Galway v Mayo Sunday May 19th 2013 - Pearse Stadium

[GalwayBayBoy]

It was hardly a fitting way for Padraic Joyce to go out.

For a player who burst on to the scene in 1998, winning an All-Ireland in his first season, defeat at Casement Park to Antrim in the back door wasn't the Hollywood ending befitting a footballer of his calibre.

But then that had become the norm for Galway in recent years. That defeat to Antrim extended an unenviable record – they haven't beaten a team from outside Connacht in the championship since overcoming Louth in 2004.

Joyce's career began with two All-Irelands in four seasons but he'd never reach even an All-Ireland semi-final again after the 2001 campaign that saw him crowned Footballer of the Year.

"It wasn't as enjoyable for me because we were not winning anything," he said. "I served my time and I have no regrets about my decision. I have plenty more time to myself now. It was time to go, as simple as that."

Joyce's retirement, along with that of Joe Bergin, broke the last remaining links to the All-Ireland-winning team of '01, when Joyce produced a sparkling 10-point performance in the decider against Meath.

That was a swashbuckling Galway side and while his observation that the game is "totally different" from his debut season isn't new, he insists teams now play with a fear of losing rather than a desire to win.

"The emphasis that time was in getting the ball in early into what we called the scoring (zone)," he said. "We had a philosophy that if the ball was in there 30 to 35 times in a game and if we were to convert half of them, no matter how good or bad you would be, you would have 17 or 18 scores.

"Whereas now you're seeing 0-12 and 1-9 or 1-10 winning games. It has definitely come back and it is down to tactics and people afraid to lose. You watch matches now and you even count the number of players that even have a shot at goal – each team has only three or four players that are allowed to shoot."

Joyce's departure makes the returning Michael Meehan the senior partner in the Galway forward line. But for the first time since the start of the '98 season, Galway have a squad without a single senior All-Ireland winner.

They can go back to the All-Ireland minor success of 2007 and to the more recent U-21 success in 2010 but those teams haven't provided the boost Galway needed.

"If they are good enough to win U-21 level, two or three years down the line they should definitely be there or thereabouts because the average age of teams is coming down all the time," Joyce said.

"It has not been a great year for Galway so far, very up-and-down performances. One good day, bad the next, we need to find a bit of consistency because it is only four or five weeks to the championship. They would want to get a settled team because they will be up against it against Mayo."

Joyce can't recall a Galway team going into a showdown with Mayo so unfancied but the Tribesmen's poor record in the qualifiers means the front-door route is much the preferable option.

"If the two teams were to play next Sunday you would be thinking, on current form, Mayo would win the game easily," Joyce said. "But there is still a month yet, injuries can happen.

"Galway have an awful lot of work to do in a month but at the minute you would have to fancy Mayo to come out of the game, unless Galway improve drastically.

"Since the draw was made last November, I know for a fact Galway have been focused solely on that game. It is huge because we have only beaten Louth outside of Connacht in a good few years, which is a very poor record by any standard.

"You'd imagine we'd have fluked a game here and there. I know that we lost games by a point over the years but that's immaterial, our back-door record is very poor."

GALWAY GREAT PADRAIG Joyce has revealed that Michael Meehan is continuing to be hampered by the ankle injury that has curtailed his playing career in recent seasons.

Meehan has finally managed to get a regular run of games under his belt this spring after being sidelined frequently over the last few years.

But his training has been curtailed by an ankle problem that Joyce reckons 'is never going to be fully right'.

Joyce called time on his own inter-county career last winter and believes managing the 2002 and 2005 All-Ireland U21 winner is integral to Galway's aspirations this year.

"People forget that the man has had three or four serious injuries", says Joyce.

"He has not played a spell of football in three or four years. This is the first year that he has played a couple of league games.

"He is struggling, his ankle is never going to be fully right. I think he does a bit of training on a Tuesday and then he can't do anything until the weekend after that.

"He just does a bit of gym work and a bit of aqua jogging. I don't think he can train for three or four days on hard ground but he is doing the best he can. Hopefully in the summer time he is managed right and he will do enough."

Joyce has kept a close eye on Meehan's progress throughout the league.

    "While he has had indifferent form, I was glad he got the game-time because he needs a bit of match sharpness.

"I have watched him a few times this year and he is not (too far away), no. He is trying very hard. He is a bit more conservative with his body whereas before he was getting hits in and tracking back.

"Now he is getting cuter and I think he  has been told to stay in near the goal. They will have to play to his strength. His strength is facing the ball and putting it over the bar

"Galway try and get the ball into him as much they can because he is the best forward we have at the minute."

[seafoid]

For the first time since 98 Galway start the championship without  a senior all ireland medal winner.on the team. I am sure Mayo and Kildare especially dream of it being as short as 15 years.

[Syferus]

What sort of 'ceeeeap' are we talking about here? Plenty of Ros men sporting high fashion on their heads.

[seafoid]

The Mayo lads definitely have the tails up. It was not always thus.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=19411.msg976541#msg976541

[spuds]

The Mayo lads definitely have the tails up. It was not always thus.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=19411.msg976541#msg976541

One of those posters might not feel so liberal to comment on the current regime now. 

[seafoid]

The Mayo lads definitely have the tails up. It was not always thus.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=19411.msg976541#msg976541

One of those posters might not feel so liberal to comment on the current regime now. 

It's great to see the progress since the Longford match. I hope ye find another  scoring forward and that Andy Moran is back when it counts but I wouldn't mind a Galway win all the same .

[Syferus]

The Mayo lads definitely have the tails up. It was not always thus.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=19411.msg976541#msg976541

One of those posters might not feel so liberal to comment on the current regime now. 

Oooooh, saucy. Ketchup on those spuds, eh top man?

This forum is like the worst masquerade ball ever.

[Farrandeelin]

How many u-21s will Galway have starting on their team after today?

[galwayman]

As far as I know only Flynn, O Curraoin and Walsh are currently on the senior squad. Not sure if the keeper Healy is involved with them?

Flynn missed the whole league through injury while Walsh only made his debut (as a sub) in the second last game at home to Wexford.
O Curraoin was in and out of the team during the league.

I'm sure a few more will get brought into the squad. Mulryan, Daithi Burke and Shaughnessy are the most likely candidates I think.

As regards who will start against Mayo it's hard to know as the team was chopped and changed constantly throughout the league but my guess would be that Walsh, O Curraoin and Flynn will all start.
It's unlikely that any of the others will start if they are drafted into the squad.

[Syferus]

Aidrian Varley and Ian Burke should be the first additions to the squad if Mulholland has his rain cap screwed on properly. Both Varley and Burke are good enough to be eventual starters for Galway and even if they won't feature this year as starters they should be bedded in as soon as possible, that is unless they opt to take a J1 or the like as many U21 players not on the county panel do.

Anyways, Galway are have any chance of breaking down Mayo it'll be playing a game similar to their U21s today, try to be economical with what you do get from the middle and utilise your scoring players by giving them quick ball. Trying to run through Mayo is never going to work for Galway.

[seafoid]

As far as I know only Flynn, O Curraoin and Walsh are currently on the senior squad. Not sure if the keeper Healy is involved with them?

Flynn missed the whole league through injury while Walsh only made his debut (as a sub) in the second last game at home to Wexford.
O Curraoin was in and out of the team during the league.

I'm sure a few more will get brought into the squad. Mulryan, Daithi Burke and Shaughnessy are the most likely candidates I think.

As regards who will start against Mayo it's hard to know as the team was chopped and changed constantly throughout the league but my guess would be that Walsh, O Curraoin and Flynn will all start.
It's unlikely that any of the others will start if they are drafted into the squad.

Weren't Donnellan and Joyce u21s in 98? I remember watching Donnellan in the 94 minor final before Down won the 5th sam.

[moysider]

Donnellan was still minor in 95.

[seafoid]

Donnellan was still minor in 95.

so he was u21 in 98. They were well beaten in the 94 all ireland .

[moysider]

I m sure I remember him playing against us in minor final in Tuam in 95 when we blew a healthy lead. Twas a dreadful day for us all round and goes to show how quickly fortunes can change in this game. Only Longford in 10  and several other days  could compare with the low ebb of that day. Nobody in Mayo could see us blowing a great chance to win an AI final the following year.

Anyway, back to Donnellan. I seem to remember the late, graet Jack Mahon describe him as the best minor footballer in the country in 95.

[GalwayBayBoy]

As far as I know only Flynn, O Curraoin and Walsh are currently on the senior squad. Not sure if the keeper Healy is involved with them?

Flynn missed the whole league through injury while Walsh only made his debut (as a sub) in the second last game at home to Wexford.
O Curraoin was in and out of the team during the league.

I'm sure a few more will get brought into the squad. Mulryan, Daithi Burke and Shaughnessy are the most likely candidates I think.

As regards who will start against Mayo it's hard to know as the team was chopped and changed constantly throughout the league but my guess would be that Walsh, O Curraoin and Flynn will all start.
It's unlikely that any of the others will start if they are drafted into the squad.

I doubt Walsh will start against Mayo. Not saying he shouldn't but I doubt they will start him. As good as he is he's basically just out of minor. Think it will be just O'Curraoin and Flynn.