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A vexed question in these parts, after the recent 'rush' to get Lee and Killeen onto the senior launchpad at the expense of a least one season of their intercounty u20 careers. KK u20 side were possibly the only obvious beneficiaries of that ploy..........to date.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3725 - 09/10/2023 12:41:55 2507546 Link 3 |
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Senior Semi Final Prediction - Thomas's by 5+ Turloughmore by 1-3 Intermediate Semi Final Prediction - Meelick-Eyrecourt by 2-4 Sylane by 1-3 LetsPlayBall (Galway) - Posts: 53 - 09/10/2023 14:20:32 2507576 Link 1 |
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He hasn't even made his senior club debut yet so way too premature to be name checking him for the county senior team at this stage.
PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1931 - 09/10/2023 15:37:31 2507593 Link 3 |
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From what I hear j Ryan has no intention of going back in with Galway after the last few years being snubbed. Ian hanrahan has no interest either.
Jackson88 (Galway) - Posts: 72 - 09/10/2023 16:17:03 2507607 Link 1 |
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Senior Semi-Final Prediction - GalwayJoe123 (Galway) - Posts: 4 - 09/10/2023 23:29:15 2507662 Link 1 |
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Do you speak for these players?
SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 318 - 10/10/2023 09:08:55 2507669 Link 1 |
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I speak with them yes
Jackson88 (Galway) - Posts: 72 - 10/10/2023 18:10:38 2507779 Link 2 |
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Galwayspur (Offaly) - Posts: 231 - 11/10/2023 13:46:28 2507885 Link 1 |
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What a unique Co. Final it would make.......St.Thomas' going for 6 in a row v Turloughmore the only Club to win 6 in a row!
katser (Galway) - Posts: 2401 - 11/10/2023 15:20:57 2507908 Link 1 |
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Will the tickets be on sale at Pearse Stadium on Sunday? baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 11/10/2023 15:40:13 2507916 Link 1 |
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obviously in confidence
SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 318 - 11/10/2023 17:46:42 2507936 Link 1 |
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It will be a mighty achievement if they can do it. Awesome consistency.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2198 - 12/10/2023 07:00:04 2507972 Link 0 |
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Why have St. Thomas performance levels dropped off so much in the All lreland series? Last years semi final a case in point Mayo52 (Mayo) - Posts: 44 - 12/10/2023 17:04:42 2508070 Link 1 |
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The year before they had Ballyhale on the ropes but for a miracle finish. There's some serious teams when you get to that stage.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2198 - 12/10/2023 17:58:19 2508076 Link 0 |
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An inaccurate question really? They very nearly beat Ballyhale in the semi the year before last. Clearly no drop off in the all-ireland series that time. Last year's semi performance was possibly a hangover from that close shave the year before, when they did seem to be 'all in' to ko Ballyhale on that occasion, and lost in agonising circumstances, just as Ballyhale did in the final too. With Thomas's current age profile, they're unlikely to have the appetite to be fully primed every season for all-ireland honours. Thomas's have a small squad for years, and have never been able to call on an extended panel of players, since winning that first title in 2012, the all-ireland in 2013, or the recent 5 in a row. Panel size possibly comes against them for all-ireland tilts, as has Ballyhale's quality on occasion. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3725 - 12/10/2023 18:04:08 2508077 Link 1 |
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They don't have the luxury of appointing their choice of officials perhaps
Bib (Galway) - Posts: 12 - 12/10/2023 18:30:45 2508081 Link 1 |
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Probably injuries and not having the same standard of lads coming in. They've had horrid luck when it's come to the all Ireland series and then there's been days when they've just not performed or let winnable games go past them. Last years defeat to Dunloy wasn't their worst all Ireland series defeat, they had lots of injuries going into the game with Shane Cooney and James Regan two huge losses and then loosing Darragh Burke in the warm up was an awful blow too, plus the fact that Dunloy are a top team. Dunloy gave Ballyhale more problems and a better game than Ballygunner did in the semi final (only for a game for the ages by Stephen O'Keefe kept the score somewhat flattering to Ballygunner). Probably have had more injury problems than Portumna, Athenry and Sarsfields did and with smaller panel of top quality players. The two losses that were complete misperformances and no excuses were the Ballyea and BorrisIlleigh games, the Ballyea one especially. I think Dunloy were probably better team than both those two teams but both had two of the best hurlers in Ireland who gave some of the best performances of their lives those years for their clubs in Brendan Maher and Tony Kelly and were on those fairytale journeys knocking out huge clubs along the way that happen now and then. Na Piarsaigh (the complete opposite to Thomas's in terms of playing population, urban, etc) have probably had similar problems in the Munster/all Ireland series that Thomas's have had in that their key irreplaceable players are the ones that tend to get injured and rarely have a full hand to pick from (they do have a huge depth of solid senior club players but wouldn't lads to replace Will O'Donoghue, Mike Casey, Peter Casey, Shane Dowling that they've had missing a different times over last few years and they might have enough to get over teams in Galway or Limerick missing 1 or 2, and only just about in both cases, it eventually catches you out. With a full hand to pick from Na Piarsaigh and Thomas's are definitely in the top 4 teams in the country. Also the greatest club team I've ever seen being around the same time as Thomas's (Na Piarsaigh and Ballygunner too) means that all 3 of these incredible club teams might only end up with 1 all Ireland apiece while Ballyhale have a fair bucket of them. All 3 still in it so definitely could add to it and Ballyhale down a few lads don't look as strong, which goes to show how big an impact missing a few key lads at club level is when even the mighty Ballyhale look more vulnerable. Clubs in Galway and Kilkenny(and Cork until the last 15 years) probably judged more on their all Ireland title wins than any other county and maybe might be a bit unfair to teams that win county titles but don't get to the holy grail, remember Sarsfields 2015 county title getting a lot of the gleam off it locally due to getting beaten well by Cushendall or Mellows with the heavy Cuala beating but they did back up being a good club by reaching 3 County finals in a row. Gorts two county title wins don't get as much credit for not going further after losses to Coolderry and Ballyhale (first one more so). Winning a county title is still huge and growing up you'd dream of county titles and not necessarily club all Ireland's, unless you're Ballyhale.
Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 272 - 12/10/2023 18:52:04 2508083 Link 1 |
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Few players have lost pace. You could see in the wide open space of Croke Park, Dunloys pacier forwards got away from Thomas players at time for crucial scores. It's not easy to win a club All Ireland, it's very very difficult in fact and not every village can produce a constant conveyor belt of elite hurlers like Ballyhale Shamrocks. St Thomas are right up there. Past hurler (None) - Posts: 785 - 12/10/2023 21:23:49 2508096 Link 1 |
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Big weekend for Jamie Ryan if he is going to near a Galway shirt next year. Linnane was good enough man marking to force Tipp to take Noel McGrath off in this years quarter final so Turlough will surely plan similarly on Sunday. If he can produce an 8/10 performance with Linnane tagging him then Loughrea win but I've a feeling Turlough will do enough to get over the line. Hopefully Sean O'Hanlon has another big game as he is another that will be in the county panel. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 739 - 12/10/2023 21:27:02 2508099 Link 2 |
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Great to see Skebellew win the junior final. They will be competitive at intermediate next year. Doing great work at underage as well this year, playing at A level in minor and u20. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 739 - 14/10/2023 17:05:46 2508355 Link 1 |