Galway v Mayo, CSFC May 20th

[Duine Eile]

Blake not fit enough to start Sunday, massive blow.Anyway team in full:

1.Paul Doherty
2.Kieran Fitzgerald (Capt)
3.Finian Hanley
4.Damien Burke
5.Declan Meehan
6.Niall Coyne
7.Mike Comer
8.Joe Bergin
9.Niall Coleman
10.Derek Savage
11.Ja Fallon
12.Nicky Joyce
13.Mike Meehan
14.Padraic Joyce
15.Cormac Bane

Half forward line looking dodgier by the minute.  Ah come on seriously, Billy Joe at full back?!Who does Johnno think he's foolin!

[Tubberman]

Just beat me to it Redgreenery!

Will this be the team we see though? At least it gives us something to talk about  
BJP at full-back, and Nallen back at CHB when we thought that day was only a memory.
No start for D Brady but T Mort steps into CHF.
A strong team, more or less along expected lines apart from maybe full back and CHB.

[stephenite]

Will this be the team we see though? At least it gives us something to talk about 
BJP at full-back, and Nallen back at CHB when we thought that day was only a memory.
No start for D Brady but T Mort steps into CHF.
A strong team, more or less along expected lines apart from maybe full back and CHB.

I'd have serious concerns about FB and CHB. If this is the team that plays we'll need to totally dominate Centrefield. BJP on Padraic Joyce makes me very, very nervous and I don't mean to slight BJP but Joyce is one of the best ever to play for Galway and throwing a rookie FB at him in the championship is asking for trouble

God knows how they'll line out, Nallen to Centrefield - Heaney to FB and BJP back to man the 40? There are a few positional permutations that could work in our favour.

Have the subs been named yet? Are DB and MacD listed, when the game is in the melting pot and 20 minutes to go these are two very big aces to throw in - if I know these boys are good for 20 minutes I'll sleep better.

On a personal note - staring out the window in work, on a rainy Sydney morning and I'm as depressed. When you're away, of course you miss family and friends, but right now I'd give me left bollock and sell me Mother to be in Pearse Stadium on Sunday , enjoy it everyone, gonna be a great game I think

[DJGaliv]

Very interesting game ahead. There's loads of fascinating individual battles in store. I don't think anyone believes Padden will start a championship match at full-back for the first time against Joyce. I'd say that he'll swap with Heaney, and head to midfield, where he'll be more suited to matching up to the likes of Coleman.

No.8 David Heaney vrs No.14 Padraic Joyce                 
If Heaney can keep Joyce quiet, I don't think Galway's forwards will be able to cope with the added pressure.
Mayo

No.4 Keith Higgins vrs No.13 Mike Meehan
Meehan has to perform against Higgins at some stage. Could Sunday be the day? Probably not, but the last time they came up against one another he kicked two points off him.
Mayo                     

No.5 Enda Devenney vrs No.12 Nicky Joyce
Devenney is one of Mayo's least impressive performers, and he comes up against one of Galway's best players in the league. Nicky could make a big impact in this game, especially if he hits a few early frees. We have missed a right footed free taker since Finnegan.
Galway

No.6 James Nallen vrs No.11 Jarlath Fallon
Nallen against Ja Fallon will be an fascinating battle. Two players who are well past their best, but both will have a major impact on this game. Whoever wins this contest will come out on top.
Galway

No.7 Peadar Gardiner vrs No.10 Derek Savage
Two little farts who are well matched up, will be interesting to see how they'll fare. I just don't think Savage has been performing well enough to be deserving of a start here. I'd prefer to have the likes of Mattie Clancy in there, or even Coleman.
Mayo

No.3 Billy Joe Padden vrs. No.9 Niall Coleman
Padden's the more natural footballer, while Coleman is probably a better fielder. Very evenly matched physically, if Bergin is winning his battle, I'd expect Coleman to follow.
Galway               

No.9 Pat Harte vrs. No.8 Joe Bergin
Two rakish footballers, both more suited to wing forward. I think Bergin has more experience in this role, and I'm not sure Harte is used to being the main man at midfield. Mayo will be hugely boosted when Brady comes on.
Galway

No.10 Ger Brady vrs No.7 Mike Comer
I don't rate Ger Brady, but I don't rate Comer either. Brady could clean up here though. I think O'Mahoney has picked him on Comer purposefully. Brady's strength and speed could destroy Comer
Mayo

No.11 Trevor Mortimer vrs No.6 Niall Coyne
Coyne's youthful exuberance, versus Mortimers vast experience. Mayo are a far better team with Trevor in there. Blake is a massive loss for Galway. If Trevor starts winning a few balls, Coyne's head could drop, and Mayo will be on their way.
Mayo

No.13 Conor Mortimer vrs No.4 Damien Burke
Mayo's top marksman against Galway's best defender. Burke has been massive for Galway for the last two years. He needs a full 70 minutes to keep Mortimer quiet.
Galway

No.14 Kevin O'Neill vrs No.3 Finian Hanley
Once again it's experience versus youth. Hanley has come on an awful lot in the last year, but O'Neill is a superb footballer. Don't know which way this battle will go.
Shared

All in all, although I think that Galway will win midfield, I'm afraid that Galway's inexperienced centre of Coyne and Hanley could be our undoing. Blake is a massive loss. I don't think Ja has the legs to be back helping out, and if we start hitting aimless ball (which Coleman loves to do), into the full forward line, I can see Heaney and Higgins hoovering it up, and Mayo breaking straight through our centre. With Mortimer and O'Neill here, Mayo certainly have the experience for the big occasion.
If Coyne fronts up, and provides the same kind of platform as Paul Clancy did two years ago, then this will help Galway enormously. We need Ja to get on the ball, and keep Nallen on the back foot. He'll link up well with PJ, and hopefully get some decent ball into Meehan.
I think that Galway will win this, due to Trevor's lack of match fitness. Although with Brady and McDonald set to be sprung from the bench, this will be a one point game. Nigh on impossible to call.

[stephenite]

Nigh on impossible to call.

You're right there!
Great post - however, one point. Straight up, no messing, on his day Enda Devenney is one of the best footballers I've ever seen.
I am salivating at the prospect of him in the Championship - I think, or maybe hope he will be one of the stars of this year.

While I might be biased, I seriously think the guy is special

[belleaqua]

No.3 Billy Joe Padden vrs. No.9 Niall Coleman
Padden's the more natural footballer, while Coleman is probably a better fielder. Very evenly matched physically, if Bergin is winning his battle, I'd expect Coleman to follow.             

Have to totally disagree with u there DJ Galiv, Coleman is one of our best and natural footballers, people keep identifying him as a midfield ball winner yet his height counts against him, he is an exquisite passer and delivers quality ball, thats why i reckon he can play anywhere between 5 and 12.

I dont believe for one second that JOM will play BJP Full Back, himself Heaney and Nallen will switch around as we expect know matter how well BJP played at Full Back in half a challenge game. BJP V PJ is a mismatch and as a Galway man would love to see it pan out but it wont.

Disappointed Meehan is left corner forward where the dogs on the street know he wont deliver, im a believer in Peter Forde but his faith in Ja is misplaced, Ja comin on is alot more inspirational than him coming off.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Not wanting to be a conspiracy theorist but does anyone else deem it unlikely that Mayo will start Nallen......I just have a niggling suspicion that if David Brady is fit, he will be in midfield with Nallen on the bench, BJP at CHB and Heaney back on Joycer? Nallen didnt have the legs for CHB last summer on Declan O'Sullivan, or for midfield v Donegal so what makes them think he can do it Sunday?
Also Padden didnt do too badly at CHB in league semi final but thats as much to do with the half forward line he faced rather than anything inspired that he did. Granted he did get a bit of a run around in league final but then again, so did most of the Mayo back line.
And Heaney on Joyce...........Joycers bogey man unfortunately.
You could just imagine the lift the Mayo crowd would get if Brady appeared from dugout five mins before throw in.
Dunno, just seems like something Johnno would pull.
From a Galway perspectve, would have liked to have seen Coleman in half forward line as opposed to midfield to give us more physicality in that line. Hed be ideally suited to Gardiner - stop the forward runs at source like last years league semi. Otherwise, it went along expected lines bar Blakes injury. Huge loss.......I could see Coyne having a hard afternoon ahead of him Sunday and Im still not convinced hes up to it.

[GalwaySham]

Once again it's experience versus youth. Hanley has come on an awful lot in the last year, but O'Neill is a superb footballer. Don't know which way this battle will go.

O'Neill is well past it, good footballer years ago but not anymore, Can see Hanley winning this one if hes on him.

In the league semi-final, mayo tried putting andy moran at 14 and roaming away from goal to upset hanley but it didnt work, itll be interesting to see if they do something similiar on Sunday.

At the moment, its Fitzgerald who will be marking Moran and from a Galway point of view, the further away from goal that he,  the better!

It said on the radio today that Blake will be a sub, he could make a big impact if fit enough to come on

[GaillimhIarthair]

Personnell wise the 2 teams are along expected lines based on the injuries in either camp but I think there will be alot of switches in that Mayo line up come 4pm on Sunday afternoon.  At this moment its very hard to envisage the Green & Red 3, 6, 8 & 14 lining out as selected ! 

As for our lads, Blake is a big loss a CHB but I do honestly think Coyne is well able to step up to the mark here.  Personally I'm delighted that Coleman is at midfield as along with being a good ball winner and passer he will bring a physicality to that area of the park that Bergin cannot. 

Big big games required from our half forward line on Sunday.  They need to get that Mayo half back line turned and defending as opposed to letting them break at speed and putting our defence under massive pressure and creating overlaps at will.  IF this is achieved, well then I think we are well on our way...........

As per all Galway / Mayo clashes, no quarter will be asked or given and there will be f*** all in it on Sunday evening.  Based on Perase Stadium being worth a couple of points to our lads and taking into account Mayo's deplorable record there;

Galway by 2

[OirthearMhaigheo]

A fair enough assessment there GaillimhI, home advantage has to be worth a couple of points to Galway. I seriously doubt that will be the Mayo team on Sunday. I also think Forde might spring a surprise, Blake will more than likely see some action. It will be tight as normal, hopefully the two teams will serve up better football than '05 and '06 though. I think it could be a one point game even though I have a strong feeling it could go to a replay, but out of sheer bias I'm gonna give our buachaills the nod and say Mayo by one!

[darbyo]

As a neutral this is the game I'm looking forward to, the quality of the football over the last 2 years hasn't been great so I think we might be due a good one. Should be close anyway with only a kick of a ball between them in the end. Impossible to call but I've a sneaking feeling that this could be a good year for Mayo and they'll start off with a win. Wouldn't put money on either team though. What price the draw?

[mouview]

Have to totally disagree with u there DJ Galiv, Coleman is one of our best and natural footballers, people keep identifying him as a midfield ball winner yet his height counts against him, he is an exquisite passer and delivers quality ball, thats why i reckon he can play anywhere between 5 and 12.

Jeez, belle, a good passer is exactly what Coleman is not, unfortunately. His delivery is regularly very wayward.

Disappointed Meehan is left corner forward where the dogs on the street know he wont deliver, im a believer in Peter Forde but his faith in Ja is misplaced, Ja comin on is a lot more inspirational than him coming off.

Do you mean Meehan or Bane? Meehan will be fine, don't worry at all about him. Even when's he off-form he takes watching. Bane and N Joyce now have the platform, they need to deliver. There can't be too many more chances for them.

Anyway, Blake's absence is a loss but Coyne has had a good league campaign, so Comer is the only major worry in the defence, (he's been replaced in the last 2 c'ship games v Mayo I think). No worries at all about Hanley who's turning into a no. 3 of real quality.

Galway city here is windy at the moment - if this persists til Sunday it will be a game of 2 halves even more so than usual in Pearse. Home side to scrape home in a dull and moderate-quality match.

[galwayman]

I heard on gbfm that the new Galway football jersey is being launched in the Claregalway hotel tonight. Anyone have a pic of it?
Also, does anyone know if they can be bought tonight at the venue? Someone told me a few days ago that it won't be on sale in the shops for a few weeks.

[belleaqua]

Jeez, belle, a good passer is exactly what Coleman is not, unfortunately. His delivery is regularly very wayward.
[/quote]

I dont agree Mouview, his delivery is the only type of ball that suits Meehan, always keep an eye on Meehan, he moves quicker than the playuer in possession realises in that it should be played first time, I like Colemans style of delivery, long and direct-quick ball, cuts out the handpassing shite.

I know Meehan takes watchin, a class act however I feel wer not maximizing his potential in there, he has alot more to offer in a central role. I expect a few scores from him Sunday, may well deliver

[ildanach]

I dont acutally think D Brady will start, I think that Nallen will go to midfield and then be replaced by Brady there. As i said a few pages back what let BJP down against Galway was his distribution (that is normally ok). I will be very worried if Heaney is not marking Joyce. In the forwards the only one i have a doubt over his selection is G Brady, I didn't think he had a great national league (i know last year,he was a revelation, but this time around he did not shine for me). However perhaps he is flying in training and therefore has earned  selection.