NHL Final: Galway Vs Tipperary

[thejuice]

Will be interesting, really like both teams. hopefully these teams will rise to the top in the summer as well.

[Lecale2]

This should be a good close match and I'm really looking forward to it. I think Galway can scrape it by a pt.

[AZOffaly]

Should be very close. They drew in the league, and it was a good game. The Portuma lads give a boost to Galway, and I would expect them to win it, if they can impose their style on Tipp. However, Tipp have really come on in terms of defence this year, and they won't concede goals easily. Shane McGrath is emerging as a top midfielder as well.

I'd still fancy Galway by 4 or 5 points I think,

[GaillimhIarthair]

Really looking forward to this game.  The two form teams in the league are in the final and it should make for a very good game on Sunday.  Both teams are very fit so it wont be far off championship stuff.  Galway wasted alot of chance from play in Pearse Stadium and should have closed out the game but credit to Tipp for securing the draw having been down to 14 for all of the second half.  The Port contingent have obviously strengthened the Galway team and I would be relatively confident that their greater scoring power will see them through by a couple of points.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Should be a tight one I imagine. I was at the Galway v Tipp league game in Pearse and it was a decent game given the bad conditions. Tipp played the entire second half with 14 men but Galway really should have won the game. They hit some terrible wides when they had the wind at their back. The Portumna contingent of course weren't playing that day.

On the face of it Galway seem to be the team with the greater firepower while Tipp look to be the more solid unit at the back so should be very interesting how it pans out. Especially as there is a decent chance that at least one of these teams could find themselves in an All-Ireland final come September.

Imperative that the Galway half-forward line get a foothold in the game as when Ronan Curran came on the last day they really struggled to get possession of the ball from puck-outs and the Tipp half-back line have been playing well.  You will probably see Joe Canning and/or Tannian drifting out at times to offer some physical presence in that area.

[orangeman]

Well done to Tipp - it mames you wonder what the hell Babs was at last year !!!!!!!

[AZOffaly]

I was inside at the game yesterday, and it was a fantastic game to watch, despite the biting cold. The Tipp backs were excellent, particularly in the first half, and Conor O'Mahoney, Paul Curran, Buckley, O'Brien, Shane Maher and Eamon Corcoran hurled a savage amount of ball. Joe Canning was extremely well marshalled by Buckley and Curran, and apart from a great pickup in the square which led to Galway's goal, he never felt the weight of the ball in the first half. He kept to his task like a man though, and he had a much more influential second half, including that great goal.

Elsewhere in the forwards, Damien Hayes was class at times, he is so quick over the ground it's unreal, and he picked off some great scores from tight angles as well. The rest of them, though, were fairly quiet. Iarla Tanian never really got into it, and when they started to move Joe Canning around to try and get him into the game, Tannian seemed to suffer most. Ger Farragher was poor as well, I think Tipperary will consider that they certainly won the battle between their backline and Galways explosive forwards, on balance. That sounds strange when Galway scored 3-16, but in the flow of the game, it certainly looked like that.

On the other side of the house, Lar Corbett was the main man. He was quiet enough in the first half, when Eoin Kelly kept Tipp in touch on his own, but in the second he gave Tony Og Regan an absolutely torrid time. He had scored 2 points, set up a goal, and scored a goal himself before Loughnane made the switch that was crying out ot be made, moving Kavanagh back in on to Lar. Corbett got another good score, but Kavanagh fared a lot better in there. Dervan, Moore, Kavanagh, Lee and Cullinane all did okay themselves, and Eoin Kelly was well held from play, apart from a couple of typically precocious scores. Seamus Butler scored 6 points from play from wing forward, but in fairness I'd say 4 of them came after Cullinane was moved up into the forwards.

Hynes picked off a few nice scores, but I thought the class midfielder on show was again Shane McGrath. He has a lovely stroke, and pops up all over the place. Benny Dunne ran hard, but he didn't make much impression apart from his great goal ( ), nor did Richie Murray.  Alan Kerins came in for Niall Healy and hurled out around midfield, and he hurled a bit of ball without doing too much damage with it.

All in all, a very good appetiser for the championship, and if Tipp can continue to block, hook, hassle and win ball at the back, and Corbett, Kelly and Butler continue to chip in with scores, and Shane McGrath continues his good year, they will have a chance. Cork in Cork is never easy, and it's a bitch of an opener for newly crowned league champions, but Tipp will be buoyed by this campaign, and rightly so.

For Galway, it's far from disastrous as well. They showed great character to keep coming when they fell 7 points behind, and Joe Canning will only get better as he settles in and approaches championship condition. Damien Hayes is lightening quick, and Iarla Tanian, yesterday apart, looks like he will be important for them as well. Ger Farraghers role in the team will come under question if he continues to be quiet from open play, because Canning will slot the frees as well. Tony Og is a big worry, because it looks as if mobile full forwards will destroy him. In fact Lar Corbett, not one of natures big men, actually even won ball over their heads as well, so that's a serious worry. The likes of Martin Comerford would really fancy Regan marking them. Ollie Canning may well give another option there though, because Kavanagh did well when he was moved back, and if Ollie takes a corner back slot, maybe Moore could head out to wing back.

whatever happens, Galway are in better shape than last year, and they will give anybody they meet a right rattle this summer as well.

Roll on the championship

[timmykelleher]

Really enjoyed yesterday's game on TG4.

I couldn't believe Joe Canning's goal.
He had 2 men around him when he got the ball.
Dodged between 2.

The way he beat the next man was just class.
Yer man took a swipe at the ball and hurl but missed so seemed to try to just hold Canning.
Canning just powered on through and finished superbly off the hurley.

One of the best goals I've ever seen.

I thought the goal he helped setup was a bit dodgy though.
Just as his man was about to pick the ball Canning clearly played his hurley.
Is this allowed?

[GalwayBayBoy]

Disappointing result alright but it doesn't have to be fatal blow as regard our championship chances. It was a great game played with real intensity and pace and we fell just the wrong side of the scoreline.

The big negative from a Galway perspective was the full-back position where Tony Og was cleaned out by Lar Corbett. Corbett must have won 90% of the balls sent in there and it led to a rake of Tipp scores. Tony Og is as honest as the day is long but he's just not good enough at this level. Either Mahon or Dervan have to be put in there. Skehill will be a top class goalie I feel but made one huge blunder for Tipp's first goal and also gifted them another score with a wayward puckout. Must be remembered though that he was a minor only two years ago and is still learning. A huge talent though so I would persevere with him.

Positives were the half-back line were very good especially Lee and Kavanagh who caught a mountain of ball in the air. Something we haven't seen from Galway half-back line since the days of Finnerty/Keady/Gerry Mac. Midfield was a mixed bag. Kevin Hynes did well and got 3 points but Richie Murray was fairly anonymous. Hynes and Fergal Healy should be the midfield pairing come the Summer. Seamus Butler had far too much space in the second half though when Cullinane and then Forde were meant to be on him.

Ger Farragher wasn't match fit by the looks of him. There was talk that his back injury would keep him out of the game and he really was off the pace after having a very good league. Alan Kerins did alright when he came on. I think he'll have to occupy one of the wing-forwards slots. Tannian had one of his quiet days. He seems to be a real confidence player. If he starts a game well he goes on to have a stormer but it he starts badly the head goes down. He seems to be either brilliant or anonymous. He'll need to be more consistent. Damien Hayes had a great first half. Quieter second half. He'll be kicking himself that he was involved in two good goal chances in the second half that Galway fluffed. Joe Canning was quiet in the first half but was brilliant in the second. Scored a wonderful individual goal and the handpass over his head for another of the Galway goals was a touch of genius.

Anyway no more games now until the end of June so it's back on the challange game circuit for Galway. Ollie Canning, David Collins (though I hear he probably won't be fit in time) and Ger Mahon hopefully to come back in the meantime and some tinkering to be done by Loughnane.

[mouview]

Positives were the half-back line were very good especially Lee and Kavanagh who caught a mountain of ball in the air. Something we haven't seen from Galway half-back line since the days of Finnerty/Keady/Gerry Mac. Midfield was a mixed bag. Kevin Hynes did well and got 3 points but Richie Murray was fairly anonymous. Hynes and Fergal Healy should be the midfield pairing come the Summer. Seamus Butler had far too much space in the second half though when Cullinane and then Forde were meant to be on him.

Hlaf-back line wasn't all that positive - Kavanagh played practically all the game at corner-back (and did very well too), while Lee was excellent. Cullinane is a skillful hurler but was caught out a couple of times trying to break out with the ball when he should have hit it first time - cost us at least a point in the second half. Moore was good, Regan sadly wasn't. Dervan is honest but too slow and was one of many  yesterday affected by one of the great weaknesses in Galway hurling, 'One hand on the hurl'. Midfield was middling though Hynes should improve, Murray is going the other way. Forwards never settled despite the best efforts of Hayes and JC (second half). Niall Healy had one of those far too frequent days when he couldn't make anything happen; brother Fergal was everywhere the ball wasn't, save his goal thankfully. Tannian seems to be an 'every second day' man at the moment. Main problem is winning 50/50 ball - they're just not able in the HF line to do this.
Based on what we know my c'ship XV at present would be

Skehill

O Canning
Kavanagh
Moore
(maybe Cullinane or Collins if fit, not Mahon)
Lee
F Healy

Hynes
Kerins

JC
A Callinan
N Healy (he'd want to buck up though)
Hayes
Tannian  (ditto)
Wade

[Guillem2]

Great game played at a fierce, almost championsip like, pace. the important thing is who has learned the most from the game? We won't know until June or July. I reckon both these teams have come on big time since last year.

[thejuice]

Sadly didnt get to see this yet as I had a match myself. Listened to the 2nd half of it on RTE on SKY box. Sounded great, dissapointed for Galway but they'll be strong contenders this year. Really looking forward to the hurling Championship this year.