galway v kerry all ireland quarter final

[GalwayBayBoy]

I don't want to be too harsh but there was a real lack of composure and belief out there today, Kerry had the handbrake on and still won at a canter. No shame in losing if playing to the best of ability but that wasn't near good enough to be competitive from Galway today.
Some curious substitutions also I thought.

On a side note, Ian Burke is a joy to watch, his movement and scoring is brilliant.

Yeah one of the plus points from the last two games is that we now know Ian Burke is an intercounty forward. I had my doubts due to his size but his movement is really superb. Even though he's not particularly quick his movement always buys him time and space.

Our midfield is still too watery and inconsistent for my liking. Follow one good game with a bad game. Conroy had a stormer against Donegal but completely anonymous today.

Full-back line is an old story at this stage. Probably the smallest full-back line in the country. Sean Andy will help as he has size, strength and pace but he's still in for a steep learning curve next year. Two new corner backs required from somewhere although Kerin has something to offer I feel.

[Duine Eile]

I don't want to be too harsh but there was a real lack of composure and belief out there today, Kerry had the handbrake on and still won at a canter. No shame in losing if playing to the best of ability but that wasn't near good enough to be competitive from Galway today.
Some curious substitutions also I thought.

On a side note, Ian Burke is a joy to watch, his movement and scoring is brilliant.

Yeah one of the plus points from the last two games is that we now know Ian Burke is an intercounty forward. I had my doubts due to his size but his movement is really superb. Even though he's not particularly quick his movement always buys him time and space.

One of the many questions for the management, why wasn't he playing against Mayo and Roscommon?

[From the Bunker]

Because of the Quality of the opposition. Todays defeat holds less embarrassment compared to losing to Tipp last year. But it still was a comprehensive defeat and had the same traits of lasy years Quarter Final. Kerry held Galway at arms length for all of the game. I found today's plámásing from Dessie Dolan on Co-commentary cringe worthy. Talking about Armstrong and the Terrible Twin reference and looking for Michael Meehan to come on! Going on about a loss to Kerry in 2008 as if it was a badge of honour. Today marked another consecutive loss in Croke Park in the Championship for Galway. Division One football will bring this group on and Galway have the players. They just need consistency in results. They should take over in time from Mayo's recent dominance in the Province. Roscommon will be decent but will always lack the strength in dept of their neighbours.

[Duine Eile]

Division One football will bring this group on and Galway have the players. They just need consistency in results.

Not if we don't sort out that back line and develop a competitive midfield, Conroy and Flynn were excellent last week but virtually anonymous today, Flynn especially.

[From the Bunker]

Division One football will bring this group on and Galway have the players. They just need consistency in results.

Not if we don't sort out that back line and develop a competitive midfield, Conroy and Flynn were excellent last week but virtually anonymous today, Flynn especially.

Division One Football will force Galway to sort this out! Division Two allows you to coast over these problems!

[Duine Eile]

Division One football will bring this group on and Galway have the players. They just need consistency in results.

Not if we don't sort out that back line and develop a competitive midfield, Conroy and Flynn were excellent last week but virtually anonymous today, Flynn especially.

Division One Football will force Galway to sort this out! Division Two allows you to coast over these problems!

We got relegated from Division 1 because we've had defensive issues for years, it's not news to anyone but still it's not being sorted out. Sean Andy and Sean Mulkerrins from the minors look like good prospects but realistically we still don't know if they'll cut it at senior level. Bad sign when the most impressive full back on the club scene is Kieran Fitzgerald 

[An Fhairche Abu]

I don't want to be too harsh but there was a real lack of composure and belief out there today, Kerry had the handbrake on and still won at a canter. No shame in losing if playing to the best of ability but that wasn't near good enough to be competitive from Galway today.
Some curious substitutions also I thought.

There was a real lack of everything you are supposed to get in an AIQF!  Let's be honest here, it was a terrible performance that more resembled an NFL game in March!  Nothing worse that going to CP and not giving it your all, if it's not good enough then so be it, but today was a meek insipid performance.  It hard not to be totally frustrated with what has been served up by that group on a couple of occasions this Summer.

Unfortunately I'd have to entirely agree, they didn't die with their boots on, the first 5 minutes of the second game saw more intensity than the Galway performance.
Frustrating is definitely the word, in the cold light of day the question remains as to whether the players are there to compete at this level but even some of the lads that are supposedly the players to build a team around didn't put the hand up. Kerry would probably always have won but there's ways and means to lose.
It's not nice to knock players when they are down but that was really poor yesterday, it's crazy that Ian Burke in his 2nd match and, at times, a young lad in Daly were the pick of the players, Shane Walsh had a nightmare, midfield were well beaten.
Plenty of questions around the management as well given how the summer has panned out, Galway have got beat out the gate when exiting the championship every single year under the current regime.

[mouview]

I don't want to be too harsh but there was a real lack of composure and belief out there today, Kerry had the handbrake on and still won at a canter. No shame in losing if playing to the best of ability but that wasn't near good enough to be competitive from Galway today.
Some curious substitutions also I thought.

There was a real lack of everything you are supposed to get in an AIQF!  Let's be honest here, it was a terrible performance that more resembled an NFL game in March!  Nothing worse that going to CP and not giving it your all, if it's not good enough then so be it, but today was a meek insipid performance.  It hard not to be totally frustrated with what has been served up by that group on a couple of occasions this Summer.

Unfortunately I'd have to entirely agree, they didn't die with their boots on, the first 5 minutes of the second game saw more intensity than the Galway performance.
Frustrating is definitely the word, in the cold light of day the question remains as to whether the players are there to compete at this level but even some of the lads that are supposedly the players to build a team around didn't put the hand up. Kerry would probably always have won but there's ways and means to lose.
It's not nice to knock players when they are down but that was really poor yesterday, it's crazy that Ian Burke in his 2nd match and, at times, a young lad in Daly were the pick of the players, Shane Walsh had a nightmare, midfield were well beaten.
Plenty of questions around the management as well given how the summer has panned out, Galway have got beat out the gate when exiting the championship every single year under the current regime.

Think Galway's more senior and experienced players have gone as far as they're going to. Yesterday, finally, after 3 years into KW's tenure, was the time to really stand up , to show they've arrived, or at least they're going places as a team. Instead they sank without barely a wave. Midfield anonymous, FB line, (bar the quite good Kerin) roasted, HB line porous where GOD spend the day chasing shadows. It wasn't a lack of experience that held them back - perhaps our best player was our least experienced, and a number of the older players have won AIs in Croke Park.

Just not good enough to go to the next level. KW needs to review his stint and look at why it's not working out. Sadly I think he needs a mirror.

[GalwayBayBoy]

I don't want to be too harsh but there was a real lack of composure and belief out there today, Kerry had the handbrake on and still won at a canter. No shame in losing if playing to the best of ability but that wasn't near good enough to be competitive from Galway today.
Some curious substitutions also I thought.

There was a real lack of everything you are supposed to get in an AIQF!  Let's be honest here, it was a terrible performance that more resembled an NFL game in March!  Nothing worse that going to CP and not giving it your all, if it's not good enough then so be it, but today was a meek insipid performance.  It hard not to be totally frustrated with what has been served up by that group on a couple of occasions this Summer.

Unfortunately I'd have to entirely agree, they didn't die with their boots on, the first 5 minutes of the second game saw more intensity than the Galway performance.
Frustrating is definitely the word, in the cold light of day the question remains as to whether the players are there to compete at this level but even some of the lads that are supposedly the players to build a team around didn't put the hand up. Kerry would probably always have won but there's ways and means to lose.
It's not nice to knock players when they are down but that was really poor yesterday, it's crazy that Ian Burke in his 2nd match and, at times, a young lad in Daly were the pick of the players, Shane Walsh had a nightmare, midfield were well beaten.
Plenty of questions around the management as well given how the summer has panned out, Galway have got beat out the gate when exiting the championship every single year under the current regime.

Think Galway's more senior and experienced players have gone as far as they're going to. Yesterday, finally, after 3 years into KW's tenure, was the time to really stand up , to show they've arrived, or at least they're going places as a team. Instead they sank without barely a wave. Midfield anonymous, FB line, (bar the quite good Kerin) roasted, HB line porous where GOD spend the day chasing shadows. It wasn't a lack of experience that held them back - perhaps our best player was our least experienced, and a number of the older players have won AIs in Croke Park.

Probably our two best players were Burke and Daly who have I think 5 championship starts between them. Our two least experienced players at intercounty level were our best ones. A damning indictment of some of the others.

All that said it is a squad not short on talent and more coming through underneath but they certainly have to find something extra to take them to the next level whether that is with new players or new management.

The league will be interesting next year. Do they go all out early to stay up or try and taper it so they are competitive in the league but have something left in the tank for the Summer.

[twohands!!!]

While Burke had a very good game, I think Fionn Fitzgerald is only a very average man-marker and I thought he was haunted not to be subbed off.

I would be very surprised if he starts for Kerry the next day.

Also I think people are being a bit harsh on Galway - Kerry in recent years are past masters at making the quarter-finals they play in non-events.

Last year it was Clare by 12 points, the year previous it was Kildare by 27, the previous year it was Galway by 7, before that Cavan by 6 points.

The battering of a non-existent Donegal was probably the worst possible last match to be coming in from. When a team mauls an opposition like Galway did to Donegal, every player tends to remember what went well for them as opposed to what they did poorly and take little to no account into how horrendous the opposition were.

However I would agree that KW is under serious pressure - just letting Kerry take the short kickouts uncontested in the first half sends out a terrible message. Gave them a massive platform to build their attacks.

I think Galway's problem is that they still haven't grasped that relying on your attack alone won't win you much in the way of silverware - you have to have some notion of how to defend as a team - the Galway full-forwards have to grasp the notion that they are the first line of defence and the half-forwards have to grasp the notion that they are the 2nd line of defence. As it is it looks like the attitude of the team is that defending is something for the full-back line and the goal-keeper to be concerned about, and even some of them seem to be only half bothered about the defending gig - I'd say if you were a Galway supporter looking at footage of Galway games and counted the number of times Kyne decided to pelt away up the field when it was the wrong option, you'd be reaching for the brandy and the service revolver before long. 

[PW Nally]

Shane Walsh looked to have a shoulder injury when coming off yesterday, did he carry that injury into the game with him?

[seafoid]

I don't want to be too harsh but there was a real lack of composure and belief out there today, Kerry had the handbrake on and still won at a canter. No shame in losing if playing to the best of ability but that wasn't near good enough to be competitive from Galway today.
Some curious substitutions also I thought.

There was a real lack of everything you are supposed to get in an AIQF!  Let's be honest here, it was a terrible performance that more resembled an NFL game in March!  Nothing worse that going to CP and not giving it your all, if it's not good enough then so be it, but today was a meek insipid performance.  It hard not to be totally frustrated with what has been served up by that group on a couple of occasions this Summer.

Unfortunately I'd have to entirely agree, they didn't die with their boots on, the first 5 minutes of the second game saw more intensity than the Galway performance.
Frustrating is definitely the word, in the cold light of day the question remains as to whether the players are there to compete at this level but even some of the lads that are supposedly the players to build a team around didn't put the hand up. Kerry would probably always have won but there's ways and means to lose.
It's not nice to knock players when they are down but that was really poor yesterday, it's crazy that Ian Burke in his 2nd match and, at times, a young lad in Daly were the pick of the players, Shane Walsh had a nightmare, midfield were well beaten.
Plenty of questions around the management as well given how the summer has panned out, Galway have got beat out the gate when exiting the championship every single year under the current regime.

Think Galway's more senior and experienced players have gone as far as they're going to. Yesterday, finally, after 3 years into KW's tenure, was the time to really stand up , to show they've arrived, or at least they're going places as a team. Instead they sank without barely a wave. Midfield anonymous, FB line, (bar the quite good Kerin) roasted, HB line porous where GOD spend the day chasing shadows. It wasn't a lack of experience that held them back - perhaps our best player was our least experienced, and a number of the older players have won AIs in Croke Park.

Just not good enough to go to the next level. KW needs to review his stint and look at why it's not working out. Sadly I think he needs a mirror.

You wouldn't know,Mo.Back in 2011 a lot of the hurlers were deemed pure usheless after another mediocre year but 12 months later under a new manager they were a puck of the ball away from the all Ireland.

[mouview]

You wouldn't know,Mo.Back in 2011 a lot of the hurlers were deemed pure usheless after another mediocre year but 12 months later under a new manager they were a puck of the ball away from the all Ireland.

True, though the hurlers, even back then were largely competitive year-on-year, (bad in 2011 but only lost by 1 to eventual winners Tipp in 2010). Ironically, our hurlers were regularly castigated for being 'mentally weak' and 'having no backbone' while the footballers at the time got at easy run with pundits saying, for no apparent reason, that at 'least they had a bit of grit and steel'.

The truth is that our footballers have been mediocre for so long now, well before KW and Mullholland's stints, that we don't remember now how to be competitive or relevant anymore. And as I've already said, I can't see a new manager getting any more improvement out of our more senior and seasoned players, it has to come from themselves at this stage.

[seafoid]

You wouldn't know,Mo.Back in 2011 a lot of the hurlers were deemed pure usheless after another mediocre year but 12 months later under a new manager they were a puck of the ball away from the all Ireland.

True, though the hurlers, even back then were largely competitive year-on-year, (bad in 2011 but only lost by 1 to eventual winners Tipp in 2010). Ironically, our hurlers were regularly castigated for being 'mentally weak' and 'having no backbone' while the footballers at the time got at easy run with pundits saying, for no apparent reason, that at 'least they had a bit of grit and steel'.

The truth is that our footballers have been mediocre for so long now, well before KW and Mullholland's stints, that we don't remember now how to be competitive or relevant anymore. And as I've already said, I can't see a new manager getting any more improvement out of our more senior and seasoned players, it has to come from themselves at this stage.

That is quite generous to the hurlers pre 2011 , Mo. They had no consistency. They threw in the towel too often .
I remember thinking during the McIntyre years that they never got the right experience.

The frustration is mostly encapsulated in the famous head gasket interview

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/vincent-hogan/vincent-hogan-have-galway-become-a-soft-touch-26743621.html

Gerry Mac was on up for the match in 2012
Gerry's wife Ita said with great solemnity that, 'we need a win... for the kids'.

Gerry was a bit more focused
"Never mind the kids, we need a victory for ourselves! Jaysus Chrisssssshhhtt!"

I think it is interesting to compare the hurlers and Mayo now. They both lost a final in 2012.
Mayo have 11 starters from 2011. Galway have far fewer. Skill levels are very high. They learnt from the various losses.
Non performers were dropped. It was Mol an óige.
Mayo are probably finished.

This is really only the first year the footballers were exposed to high level games. They have an àwful lot of work to do. But the hurlers could be a template.