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True. The standard of Galway Club Hurling has definitely taken a dive in recent years. No reflection on St. Thomas but no one has seriously challenged them at the business end of the Championship. They have never met anything like Ballygunner in Galway. SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 318 - 07/12/2023 11:59:25 2515850 Link 1 |
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Why do you think this is? Genuine question We have produced great minor teams in recent years, who obviously havent become a great senior team, but you'd imagine it should translate to a great club championship at least. Taking Thomas' out, there is an extremely competitive championship, but that doesnt explain the drop in standard. I cant put my finger on it. GalwaysFinest (Galway) - Posts: 190 - 07/12/2023 14:19:05 2515871 Link 1 |
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Depends on the the Thomas's that show up. If to go by the two Ballyhale games in recent years as a more qualified gauge it could go two ways. If it's the 2019 level performance they could get wiped or if they replicated the 2021 performance they could win. I'd have that Ballyhale team (usually able to keep Ballygunner at arms reach over 3 games bar the Harry Ruddle goal) at an even higher level to Ballygunner but still close enough. You'd hope it'd be the 2021. If they have everyone and performed to their max they'd definitely be the best team Ballygunner have played so far this year but they've had enough bad days at this stage to show that's definitely not a given...granted they've probably never a full hand to pick from and don't have any real panel depth but still have not performed to what has been expected. I'd still imagine Ballygunner won't slip up here and know with Ballyhale gone this is a huge chance for them to win the all Ireland. Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 272 - 07/12/2023 20:32:53 2515922 Link 1 |
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I'm not so sure that's correct in reality, 'competitive' and 'high quality' don't really go hand in hand and never have, really. One is not a consequence of the other. Though it's a competitive championship, its not like Toms are murdering all before them en route to comfortable championship success. They have to earn it, and that they do is a credit to them. Last year they won the final narrowly after a replay, that's as competitive as it gets, really. I'm more interested in your theory that 'great minor teams' should translate to a 'great club championship' Why would it? The minor team in any given year is made up of players from clubs of all grades at adult level. Who are under 17. Boys not men. I can only surmise that the thinking behind the 'drop in standards' notion is that Toms are consistently winning in Galway but not when they go further, I can only imagine that if Toms were winning All Irelands, or at least getting to finals, we wouldn't be claiming the standard was inferior to the days when Portumna carried all before them, including outside the county. I mean, when you refer to a 'drop in standard' what does that actually entail? Genuine question. Is the club championship actually inferior to previous years and if so, on what basis? Was there a 'glorious era' that I missed that the current championship is overshadowed by? Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 882 - 08/12/2023 10:14:43 2515954 Link 1 |
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Because we have produced great minor winning teams from a variety of clubs across the county. My theory is that a lot of clubs should be benefitting from the introduction of these up and coming players. Look at the county minor panels from the last 10 years, where we have won multiple all irelands, theres a big spread of clubs. Even if this hasnt translated into senior intercounty success, my thinking is the clubs in Galway should be benefitting at least. GalwaysFinest (Galway) - Posts: 190 - 08/12/2023 11:22:45 2515967 Link 1 |
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We have a very competitive club championship. At the start of the year 9 of the Senior clubs and probably around the same number of Intermediate probably felt they could get to a final and maybe win it. But that doesn't mean the standard was particularly high. Only that everyone was around the same standard.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13070 - 08/12/2023 12:16:45 2515986 Link 1 |
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They are (benefitting). This year's minors had a huge spread of clubs represented for example, on the main and extended panels. I imagine next year will be similar as will future years. But you have to remember that these clubs are also losing players to retirement, emigration, life commitments etc. so these things balance out, if a very good older player is replaced by a very good younger one the level of the team doesn't rise. Also, in the bigger clubs, being a county minor certainly isn't going to get you handed a senior club jersey. We have a minor team every year, win or lose. Last year's team might turn out to produce more players than the 2015 -2018 vintage. The 2001 team lost the final but over half of that team played senior IC for example. What would be worth assessing (and I'm not asking anyone to do it) is how many of the Galway minors from the last 10 years have even played adult hurling for their club's first team? I'm willing to bet the number is quite a bit lower than might be anticipated. Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 882 - 08/12/2023 13:14:00 2516001 Link 1 |
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It's better that the matches be competitive rather than having one club dominating, for example it's likely that the likes of Mount Sion etc. in Waterford would be able to hold their own in many other club championships but they can't live with Ballygunner, which must really take from the Waterford county championship overall. But at least when everyone feels they have a shot the morale stays high and the crowds will come to watch in anticipation of a competitive game. And when you boil it down, that's what you want at a minimum as a paying observer. Give me the Wexford championship over Waterford even though the Wexford champions (Naomh Éanna?) might struggle to keep it pucked out to Ballygunner in the Leinster club series Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 882 - 08/12/2023 13:18:59 2516002 Link 1 |
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The Leinster-Munster club series you mean!
PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1931 - 08/12/2023 13:31:09 2516010 Link 1 |
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Agree 100% it's far better to have a championshipwhere you just don't know who will win it. Although if Gorey got their S and C up to Ballygunners standards I think they have better hurlers tbh. There's a few lads on that team that would likely be intercounty starters but won't commit to play for Wexford because they don't want to put the work in. They will likely have 3 or 4 starters on our team next year apart from those too. And there are a few more with recent u20 experience including the lad who marked Screeney and held him to 1-1 from play, and that goal a lucky break.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13070 - 08/12/2023 13:34:43 2516011 Link 1 |
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Team to play Cork: galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 739 - 09/12/2023 15:14:44 2516125 Link 1 |
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Usual strong squad for the UG Fitzgibbon campaign. Darren Morrissey, Tiernan Killeen, Eoin Lawless, Shane Morgan at the back. Ian McGlynn, Alex Connaire, Gavin Lee, Diarmuid Kilcommins, Liam Leen midfield options. Loads up front with Liam Collins, Conor Walsh, Colm Molloy, Greg Thomas, Charlie Mitchell, Ruben Davitt, Adam Clarke. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 739 - 11/12/2023 09:13:55 2516307 Link 1 |
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Fair play to them. Thanks for posting the team. Best of luck to them.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2198 - 11/12/2023 11:37:42 2516327 Link 0 |
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Anyone know the NUIG or GMIT (or whatever they are called now) Fitzgibbon panels. LottoPlus (Kilkenny) - Posts: 62 - 11/12/2023 12:15:00 2516339 Link 1 |
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Growing up it was UCG (University College Galway) but I can't keep up anymore.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2198 - 11/12/2023 17:52:09 2516390 Link 0 |
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I will always keep calling it UCG just to annoy the senior administration bigwigs who keep insisting that everyone must now call it the University of Galway!
Gaillimh_Abu (Galway) - Posts: 1010 - 11/12/2023 21:16:18 2516406 Link 1 |
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Yeah same here only because my tiny brain can't keep up with all the changes. Either way they should have a fair decent team again this year.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2198 - 12/12/2023 11:41:30 2516469 Link 0 |
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Can't see us selling too many season tickets next year. Have had one for six or seven years but they have now removed the access to the first championship game as part of the ticket so the €150 per ticket makes no sense. Add to that our league games include Antrim, Westmeath and Dublin which aren't really thrillers on paper. We will have decent numbers heading to Limerick for the final round but that will be about it. Even as regards the Championship, there is only the Kilkenny game that matters. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 739 - 13/12/2023 20:34:06 2516668 Link 2 |
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Spot on. I've had one for about the same number of years as you but dont think I'll be renewing either. Just to clarify....it's 140 eur for the hurling season ticket and 150 eur for the football one. i may go (and it's only a "may") to just one league match so absolutely makes no sense to purchase one. Not including the first championship match in the season ticket price just makes no marketing sense whatsoever. They must have no interest in selling them. PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1931 - 13/12/2023 23:08:22 2516680 Link 1 |
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I go to all the League games every year and it's cheaper for me to buy them separately. The season ticket is a joke, as is the club plus one. They throw in games you wouldn't be going to anyway to try make it look better value.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13070 - 14/12/2023 08:12:10 2516693 Link 1 |