Maigh Eo v Gaillimh, 2pm, 13ú Iúil, Pairc Mhic Eil

[Jinxy]

Galway are indeed as Maroon Manc put it a team on the way up. I think Mayo, based on all the evidence of seeing most of their matches this year are a team on the way down. If Galway's defence organises itself well the next day, they may have the firepower up front to win this game. I think those odds are ridiculous to be honest.

Beyond Danny Cummins and Shane Walsh I don't know who of that Galway forward pack would even be making the Mayo rotation. Maybe Conroy if he's fit. I assume Galway will look to the Roscommon and Tyrone games as guides but surely to God Mayo will wise up and eventually adapt too.

If Mayo had a couple of Galway's fancy dan forwards they'd be going for 3 in a row.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Galway are indeed as Maroon Manc put it a team on the way up. I think Mayo, based on all the evidence of seeing most of their matches this year are a team on the way down. If Galway's defence organises itself well the next day, they may have the firepower up front to win this game. I think those odds are ridiculous to be honest.

Beyond Danny Cummins and Shane Walsh I don't know who of that Galway forward pack would even be making the Mayo rotation. Maybe Conroy if he's fit. I assume Galway will look to the Roscommon and Tyrone games as guides but surely to God Mayo will wise up and eventually adapt too.

Kavanagh will probably be available but he's a bit hit or miss. Can either be anonymous or he can start kicking them over from all angles.

Conroy having come on late in the game should be available. Not sure who drops out though? Lundy does a lot of donkey work from wing forward. Damien Comer I guess as he was only a late replacement for Kavanagh yesterday. Hoare has done fairly well but Conroy could take his place.

At the back I think Bradshaw had more possessions than anyone yesterday but always seems to have a mistake or two in him coming out of defence. Just sloppy at times. He also seems to be carrying a bit of timber. He's gotten some stick in the past but Gary O'Donnell has actually done a decent job at centre-back since he was moved there. Tierney would probably move to the bench if either Joss Moore recovers from injury or Duane is allowed back into the squad.

[galwayman]

I don't genuinely think we will trouble Mayo this year.
They are still a nice bit ahead of us yet.I do think we have the ability to be a good side over the next few seasons though which is progress for us.
I'd be worried about the two corner backs in all honesty.I don't think our defence as a whole is solid enough as was shown repeated during the league.

I think Conroy will probably come into the team for Comer the next day.
Armstrong and Kavanagh will probably both be held in reserve.
It's vital though that we are competitive now on the Connacht final.
A performance even in defeat would set us up for a big 70 minutes to make Croker on the August bank holiday weekend!

[Syferus]

Galway are indeed as Maroon Manc put it a team on the way up. I think Mayo, based on all the evidence of seeing most of their matches this year are a team on the way down. If Galway's defence organises itself well the next day, they may have the firepower up front to win this game. I think those odds are ridiculous to be honest.

Beyond Danny Cummins and Shane Walsh I don't know who of that Galway forward pack would even be making the Mayo rotation. Maybe Conroy if he's fit. I assume Galway will look to the Roscommon and Tyrone games as guides but surely to God Mayo will wise up and eventually adapt too.

If Mayo had a couple of Galway's fancy dan forwards they'd be going for 3 in a row.

Shaneen Walsh is the only one in the classical Fancy Dan mould, though. The years have took their toll on the Galway swagger.

Kavanagh is a good player but like you said GBB, he's a Kildare man when presented with the posts.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Walsh is the type of player you would pay in to watch. Outrageously skillful and has that languid casual style that is very easy on the eye.

However he's still only 20. To expect him to be the main man and conduct the entire forward line is a lot to ask of a 20 year old. Especially now that his name is out there and opposing teams are going to be looking to target him with a few early reducers.

What's worse is that Eugene McGee has given his the kiss of death in the Indo today.

Mayo the acid test for rising star Walsh

Eugene McGee

Whenever Galway have a good football team their fans expect a bit of class to predominate. Since the three-in-a-row days of the 1960s up to John O'Mahony's time, when they won two more All-Irelands with class players like Michael Donnellan and a host of others, Galway people expect to have such players.

Unfortunately, these type of players have been conspicuous by their absence in recent years but it was fairly likely that after the county won two U-21 titles in 2011 and 2013 some new stars would appear on the horizon.

On Saturday evening in Sligo, we found at least one in centre-forward Shane Walsh, whose overall personal and team performance was first-class. Such a player, capable of dominating a championship game away from home, can inspire other colleagues and that is exactly what happened. Walsh had the perfect combination of scoring power with his six points including a '45, two frees and three from play, a fine example of overall skill, although the favourable conditions on a balmy June evening certainly helped Walsh and his colleagues.
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When we look at the overall performance of the Galway team, a more balanced assessment of their ability is forthcoming. This is no super Galway team, not even a great team in the making at this stage, and when they face Mayo in three weeks' time we will be better placed to decide if Galway are really on the way back.

RUTHLESS

Certainly the Mayo defence, hardened and ruthless as they now are, will severely curtail the freedom Galway enjoyed from a rather poor Sligo backline. That said, even under the benign conditions Galway enjoyed from their opponents, they still too often seemed to shun direct football in favour of the modern plague of an orgy of short passing in the middle third of the field.

What is it with so many teams who indulge this rather pointless carry-on when they have the option of kicking the ball 40 or 50 metres further towards their opponents' goals?

We saw a supreme example of this travesty of football in the Antrim-Donegal game yesterday also and, for the unfortunate television viewers and those who attended, this sort of football is extremely annoying, apart from diehard supporters who are only interested in winning the game, no matter how that is achieved.

Galway's cause was helped greatly by the absence of a cutting edge among the Sligo players. For instance, in the first half, the home team got more than enough possession to win this game but the full-forward line alone kicked six wides and they had eight in total in the first half when the wind was behind them. It was obvious that Galway would devote special attention to Sligo's star forward David Kelly and so it proved when he was confined to just one point from play. Particularly with average or below-average county teams such as Sligo are right now, a far greater team effort is required to lay the groundwork for your best forward to achieve his maximum return. Sadly, I have many times seen this precept neglected by players and managers with the result that the quality forward is often smothered by defenders and left to struggle.

The other outstanding prospect for the Galway senior team is midfielder Fiontain O Currain, who has already shown his ability at senior and university level and seems sure to anchor that area of the field in the coming years.

There are several others too who looked the part based on Saturday's performances but only when they have to confront Mayo in Castlebar will it be known what the real prospects are for Alan Mulholland's team.

[Syferus]

Is 11 even his best position, I wonder? Always struck me as an inside forward. Of the Galway U21 starting FF line from last year I'd go as far as to say he's the worst passer of the lot, though the other two were excellent. I'd be more afraid of him with the ball close to the goal, though maybe Mulholland wants to get him the ball with space to run, it'd be three-on-two in the FF line at best in most IC matches.

[larryin89]

Oh gawd Eugene my geee is really rubbing his hands at the prospect of Mayo losing to Galway. What a Tosser that man is.


Oh and syf , Shane Walsh is a number 11 all day long , made for the 40 , a class act who will be a big star.

[Jinxy]

Eugene is right about the conditions though.
Could he do it on a wet day in the Hyde with the grass up over his knees?

[GalwayBayBoy]

Is 11 even his best position, I wonder? Always struck me as an inside forward. Of the Galway U21 starting FF line from last year I'd go as far as to say he's the worst passer of the lot, though the other two were excellent. I'd be more afraid of him with the ball close to the goal, though maybe Mulholland wants to get him the ball with space to run, it'd be three-on-two in the FF line at best in most IC matches.

He played very deep in the U-21 final against Cork in 2013. He didn't actually score all that much from what I remember in that game but a lot of his long passes from deep were scored by others.

[Syferus]

Eugene is right about the conditions though.
Could he do it on a wet day in the Hyde with the grass up over his knees?

I wouldn't insult grass by calling what's at the Hyde grass.

[moysider]

Walsh is the type of player you would pay in to watch. Outrageously skillful and has that languid casual style that is very easy on the eye.

However he's still only 20. To expect him to be the main man and conduct the entire forward line is a lot to ask of a 20 year old. Especially now that his name is out there and opposing teams are going to be looking to target him with a few early reducers.

What's worse is that Eugene McGee has given his the kiss of death in the Indo today.

Mayo the acid test for rising star Walsh

Eugene McGee

Whenever Galway have a good football team their fans expect a bit of class to predominate. Since the three-in-a-row days of the 1960s up to John O'Mahony's time, when they won two more All-Irelands with class players like Michael Donnellan and a host of others, Galway people expect to have such players.

Unfortunately, these type of players have been conspicuous by their absence in recent years but it was fairly likely that after the county won two U-21 titles in 2011 and 2013 some new stars would appear on the horizon.

On Saturday evening in Sligo, we found at least one in centre-forward Shane Walsh, whose overall personal and team performance was first-class. Such a player, capable of dominating a championship game away from home, can inspire other colleagues and that is exactly what happened. Walsh had the perfect combination of scoring power with his six points including a '45, two frees and three from play, a fine example of overall skill, although the favourable conditions on a balmy June evening certainly helped Walsh and his colleagues.
advertisement

When we look at the overall performance of the Galway team, a more balanced assessment of their ability is forthcoming. This is no super Galway team, not even a great team in the making at this stage, and when they face Mayo in three weeks' time we will be better placed to decide if Galway are really on the way back.

RUTHLESS

Certainly the Mayo defence, hardened and ruthless as they now are, will severely curtail the freedom Galway enjoyed from a rather poor Sligo backline. That said, even under the benign conditions Galway enjoyed from their opponents, they still too often seemed to shun direct football in favour of the modern plague of an orgy of short passing in the middle third of the field.

What is it with so many teams who indulge this rather pointless carry-on when they have the option of kicking the ball 40 or 50 metres further towards their opponents' goals?

We saw a supreme example of this travesty of football in the Antrim-Donegal game yesterday also and, for the unfortunate television viewers and those who attended, this sort of football is extremely annoying, apart from diehard supporters who are only interested in winning the game, no matter how that is achieved.

Galway's cause was helped greatly by the absence of a cutting edge among the Sligo players. For instance, in the first half, the home team got more than enough possession to win this game but the full-forward line alone kicked six wides and they had eight in total in the first half when the wind was behind them. It was obvious that Galway would devote special attention to Sligo's star forward David Kelly and so it proved when he was confined to just one point from play. Particularly with average or below-average county teams such as Sligo are right now, a far greater team effort is required to lay the groundwork for your best forward to achieve his maximum return. Sadly, I have many times seen this precept neglected by players and managers with the result that the quality forward is often smothered by defenders and left to struggle.

The other outstanding prospect for the Galway senior team is midfielder Fiontain O Currain, who has already shown his ability at senior and university level and seems sure to anchor that area of the field in the coming years.

There are several others too who looked the part based on Saturday's performances but only when they have to confront Mayo in Castlebar will it be known what the real prospects are for Alan Mulholland's team.

The annual Galway wankfest by likes of McGee and O Rourke continues. I m glad the c***ts hate us.

[larryin89]

So true, my gee is the worst, I find him laughable tbh, the passion he puts into patronising Mayo football is rather amusing more than anything else.

[Blowitupref]

When we look at the overall performance of the Galway team, a more balanced assessment of their ability is forthcoming. This is no super Galway team, not even a great team in the making at this stage, and when they face Mayo in three weeks' time we will be better placed to decide if Galway are really on the way back.

Certainly the Mayo defence, hardened and ruthless as they now are, will severely curtail the freedom Galway enjoyed from a rather poor Sligo backline.

Did you Mayo lads even read the article? McGee is holding judgement on Galway and reading between the lines he isn't expecting Mayo to get beaten in this Connacht final.

The other outstanding prospect for the Galway senior team is midfielder Fiontain O Currain, who has already shown his ability at senior and university level and seems sure to anchor that area of the field in the coming years.

I'm open to correction but i think Moyna had  Fiontain O Currain on the bench in the Sigerson cup games this year?

[Syferus]

When we look at the overall performance of the Galway team, a more balanced assessment of their ability is forthcoming. This is no super Galway team, not even a great team in the making at this stage, and when they face Mayo in three weeks' time we will be better placed to decide if Galway are really on the way back.

Certainly the Mayo defence, hardened and ruthless as they now are, will severely curtail the freedom Galway enjoyed from a rather poor Sligo backline.

Did you Mayo lads even read the article? McGee is holding judgement on Galway and reading between the lines he isn't expecting Mayo to get beaten in this Connacht final.

The other outstanding prospect for the Galway senior team is midfielder Fiontain O Currain, who has already shown his ability at senior and university level and seems sure to anchor that area of the field in the coming years.

I'm open to correction but i think Moyna had  Fiontain O Currain on the bench in the Sigerson cup games this year?

To be fair to the doc he had Enda Smith on the bench too. Wasn't naming his best team.

[larryin89]

"Did you Mayo lads even read the article? McGee is holding judgement on Galway and reading between the lines he isn't expecting Mayo to get beaten in this Connacht final."

Ahh he's always playing them up and constantly using high stool yap to analyse Mayo teams and using teams of the past to somehow add weight to his conclusions on Mayo team of the present.the tone he uses when expressing his opinion on Mayo borders on anger , he just doesn't like us, there are a few of them about, Liam Hayes another, barney rock the jaw breaker too.