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Galway Hurling thread

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Replying To Cockney_Cat:  ""Galway will win"

Got anymore dead certs?"
If Kilkenny lose their last game they will be eliminated from the Championship.....Kilkenny surely dead certs to win!

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2831 - 16/05/2026 20:14:55    2673379

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Replying To ColmFlaherty:  "Way off the pace every since the Kilkenny game tbh.

Got lucky that that we weren't punished against Offaly and Kildare."
You can understand them being off the pace when only playing Offaly, Kildare and Dublin.
They will be much improved for the Leinster Final.

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2831 - 16/05/2026 21:07:08    2673388

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Replying To katser:  "It will still be Galway v Kilkenny Leinster Final.
Beat them in the Minor, U20 and Senior Leinster Finals."
Minor final on Monday evening

Armchairreporter (Galway) - Posts: 144 - 16/05/2026 21:14:58    2673394

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Replying To Armchairreporter:  "Minor final on Monday evening"
U20 Leinster Final on Wednesday.
Then U20 All Ireland Final Saturday 30th a week before the Leinster SHC Final.
Going to busy glorious few Weeks for Galway Minor,U20 and Senior teams.

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2831 - 16/05/2026 21:35:09    2673401

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We were lucky that Offaly beat Wexford today. Otherwise Wexford could possibly have beaten us in the last game, finishing level with us but going through on head to head. A KK win over the Dubs would then have seen us out of the championship, which seems incredible really. Now we are through and Offaly must hope the Dubs beat KK.
A reality check today but performances have been on a downward slope since first game v KK.

conordee (Galway) - Posts: 467 - 16/05/2026 22:42:50    2673416

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As I said a couple of weeks ago, Dublin would give us plenty of it and could easily beat us. We've a long way to go yet and a huge amount to improve on.
The number of wides with the wind was very poor and basically cost us the game. We should have been close to 10 ahead at half-time.
Dublin hardly missed any in the second half, with the wind.
An own goal from a 65 and two goals from direct long balls from the goalkeeper is very poor from a defensive point of view. We had a lot more of the play and more shots, but the finishing was poor. It actually improved against the wind, but we still a load short. For experienced players both Mannions hit some very poor ball in and took on shots which weren't on. Some of the ball played in against the wind was awful. Slow looping ball down the middle, only asking to be swept up. The few times we played it down the lines, we got joy from it.
Rory Burke was a big loss. Apart from being an excellent hurler, he's tough, physical and gets stuck in.
They really need to step up now and be at it from the get-go against Wexford. A big response needed.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2804 - 16/05/2026 23:05:50    2673425

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Very disappointing performance from Galway yesterday.
From the midfield up on many occasions we looked bereft of ideas especially when niland went off injured and mannion played a deeper role in the second half.
The number of wides is a major concern. The decision making is very poor. This is a team with players like Pádraig mannion,daithi burke, Cathal mannion, yet where is the in game management?
I think Donohue has to utilize the Loughrea lads more. Of the 26 players on the panel yesterday only 3 have won senior club Galway medals. They're kileen, hanrahan and Morgan. Only kileen is seeing game time and he was poor yesterday but been good prior. Joshua Ryan came on again yesterday ahead of hanrahan. Are you telling me that kieran hanrahan and Shane Morgan aren't in the top 7 backs in the county? Where is Declan McLaughlin? I know we will see the exact same 15 out again if niland injury isn't too serious but I don't see any gameplan translating onto the pitch at the moment especially in the Kildare / Dublin games. And there is no plan B. As soon as hetherton came on yesterday it was lights out. Full back line couldn't handle it. A lot of poor performers there yesterday I still have question marks over Galway. A good league but championship is a different ball game...im not convinced by Donohue either.

BigBàsMan (Galway) - Posts: 276 - 17/05/2026 07:40:11    2673447

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Replying To katser:  "If Kilkenny lose their last game they will be eliminated from the Championship.....Kilkenny surely dead certs to win!"
There is still a lot 'ifs' to be decided. If Kilkenny lose to Dublin, and if Offaly beat Kildare, then Kilkenny will be out of the Championship.
If Kilkenny beat Dublin, and if Wexford beat Galway, then Dublin and Kilkenny will contest the Leinster final.
That said, there's huge pressure on Kilkenny. A draw or win for Dublin will get them into the Leinster final. Parnell Park should be buzzing next week. I can't remember the last time Kilkenny failed to get out of Leinster.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2891 - 17/05/2026 10:25:17    2673471

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Replying To katser:  "You can understand them being off the pace when only playing Offaly, Kildare and Dublin.
They will be much improved for the Leinster Final."
If they get to the Leinster Final.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2891 - 17/05/2026 11:09:58    2673482

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Replying To BigBàsMan:  "Very disappointing performance from Galway yesterday.
From the midfield up on many occasions we looked bereft of ideas especially when niland went off injured and mannion played a deeper role in the second half.
The number of wides is a major concern. The decision making is very poor. This is a team with players like Pádraig mannion,daithi burke, Cathal mannion, yet where is the in game management?
I think Donohue has to utilize the Loughrea lads more. Of the 26 players on the panel yesterday only 3 have won senior club Galway medals. They're kileen, hanrahan and Morgan. Only kileen is seeing game time and he was poor yesterday but been good prior. Joshua Ryan came on again yesterday ahead of hanrahan. Are you telling me that kieran hanrahan and Shane Morgan aren't in the top 7 backs in the county? Where is Declan McLaughlin? I know we will see the exact same 15 out again if niland injury isn't too serious but I don't see any gameplan translating onto the pitch at the moment especially in the Kildare / Dublin games. And there is no plan B. As soon as hetherton came on yesterday it was lights out. Full back line couldn't handle it. A lot of poor performers there yesterday I still have question marks over Galway. A good league but championship is a different ball game...im not convinced by Donohue either."
You'd have to point the finger at Mannion's contribution at no11 in the first half. Once he went in at HT and squeezed his head, he got plenty influential 2nd half in a midfield role, and make no mistake, influential is what he needs to be for this Galway 2026 side at all times. He's our sharpest shooter, and he didn't score in the KK turkeyshoot last month. The way we're 'processing' possession in our own half to try and deliver perfect ball was a problem first half too, and seemed to be one of the reasons that Mannion couldn't impact at no11. Dublin gave us a lesson in the value of uncomplicated long ball delivery second half, targeting Hetherton and Hayes to great affect inside. Galway seemed to be slow to react tactically yesterday. Our offensive 'plan A' was well stymied by Dublin first half, and we didn't seem to have any alternate offensive plans. Couple that with our tactical failure to negate Dublin's long ball approach in the last 20mins, after Hetherton and Hayes arrived, and it appeared to be a poor day for our sideline team. Ironically, MD received criticism in some quarters back in 2018 for overplaying 'the long ball' to the no14 slot, but it was certainly a key component in Dublin's win yesterday, and worryingly we looked clueless defensively and tactically on the day, in relation to dealing with that specific wind assisted long ball threat.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4716 - 17/05/2026 11:20:19    2673485

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "You'd have to point the finger at Mannion's contribution at no11 in the first half. Once he went in at HT and squeezed his head, he got plenty influential 2nd half in a midfield role, and make no mistake, influential is what he needs to be for this Galway 2026 side at all times. He's our sharpest shooter, and he didn't score in the KK turkeyshoot last month. The way we're 'processing' possession in our own half to try and deliver perfect ball was a problem first half too, and seemed to be one of the reasons that Mannion couldn't impact at no11. Dublin gave us a lesson in the value of uncomplicated long ball delivery second half, targeting Hetherton and Hayes to great affect inside. Galway seemed to be slow to react tactically yesterday. Our offensive 'plan A' was well stymied by Dublin first half, and we didn't seem to have any alternate offensive plans. Couple that with our tactical failure to negate Dublin's long ball approach in the last 20mins, after Hetherton and Hayes arrived, and it appeared to be a poor day for our sideline team. Ironically, MD received criticism in some quarters back in 2018 for overplaying 'the long ball' to the no14 slot, but it was certainly a key component in Dublin's win yesterday, and worryingly we looked clueless defensively and tactically on the day, in relation to dealing with that specific wind assisted long ball threat."
Everything can suddenly go negative after a loss like yesterday. I have thought about this and really I think everyone was getting carried away with a few wins. Rory Burke was a huge loss yesterday and once a Niland picked up what looked like a nasty ankle injury we fell apart.
Is there really any difference this year from last year only we inherited Rory Burke, Aaron Niland and Jason Rabbitte?
Rabbitte tried hard and for me was being fouled all day. Niland picked up injury around 20 min in and tried to play on. Without these young lad we are similar to last year in my opinion.
Wexford have nothing to play for only pride next weekend.

1shot (Galway) - Posts: 45 - 17/05/2026 13:37:37    2673522

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Replying To 1shot:  "Everything can suddenly go negative after a loss like yesterday. I have thought about this and really I think everyone was getting carried away with a few wins. Rory Burke was a huge loss yesterday and once a Niland picked up what looked like a nasty ankle injury we fell apart.
Is there really any difference this year from last year only we inherited Rory Burke, Aaron Niland and Jason Rabbitte?
Rabbitte tried hard and for me was being fouled all day. Niland picked up injury around 20 min in and tried to play on. Without these young lad we are similar to last year in my opinion.
Wexford have nothing to play for only pride next weekend."
Fair points, but I don't think there's any evidence that 'everyone', or indeed 'anyone' was getting carried away with a solid NHL campaign, and a couple of high profile clippings over a troubled (at the time) KK outfit in NHL and LHC. If there is evidence of it, I haven't noted any burgeoning bandwagon affect in Salthill's LHC '26 attendance numbers.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4716 - 17/05/2026 14:13:22    2673534

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My point is the only difference from last year is the few young lads that have come in.

1shot (Galway) - Posts: 45 - 17/05/2026 15:05:18    2673552

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