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Galway Football thread

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I imagine some of the big names like Kelly getting a nice offer and for his sake hope its more of a holiday than with odd game and he takes it easy. It all happens very fastout championship with Galway and on a plane by the Tues/Weds makes you wonder was there talk of this before meath game to these players and if so might have been a bit of a distraction. McLaughlin is man who was seen as our greaty hope but dont think he has kicked a ball in anger since u20s final win years ago always injured. Moycullen Corofin in the privlidged position of knowing they will get thoruigh group wihtout much fuss and will have players back. Whereas like of Barna losing Hernon for games is a juge blow. I do hope they enjoy it and can see why they go.

Eire89 (Galway) - Posts: 367 - 07/07/2025 16:13:23    2624185

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Replying To yew_tree:  "Galway were not good enough. The better team on the day won. I don't buy this ordinary team ****. I hear the same about Tyrone in 2021. Ordinary teams don't win all Ireland titles. In fact ordinary or average teams don't even make semi finals or finals."
You have nailed it.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3706 - 07/07/2025 16:35:30    2624198

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Replying To yew_tree:  "Galway were not good enough. The better team on the day won. I don't buy this ordinary team ****. I hear the same about Tyrone in 2021. Ordinary teams don't win all Ireland titles. In fact ordinary or average teams don't even make semi finals or finals."
Everything is relative Yew. Not all All Ireland champions are of the same standard. Tyrone were beatable for ye in 2021. They haven't done much since and the Managers are gone. A huge chance missed by Mayo. Galway had a great chance last year against Armagh and didn't take it unfortunately. It would have been far harder to win an All Ireland final against Dublin's 6 in a row team do you not think.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2514 - 07/07/2025 18:34:59    2624233

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Replying To endgame:  "Everything is relative Yew. Not all All Ireland champions are of the same standard. Tyrone were beatable for ye in 2021. They haven't done much since and the Managers are gone. A huge chance missed by Mayo. Galway had a great chance last year against Armagh and didn't take it unfortunately. It would have been far harder to win an All Ireland final against Dublin's 6 in a row team do you not think."
What do you mean Tyrone haven't done much since? They won the minors and under 20s this year and are into a semi in seniors .
Galway just weren't good enough last year same as we weren't in 21 .

S1234 (Mayo) - Posts: 274 - 07/07/2025 19:23:55    2624238

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Replying To S1234:  "What do you mean Tyrone haven't done much since? They won the minors and under 20s this year and are into a semi in seniors .
Galway just weren't good enough last year same as we weren't in 21 ."
I'm talking about senior as you well know. Tyrone have been poor since winning the All Ireland in 2021 and that lead to the departure of the joint Managers. Malachy O'Rourke has come in and they're in a semi final next weekend.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2514 - 07/07/2025 21:21:58    2624253

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Replying To endgame:  "Everything is relative Yew. Not all All Ireland champions are of the same standard. Tyrone were beatable for ye in 2021. They haven't done much since and the Managers are gone. A huge chance missed by Mayo. Galway had a great chance last year against Armagh and didn't take it unfortunately. It would have been far harder to win an All Ireland final against Dublin's 6 in a row team do you not think."
As years pass by it seems to be forgotten by some that Dublin's 6 in a row team weren't great in some of those finals and they were actually more beatable than Armagh in last years final and Tyrone 2021. Both Mayo and Kerry will look back with much regret that when the opportunities presented themselves and they ended up playing a big part in allowing Dublin win 6 in a row.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 528 - 07/07/2025 21:48:36    2624261

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Replying To endgame:  "Everything is relative Yew. Not all All Ireland champions are of the same standard. Tyrone were beatable for ye in 2021. They haven't done much since and the Managers are gone. A huge chance missed by Mayo. Galway had a great chance last year against Armagh and didn't take it unfortunately. It would have been far harder to win an All Ireland final against Dublin's 6 in a row team do you not think."
You're not wrong but the record books will just state the winner and not how good they were. The fact is finals are there to be won and we did t do enough by hook or crook to win the bloody thing.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11682 - 08/07/2025 08:56:24    2624290

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "As years pass by it seems to be forgotten by some that Dublin's 6 in a row team weren't great in some of those finals and they were actually more beatable than Armagh in last years final and Tyrone 2021. Both Mayo and Kerry will look back with much regret that when the opportunities presented themselves and they ended up playing a big part in allowing Dublin win 6 in a row."
Which finals (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) were Dublin more beatable than Armagh in 24?

Cbar (Mayo) - Posts: 370 - 08/07/2025 10:10:19    2624306

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Replying To yew_tree:  "You're not wrong but the record books will just state the winner and not how good they were. The fact is finals are there to be won and we did t do enough by hook or crook to win the bloody thing."
The record books will fade away too, in time.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4298 - 08/07/2025 10:40:19    2624320

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Replying To endgame:  "Everything is relative Yew. Not all All Ireland champions are of the same standard. Tyrone were beatable for ye in 2021. They haven't done much since and the Managers are gone. A huge chance missed by Mayo. Galway had a great chance last year against Armagh and didn't take it unfortunately. It would have been far harder to win an All Ireland final against Dublin's 6 in a row team do you not think."
Talking about what a team did since winning an all Ireland can be misleading. There will naturally be a drop off in terms of hunger. Most of that Tyrone team were semi finalists in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Finalists in 2018 and very unlucky losing by a point to ourselves in 2016 QF. Personally I don't see 2021 as anymore of a missed opportunity than 2013 or 2016 for example.

Dublin's 6 in a row team had bad days out too where we failed to capaitalise.

In hindsight 2022 was maybe a greater missed opportunity for Galway since comer and Walsh were fully fit.

MayoDan (Mayo) - Posts: 486 - 08/07/2025 10:42:13    2624323

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "As years pass by it seems to be forgotten by some that Dublin's 6 in a row team weren't great in some of those finals and they were actually more beatable than Armagh in last years final and Tyrone 2021. Both Mayo and Kerry will look back with much regret that when the opportunities presented themselves and they ended up playing a big part in allowing Dublin win 6 in a row."
Mayo for sure. Kerry's only really close effort was in 2019, but they played over half the match with an extra man and still couldn't get it done.
When it was back to 15 v 15 in the replay, the Dubs kept them at arms length. Mayo tested that Dublin team to a much greater degree in finals.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2417 - 08/07/2025 10:45:22    2624324

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Replying To Cbar:  "Which finals (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) were Dublin more beatable than Armagh in 24?"
2016 drawn game was a poor standard as was the 2015 final.

MayoDan (Mayo) - Posts: 486 - 08/07/2025 10:55:23    2624325

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "As years pass by it seems to be forgotten by some that Dublin's 6 in a row team weren't great in some of those finals and they were actually more beatable than Armagh in last years final and Tyrone 2021. Both Mayo and Kerry will look back with much regret that when the opportunities presented themselves and they ended up playing a big part in allowing Dublin win 6 in a row."
The 6-in-a-row Dublin team were masters at closing out games.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8156 - 08/07/2025 11:11:18    2624331

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Joyce seems to do things differently than others managers. Jack O'Connor had a siege mentality built up while Joyce had Shane Walsh all over the media after the down game. Joyce is all about enjoying the present. One of these ez players who says they wish they enjoyed it more. He's a bit of a Kevin mcstay type manager very media friendly than Jim Gavin or jack O'Connor.

Kew (Galway) - Posts: 233 - 08/07/2025 12:13:24    2624346

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Replying To MayoDan:  "Talking about what a team did since winning an all Ireland can be misleading. There will naturally be a drop off in terms of hunger. Most of that Tyrone team were semi finalists in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Finalists in 2018 and very unlucky losing by a point to ourselves in 2016 QF. Personally I don't see 2021 as anymore of a missed opportunity than 2013 or 2016 for example.

Dublin's 6 in a row team had bad days out too where we failed to capaitalise.

In hindsight 2022 was maybe a greater missed opportunity for Galway since comer and Walsh were fully fit."
Walsh and Comer were both flying fit in 2022 but Galway had no subs bench at all that year. Finian O'Laoi was the first sub in nearly every game that year and he can't make the 26 now. When the game was tight in the final they had nobody to bring on.

By 2024 they had a strong subs bench but Walsh and Comer were both half fit. Finnerty went off injured early on in the final and Sean Kelly only fit enough to come on for the last 10 minutes. Despite all that they still would have won that game had their free taking been a small bit better.

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2406 - 08/07/2025 12:26:31    2624357

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Replying To Eire89:  "I imagine some of the big names like Kelly getting a nice offer and for his sake hope its more of a holiday than with odd game and he takes it easy. It all happens very fastout championship with Galway and on a plane by the Tues/Weds makes you wonder was there talk of this before meath game to these players and if so might have been a bit of a distraction. McLaughlin is man who was seen as our greaty hope but dont think he has kicked a ball in anger since u20s final win years ago always injured. Moycullen Corofin in the privlidged position of knowing they will get thoruigh group wihtout much fuss and will have players back. Whereas like of Barna losing Hernon for games is a juge blow. I do hope they enjoy it and can see why they go."
It's a different scenario for those other young lads heading over. For someone like Kelly, he spent summer of 2023 playing in Boston, straigh back to clubs, and by July 2024 he was hobbling around Croke Park on All Ireland final day against Armagh. That is burnout and bad recovery management. For Comer, Walsh and Conroy going into 2026 is now or never time, and they all have to prioritise recovery this summer to have any chance of winning Sam in their lifetime. Seán Kelly has openly said in past interviews his injuries were due to not taking time off, he played all championship matches this year, that's a huge load to carry year-round, especially for someone already managing injuries. They should be getting better advice and support from the Galway management to help them come back stronger. No other county has to deal with the amount of injured top players.

Gearoid1998ffowaed (Galway) - Posts: 165 - 08/07/2025 12:41:06    2624364

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From 2011 to 2020 Dublin won 8 All Irelands, it will be remembered as a poor era. Donegal had a good team for a few years whilst Kerry ( 2nd worst Kerry team to win it) won a soft All Ireland against a Donegal team who had peaked 2 years earlier.

Look at how poor Armagh, Derry, Down, Tyrone, Galway, Cork & Meath were during that period. None of them had a serious team who could challenge Dublin, Mayo managed to make 2 of the finals beating Tipp in the semi's.

That Dublin team who won 6 in a row wouldn't do so in this era, there were many days where they didn't play well teams including Mayo in a few finals couldn't capitalise.

TheBishop (Galway) - Posts: 295 - 08/07/2025 14:00:52    2624386

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Replying To Gearoid1998ffowaed:  "It's a different scenario for those other young lads heading over. For someone like Kelly, he spent summer of 2023 playing in Boston, straigh back to clubs, and by July 2024 he was hobbling around Croke Park on All Ireland final day against Armagh. That is burnout and bad recovery management. For Comer, Walsh and Conroy going into 2026 is now or never time, and they all have to prioritise recovery this summer to have any chance of winning Sam in their lifetime. Seán Kelly has openly said in past interviews his injuries were due to not taking time off, he played all championship matches this year, that's a huge load to carry year-round, especially for someone already managing injuries. They should be getting better advice and support from the Galway management to help them come back stronger. No other county has to deal with the amount of injured top players."
I don't know what Kelly said to you when he talked to you. but I do know he played part of one game in Boston in the year mentioned a game the team he was part of lost.

backtooldwall (Galway) - Posts: 160 - 08/07/2025 14:07:17    2624387

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "As years pass by it seems to be forgotten by some that Dublin's 6 in a row team weren't great in some of those finals and they were actually more beatable than Armagh in last years final and Tyrone 2021. Both Mayo and Kerry will look back with much regret that when the opportunities presented themselves and they ended up playing a big part in allowing Dublin win 6 in a row."
The Dublin 6 in a row team were more beatable than the Armagh team last year?? Are you seriously trying to say that?

The Mayo team for the whole period from 2012 - 2021 were much better than the Galway team of the last few years if thats what you're trying to get at.

JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 104 - 08/07/2025 15:43:30    2624414

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "The 6-in-a-row Dublin team were masters at closing out games."
Masters at it. Never lost a Final and won the 2011 Final by a point, 2013 Final by a point, 2016 Final by a point after a replay and the 2017 Final by a point. Not a lucky Dublin team but a team that knew how to get it done in a tight finish. Mayo had a better team in 2016/2017 than in 2021. We're only giving opinions here but is it reasonable to think that the Mayo 2016 team would have beaten Tyrone in 2021. Overall as a Connacht man I'm disappointed with the near losses and with Galway's 1 point defeat in the Final last year because I really don't know where Connacht's next All Ireland title is coming from. Connacht teams have won just 2 Senior All Ireland Football titles in nearly 60 years. It's a shocking record for our province.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2514 - 08/07/2025 15:51:41    2624418

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