Gaillimh-Ciarraí 2008

[belleaqua]

Too much negativity on here from Galway supporters, dont know why we are bothering headin to Dublin on Saturday at all. If this is the players attitude we are rightly f**ked. Bar the last few years we would be considered Kerry's traditional bogey team but sure that mantle has now passed to Tyrone

We have every chance on Saturday, midfield and breaks being key. Think we might have the men to tie up Donaghy and Walsh. Cooper still poses the biggest threat to the Galway rearguard. Hope there's twenty minutes in Bergin, he will be needed.

O'Mahony well capable of sorting out Joyce and even poses a scoring threat when Joyce drops deep so we must be careful but its not beyond the bounds of possibility that Joyce will have a stormer.

As for Meehan in Croke Park, has in the main had good games there bar Tyrone in 04 but in his defence he was played at right half forward, something he definitely is not. I think Marc O'Se has difficulty with him too based on the All Ireland Club final and in the league tussles Meehan has won his own ball against O'Se easier than I have expected. If anything Tom O'Sullivan has a better record on Meehan. Meehan will have to have a stormer if we are to have a chance, as will Armstrong should he get the start with Nicky Joyce missing.

[Duine Eile]

What's the story with tickets for this one lads?Are they going to go to the clubs or are they just going to sell them out of loughgeorge and salthill?

[Clarin Pearl]

last few years?? Haven't beaten them in colour!!!

[MaroonAndWhite]

What's the story with tickets for this one lads?Are they going to go to the clubs or are they just going to sell them out of loughgeorge and salthill?

There will be any amount of them in the caravans on Drumcondra/Jones Rd areas so id not worry too much about travellin to Loughgeorge/Salthill to pick one up.

Joe Bergin is passed fit to play although id be very surprised if he started him. Maybe bring him in early in second half but he's played no games so Croke Park would take it out of the legs.

The rosary beads are out but in Joyce I trust so hopefully he and a few others will help pull a surprise out of the bag........another soft ould Breathnach goal would be gladly accepted!!!

[T Fearon]

Lads, looking forward to this one as an aftermath to the big game when I can relax after Armagh have booked their place in the semis. I do recall the 2002 encounter at the same stage and was amazed that there was hardly a hard tackle or shoulder charge in the game,instead you would have thought it was an exhibition match, and Galway were defending All Ireland Champions as well.

I trust there will be more of a cutting edge on Saturday?

[myball22]

I hope so the expectation would be that Galway like to play football and don't resort to the rough tactics but
I think we'll need to revisit this policy this weekend.

I feel that this game is probably beyond Galway but we cannot forget that Kerry lost an eight point lead in the Munster
Final and can still be fragile but I think we would need two or three goals to win this game.

With Nicky Joyce out, who will gets his place? Would Lydon or Conroy get a start to try to bolster the midfield area?

[GY Joe]

Lads, looking forward to this one as an aftermath to the big game when I can relax after Armagh have booked their place in the semis. I do recall the 2002 encounter at the same stage and was amazed that there was hardly a hard tackle or shoulder charge in the game,instead you would have thought it was an exhibition match, and Galway were defending All Ireland Champions as well.

I trust there will be more of a cutting edge on Saturday?

Cutting edge? A cutting edge indicates incisive forward play and scoring passages of fine play. Depends whether you like football or rugby league without the tackle count Tony..
You mean a dour defensive struggle with gang tackles?
In all seriousness, we are going to have to match Kerry in the physical stakes if we have any hope..

[MaroonAndWhite]

Theres no point in trying to rough house Kerry......whatever chance we have in a game of football, we have no hope in a sledging match. Fair enough, give what you're gettin but dont go out to turn it into a clattering match. A few hardy lads there with Cullinane, Blake, PJ but apart from that, forget about it. Dara & Tomas O'Se, Aidan O'Mahony and some of these lads.......sure they ate young lads for breakfast.

Have something worked out for the kickouts so as to not rain ball down on Dara O'Se and feed decent ball to the forward line......then we have a chance. It will be bad enough if they are lorrying ball into Donaghy and Cooper off their own ball, the last thing we need is for them to start cleaning us on our own ball too. I'd like to see Conroy in at 10 and Bane inside with Fiachra Breathnach on the bench. Cant see him going for Armstrong on the basis that he needs something to strengthen the middle third as you said

If we are in it with 15 mins to go, we would have a fair chance so a good start is vital.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Too much negativity on here from Galway supporters, dont know why we are bothering headin to Dublin on Saturday at all. If this is the players attitude we are rightly f**ked. Bar the last few years we would be considered Kerry's traditional bogey team but sure that mantle has now passed to Tyrone

Well historically we had a pretty decent record against Kerry teams (compared to other counties at any rate). Up to 2000 we were pretty much neck and neck with them in championship wins between the two but they've stolen a march on us since after beating us in 2000 and 2002. Certainly though Galway generally have no inferiority complex when it comes to playing Kerry but that won't win you games by itself unfortunately and in the last few years they have definitely had the wood on us.

Just found a nice background piece on Hogan Stand

GALWAY v KERRY

They meet in the championship for the first time since 2002 when Kerry beat Galway by 2-17 to 1-12 in the All-Ireland quarter-final. They also met in the 2000 All-Ireland final which Kerry won in a replay.

The counties also clashed in National League finals in 2004 and 2006, both of which Kerry won. And Kerry also won when the teams met in a National League game in Pearse Stadium last April (0-15 to 0-10). Galway's last championship win over Kerry was in the 1965 All-Ireland final.

This will be the 19th championship meeting between the counties with Kerry winning nine of the previous eighteen to Galway's six while they have been three draws. Galway's best run against Kerry came in the 1960's when they beat the Kingdom in three successive championships (1963 semi-final; 1964-65 finals).

[GalwayBayBoy]

Joe Bergin has recovered from injury and could play some part in Galway's All-Ireland quarter-final clash with champions Kerry on Saturday.

Bergin has been sidelined for four months after having an operation on his Achilles, but it has been confirmed that he will be available for slection against the Kingdom.

The Mountbellew midfielder suffered the injury in the NFL Division One clash with Mayo last April and has not featured in a maroon jersey since.

"Joe has been training. He was doing some light training before the Connacht final but he's been available to do more in the last few weeks," Galway official Seamus Finnerty told The Star.

Bergin is unlikely to claim a starting berth on Saturday, but could be called into the fray if Kerry's Darragh O Sé manages a repeat performance of his midfield destruction of Monaghan on Sunday.

[Galforever]

Some interesting calls to make:

Doherty --- Guaranteed to start

Cannot see a full back line other than this Fitzgerald, Hanley & D.Burke

Half back line, I'd imagine it will be three from Bradshaw, Blake, Sice & D. Meehan. Blake will start but can you drop Bradshaw after his performance aginst Mayo? But then do you leave a player of Dec Meehans experience off against Kerry?

Midfield: Has to be Cullinane & Coleman.

Half-Forward Line: Like the half back line, it is difficult to know exactly who will be picked. Joyce at number 11 for sure. Breathnach at 10 & Armstrong / Conroy at 12? I would opt for Armstrong. Keep Conroy as a sub for now maybe.

Full Forward Line: Matt Clancy (Obviously playing as a third midfielder), M. Meehan, C. Bane

[myball22]

According to news reports this morning Bergin is out and both Declan Meehan and Armstrong are doubtful.

Anybody got the latest?

[T Fearon]

While I can understand the distaste for defensive tactics and rugby league style robustness etc, the 2002 Galway Kerry clash was nevertheless virtually tackle free (and I mean tackles of any description). In all, the game was almost completely devoid of passion and I was amazed that the Tribesmen surrendered their title so tamely.

[GY Joe]

While I can understand the distaste for defensive tactics and rugby league style robustness etc, the 2002 Galway Kerry clash was nevertheless virtually tackle free (and I mean tackles of any description). In all, the game was almost completely devoid of passion and I was amazed that the Tribesmen surrendered their title so tamely.

Its like anything Tony, there is a happy medium between both to be found and you will find no complaints from me over Galway matching Kerry physically should that enable us to win the game.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Galway's preparations for Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final against Kerry have been hit by a series of injuries.

Joe Bergin, who was back fighting for a place after recovering from an Achilles injury picked up in a league game in April, had a setback at training last week when he damaged a quad muscle which rules him out of a return.

And stalwart Declan Meehan is also struggling to be ready after injuring his hamstring in the Connacht final.

Galway captain Padraic Joyce said yesterday that Meehan's prospects of playing any role on Saturday are rated as slim.

Sean Armstrong became the latest casualty at training on Monday night when he sustained a groin injury that rules him out of Saturday.

Add to that Nickey Joyce's absence due to a groin operation two weeks ago means Liam Sammon's options have become limited.

Padraic Joyce, who captains Galway in their first All-Ireland quarter-final for three years, has welcomed the staging of their quarter-final in Croke Park.

"It is very important and will help our lads, a lot people may think differently though. We have players who like carrying the ball, so it's a great boost. Obviously it will suit Kerry too as it is their second home now. But I'm delighted and I think we'll relish the open spaces.

Joyce also confirmed yesterday that he won't be involved with the International Rules squad later this year as either selector or player.

Joyce feels that any time he can give to football he will give to Galway.

Meanwhile, Aidan O'Mahony is Kerry's most serious doubt.

O'Mahony injured a leg in an early collision with Monaghan's Stephen Gollogly on Sunday but played on. However, an X-ray on Monday revealed severe bruising above the Achilles and he is currently on crutches.

Tipperary centre-back Conor O'Mahony will have the cast removed from his broken hand this week.

O'Mahony has been laid up since the Munster final, but Sheedy is confident he will be ready for next week's All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford. Lar Corbett and John O'Brien are also on the mend.