Connacht final 2023

[An Fhairche Abu]

Can't see any previous thread on this which says a lot. Galway are 1/50 on and the spread is 12 points. I can't recall any previous Connacht final where Galway were as overwhelming favourites to win, it's highly doubtful the 2000 final versus Leitrim was at those levels with the bookmakers, only final I can recall that might be in the mix.

Haven't done Connacht back to back since 2002/03, which both speaks to the competitiveness of the Rossies and the excellent Mayo team that walked all over Galway and the rest of the province for a long time, while also of course reflecting the absolute circle of hell that Galway football descended into, there were some chastening days including at the hands of Sligo in 2010. Would be a sign of progress to be consistently winning Connacht again but that said, the reputation of the provincial system is in dire order now compared to the start of the noughties.
This Sunday if Galway show up paying full respect to Sligo, going full tilt and playing to potential, they should be winning well I think, although given the draw today there's not exactly a brilliant prize awaiting the Connacht winners.

Is there any potential for a shock result at all?

[Cunny Funt]

Can't see any previous thread on this which says a lot. Galway are 1/50 on and the spread is 12 points. I can't recall any previous Connacht final where Galway were as overwhelming favourites to win, it's highly doubtful the 2000 final versus Leitrim was at those levels with the bookmakers, only final I can recall that might be in the mix.

Haven't done Connacht back to back since 2002/03, which both speaks to the competitiveness of the Rossies and the excellent Mayo team that walked all over Galway and the rest of the province for a long time, while also of course reflecting the absolute circle of hell that Galway football descended into, there were some chastening days including at the hands of Sligo in 2010. Would be a sign of progress to be consistently winning Connacht again but that said, the reputation of the provincial system is in dire order now compared to the start of the noughties.
This Sunday if Galway show up paying full respect to Sligo, going full tilt and playing to potential, they should be winning well I think, although given the draw today there's not exactly a brilliant prize awaiting the Connacht winners.

Is there any potential for a shock result at all?

None and the spread is about right.  Sligo will come good in time, serious work done at underage but this Sunday is far too soon for them against established Div 1 team that reached last years All Ireland final.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Nothing makes you feel old like jubilee teams and Galway 98 are the jubilee team this year.

The brilliant Galway team that ended the county's 32-year wait for Sam Maguire glory in 1998 will be honoured at Sunday's Connacht SFC final in Castlebar.

Managed by John O'Mahony, the Tribesmen upset the odds by beating Mick O'Dwyer's Kildare 1-14 to 1-10 in the All-Ireland final. Current Galway manager Padraic Joyce scored the Galway goal in the second half, while Jarlath Fallon, Michael Donnellan, Kevin Walsh, Derek Savage, Tomas Mannion and Sean Óg de Paor were other stars of the success.

That Galway team went on to win a second All-Ireland in 2001 at Meath's expense after losing the 2000 decider to Kerry after a replay.

[galwayman]

Nothing makes you feel old like jubilee teams and Galway 98 are the jubilee team this year.

The brilliant Galway team that ended the county's 32-year wait for Sam Maguire glory in 1998 will be honoured at Sunday's Connacht SFC final in Castlebar.

Managed by John O'Mahony, the Tribesmen upset the odds by beating Mick O'Dwyer's Kildare 1-14 to 1-10 in the All-Ireland final. Current Galway manager Padraic Joyce scored the Galway goal in the second half, while Jarlath Fallon, Michael Donnellan, Kevin Walsh, Derek Savage, Tomas Mannion and Sean Óg de Paor were other stars of the success.

That Galway team went on to win a second All-Ireland in 2001 at Meath's expense after losing the 2000 decider to Kerry after a replay.

I was in college at the time - so hard to believe it is 25 years ago already. Time flies.

[Substandard]

Nothing makes you feel old like jubilee teams and Galway 98 are the jubilee team this year.

The brilliant Galway team that ended the county's 32-year wait for Sam Maguire glory in 1998 will be honoured at Sunday's Connacht SFC final in Castlebar.

Managed by John O'Mahony, the Tribesmen upset the odds by beating Mick O'Dwyer's Kildare 1-14 to 1-10 in the All-Ireland final. Current Galway manager Padraic Joyce scored the Galway goal in the second half, while Jarlath Fallon, Michael Donnellan, Kevin Walsh, Derek Savage, Tomas Mannion and Sean Óg de Paor were other stars of the success.

That Galway team went on to win a second All-Ireland in 2001 at Meath's expense after losing the 2000 decider to Kerry after a replay.

I was in college at the time - so hard to believe it is 25 years ago already. Time flies.

Very true.  Was at the stage in college to be savvy enough to go drinking in the college bar to sort out accommodation rather than queuing half a mile for the Advertiser accommodation page.
Still sore about Donnellan's goal, a feed of pints and a fit of patriotic fervour following serial slagging all day, I offered 2/1 on Kildare.
Wasn't the only bad decision of my 20s, but not f***ing far off the worst!!

[seafoid]

Can't see any previous thread on this which says a lot. Galway are 1/50 on and the spread is 12 points. I can't recall any previous Connacht final where Galway were as overwhelming favourites to win, it's highly doubtful the 2000 final versus Leitrim was at those levels with the bookmakers, only final I can recall that might be in the mix.

Haven't done Connacht back to back since 2002/03, which both speaks to the competitiveness of the Rossies and the excellent Mayo team that walked all over Galway and the rest of the province for a long time, while also of course reflecting the absolute circle of hell that Galway football descended into, there were some chastening days including at the hands of Sligo in 2010. Would be a sign of progress to be consistently winning Connacht again but that said, the reputation of the provincial system is in dire order now compared to the start of the noughties.
This Sunday if Galway show up paying full respect to Sligo, going full tilt and playing to potential, they should be winning well I think, although given the draw today there's not exactly a brilliant prize awaiting the Connacht winners.

Is there any potential for a shock result at all?

2007?

[An Fhairche Abu]

There's no way it was 1/50 on in 2007 surely? I'd be shocked if it was, one of the Sligo posters would remember maybe what they were as underdogs that day.

[Manning18]

Nah 2007 was about a 4 point spread I believe. The 2013 final between Mayo and London may have been the shortest odds wise (or highest spread wise). At a guess that was a 16-17 point spread

This fixture was a 13 spread in Markevic in 2019. Sligo seem in a much better place, while Galway are probably a reasonable amount better also, albiet that team was coming off a semi final. The venues probably in Galways favour. I don't think there's a ground in Ireland outside of Tuam (at a push) that this team would prefer to play at

[sligoman2]

Galway obviously heavily favored.  We seem to play better when underdogs but hope we can keep this one close.  Good opportunity for us to get tough games in the qualifier which will only help us in the long run.  Things are improving in Sligo but realistically we can only hope Galway have a bad day.

[Duine Eile]

Two changes for Galway, Gleeson back in goal and McDaid starts instead of Cathal Sweeney. Power really hard done by, he might not have been brilliant against Roscommon but he was steady. He didn't deserve to be dropped after one game.

[galwayman]

Two changes for Galway, Gleeson back in goal and McDaid starts instead of Cathal Sweeney. Power really hard done by, he might not have been brilliant against Roscommon but he was steady. He didn't deserve to be dropped after one game.

I wouldn't be so sure he's been dropped per se.
It almost looks like they are going to give both lads games.
Very strange to be almost rotating your keeper in the championship.
I mean Power didn't get a minute until the last League group game against Kerry.
It's just all a bit strange

[Captain Obvious]

Two changes for Galway, Gleeson back in goal and McDaid starts instead of Cathal Sweeney. Power really hard done by, he might not have been brilliant against Roscommon but he was steady. He didn't deserve to be dropped after one game.

Fair play to Joyce giving Sligo a fighting chance.

[Duine Eile]

Two changes for Galway, Gleeson back in goal and McDaid starts instead of Cathal Sweeney. Power really hard done by, he might not have been brilliant against Roscommon but he was steady. He didn't deserve to be dropped after one game.

I wouldn't be so sure he's been dropped per se.
It almost looks like they are going to give both lads games.
Very strange to be almost rotating your keeper in the championship.
I mean Power didn't get a minute until the last League group game against Kerry.
It's just all a bit strange

Power has played 2 games and he's been replaced for the next game both times. It makes no sense and can't be doing much for his confidence in fairness.

[GalwayBayBoy]

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/2023/05/05/for-sligos-eamonn-ohara-pain-of-losing-in-2010-outweighs-memories-of-connacht-title/

For Sligo's Eamonn O'Hara, pain of losing in 2010 outweighs memories of Connacht title
On a big weekend for Sligo football, the seniors contest the provincial final, looking for a first championship in 16 years

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/2023/05/05/for-sligos-eamonn-ohara-pain-of-losing-in-2010-outweighs-memories-of-connacht-title/
Seán Moran
Fri May 5 2023 - 06:00

On Sunday, Sligo contest the Connacht final for the first time in eight years. They will be looking for what would be a fourth provincial title and their first since 2007.

Although that triumph is a treasured memory for Eamonn O'Hara, who had also won an All Star in 2002 and played with the county up until 2013, he says that to this day it is outweighed by the final three years later when they lost to Roscommon.

"I was absolutely disgusted. The way I looked at it is that our team would have been different if we had won two. There was always talk of the '75 team. They had a Connacht and some wonderful players but they hadn't won more than one.

"We played in a few Connacht finals so for us only to win one and particularly to lose that one — I'd say the disappointment that year outweighed the happiness in '07."


He believes that after major wins over Galway and Mayo, Sligo lost focus maybe as a result of being firm favourites going into the final against Roscommon, which they would lose by a point.

"Roscommon had us lined up nicely for an ambush and that's exactly what happened. We kicked some bad wides that day.


"Mentally we weren't there — one fellah coming late to the bus at a meeting point. That wouldn't have happened before the semi-final. You could see in hindsight that we had got a bit loose. One guy wearing a different top.

"Small stuff but Sligo can't afford to be even slightly off. We needed everything to be right and that's what we hung our hat on — preparing perfectly."

'Very competitive'
O'Hara is concerned about the weekend's final in Castlebar, as Sligo haven't so far been exposed to top-level opposition but hopeful that the county will be competitive and able to build on the occasion.

Sixteen years ago, victory came as the culmination of some striking performances in the championship that decade.

Liberated by the newly introduced All-Ireland qualifier system, which began in 2001, Sligo reeled off a number of significant results against formidable teams. "We were very competitive in that era," he says.

That's no exaggeration. In 2001, they beat Mick O'Dwyer's Kildare, who were outgoing Leinster champions. A year later, again in Croke Park, they defeated Tyrone who would win the next year's All-Ireland and took Armagh, who went to be champions that season, to a replay along the way.


A few years later, having apparently stalled, Sligo picked the trail again, this time in their provincial championship, under the management of Tommy Breheny, a former selector who took over for two years, winning Connacht and causing surprise by walking away later that year.



O'Hara says that everything about the year was geared towards winning the province, a journey that began with a trip across the Atlantic.

"We had no fear of Galway in the final and had already beaten Roscommon in the Hyde. Everything was aligned for us. All year, our focus was on winning the Connacht title. It wasn't vintage Galway in terms of the team but they definitely had big names from their All-Ireland winning team — Joyce, Fallon, Savage — even if they were coming to the end of their era."

Sligo came out on top, he believes, because of the quality of their teamwork and belief in each other.

"I scored the goal and it was a great day for me personally but I remember more the collective effort — everyone doing their job on the day. It was probably the first time we could look back and say, 'you did that right' and 'every other year we didn't do that right'.

"All these little pieces came together. We took the scores when they came and even if we missed a couple of chances, that didn't come back to haunt us. It was an outpouring of relief."


Kerry era
Perhaps subconsciously they regarded it as a destination. Just as their predecessors in 1975 ran into the propellers of a Kerry team in the first year of what would become an era, they didn't survive the next outing.

"After winning Connacht we celebrated and then in Croke Park came up against a good Cork team, who got to that year's final.

"They were physically better than us albeit that when you look at the game again — and we have done so often — we missed 1-3 in the first five minutes. Great opportunities to get scores on the board, scores that we had been taking all year in previous games.

"We left them behind us on the day and eventually Cork just squeezed the life out of us."

O'Hara has been involved with Sligo's extraordinary underage emergence. As a selector with Dessie Sloyan, he contributed to the county's first under-20 Connacht title last year, which was just recently turned into two-in-a-row under the management of Paul Henry, who has been involved with the cohort since they were a development squad.

On a big weekend for Sligo football, the under-20s face Kerry in an All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday.
O'Hara is positive about the future.

"We have to manage the transition and we're in Division Three so there will be opportunities. I think that group can win another under-20. There will be 10 still available and from what I know of underage and college football in the past few years, I think they've every chance."