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Galway Hurling thread

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "
Replying To LoughChamps24:  "[quote=Pope_Benedict:  "This is not accurate in relation to 'ball going in'. Galway scored 12 of 22 chances at the first half in Cork. Cork scored 14 of 16 chances in the same period. Cork chiseled a 6 point HT lead from those stats, off 6 fewer scoring chances.

The first half issue didn't seem to be with lack of possession or 'ball going in'. You'd see cows calving with more ease on occasion, than some of Whelan's 'rucking' to gain possession, after his first touch frequently fails him these days to secure his ball sharply from even decent supply. On top of that, no one can tell me that Concannon had played well for Galway in the last 15 months.

The Galway attack has multiple problems. Lack of ball winners. Lack of speed. Lack of runners from deep. Lack of cohesion. Lack of sharpness, individually and collectively. Yes, a lack of midfield or halfbackline dominantion, and consequent frontfoot support. But, I certainly wouldn't be absolving Concannon and Whelan 2024/2025 performance levels on the basis that 'ball supply' was a primary issue in their displays."
I fully get your point but I think you are hitting the nail on the head without knowing it.
Cork on one hand work the ball through the lines and get it to the player in the best position who takes the shot hence 14 from 16. Horgan is 36 years of age and he looks good because of their system and a brillent engine in the midfield feeding brilliant ball to him and the forwards.
Galway on the other hand have no system and are unable to work the ball through the lines. Our midfield are all over the place and if our backs do get a ball to Monaghan and Co. its a shot if at all possible. This is the reason Whelan and Co. are struggling. Cathal Mannion to midfield may be the solution for me or someone who feeds the ball integently. David Burke and Johnny Coen were brillent at this role and were are struggling with replacing them. At this minute our midfield reminds me of juvenile hurling do you not think?"
It's easier to have 'a system' that works for you, when you have players of the requisite standard to make that system work. There is no evidence at the moment that Galway have enough players of this requisite standard to match a team like Cork, so theoretical issues with 'the system' are all arguably moot imo. It's a bit like whining about the goalie's puckouts, when the core problem is that we've no high/hard ball winners out the field anyway, regardless of the way he pucks it. Perhaps the Galway 'system' is good, but it's just the lack of capability in the players playing the 'system' that's making it look bad."]Ya it could be that for sure but would you think if we improve midfield we could improve the overall considerably.
There is no doubt there are many problems

LoughChamps24 (Galway) - Posts: 5 - 26/03/2025 12:45:36    2598669

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Any thoughts on Liam Collins walking away from panel? Never good to see a bright upcoming player walk away so young

Galway456 (Galway) - Posts: 131 - 26/03/2025 16:07:28    2598718

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "
Replying To LoughChamps24:  "[quote=Pope_Benedict:  "This is not accurate in relation to 'ball going in'. Galway scored 12 of 22 chances at the first half in Cork. Cork scored 14 of 16 chances in the same period. Cork chiseled a 6 point HT lead from those stats, off 6 fewer scoring chances.

The first half issue didn't seem to be with lack of possession or 'ball going in'. You'd see cows calving with more ease on occasion, than some of Whelan's 'rucking' to gain possession, after his first touch frequently fails him these days to secure his ball sharply from even decent supply. On top of that, no one can tell me that Concannon had played well for Galway in the last 15 months.

The Galway attack has multiple problems. Lack of ball winners. Lack of speed. Lack of runners from deep. Lack of cohesion. Lack of sharpness, individually and collectively. Yes, a lack of midfield or halfbackline dominantion, and consequent frontfoot support. But, I certainly wouldn't be absolving Concannon and Whelan 2024/2025 performance levels on the basis that 'ball supply' was a primary issue in their displays."
I fully get your point but I think you are hitting the nail on the head without knowing it.
Cork on one hand work the ball through the lines and get it to the player in the best position who takes the shot hence 14 from 16. Horgan is 36 years of age and he looks good because of their system and a brillent engine in the midfield feeding brilliant ball to him and the forwards.
Galway on the other hand have no system and are unable to work the ball through the lines. Our midfield are all over the place and if our backs do get a ball to Monaghan and Co. its a shot if at all possible. This is the reason Whelan and Co. are struggling. Cathal Mannion to midfield may be the solution for me or someone who feeds the ball integently. David Burke and Johnny Coen were brillent at this role and were are struggling with replacing them. At this minute our midfield reminds me of juvenile hurling do you not think?"
It's easier to have 'a system' that works for you, when you have players of the requisite standard to make that system work. There is no evidence at the moment that Galway have enough players of this requisite standard to match a team like Cork, so theoretical issues with 'the system' are all arguably moot imo. It's a bit like whining about the goalie's puckouts, when the core problem is that we've no high/hard ball winners out the field anyway, regardless of the way he pucks it. Perhaps the Galway 'system' is good, but it's just the lack of capability in the players playing the 'system' that's making it look bad."]Completely agree on this.

galway2015 (Galway) - Posts: 63 - 26/03/2025 21:53:00    2598783

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Replying To Galway456:  "Any thoughts on Liam Collins walking away from panel? Never good to see a bright upcoming player walk away so young"
That's terrible. He's some talented lad. He's not the biggest fella, but you don't need 15 Giants to win games of hurling these days. Speed and skill definitely have a place too.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15231 - 27/03/2025 08:10:03    2598821

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Replying To Galway456:  "Any thoughts on Liam Collins walking away from panel? Never good to see a bright upcoming player walk away so young"
Savage at club level but has struggled physically at intercounty. He definitely has all the skill but he could probably see the writing on the wall with Burns, K Cooney, McLoughlin ahead of him for corner forward position. Then add in the young lads on this year's 20s who are already in with the senior panel and will be accelerated pretty quickly (Jason Rabbitte, Aaron Niland) and it was clear he wasn't going to get any game time.

galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 843 - 27/03/2025 10:02:50    2598843

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Replying To galway19:  "Savage at club level but has struggled physically at intercounty. He definitely has all the skill but he could probably see the writing on the wall with Burns, K Cooney, McLoughlin ahead of him for corner forward position. Then add in the young lads on this year's 20s who are already in with the senior panel and will be accelerated pretty quickly (Jason Rabbitte, Aaron Niland) and it was clear he wasn't going to get any game time."
Liam would be about 5'9 and very light build, a superb club hurler but we all know the prototype now for inter county.

Mossy Keoghan is not very tall but is seriously well-built, same as Darragh McCarthy from Tipp.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 881 - 27/03/2025 10:33:01    2598850

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Replying To Past hurler:  "Liam would be about 5'9 and very light build, a superb club hurler but we all know the prototype now for inter county.

Mossy Keoghan is not very tall but is seriously well-built, same as Darragh McCarthy from Tipp."
Collins is only 22. Lads wouldn't be fully developed until they are 25/26. Look at David Reidy, both of them actually, the Caseys, Mossey, Cian Kenny has really built himself up the last couple of years also.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15231 - 27/03/2025 11:07:13    2598868

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I think the consensus with Collins is as above, he clearly wasn't in contention for game time this year and walked away, but definitely not out of the picture going forward. Like it or not the fact is you have to be able to compete physically in the inter county game and he just gets horse off the ball too much. This was very obvious even against Tipp. McLoughlin, not a big man either but with more physical presence and more of a tenacious player, made a clear difference when he came on

Overdahill (Galway) - Posts: 27 - 27/03/2025 16:09:06    2598939

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Leinster U20 Championship starts tomorrow. The team announced may not be the team that starts. Very strong from 8 to 15. Half back line looks a bit suspect. Gavin Maher and Counihan to strengthen things up there
Early days for sure

LoughChamps24 (Galway) - Posts: 5 - 28/03/2025 10:11:31    2599030

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Replying To Viking66:  "Collins is only 22. Lads wouldn't be fully developed until they are 25/26. Look at David Reidy, both of them actually, the Caseys, Mossey, Cian Kenny has really built himself up the last couple of years also."
Very true. Some people were doubting that Kevin Cooney would make it at inter-county level when he was Collins's age and now he is one of our regulars and considered a loss if not playing. Personally I dont think there's much between Collins and some, even all,of the others that have been said here to be ahead of him in the queue. Also I've seen Collins play with his club and he has given a torrid time and got the better of some of our current inter-county defenders in the club championship.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1997 - 28/03/2025 10:27:00    2599034

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Very true. Some people were doubting that Kevin Cooney would make it at inter-county level when he was Collins's age and now he is one of our regulars and considered a loss if not playing. Personally I dont think there's much between Collins and some, even all,of the others that have been said here to be ahead of him in the queue. Also I've seen Collins play with his club and he has given a torrid time and got the better of some of our current inter-county defenders in the club championship."
Good point. Looking at the poverty of the forward line displays in Limerick and Cork, I think we should be begging Collins to come back. He couldn't possibly be more ineffective than a number of those displays. It's like the joke about 'carrying' Niland to take frees, when the team is littered with passengers and ineffective performers most days, and they aren't even freetakers.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4044 - 28/03/2025 14:48:46    2599082

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Very true. Some people were doubting that Kevin Cooney would make it at inter-county level when he was Collins's age and now he is one of our regulars and considered a loss if not playing. Personally I dont think there's much between Collins and some, even all,of the others that have been said here to be ahead of him in the queue. Also I've seen Collins play with his club and he has given a torrid time and got the better of some of our current inter-county defenders in the club championship."
I've seen him most of the way up through from underage on and off. He's exceptionally talented, not just very good.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15231 - 28/03/2025 15:12:27    2599084

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Good point. Looking at the poverty of the forward line displays in Limerick and Cork, I think we should be begging Collins to come back. He couldn't possibly be more ineffective than a number of those displays. It's like the joke about 'carrying' Niland to take frees, when the team is littered with passengers and ineffective performers most days, and they aren't even freetakers."
The full forward line can't do much when the quality, frequency and timing of the delivery into them is as bad as ever seen in a Galway team.

BigBàsMan (Galway) - Posts: 99 - 28/03/2025 19:27:40    2599133

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Good run out for the 20s and a very comfortable win to get the campaign started. The Offaly game will give a better guide as to where we are at. Our forward line will be hard stopped on any kind of a dry surface.

galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 843 - 29/03/2025 17:16:09    2599283

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Replying To galway19:  "Good run out for the 20s and a very comfortable win to get the campaign started. The Offaly game will give a better guide as to where we are at. Our forward line will be hard stopped on any kind of a dry surface."
Yes. Great road win. Offaly will be a far bigger test in 10 days. I'm not sure if Adam Screeney will be playing for them or not. I hope he's fit as he's fantastic to watch.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2439 - 29/03/2025 18:11:47    2599297

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Replying To Trump2020:  "Yes. Great road win. Offaly will be a far bigger test in 10 days. I'm not sure if Adam Screeney will be playing for them or not. I hope he's fit as he's fantastic to watch."
By the sounds of it he is unlikely to play and they have a few other injuries as well, no more than ourselves with Trayers and Dolphin out. Niland isn't fully up to speed after the injury yet either but we can't complain with 1-28 scored with a wet ball and on a pitch that was a bit sloppy.

galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 843 - 29/03/2025 18:26:05    2599303

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Replying To galway19:  "By the sounds of it he is unlikely to play and they have a few other injuries as well, no more than ourselves with Trayers and Dolphin out. Niland isn't fully up to speed after the injury yet either but we can't complain with 1-28 scored with a wet ball and on a pitch that was a bit sloppy."
Hopefully this win buys Niland more time to heal up. He'll be badly needed later on.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2439 - 30/03/2025 14:45:59    2599456

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Good point. Looking at the poverty of the forward line displays in Limerick and Cork, I think we should be begging Collins to come back. He couldn't possibly be more ineffective than a number of those displays. It's like the joke about 'carrying' Niland to take frees, when the team is littered with passengers and ineffective performers most days, and they aren't even freetakers."
I'm not on here to put down Liam Collins who is a super player and hopefully has a big future with Galway. But he certainly could (and in his one opportunity this year was) as "inneffective as some of those displays" the fact is he has never had a game for Galway as good as Burns was v Clare or McLoughlin was v Kilkenny and those games put them ahead of him. Concannon I'm not a big fan of but he does have some credit in the bank and has scored big goals in big games for Galway. I do think Collins has more talent than all 3 but we talk about talent a lot in Galway and we know better than most that it's not everything. Bar a few encouraging cameos in Shefflin's second year Collins has never done anything for the Galway seniors and will have to earn his way back in

Overdahill (Galway) - Posts: 27 - 31/03/2025 09:39:03    2599612

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Replying To Overdahill:  "I'm not on here to put down Liam Collins who is a super player and hopefully has a big future with Galway. But he certainly could (and in his one opportunity this year was) as "inneffective as some of those displays" the fact is he has never had a game for Galway as good as Burns was v Clare or McLoughlin was v Kilkenny and those games put them ahead of him. Concannon I'm not a big fan of but he does have some credit in the bank and has scored big goals in big games for Galway. I do think Collins has more talent than all 3 but we talk about talent a lot in Galway and we know better than most that it's not everything. Bar a few encouraging cameos in Shefflin's second year Collins has never done anything for the Galway seniors and will have to earn his way back in"
You know better than anyone that it's hardly wise to evaluate Burns capacity off the back of that Clare display. An NHL game, where one side shows up and the other does not, is no place to be evaluating true intercounty potential imo.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4044 - 31/03/2025 12:02:14    2599663

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