Gaillimh v Ciarraí, Cluiche Ceathrú-Ceannais na hÉireann, Páirc a'Chrócaigh

[Maroon Manc]

I'm amazed there isn't more of ye Galway lads having a stringer cut at Mulholland. He should be taking a serious amount of blame for today's Galway fiasco.

I actually think a fair few have had a cut at him. I don't like blaming defeats solely on managers but I'm just constantly surprised by how unprepared he seems to have his teams. Especially at senior level. At underage there are very few tactics or systems anyway. That was a Kerry team that could easily have been beaten today. Even by this current Galway side had they had a modicum of belief and organisation.

I like the man but I find it difficult to see Galway progressing under him. And there is some very good talent there to work with. Albeit they need a year or two yet to fully mature.

Mulholland has blooded some very useful players. Micheal Lundy for example has been a revelation. Shane Walsh you can't give him credit for as a blind man could see Shane Walsh's talent. I am convinced though that he is not the man to take this young Galway side to the next level. Just my opinion.

All agreed, progress this year is down to an improvement in the players.

I've been very critical of Mulholland and rightly so, we were found wanting again tactically on Sunday. There was no plan at all for O'Donoghue at all, we got of lightly with him scoring 1-5 from play. Its a good job Flynn & FOC more than held their own in the middle, it felt like in the first half everytime that the ball went into their forwards they came back with a score.

The first 25 minutes were appalling, taking pot shots from silly angle. No off the ball running or direct running to open up their backline to produce better scoring chances, all lateral passing. Finally we woke up and ran at them and it made a big difference.

I was very disappointed with Cummins & Martins performances, thought they were very poor. Their far too inconsistent too be first choice for a county with high aspiration.

I'm praying for a new manager, didn't speak to anyone on Sunday who was happy with him, everyone wanted him to go.

There's a big gap physically between Galway and most of the other teams in Div 1 & 2. O'Neill, Moore, Varley, FOC. Flynn, Walsh and Lundy to a lesser extent could do with putting muscle on over the winter.

A new manager along with a more physically developed side should give Galway a great chance of winning the Connacht title next year.

[Syferus]

Little difference between the conditioning of Galway and the D2 teams. Maybe only Kildare given Geezer in previous years and Barry Solan this year would be ahead of the rest. Otherwise Galway are at the level of the teams around them.

[Maroon Manc]

Little difference between the conditioning of Galway and the D2 teams. Maybe only Kildare given Geezer in previous years and Barry Solan this year would be ahead of the rest. Otherwise Galway are at the level of the teams around them.

Monaghan & Donegal were in Div 2 this season 
in their defence most of them are slight due to their age.

[Syferus]

Little difference between the conditioning of Galway and the D2 teams. Maybe only Kildare given Geezer in previous years and Barry Solan this year would be ahead of the rest. Otherwise Galway are at the level of the teams around them.

Monaghan & Donegal were in Div 2 this season 
in their defence most of them are slight due to their age.

And they aren't now. I just think that there isn't much of a difference between Galway and the rest of D2 in that regard. They shouldn't be bullied by D2 teams but just like everyone else they need better conditioning work to be ready for a tilt at D1.

[DJGaliv]

AM has done well in providing us with a bit of consistency after the previous chopping and changing. His term has shown some promise, however it's time now for a new man who has a bit more tactical guile and adaptability than the current regime.

Everything Galway did nearly seemed to be off the cuff. There was no structure in place whether in attack or defence. We were reliant on a lot of individual strong performances and lads creating the chances themselves. There wasn't much link play or evidence of a particular system that all players felt comfortable with.
Lads had pot shots or managed to find acres of space in front of them and went from there. The only time we played any sort of one-two or smart running was when Armstrong handed off for the second goal.

Any idea of lads being mentioned to take over? I presume Kevin Walsh will be talked about again.

It is so frustrating to hear Galway's conditioning to be mentioned again. How many years now - 5/6/7 seasons of hearing Galway aren't strong enough or physical enough to match the bigger teams. How long does it take to put these structures in place?

[Syferus]

AM has done well in providing us with a bit of consistency after the previous chopping and changing. His term has shown some promise, however it's time now for a new man who has a bit more tactical guile and adaptability than the current regime.

Everything Galway did nearly seemed to be off the cuff. There was no structure in place whether in attack or defence. We were reliant on a lot of individual strong performances and lads creating the chances themselves. There wasn't much link play or evidence of a particular system that all players felt comfortable with.
Lads had pot shots or managed to find acres of space in front of them and went from there. The only time we played any sort of one-two or smart running was when Armstrong handed off for the second goal.

Any idea of lads being mentioned to take over? I presume Kevin Walsh will be talked about again.

It is so frustrating to hear Galway's conditioning to be mentioned again. How many years now - 5/6/7 seasons of hearing Galway aren't strong enough or physical enough to match the bigger teams. How long does it take to put these structures in place?

Like Manc said it's more to do with age. Most of your lads are only just out of underage at best. Same as ours. They're not the same players that were there even two years ago.

[From the Bunker]

Alot of talk of improvement in Galway team this year. Last year Galway beat Tipperary by 4 points, Waterford by a point, Armagh by 5 points and lost to Cork by a point.

This year beat Sligo by 5, Tipperary by 5 and lost by a bit to Kerry.

I'm not looking at the Mayo games, as they are much of a muchness!

In fairness I don't see regression or progress! Because of a soft draw Galway made the Quarter-finals and that is the only difference on last year. I actually thought that Galway grew in the back door as a team last summer and would be a decent threat this year. Mulholland has been three years with Galway, No major scalp and not looking like getting out of Division 2. Like all the traditional counties, Galway are only on significant result from being in the chasing group to being in the pack. These results don't come easy, but when they do players change, training becomes easier and more focused, confidence soars, it's a whole domino effect.

[Maroon Manc]

AM has done well in providing us with a bit of consistency after the previous chopping and changing. His term has shown some promise, however it's time now for a new man who has a bit more tactical guile and adaptability than the current regime.

Everything Galway did nearly seemed to be off the cuff. There was no structure in place whether in attack or defence. We were reliant on a lot of individual strong performances and lads creating the chances themselves. There wasn't much link play or evidence of a particular system that all players felt comfortable with.
Lads had pot shots or managed to find acres of space in front of them and went from there. The only time we played any sort of one-two or smart running was when Armstrong handed off for the second goal.

Any idea of lads being mentioned to take over? I presume Kevin Walsh will be talked about again.

It is so frustrating to hear Galway's conditioning to be mentioned again. How many years now - 5/6/7 seasons of hearing Galway aren't strong enough or physical enough to match the bigger teams. How long does it take to put these structures in place?

You're giving him too much credit, his term has showed promise only because of the new younger players been introduced and nothing to do with his management skill, perhaps I'd give him credit for Lundy who's had a great unexpected summer.

I'd imagine the longer it goes on without any announcement the more likely it is that their looking to bring a new man in as his 3 years are up.

[Maroon Manc]

Alot of talk of improvement in Galway team this year. Last year Galway beat Tipperary by 4 points, Waterford by a point, Armagh by 5 points and lost to Cork by a point.

This year beat Sligo by 5, Tipperary by 5 and lost by a bit to Kerry.

I'm not looking at the Mayo games, as they are much of a muchness!

In fairness I don't see regression or progress! Because of a soft draw Galway made the Quarter-finals and that is the only difference on last year. I actually thought that Galway grew in the back door as a team last summer and would be a decent threat this year. Mulholland has been three years with Galway, No major scalp and not looking like getting out of Division 2. Like all the traditional counties, Galway are only on significant result from being in the chasing group to being in the pack. These results don't come easy, but when they do players change, training becomes easier and more focused, confidence soars, it's a whole domino effect.

There is progression in that a new manager would have a better squad of players to work with this year than if a new manager had been appointed before the start of this season.

I'd agree that no progression has been made results wise or from a tactical point of view. Galway haven't got close to beating a good team in 3 years of championship football, it's simply not good enough.

[DJGaliv]

I don't agree with that. Every year it's the same.

Hanley, Bradshaw, O'Donnell, Armstrong, Conroy are all at least mid twenties.
I still feel they aren't reaching their physical potential that they would if they came through Armagh/Tyrone/Mayo/Dublin's development programs.

As for Bradshaw's marking in the second half - I would not like to be playing in a Galway full back line right now. Ideal man to be played in at no.12 as a sweeper/link man.

[Maroon Manc]

I don't agree with that. Every year it's the same.

Hanley, Bradshaw, O'Donnell, Armstrong, Conroy are all at least mid twenties.
I still feel they aren't reaching their physical potential that they would if they came through Armagh/Tyrone/Mayo/Dublin's development programs.

As for Bradshaw's marking in the second half - I would not like to be playing in a Galway full back line right now. Ideal man to be played in at no.12 as a sweeper/link man.

They've probably not reached their physical potential due to poor management, changing the management as often as we did doesn't help either but AM has had 3 years with this group and there's been no improvement in the physicality and conditioning of the players you've mentioned. I could be a bit harsh on AM as maybe those counties you've mentioned have specialist strength & conditioning coaches whereas Galway don't, all about the money.

Under the right manager Bradshaw could be every bit as influential as Keegan is for Mayo.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Heard Jim Carney had a right cut at the footballers in this week's Tuam Herald. Haven't read it all though as only the first paragraph is up on the website.

Another big day, another defeat for our footballers at Croke Park
Wednesday, 6th August, 2014 11:15am

Story by Jim Carney
Jump to comments

GALLANT in defeat, as usual. That was the consensus reached in the talk among Galway supporters leaving Dublin on Sunday evening. Not even the margin of Kerry's victory (seven points) caused any pain to long-suffering followers of the Maroon and White.
That's how far Galway's football stock has slumped — it's now completely acceptable to lose a big game at Croke Park.
Some Galway football supporters will, of course, have vastly different feelings about it, and for that the county should be grateful.
Make no mistake about it, this was a bad, utterly depressing defeat.
Surely it's sporting madness to be talking about 'progress' and 'transition' and 'team-building' and 'development' after a Championship campaign which yielded only wins over two Division Four teams (London and Tipperary) and one over a Division Three team (Sligo).
It's astonishing to read and hear, repeatedly, that Galway "need another year or two" before they are ready to win an All-Ireland SFC title, when anybody who knows anything about Gaelic football in this county knows there are no ready-made replacements — not one, I would say — for the defenders who conceded a total of 8 goals 46 points in their last three Championship matches, against Kerry, Tipperary and Mayo.

[Maroon Manc]

Look at the difference a good manager has made to Donegal & Mayo since their terrible defeats to Armagh & Longford in 2010. Both sides possessed the backbone in 2010 that teams that went on to be very successful. Football has moved on and we haven't, its very easy to blame the backs but its quite clear they have very little protection and under prepared to cope with any half decent forward.

As for waiting months to sort out the managements it needs sorting out now, as Dara O'Se stated these lads need to be bulking up immediately.

[Syferus]

Look at the difference a good manager has made to Donegal & Mayo since their terrible defeats to Armagh & Longford in 2010. Both sides possessed the backbone in 2010 that teams that went on to be very successful. Football has moved on and we haven't, its very easy to blame the backs but its quite clear they have very little protection and under prepared to cope with any half decent forward.

As for waiting months to sort out the managements it needs sorting out now, as Dara O'Se stated these lads need to be bulking up immediately.

To be fair Galway have been operating at a lower level than Mayo and are far rawer in a lot of positions, and in others its the lads due to come in that will be the ones who will have more impact than the ones there right now.

Galway shouldn't expect a lightning fast turnaround like Mayo or Donegal, those are the rarities.

[Maroon Manc]

Look at the difference a good manager has made to Donegal & Mayo since their terrible defeats to Armagh & Longford in 2010. Both sides possessed the backbone in 2010 that teams that went on to be very successful. Football has moved on and we haven't, its very easy to blame the backs but its quite clear they have very little protection and under prepared to cope with any half decent forward.

As for waiting months to sort out the managements it needs sorting out now, as Dara O'Se stated these lads need to be bulking up immediately.

To be fair Galway have been operating at a lower level than Mayo and are far rawer in a lot of positions, and in others its the lads due to come in that will be the ones who will have more impact than the ones there right now.

Galway shouldn't expect a lightning fast turnaround like Mayo or Donegal, those are the rarities.

I'd agree with Mayo, the average age of the Mayo team would be a few years older than the Galway team of now and in fairness the Mayo team of 2009 should have won a quarter final before their appalling two defeats in 2010.

The Donegal team McGuiness inherited would be older than the Galway team of now but they had shown nothing to suggest their was any potential in that that team. They had one 1/4 final appearance against Cork in 2009 where they were beat by 14 points and hadn't beaten anyone of note along the way. They barely won a game in in 07,08 and 10.

This Galway team has a squad littered with players from the two recent U21 All Irelands. The very least I'd be expecting would be going very close on winning a Connacht title and reaching a 1/4 final and giving the opposition a close game unlike this year where we close to neither and got a lucky draw to reach the 1/4 finals.