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Galway Hurling thread

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Replying To galway19:  "Morrissey will start there and then your other five are Daithi, Cianan, Fintan, Shane Cooney and Brennan. Padraic Mannion probably will have to go to midfield. That would leave out Grealish, Morgan, Dan Loftus, McInerney but there is just a lot of competition in that back six. Will get a good look at it in the Limerick league game with the Thomas' lads back in at that stage."
Let's hope that oppositions like Limerick and Cork 2024 find it a 'competitive' back6 to play through. That'll be the proof of the pudding, as opposed to any certainties that are in your head about team selection.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3868 - 27/01/2024 17:21:40    2522423

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Replying To galway19:  "Morrissey will start there and then your other five are Daithi, Cianan, Fintan, Shane Cooney and Brennan. Padraic Mannion probably will have to go to midfield. That would leave out Grealish, Morgan, Dan Loftus, McInerney but there is just a lot of competition in that back six. Will get a good look at it in the Limerick league game with the Thomas' lads back in at that stage."
Be surprised if Grealish loses his place. I'm not sur Padraig going to midfield will work, leave him where he's comfortable.

Galwayspur (Offaly) - Posts: 231 - 27/01/2024 17:23:57    2522424

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Replying To Viking66:  "https://galwaybayfmsports.podbean.com/e/hurling-formergalway-managerandconnacht-tribune-sports-editorjohnmcintyrewithgalway-bayfmsdarren-kelly-aheadof-the-walsh-cup-final-againstwexford/

Agree with most of what the lad had to say. Except 2 things in particular. He was complaining about Galway only having 1 home game in the Walsh Cup this year. We only had 1 last year, and I had to travel from South Wexford to Mountrath and Birr for the other 2, both of which are far closer to East and South Galway than they are to here.
Also he said our best players like Dee and Lee are getting on in age, but they are younger than most of Galways best players. And the likes of Damien Reck and Rory O Connor are only in their mid 20s."
The 'lad' you mention is a Tipp man who lives and works as a journalist in Galway. Believe it or not, Viking, not all Galway hurling supporters come from east or south Galway, some come from the west and north of the county as well. Galway is a big county - when you go from Cleggan to Dublin you''re not even half way at Ballinasloe.

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 27/01/2024 17:46:51    2522436

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Replying To baire:  "The 'lad' you mention is a Tipp man who lives and works as a journalist in Galway. Believe it or not, Viking, not all Galway hurling supporters come from east or south Galway, some come from the west and north of the county as well. Galway is a big county - when you go from Cleggan to Dublin you''re not even half way at Ballinasloe."
I know Galway is vast I've travelled all over it by motorbike numerous times. I also know there are some Galway hurling supporters from the North and West Baire. But the most that I have met on my travels are from East or South Galway. At the end of the day you can only start measuring distances to other counties when you have left your own though. And Mountrath and Birr are far closer to Galway than they are to Wexford. Its alot quicker for someone to go to Belfast to see Wexford play Antrim than it is to Galway tbh Baire. Salthill isn't handy. Salthill is the most hours I've to spend with the kids in a car to see Wexford play any county we play hurling against. You and us being in Leinster is as unhandy for us as it is for yourselves is the point I was making. Most of the grounds that Leinster hurling is played are closer to you a than they are to us, with the exception of Carlow and Kilkenny. The time we beat you in the 2020 Walsh Cup final it was held in Portlaoise which is also far closer to the Galway border than it is to ours , and still hardly anyone from Galway was there. Mullingar and Athlone are closer to you also.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 27/01/2024 18:30:25    2522450

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Replying To Viking66:  "https://galwaybayfmsports.podbean.com/e/hurling-formergalway-managerandconnacht-tribune-sports-editorjohnmcintyrewithgalway-bayfmsdarren-kelly-aheadof-the-walsh-cup-final-againstwexford/

Agree with most of what the lad had to say. Except 2 things in particular. He was complaining about Galway only having 1 home game in the Walsh Cup this year. We only had 1 last year, and I had to travel from South Wexford to Mountrath and Birr for the other 2, both of which are far closer to East and South Galway than they are to here.
Also he said our best players like Dee and Lee are getting on in age, but they are younger than most of Galways best players. And the likes of Damien Reck and Rory O Connor are only in their mid 20s."
As someone else has pointed out, McIntyre is from Tipp.

Judging by your comment on the Wexford thread, about telling Galway " to get on their horse and head back out into the West if that's going to be their attitude.", that's not the only thing he said that you take issue with.

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 881 - 27/01/2024 18:56:40    2522452

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Replying To Ailteoir:  "As someone else has pointed out, McIntyre is from Tipp.

Judging by your comment on the Wexford thread, about telling Galway " to get on their horse and head back out into the West if that's going to be their attitude.", that's not the only thing he said that you take issue with."
I hadn't a clue where McIntyre is from. I don't remember ever seeing him play tbh. He said Leinster needs Galway more than Galway needs Leinster. I know that's not the attitude of your average Galway supporter as I've talked to many over the years. The constant complaints about travelling are irritating if you live where I do though. Galway are only in Leinster a wet day. We have had to travel to all those places that are closer to you than us seems like forever! And years ago the roads were far worse. You'd nearly need to stop the night outside a pub on the way there or the way home. And often did;-)

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 27/01/2024 19:07:33    2522455

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Replying To Viking66:  "
Replying To Ailteoir:  "As someone else has pointed out, McIntyre is from Tipp.

Judging by your comment on the Wexford thread, about telling Galway " to get on their horse and head back out into the West if that's going to be their attitude.", that's not the only thing he said that you take issue with."
I hadn't a clue where McIntyre is from. I don't remember ever seeing him play tbh. He said Leinster needs Galway more than Galway needs Leinster. I know that's not the attitude of your average Galway supporter as I've talked to many over the years. The constant complaints about travelling are irritating if you live where I do though. Galway are only in Leinster a wet day. We have had to travel to all those places that are closer to you than us seems like forever! And years ago the roads were far worse. You'd nearly need to stop the night outside a pub on the way there or the way home. And often did;-)"
Mcintyre had a whale of a game at no6 for Tipp at the '84 Munster Final iirc. Those were the days when Tipp changed their selectors and team annually, aka.....'the famine'.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3868 - 27/01/2024 20:10:37    2522476

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Replying To Viking66:  "I know Galway is vast I've travelled all over it by motorbike numerous times. I also know there are some Galway hurling supporters from the North and West Baire. But the most that I have met on my travels are from East or South Galway. At the end of the day you can only start measuring distances to other counties when you have left your own though. And Mountrath and Birr are far closer to Galway than they are to Wexford. Its alot quicker for someone to go to Belfast to see Wexford play Antrim than it is to Galway tbh Baire. Salthill isn't handy. Salthill is the most hours I've to spend with the kids in a car to see Wexford play any county we play hurling against. You and us being in Leinster is as unhandy for us as it is for yourselves is the point I was making. Most of the grounds that Leinster hurling is played are closer to you a than they are to us, with the exception of Carlow and Kilkenny. The time we beat you in the 2020 Walsh Cup final it was held in Portlaoise which is also far closer to the Galway border than it is to ours , and still hardly anyone from Galway was there. Mullingar and Athlone are closer to you also."
Who is complaining about travel here but yourself! The first few times Wexford supporters had to come to Pearse Stadium you'd swear they had to go to Boston the way they moaned and groaned about the journey!
I'm often in west Galway during the championship and it's a 7 hour round trip to Thurles and getting in and out of there is a nightmare for a Galway supporter. To be fair it's easier to travel these days with motorways and better roads in most counties with the exception of NW Donegal and West Kerry. The east coast, from Antrim to Wexford had been well looked after for years, great roads and railways, EU funded, whilst the west and border counties especially were neglected.

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 27/01/2024 20:52:09    2522488

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Replying To baire:  "Who is complaining about travel here but yourself! The first few times Wexford supporters had to come to Pearse Stadium you'd swear they had to go to Boston the way they moaned and groaned about the journey!
I'm often in west Galway during the championship and it's a 7 hour round trip to Thurles and getting in and out of there is a nightmare for a Galway supporter. To be fair it's easier to travel these days with motorways and better roads in most counties with the exception of NW Donegal and West Kerry. The east coast, from Antrim to Wexford had been well looked after for years, great roads and railways, EU funded, whilst the west and border counties especially were neglected."
Plenty Galway fans have complained for years on this forum about having to travel to places like Portlaoise and Birr to play us when it's far further for us to go is the point I was making Baire. There's no population density in West Galway but your roads are much better than the roads around here in South Wexford! As regards travelling inside your own county its not our fault you come from such a big county either! Or reside in two places in it?
Anyway back on topic. I didn't realise McIntyre is actually from Tipp. But his whingeing about Carlow being chosen for the final on the radio is what started the geography discussion in the first place! Initially I pointed out that the last stand alone Walsh Cup final between us was played in Portlaoise which is a good bit closer to Galway than it is to Wexford.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 27/01/2024 21:33:10    2522507

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Replying To Viking66:  "Plenty Galway fans have complained for years on this forum about having to travel to places like Portlaoise and Birr to play us when it's far further for us to go is the point I was making Baire. There's no population density in West Galway but your roads are much better than the roads around here in South Wexford! As regards travelling inside your own county its not our fault you come from such a big county either! Or reside in two places in it?
Anyway back on topic. I didn't realise McIntyre is actually from Tipp. But his whingeing about Carlow being chosen for the final on the radio is what started the geography discussion in the first place! Initially I pointed out that the last stand alone Walsh Cup final between us was played in Portlaoise which is a good bit closer to Galway than it is to Wexford."
The nearest town or village shown on most maps in Co.Wexford to Portlaoise is Bunclody 70 KM away, Porumna is nearest in Co. Galway 84 KM the one most distant in Wexford is Kimore Quay at 135 KM and Galway Cleggan at 248 KM.I wonder how you can conjure up the idea that Galway is closer?.I would also wonder if Ennis or Limerick were chosen instead how delighted he would be at a trip to one of these which are not dissimilar to Carlow, so maybe it might be good to look at the full picture.

backtooldwall (Galway) - Posts: 138 - 27/01/2024 22:20:19    2522525

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Replying To backtooldwall:  "The nearest town or village shown on most maps in Co.Wexford to Portlaoise is Bunclody 70 KM away, Porumna is nearest in Co. Galway 84 KM the one most distant in Wexford is Kimore Quay at 135 KM and Galway Cleggan at 248 KM.I wonder how you can conjure up the idea that Galway is closer?.I would also wonder if Ennis or Limerick were chosen instead how delighted he would be at a trip to one of these which are not dissimilar to Carlow, so maybe it might be good to look at the full picture."
Portlaoise to the bridge at Banagher is 62km. And Ennis and Limerick are handier to get to for me than Mountrath or Birr as in you are travelling on far better roads. Anyway they are both in Munster. The point I was making is that for you lads competing in Leinster probably involves similar travelling as it does for us once you leave your county. It's not as bad as some of you lads think. The longest journey either of us have is to eachother probably. On a matchday even Corrigan Park takes approximately half an hour less for me to get to than Salthill. And they are both venues I have to travel to in Leinster competitions. I can reach all the Munster grounds in considerably less time, and it is likely the same for yourselves.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 28/01/2024 10:03:41    2522584

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To be honest, I dont know why we bother entering this Walsh Cup thing anyway. Imo January should be a blank month for all intercounty competition. All these pre-season competitions should be just got rid of because they are a waste of time. Does anyone seriously believe that a triallist for the county team who catches the eye in January is going to be doing anything except warming the bench when the real action starts in May? Well if it happens this year, it will be a first --- even established players like Jason Flynn who is our No.11 at this time of year, usually is back in "super sub" mould come championship. I think it is absolutely shameful to expect teams to play hurling in January when there's no need for it. Fitzgibbon is on....that's more than enough to judge young up and coming talent. And having players with Fitgibbon midweek and having to play again for the county at the weekend when pitches are so heavy and the risk of serious injury is high is both wrong and stupid imo. There are enough league matches taking place in February and March for managers to do as much experimenting and trialling as they want and January should be a closed month. End of rant.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1953 - 28/01/2024 11:10:53    2522600

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Replying To Viking66:  "Portlaoise to the bridge at Banagher is 62km. And Ennis and Limerick are handier to get to for me than Mountrath or Birr as in you are travelling on far better roads. Anyway they are both in Munster. The point I was making is that for you lads competing in Leinster probably involves similar travelling as it does for us once you leave your county. It's not as bad as some of you lads think. The longest journey either of us have is to eachother probably. On a matchday even Corrigan Park takes approximately half an hour less for me to get to than Salthill. And they are both venues I have to travel to in Leinster competitions. I can reach all the Munster grounds in considerably less time, and it is likely the same for yourselves."
Most of the complaints from the Galway supporters, when Galway entered the Leinster championship, weren't about the travel, it was about fairness or the lack of it - all games were played in Leinster with Leinster refs and officials, there was no give and take.
As regards travel Galway supporters were well used to travelling long distances. Here is how Breandán Ó hEithir described his journey from Inis Mór, Aran, to an All Ireland semi-final in 1945.
"My father and I left the island on a Friday, cycled to Birr on Saturday and spent the night there. The match was one of the hardest and best that I have ever seen; it was also the most heart-breaking. At one stage Galway led by seven points, but Kilkenny crept back and Jim Langton equalised. Then Galway gave away a free and Langton hit the winning point.
In those years the roads were always full of groups of men cycling to and from matches on a Sunday and it was in one of these groups, somewhere between Portumna and Loughrea as night fell on our sad journey west, that I first heard the story of the curse. In the circumstances it was easy to believe. We swore we would never again follow the Galway hurlers.

WASHED OUT

The following year we cycled again to Birr on the Saturday before the semi-final against Cork. We woke on Sunday to find the rain coming down in heavy, grey sheets. There wasn't a breath of wind, and it was sultry.

This day is still remembered in Birr because of the ton or so of sandwiches that went stale for lack of custom and had to be thrown away. Towards the end of the game I was glad of the torrent, because it concealed the tears of rage and disappointment that flowed as Galway took a hammering. They could only score three points and were beaten by 13.

And as we cycled back to Galway, with backsides scalded by wet saddles, we talked about the curse and vowed . . . never again".

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 28/01/2024 11:29:01    2522606

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "To be honest, I dont know why we bother entering this Walsh Cup thing anyway. Imo January should be a blank month for all intercounty competition. All these pre-season competitions should be just got rid of because they are a waste of time. Does anyone seriously believe that a triallist for the county team who catches the eye in January is going to be doing anything except warming the bench when the real action starts in May? Well if it happens this year, it will be a first --- even established players like Jason Flynn who is our No.11 at this time of year, usually is back in "super sub" mould come championship. I think it is absolutely shameful to expect teams to play hurling in January when there's no need for it. Fitzgibbon is on....that's more than enough to judge young up and coming talent. And having players with Fitgibbon midweek and having to play again for the county at the weekend when pitches are so heavy and the risk of serious injury is high is both wrong and stupid imo. There are enough league matches taking place in February and March for managers to do as much experimenting and trialling as they want and January should be a closed month. End of rant."
They are fundraisers for the players FFS

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 28/01/2024 16:46:48    2522724

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Replying To baire:  "Most of the complaints from the Galway supporters, when Galway entered the Leinster championship, weren't about the travel, it was about fairness or the lack of it - all games were played in Leinster with Leinster refs and officials, there was no give and take.
As regards travel Galway supporters were well used to travelling long distances. Here is how Breandán Ó hEithir described his journey from Inis Mór, Aran, to an All Ireland semi-final in 1945.
"My father and I left the island on a Friday, cycled to Birr on Saturday and spent the night there. The match was one of the hardest and best that I have ever seen; it was also the most heart-breaking. At one stage Galway led by seven points, but Kilkenny crept back and Jim Langton equalised. Then Galway gave away a free and Langton hit the winning point.
In those years the roads were always full of groups of men cycling to and from matches on a Sunday and it was in one of these groups, somewhere between Portumna and Loughrea as night fell on our sad journey west, that I first heard the story of the curse. In the circumstances it was easy to believe. We swore we would never again follow the Galway hurlers.

WASHED OUT

The following year we cycled again to Birr on the Saturday before the semi-final against Cork. We woke on Sunday to find the rain coming down in heavy, grey sheets. There wasn't a breath of wind, and it was sultry.

This day is still remembered in Birr because of the ton or so of sandwiches that went stale for lack of custom and had to be thrown away. Towards the end of the game I was glad of the torrent, because it concealed the tears of rage and disappointment that flowed as Galway took a hammering. They could only score three points and were beaten by 13.

And as we cycled back to Galway, with backsides scalded by wet saddles, we talked about the curse and vowed . . . never again"."
Baire don't get me wrong Salthill is my favourite away trip. Nearly no motorways, great craic with the kids on the way up, interspersed with the usual bouts of playing referee when you have 4 of them! As regards fairness while I wasn't a huge supporter of you being in Leinster, I did say on this forum around that time that if you were in you should've been fully in. Underage, and home games.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 28/01/2024 16:51:33    2522728

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Replying To Viking66:  "Baire don't get me wrong Salthill is my favourite away trip. Nearly no motorways, great craic with the kids on the way up, interspersed with the usual bouts of playing referee when you have 4 of them! As regards fairness while I wasn't a huge supporter of you being in Leinster, I did say on this forum around that time that if you were in you should've been fully in. Underage, and home games."
In Galway we go to Salthill for entertainment, a walk or a swim and go to Pearse Stadium for hurling and football!

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 28/01/2024 17:16:12    2522736

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Replying To Viking66:  "Baire don't get me wrong Salthill is my favourite away trip. Nearly no motorways, great craic with the kids on the way up, interspersed with the usual bouts of playing referee when you have 4 of them! As regards fairness while I wasn't a huge supporter of you being in Leinster, I did say on this forum around that time that if you were in you should've been fully in. Underage, and home games."
I won't get you wrong, Viking I know exactly where you and OTM stand on this matter! Enjoy your Walsh cup win!

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 28/01/2024 17:24:26    2522741

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Replying To baire:  "In Galway we go to Salthill for entertainment, a walk or a swim and go to Pearse Stadium for hurling and football!"
Excellent Aquarium there too. I told the kids there were sharks there and I think they were expecting to see Jaws;-)

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 28/01/2024 17:33:29    2522744

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Replying To baire:  "I won't get you wrong, Viking I know exactly where you and OTM stand on this matter! Enjoy your Walsh cup win!"
Any win is enjoyable. Last time we beat you in a Walsh Cup final in 2020 we didn't go well at all in the championship, although there was a 9 month gap on account of covid. So in the greater scheme of things today means little.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13746 - 28/01/2024 17:35:13    2522747

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Will be interesting to see how quickly the main lads are brought back in during the league. The trip to Thurles is the next big game and the last one away to Limerick. Games against Westmeath, Antrim and Dublin gives a chance for rotation. The other league group definitely looks stronger.

I see it is 6/5 each of two ourselves and Kilkenny in the Leinster championship betting and any price you like on the rest.

galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 790 - 28/01/2024 18:32:35    2522775

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