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I take your point that croker should only be used for finals I really think the condition of the pitch in croker at this time of the year lends itself to far better games of hurling. That second half between ballyhale and crokes last saturday evening was one of the best halves of hurling that I have seen in a long long time. If that game was played at any other venue I'm not sure you would get the same standard.
fearruanua (Galway) - Posts: 366 - 06/12/2022 10:11:34 2449621 Link 1 |
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I might have to buy a hat as TG4 were reporting Ballyhale & Ballygunner will be there, so a double-header makes sense.
CillTormoir (Galway) - Posts: 499 - 06/12/2022 12:08:56 2449637 Link 1 |
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SupermanSub (Galway) - Posts: 36 - 06/12/2022 17:29:23 2449678 Link 1 |
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I suppose it's for the best if it's going to be a double header as one lad said. There should be a big crowd there as all the teams that are left in it are brilliant with huge fan support.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2388 - 07/12/2022 13:14:40 2449754 Link 0 |
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I am reminiscing about 1997 and the Tipperary v Down All-Ireland quarter final in ........ Clones!
bruffgael (Limerick) - Posts: 209 - 07/12/2022 17:07:12 2449782 Link 1 |
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I see Galway have entered a team to play in the Connacht Junior League. GalwaysFinest (Galway) - Posts: 193 - 17/12/2022 11:43:45 2450597 Link 2 |
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Today is a HUGE day for Club Hurling and GAA in general but you wouldn't know it by going on the RTE website. On the Home Page it had Munster Rugby, World Cup stuff, Katie Taylor, etc which I understand but no GAA. Next I went on the RTE SPORT Page and even the NFL came before any GAA. Just an observation. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2388 - 18/12/2022 14:11:28 2450668 Link 1 |
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Congratulations Dunloy. Best of luck in the Final. Hard luck St Thomas's. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2388 - 18/12/2022 14:57:24 2450682 Link 0 |
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Better team won. Tough one to take for Thomas'. Without underestimating Dunloy, I thought they'd have 4/5 points to spare. Toms look a tired team. I thought the replay would have done them the world of good for sharpness but now you question if the extra week would have done them better. Or if the fixture was after Christmas. Hats off to Dunloy, without sounding patronizing, I think there is always something special about seeing an Ulster hurling team beat a team from hurling strongholds. Them boys love their hurling.
GalwaysFinest (Galway) - Posts: 193 - 18/12/2022 16:23:35 2450693 Link 1 |
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The Glens of Antrim is a hurling stronghold lad. Well done to Dunloy and hard luck to Tom's. Great game! 5th final for Dunloy now. Not many clubs been in 5 AI finals. Hopefully they get over the line this time.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15068 - 18/12/2022 17:00:16 2450694 Link 1 |
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Yeah I have no complaints. Fair play to Dunloy. Back to the Drawing Board for St Thomas's I suppose. Hard to know if the 2 matches against Loughrea hurt or helped them. You could make decent arguments either way.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2388 - 18/12/2022 17:01:03 2450695 Link 0 |
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The injuries to key players like Shane Cooney, James Regan and Darragh Burke was a huge blow as they don't have a very big squad and these are 3 of the 6 key players for them - the other 3 being David Burke, Fintan Burke and Conor Cooney and of them only Fintan played to the required standard yesterday. The rest of the team are a bit below the standard required. Saying all that Dunloy did deserve to win and were the faster, fresher, hungrier team. Pace and power along with desire to win is a huge part of the game and Dunloy showed more of those qualities yesterday. Unfortunately I cannot see them coming too close to Ballyhale in the final (as Ballyhale will still be hurting about what happened them in the last final) but I hope I'm wrong and they will surprise me. By the way congrats to the Sarsfields camogie team winning their third AI final in 4 years who like Kilkerrin-Clonberne in the ladies football showed how to beat tough Ulster opponents by showing great character and a never say die attitude (something St Thomas's unfortunately didn't show yesterday).
tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 19/12/2022 10:11:37 2450722 Link 1 |
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Fintan hurled well but god Thomas' were very bad. So many uncharacteristic errors, even when they were under no pressure at times. Loughrea would be kicking themselves watching that. I can't see Dunloy getting within 10 points of Ballyhale. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 828 - 19/12/2022 10:55:28 2450728 Link 1 |
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Dont Know About that They Have Nothing To Lose rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 19/12/2022 11:48:02 2450732 Link 0 |
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Just a complete non performance from Toms. They were much sharper and crisper in their hurling in both county finals even though I thought Loughrea could easily have won both games. In mitigation I think the injuries definitely cost them something yesterday. Down 4 guaranteed starters. The replacements weren't up to it yesterday anyway. Loughrea must be thinking why didn't they hit all those terrible wides against us? Conor Cooney couldn't miss in either county final. Misses a few frees yesterday. David Burke flaked a good few wide as well. Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2341 - 19/12/2022 12:26:49 2450738 Link 0 |
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I suppose Eanna Burke would be another key player but he performed well below par also and only scored towards the end of the game when it was beyond them. Lack of pace is a serious issue with this team and outside of Fintan Burke its hard to see who else Henry Shefflin will get from Toms for the county set-up in 2023. Very disappointing all round.
tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 19/12/2022 14:42:10 2450749 Link 1 |
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The final won't provide any surprises. The Ballyhale manager announced that they were the best club team in the country yesterday at his on pitch aftermatch 'presser'. Distinctly unKilkennylike move that one, but it just shows you that those Waterford fellas got under their skin with that title win last year.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4006 - 19/12/2022 16:05:25 2450759 Link 1 |
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Always been a huge fan of Thomas's and always backed them when lads from other counties would say they weren't a top team but after today their record in the all Ireland series leaves for pretty bleak reading. Yes they have an all Ireland but that was won at the start and with a very different team. For all the galway championships won its a poor return on the all Ireland series for all the talents they've had. 3 games won out of 9 games and many losses to teams they'd have been expected to beat e.g Ballyea, Borris, Dunloy. All that being said. The fact that Ballygunner, Na Piarsaigh and Thomas's all only have 1 all Ireland a piece will probably be sticks used to beat all 3 especially when all 3 have been dominating their counties bar a few blips or injury crisis the last 10 years. Insane ability from Ballyhale to stand head and shoulders above everything year after year. Going (and realistically winning) a 4th all Ireland since 2015 is a huge achievement. Just goes to show how good Portumna and Athenry were to win similar amount of county titles but to convert them into all Ireland wins or final appearances nearly every time they got out. Thomas's are a very very good team in a relatively poor standard of galway club hurling (conpared to what it was). I know they had injuries but too many times they've let strife and bad luck get the better of them and have never really overcame a challenge when put to them outside of galway. 5 in a row in galway is still an amazing achievement and will always be remembered but unfortunately their failures to deliver outside of galway will haunt them. Also heard some lads say Loughrea or some other team would've done better, not buying that at all. Thomas's still by far the best team in galway and just have to look at the hammerings Sarsfields and Mellows took when they got out instead of Thomas's in this time period. Also wish to add good to see hurling improving in connacht in other counties. Would've got some odds to say two connacht teams will be in hurling all Ireland's and none would be galway clubs. Tooreen with a full team I would fancy to beat Monaleen and think Ballygiblin will beat Easkey. Would be great to see Connacht senior Final back next year if Tooreen win intermediate all Ireland. Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 293 - 19/12/2022 18:32:25 2450771 Link 1 |
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Also huge congrats to Sarsfileds camogie team. Unbelievable achievement. Must be first club to do back to back in both camogie and hurling. They overcame a lot of injuries too and didnt let past losses scar them, a great mark of champions. Not going anywhere too, could win another 2 of 3 all Ireland's. Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 293 - 19/12/2022 18:47:49 2450774 Link 1 |
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Loughrea wouldn't near the calibre or the pace of the forwards that Dunloy have so you can't compare the county final to big open space in Croke Park.
Past hurler (None) - Posts: 873 - 20/12/2022 11:06:24 2450803 Link 2 |