Chiarraí v Gaillimh

[GalwayBayBoy]

Galway Team to play Kerry
  Date : 09/04/2009 21:54

The team shows two changes from the Mayo game Niall Coleman replaces Barry Cullinane at midfield and Fiachra Breathnach comes in at no 12 for the injured Damien Dunleavy

Adrian Faherty
Niall Coyne
Finian Hanley
Damien Burke
Gareth Bradshaw
Diarmuid Blake
David Reilly
Joe Bergin
Niall Coleman
Sean Armstrong
Padraig Joyce
Fiachra Breathnach
Paul Conroy
Michael Meehan
Matthew Clancy

Don't have the subs bench but no sign of Cormac Bane or Darren Mullahy or Nicky Joyce. Think Bane and Mullahy are available. Nicky might still be injured.

[Duine Eile]

Fiachra starting, Reilly still at no.7, no Mullahy? Do they realise who we're playing? Also where did Niall Coleman come out of, last I heard he was working in Dublin and couldn't give the commitment involved. I have a feeling we're going to be relying on the Derry Donegal result to get to the final.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Fiachra starting, Reilly still at no.7, no Mullahy? Do they realise who we're playing? Also where did Niall Coleman come out of, last I heard he was working in Dublin and couldn't give the commitment involved. I have a feeling we're going to be relying on the Derry Donegal result to get to the final.

Bane and Mullahy are available as far as I know. Not sure where Coleman has come out of? Didn't even know he was back training with the team. Presume Nicky's back is still bothering him. Difficult to win down in Kerry all the same and you'd imagine Derry will beat Donegal handily enough. I don't see us making it to be honest.

[Duine Eile]

Surely to God Bane is a better option at 12 than Fiachra?  Nicky is fit again I think but he's had a good few weeks off so can see why he's not starting, we'll probably see him at some stage though. Can't understand why Gary Sice or Darren Mullahy aren't back on the wing though, Reilly was desperate against Mayo. Niall Coleman must be just back, wasn't on the subs against Mayo. Bit harsh on big Barry really, yes we were destroyed at midfield last day out but he was no worse than Bergin. To be honest can't see us making the final again this year, that slip up against Mayo is going to come back to haunt us.

[mouview]

And why is poor old Mattie again starting? WHat does he have to do to get dropped? Even Fiachra is a better bet at this stage. Coleman has been back for a little while I think, was approached before the Mayo game. I suppose with Bane and Mullahy in reserve at least we'll have a couple of subs that will marginally improve things. Forget about Nicky - his head is away with the fairies from what I've been hearing.

[johnpower]

Could be an interesting game .Jack will have to decide on his best 15 while Galway will be keen to get the games under the belt .I think Galway are right with the changes .It will give these lads a good test before a possible league final .

[An Fhairche Abu]

That's not a team that will have them quaking down in Kerry. The sad fact is that we simply do not have the squad to compete with the likes of Kerry, they have about 5 different combinations at centre field, we are deperate to find one decent pairing at this stage.
A casual glance at the forum match thread on kerrygaa.ie will show the extent that they are taking Galway seriously, they are more worried about getting Derry in the final to have a "test", I crave the championship day that Kerry are put in their place by a Galway team, we owe those hoors in the worse way at this stage and reading that would only wind ya up even more, not going to happen this year unfortunately.  

[GaillimhIarthair]

Fiachra starting, Reilly still at no.7, no Mullahy? Do they realise who we're playing? Also where did Niall Coleman come out of, last I heard he was working in Dublin and couldn't give the commitment involved. I have a feeling we're going to be relying on the Derry Donegal result to get to the final.

Coleman is back with the panel about 3 weeks now.  Surprising to see him parachuted in so quickly but, as usual, midfield looks like being our achilles heel again this year.  Not sure what sort of a team Kerry will field but no doubt it will be a tough afternoon in Tralee for our lads. 

[thebuzz]

Fiachra starting, Reilly still at no.7, no Mullahy? Do they realise who we're playing? Also where did Niall Coleman come out of, last I heard he was working in Dublin and couldn't give the commitment involved. I have a feeling we're going to be relying on the Derry Donegal result to get to the final.

Bane and Mullahy are available as far as I know. Not sure where Coleman has come out of? Didn't even know he was back training with the team. Presume Nicky's back is still bothering him. Difficult to win down in Kerry all the same and you'd imagine Derry will beat Donegal handily enough. I don't see us making it to be honest.

Donegal are one of Derry's many bogey teams and the fact that they beat Tyrone would make me think that they could beat us handy enough. I hope I'm wrong.
If Galway get enough ball into Meehan and the other forwards they could handle Kerry rightly.

[Farrandeelin]

That's not a team that will have them quaking down in Kerry. The sad fact is that we simply do not have the squad to compete with the likes of Kerry, they have about 5 different combinations at centre field, we are deperate to find one decent pairing at this stage.
A casual glance at the forum match thread on kerrygaa.ie will show the extent that they are taking Galway seriously, they are more worried about getting Derry in the final to have a "test", I crave the championship day that Kerry are put in their place by a Galway team, we owe those hoors in the worse way at this stage and reading that would only wind ya up even more, not going to happen this year unfortunately.  

Well if ye are on such a pedestal which everyone in the meeja were saying ye were up until the last game you should be well able to compete with Kerry at the least. Sure we only lost by 2 pts against them. I'd say ye will make the final all the same.

[galwayman]

That doesn't look like our strongest 15 at all. No way is Reilly better than Mullaghy, Sice or even Deccie Meehan at wing back. He's as tough as nails but doesn't have the football in him simple as that!!
Once again big Barry is the man to give way when the midfield sector underperforms. Does anyone else think that Joe gets off lightly when the midfield sector doesn't go well? Barry gets all the stick but bar one game in the league this year I don't remember Joe making any catches in the middle of the field at all. Any days midfield has not gone well he has been just as bad as Barry. Maybe it's his tendency to kick a score or 2 that allows him to escape much criticism?
Maybe the answer for us is to play Joe,Barry and Niall Coleman together as a midfield 3 and play with 5 forwards?
Yet again Fiachra Breathnach gets a chance. I really don't see why he is considered a better option than Bane or Nicky (maybe Nicky is injured?).
At least he has been named in the half forward line though. Last year he was played in the full forward line and was no threat at all. He is much more suited to the wing than the full forward line. Matthew Clancy is blessed to start the next day - he was woeful against Mayo. Looking at our team there is only one natural inside forward on the team and that's Meehan.Clancy and Conroy are both more comfortable farther out the field.

At the moment I reckon our best team would be...
Faherty
Fitzy
Hanley
Coyne or Burke => tough call between these 2
Bradshaw
Blake
Mullaghy or Sice or Alan Burke=> again a tough call between these 3 players
Bergin
Cullinane
Armstrong
Padraic Joyce
Bane
Coleman or Conroy (3rd midfielder)
Meehan
Nicky Joyce

[Kerry Mike]

Decent looking Kerry team out for Sunday and the subs has a returning legend !!!

The Kerry team to play Galway on Sunday 12th April is as follows:
Ger Reidy (Castleisland Desmonds) Rónán Ó Flatharta (An Ghaeltacht) ,Tom O'Sullivan (Rathmore) , Killian Young (Renard),Tomás Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht) Aidan O'Mahony (Rathmore) Tommy Griffin (Dingle)  ,Anthony Maher (Duagh), Michéal Quirke (Kerins O'Rahilly's),Paul Galvin (Finuge )
Declan O'Sullivan (Piarsaigh Na Dromada) ,Donnacha Walsh (Cromane) (Captain) ,Colm Cooper (Dr. Crokes) ,Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
Tommy Walsh (Kerins O'Rahillys)   
Fir Ionad:Darran O'Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar)  Kieran Quirke (Duagh) David  Moran (Kerins O'Rahilly's) Darragh Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)
Seán O'Sullivan (Cromane)  Tadhg Kennelly (Listowel Emmett's)   Brian  Moran (Kerins O'Rahilly's) Maurice Corridan (Finuge)  Bryan Sheehan (St. Mary's)
Bainsteoir: Jack O'Connor (Piarsaigh Na Dromada)   
Traenálaí: Alan O'Sullivan (Kerins O'Rahilly's)
Roghnóirí: Ger O'Keeffe (Austin Stacks) Eamon Fitzmaurice (Finuge)

Padraig Reidy & Diarmuid Murphy are added to the squads injury list which includes Marc O'Se and Seamus Scanlon. While Aidan O'Shea and Daniel Bohane are also rotated out of the panel for the moment

Ger Reidy gets another run in goal , he has done well in his outings so fae this year, Diarmuid Murphy out of the squad injured and surprisingly we have named no sub goalie, though Bryan Sheehan was a goalie in his minor years so if called on will probably fill the role.

A new looking full back line with Ronan O'Flaherta getting the nod in the corner and Killian Young returning after missing most of the league, Tom O Sullivan will have his hands full on Meehan, but Tom has always been underrated but is a very tight marker and has pace to burn to match Meehan. But Clancy and Conroy will cause us problem is they get ball. And remember Bergin nearly turned the game for Galway when he came on up front against Kerry last year in the monsoon.

Half back line looks strong with O'Mahoney back in his best position in the centre flanked by the 2 west Kerry men. Plenty of attacking and defenive potential there. O'Mahony on Joyce should be the key battle of the day

Midfield too is another new combination with Anthony Maher getting a deserved start , has done really well in all the games he has played a part in so far, has plenty of football in him and a very good fielder while Mike Quirke looks fitter than normal and his height will cause problems, only looking at the bench with the likes of David Moran, Tadhg Kennelly and a certain D. O'Se chomping at the bit will keep every one on their toes. Good to see Darragh back but time will tell whether he still has the hunger and fitness for this level, I hope he does.

Declan returns to the forty after injury and forms a formidable half line with Galvin and Donnacha Walsh who takes over the captaincy for the day.  Tommy Walsh reverts to his corner position with Gooch and Star , lets just hope it not aimless high ball all day as we have seen at times and that there is a bit of variety to the attack. The Gooch is the key man as usual while Donaghy will have to get the better of Hanley who has marked him well in the past.

Anyway it promises to be a good game Galway and Kerry always provide good football and there should be nothing between then, Galway really need the win, but Kerry will be keen to maintean their unbeaten league run and hopefully lay down a marker for the final. Even though we are assured of a final spot there should be no complacency in the squad, there is huge competition in most positions and the rumours are that the skelping in training over the last 2 weeks has been good.