galway v donegal

[JoG2]

McFadden is doing his bit. Game over, I imagine, after the early Donegal goal.

That should be it now anyway.

Lack of a marquee forward holding Galway's progress back.

Their definitely not as potent without Conor Lane

[moysider]

Huge fadeout from Galway second half. Curran, Flynn and Conroy don t live up to their billing for a start afaic.

[Wildweasel74]

Complaining about the ref, but couldnt see the ref give them everything last week, tuh tuh! Blinkers on when it suited!

[Main Street]

The Galway lads looked smaller in the 2nd half.
That will be an an easy journey home for the Donegal fans.

[dublin7]

Donegal were the better  team, but not the team they were a few years ago. Galway were wiped out in midfield in the 2nd half but when they did get the ball they cut holes in the donegal defence that weren't there in previous years. Won't dominate midfield like that in qtr final & cant believe they'll get a referee who will do them as many favors  as that clown did today

[moysider]

Galway losing by more than Sligo. Who d have thought it.

[Captain Obvious]

Galway simply not good enough in that second half. Donegal more impressive in their win against Galway than Mayo were however with Eamon McGee,Lacey out you would have to fancy Mayo to win next weekend.

[Whitnail]

McFadden so frustrating but he came good today for the first time in 2 years. Can he get involved against Mayo? There's the problem

[Syferus]

Michael Murphy is out of the match tomorrow according to Brendan Devenney on UTV Ireland there.

Donegal playing games?

Possibly, but it's not like they are going in against Mayo or Dublin, no need to play mind games when they are playing a team that they should be accounting for.
Murphy was clearly injured against Monaghan, I did raise the possibility of Donegal saving Murphy for the Mayo game next week, Donegal might fancy that they have enough on the pitch without him to win tomorrow as it is.

That wont happen if he can play. If he cant play tomorrow he won t be a lot better along a week later either.
Huge test for the Donegal system if they have to go without Lacey and Murphy. Their defence will still be tough. This will be the first time the likes of Cummins and Comer get a taste of the McGees and Co? How they get on could decide this gig.

He won't be any worse the following week if he misses  a full blown intercounty game (if they make it to the next day). Rest is rest, even if it is only a week. In Murphys case three weeks instead of two.

I know but this is Galway. A team that has already beaten Derry and Armagh and would never fear a county like Donegal - or anybody. Donegal looked a bit weary v Monaghan. More than a bit actually and the fact Monaghan hung on after an easier run to Ulster final is worrying for them too imo.
Now they go in against an improving Galway. Factor in that provincial losers don t go well and this is not a game that Galway should be losing really. This is set up for them if there are going to become a top team again anytime soon.

'This is Galway'. That's a bit like the 'this is Mayo' stuff thrown at ye when the pressure's on. All I see is a young team with talent and holes in equal measure. There is no great swagger about Galway anymore and there hasn't been for many years now.

This is an inexperienced Galway team (at the level you're expecting them to perform at) with a fragile FB line. Murphy gone gives them a chance but the likes of McBrerty and I assume McFadden can still expose those weakenesses.

If Galway lose this game comprehensively it's hard to make the case they made much progress at all this year despite a bit of hoopla about Walsh improving the defence. They're about to get a test they haven't seen since the Mayo game and Hanley and company failed badly that day.

Lenient refereeing on Hanley was about all that stopped that one from getting out of hand because for all of the good stuff going forward when balls went in to AOS there was absolute panic in the Galway defence, and Walsh felt he had no better option on the bench.

If Galway step up in the FB line they have a chance but if they leak a goal Donegal will shut up shop and hold them at arm's length.

[imtommygunn]

There do seem to be very large gaps in the half back line for donegal. Still lacey to come back. Thought mcfadden was great on the ball - so strong. Can't shoot so well any more mind. Gallagher possibly best mifielder about too.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Very disappointing fade out. Was never a 10 point game but let Donegal get a run on them near the end. Midfield went out of it completely after half-time after looking comfortable up to then. That was the start of all the problems. Can't let any team have enough possession to bomb on top of their forward line especially one with Michael Murphy in there. Hanley is unfortunately not athletic enough these days to deal with the likes of him and O'Se. Couldn't even get off the ground for the 2nd goal. Shane Walsh a big loss this year as he's the one player who can consistently kick points from distance.

Don't think Kinsella did us any favours at all when the game was in the melting pot. Number of dubious decisions but sure what can you do.

[imtommygunn]

McFadden so frustrating but he came good today for the first time in 2 years. Can he get involved against Mayo? There's the problem

Much better in hf line these days. Let him pass and not shoot!

[J70]

Turning point was the couple of minutes when Galway missed the nothing free Neil McGee gave away and then Donegal got level and went ahead.

[J70]

McFadden so frustrating but he came good today for the first time in 2 years. Can he get involved against Mayo? There's the problem

Much better in hf line these days. Let him pass and not shoot!

Harsh. He was excellent against Tyrone and played well against Derry. Today was a step up again, in fairness.

[J70]

Very disappointing fade out. Was never a 10 point game but let Donegal get a run on them near the end. Midfield went out of it completely after half-time after looking comfortable up to then. That was the start of all the problems. Can't let any team have enough possession to bomb on top of their forward line especially one with Michael Murphy in there. Hanley is unfortunately not athletic enough these days to deal with the likes of him and O'Se. Couldn't even get off the ground for the 2nd goal. Shane Walsh a big loss this year as he's the one player who can consistently kick points from distance.

Don't think Kinsella did us any favours at all when the game was in the melting pot. Number of dubious decisions but sure what can you do.

No it wasn't. Second goal was game over and five or six points would have been a truer reflection of the overall game, with Donegal on top for probably two thirds.

Was worried for a bit in the second half there that we wouldn't make our dominance count, especially when we hit a couple of poor wides, including the pair from McBrearty. MacNiallais stepped up with a pair of brilliant points from out on the left wing, and those and that monster catch and kick from Murphy stretched us out a wee bit before McHugh got the goal.

Prior to that though, if Galway had scored that very cheap free called on McGee, I was fearful that we might have been in a wee bit of bother, but in fairness, from that point on, it was one way traffic.