Galway v Meath official thread

[An Fhairche Abu]

Two very mediocre teams....who cares who wins?  . Laughable how Galway are always tipped as one of the contenders for the AI  at the start of the year.....Meath are not a bad side but that's about it.

I can't argue with a Fermanagh man as a judge of that, you've far more accustomed to mediocrity there than we are in Galway.
I'm sure however that quite a few Galway and Meath folk do actually care about the result, as you don't why bother posting here, in fact why don't you f**k off out of the thread.

[robinbanks]

Thats the shot! Pity your hurlers didnt show the same.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Is this the only game thats on live? Although Id be grateful that theyre showing it Id guessed they'd show both matches especially as theyre in the one ground. I know in previous years it was common place to show double headers when it got to this stage of the championship. Although RTE seem to have fallen out with the football qualifiers this season.

[Hound]

I would love for us to beat Meath and get Dublin in the qualifiers. If there's one game where we know the attitude will be right, I would say this would be it.

Yip, seeing as you couldnt beat the Dubs in the championship in the last century, you'll surely manage it sometime in this century    Although its only 27 years since you beat us in the league, so maybe a win isnt due quite yet!

Looking forward to this game. The return of Geraghty brings added intrigue. I havent got a clue how to call it. If and when Geraghty appears I'll start cheering for Galway, but otherwise I'm finding this Meath team hard to dislike. Moyles is a captain any team would be proud to have, Fay is my favourite Meath player ever and Farrell and Bray seem to be class acts. I was glad for them when they beat Down and Fermanagh. Galway probably have more talent, but if I was pushed into calling it I'd say Meath's desire will edge it.  

[seanshunt]

DE, a direct quote from yourself "Now I'm certainly no Corofin supporter, I'd nearly go as far as saying I hate the sight of them and wasn't a bit bothered to see them lose", look it up kido, its there, hope you were crossing your fingers behind your back when you wished the lads good luck, enough of this now, apology accepted.

Only hope for a victory on SaturdayDE, a direct quote from yourself "Now I'm certainly no Corofin supporter, I'd nearly go as far as saying I hate the sight of them and wasn't a bit bothered to see them lose", look it up kido, its there, hope you were crossing your fingers behind your back when you wished the lads good luck, enough of this now, apology accepted.

Don't think Cullinane is the answer for Saturday, reminds me a lot of O'Domhnaill, not a bad man under a high ball but when he lands with ball in hand that's where the trouble starts, Big Sean was lucky in that he had a well motivated, quick and strong forward line that would fight for every 50/50 ball and win most of them, our forwards at present seem to rely on luck breaks and don't seem to have the stomach for a battle from the type of balls Cullinane delivers. Once of Forde's drawbacks is his complete lack of ability to change tactics once things start to go against this Galway team, most notable against Cork 2 years ago and last Sunday week, the Westmeath game was just a disaster from the first minute. In Sligo in the 2nd half Forde's answer to the long ball game not functioning was an instruction to kick it longer, the yes men that make up the back room team are even worse. For the next day we need to play to our strengths for what they are. The forwards can score but the ball needs to be quick accurate and low, Coleman can deliver this, Bergin to a lesser extent, Blake and Comer can as well, Decie cant but he delivers in other places. Flee to Forde, let the half backs suppost the forwards, leave the forwards in their best positions for more than 10 minutes and let them play football, we might get beat but feck it they might bring abit of pride back t galway football

[Hardy]

Oops - ignore.

[galwayman]

Seanshunt, quote "The forwards can score but the ball needs to be quick accurate and low, Coleman can deliver this".

Are you serious with the above statement?? I don't think I have ever seen Niall Coleman give a low pass. Seriously, watch him when he gets the ball. Every single time he drives it long and high up in the air. Sometimes it works out (like Bane's first goal against Mayo) but much of the time it doesn't. There's no method to his kicks, he just drives them and hopes for the best.

Am finding this game very difficult to call. We are well capable of winning it but I wouldn't bet on it.
As I've said in a previous post, I believe this game is all about the individual motivation of the galway players. If they are well up for it then we will be hard beaten but if not then Meath will make us suffer

[Duine Eile]

I seriously don't remember saying anything like that seanshunt, if I did then I apologise, must have caught me on a bad day or something, I've mellowed since then! 

Anyway back to matters in hand, Meath are probably justified favourites on Sunday after our last two abysmal performances in Carrick and against Sligo. Cullinane starting at mid field is not the answer to the problems in that sector , he's better being brought on in the second half when the game is in the melting pot, he doesn't have the fitness or temprement for a full 70, the backs need to be a lot tighter, Damien Burke started off with a man of the match performance against Mayo and has gone downhill since, Hanley isn't doing too badly, Kieran Fitz got caught napping against Sligo a few times and can't afford to do that against Meath. Dec Meehan is great going forward but he's not a great defender, he needs to stay in his own half of the field more. Half forward line did fairly well the last day with the much maligned Ja playing fairly well. (in the first half anyway when Galway seemed a bit bothered about the game) Nicky Joyce needs to take his time when shooting sometimes but is doing okay all the same, Savo is extremely doubtful for Saturday so Armstrong could get his first start of the year here. If he does start I hope he doesn't start the me fein glory act he used to be at but he seems to have matured from what we've seen of him this year so far. Full forward line needs to get off its arse and  start scoring like we know they can, Cormac Bane will be lucky to start but probably will, he's been anonymous enough since Mayo match. We need a huge team performance to have any hope of winning this but hopefully they got the wake up call they needed in Hyde Park. wouldn't be any way confident though.

[myball22]

It's hard to know which Galway will turn up, the one that was hungry against Mayo or the one that was dreadful against Sligo. It's hard to see the team putting together as big a performance as what's needed to win but you never know. We question their attitude but the thing that stands out as lacking from previous years is leadership on the field. Previously we had people who could take responsibilty at critical moments like Finnegan against Ros in '98 or Kevin Walsh against Donegal in 2003. I remember PJ demanding the ball aginst Kildare in an All-Ireland semi-final when the game was on the line and he was the same age as some of this team now. Nowadays some of the players "disappear" when the game is their for the winning or losing and we have no one to grab it by the scruff of the neck (pardon all the cliches here )

It's time for some people to step up and be counted or maybe they are just not good enough at this level.

To be honest I think the defenders are exempt of some of the blame here, our midfield was non existent against Sligo in the second half and they were under a lot of pressure. The quality of ball going into the Sligo forward line contrasted with the high ball going into the Galway forward line.

P.S. Would it be wrong to think of this game as win -win as Forde will surely be shown the door if they lose. Also it's fine for Dublin to do the trash taking now. It was unfortunate that we didn't meet you when we were at our height and we would have shown you what stylish football really is.

[Duine Eile]

No team to be named until Saturday before throw in due to injury concerns over Diarmuid Blake, Derek Savage and Ja Fallon.

[Goin Down]

Meath will hammer Galway id say, Galway just not good enough.

[An Fhairche Abu]

Meath will hammer Galway id say, Galway just not good enough.

While I would tip Meath to win it, I'd be disappionted if Galway took a hammering off them, we're very average but are Meath that much better?

[Hound]

Meath are probably justified favourites on Sunday

Galway are marginal favourites with both Ladbrokes and PP.

[SuperSub]

Meath to win i reckon

[timmyot501]

Meath have kept going nicely since the Dublin game. Galway have struggled since the Mayo game. Derry proved that Mayo are just poor this year so I'll go for meath with a bit to spare