.

Well this is the point that a lot of people are making. Why havent we seen "tactical kickouts" being developed all throughout the year? It has been well known since the start of the year that Galway will struggle at midfield. Why then, do they spend almost the entire match lumping kickouts down on top of them? When they were winning so few of them, Why not change? I cannot see them developing "tactical kickouts" now if they havent done it all year or didnt do it more against Sligo. Also, If Bradshaw was midfield against mayo, he would end up against a man who is much bigger than him. All Mayo would have to do is target him for their kickouts and they have midfield won. So I do think you need two reasonably big men there. Or at least big enough to compete.

I think Faherty varied his kickout just twice in the match. One went over the sideline, the other led to Bergins point at the end. But why not do it more?

I agree somewhat about Meehan. I think he's still good enough to be on the panel but would keep him as a sub instead.

[kevmy]

I don't think small men always lose the ball. All the have to do is prevent bigger men from winning clean ball. Shane Ryan is a good example of this, doesn't win much clean ball but his man doesn't either. He then looks to win 2nd ball and use his mobility to drag his man around the place (well he did up until recently). Tommy Griffin rode shotgun to Darragh for a long time with Kerry and he's not massive. Sure Jaysus Darragh himself is only 6 foot.

It can be worked by small men but not by stupid players or big hard oafs.

[Zulu]

All Mayo would have to do is target him for their kickouts and they have midfield won.

Don't think it is that straight forward in fairness, I mean you could just drop Bergin back into the middle for kick outs and as kevmy says you don't have to be as big as your man to outfield him or break the ball. The point is you need to address things that aren't working by doing something different, it may not work either but at least you tried. I also think many county teams don't use tactical kicking in the league because it shows your hand for championship so I'm sure Galway are working on a few things that you may see against Mayo.

[magpie seanie]

All Mayo would have to do is target him for their kickouts and they have midfield won.

Don't think it is that straight forward in fairness, I mean you could just drop Bergin back into the middle for kick outs and as kevmy says you don't have to be as big as your man to outfield him or break the ball. The point is you need to address things that aren't working by doing something different, it may not work either but at least you tried. I also think many county teams don't use tactical kicking in the league because it shows your hand for championship so I'm sure Galway are working on a few things that you may see against Mayo.

I got the feeling that they didn't try hitting Bergin until the sh1t was really hitting the fan and they then did it twice in a row near the end. The winning score came off it I think.

[mckieran]

Don't think it is that straight forward in fairness, I mean you could just drop Bergin back into the middle for kick outs and as kevmy says you don't have to be as big as your man to outfield him or break the ball.

Ok, you drop Bergin back to the middle. Where does the Mayo guy hes marking go? Hes hardly going to follow him! All Mayo would have to do is put one midfielder one side of the field and the other on the other side of the field.

I see your point about you not always having to be bigger than your opponent. But if I saw a kickout hurtling towards McGarrity & Bradshaw, I would most definitely fancy McGarrity to win it.

[Zulu]

Ok, you drop Bergin back to the middle. Where does the Mayo guy hes marking go?

Well he probaly would go with him but even if he didn't you could drop your corner forward back and get your full forward to split the full and corner back. Just look at how well Tyrone do without a big midfield, if you have two good big men then by all means play them but if you don't then you need to come up with something different.