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Galway Football thread

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Replying To Really:  "Dublin's game is always based on athleticism and no insignificant amount of skill. They are inherently competitive - borne out of club rivalries. So, expect them to integrate more, junior players to gain more in confidence and improve as the competition progresses. Based on the evidence so far, I'd narrow down the title race to Kerry, Dublin and Armagh."
A cute Galway supporter righting off Galway. You only lost in the last play today? Kerry have played no one yet and don't like playing Ulster teams. There will be plenty of twists and turns yet. Important to top your group and get a free weekend.

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 498 - 17/05/2025 22:32:39    2610439

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Replying To Kew:  "All 3 have better coaches. I think Joyce lost that today"
It's not even that. I like Dessie, but I think the best message he gave to them was "look in the mirror". Tbh, having worked and played with North side dubs they are a different breed (think Conor McGreggor). They relish the challenge and NEVER fail to raise to a challenge. Mollycoddling, like slinging the ball around - they'd let their "ma" deal with it defensively all day.

Really (Galway) - Posts: 633 - 17/05/2025 22:53:15    2610443

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Replying To togoutlads:  "Hugely frustrating and disappointing to witness the blues take us like that on our home patch on a double bill day that was meant to be a massive momentum builder for us. This is a moment that will either make or break us in 2025. We've great lads and always some positives to glean but we're beyond that soft talk now. We're saying it's really Galway for Sam this year, and our lads are meant to be demanding excellence of each other, but that looked nowhere near the tempo needed against a fading Dublin team that were made to look like world beaters at times.
The home truths are lengthy but in synopsis, our kickout strategy is back where it's been for years - strategy-less, readable, predictable. Our midfield was owned in the air. We're stuck to the deck. The lauded midfield big men were sadly eaten alive in the air for critical primary possession, and the breaks were largely mopped up by the Dubs too. Our defence looked worryingly exposed and ripped to shreds for such easy Dublin points time and again. Our mistakes and gifted turnovers were sloppy, needless and punished every time. Seriously, lads, Kerry or Donegal and possibly Armagh will rip us asunder if we can't at least break even at midfield and close up the grand canyons forming in our defence. Not good enough. Not AI standard.
Our shooting too. Those first half two pointer opps and goal chances simply have to be put away if we're talking about ourselves as being top dog in the country. We left easy scores after us. Also, too many of our forwards are shooting very poorly and not near top IC standard. These are harsh facts but Joyce and co need to address them if these lads and their mentors are to get what they still deserve in July but have left us with a lot of work to do and glaring problems to not just face up to but fix. The Sam Maguire can absolutely still be lifted by us in just a few weeks time but the rubber needs to meet the road now. Let's see a truly devastating response from us in Derry. Let's see it. Throw the gloves off. Bring the rage. Cmon Galway, we're not done but by God we have to respond now."
We lost by a point to a team with multiple all ireland medallists playing better than we did on the day and we still almost (undeservedly) pulled it out of the bag. The ability to be competitive with so many things going wrong on the day against a team as good as Dublin can't be a bad thing in itself. When we needed a goal, we got one, for example.

Dry your eyes.

Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 915 - 17/05/2025 22:54:03    2610444

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Just watched it back, we were very flat, Dublin were top class, we got beat by a point considering everything. Big game at Celtic Park. Move on and take the learnings.

GDL (Galway) - Posts: 812 - 17/05/2025 23:16:15    2610456

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Replying To Belclare7:  "Unfortunately we can't play Mayo every game...
The step up was significant."
You need help with your constant comments on Mayo. You remind me of the fella who is well able to give it but can't take it. I'd say your great craic.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11581 - 17/05/2025 23:31:31    2610460

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Galway in trouble here - that's a damaging defeat. Derry notoriously difficult place to go so good luck with that. Don't be surprised to see ourselves & yourselves in a knock-out scenario.

sam2024 (Armagh) - Posts: 53 - 17/05/2025 23:48:50    2610462

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Replying To Really:  "Dublin's game is always based on athleticism and no insignificant amount of skill. They are inherently competitive - borne out of club rivalries. So, expect them to integrate more, junior players to gain more in confidence and improve as the competition progresses. Based on the evidence so far, I'd narrow down the title race to Kerry, Dublin and Armagh."
Based on the evidence so far Donegal beat all three in the league and Armagh again in the Ulster championship so not sure what evidence you've looked at to come to that conclusion.

JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 54 - 18/05/2025 02:39:05    2610473

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Replying To jm25:  "Typical nonsensical post our midfield are back stuck on ground again snc box jumping stopped again

How are these forwards lacking technique I know you labelled Thompson as been a technically poor shooter previously which is laughable.

Issues I see

1 we are still so passive in defence as still old rules, see winning point loads of space and lack of pressure applied.

Defenders turning back when ran at see Glynn for mayo goal. McGrath for Con point in first half today.

Kelly is very loose defensively and slow on turn

If you watch Roscommon kickouts in first 15 minutes last month they were able to get men free all over the place same happened today the winning score the Dub was bending down catching kick near his knees.

Sideline was slow to make changes DOF for Darcy at HT was obvious change we needed pace and ball winners.

Conroy prob should have came off earlier but not writing him off.

Positives Thompson just made for this. Finnerty took his scores well and Walsh got time in gruelling conditions.

Is it a case by playing big fetchers across middle of field are we sacrificing ability to win breaks?? Would we be better option having a Molloy oflaherty type instead of Darcy Tierney for exay"
I suppose with the increase in long kick-outs a balance of high fielding and work rate around the middle is essential. Dublin definitely came out on top for winning the breaking ball but I'd say (as a Dub, my recollection might be a bit blue) I think we probably dominated the clean catching too. O'Cofaigh-Byrne had his best game ever in a blue jersey, had a couple of clean takes directly against Conroy, didn't expect that.
These same Dublin players in the middle third were brutal against Meath, attitude on the day, complacency?
A lot of talk during the week that Dublin would struggle in this area, did Galway maybe fall for that, it's now the turn of the Galway engine room to show they're better than that.

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 899 - 18/05/2025 08:35:04    2610487

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everyone was awful besides finnerty and thompson. we won't press the panic button just yet.

candlewax (Galway) - Posts: 299 - 18/05/2025 08:51:51    2610496

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I thought Galway moved the ball too slowly in their buildup…. Midfield for some reason didn't function as normal and what on earth was the goalkeeper at conceding that goal… his kick outs were not great either… Finnerty was outstanding and was man of the match but for Ciaran Kilkennys brilliance… Huge games in the group for Galway now …

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3890 - 18/05/2025 09:02:09    2610502

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Disappointing day Dubs deserving winners and I feel we're 5 better than us at least. No harm to bring us back down to earth as today showed we are by no means the real deal. Perhaps it's more a reflection of Connaught being poor. We struggled in middle 3rd badly with breaks. Gleeson a wink link and has been for sometime also could have done better with Costello goal. O Flaherty was only sub who made an impact. The game should stand to Walsh I hope. I felt we were passive in the backs and the last score summarised that Dublin worked it well but not a hand laid on anyone in the last play of a championship match. I'm a big fan of Kelly but I feel he is too loose from a defensive point of view. Mulkerrins lucky to be starting IMO. Derry in 2 weeks a huge game

Eire89 (Galway) - Posts: 330 - 18/05/2025 09:25:38    2610507

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Replying To ForeverBlue2:  "I thought Galway moved the ball too slowly in their buildup…. Midfield for some reason didn't function as normal and what on earth was the goalkeeper at conceding that goal… his kick outs were not great either… Finnerty was outstanding and was man of the match but for Ciaran Kilkennys brilliance… Huge games in the group for Galway now …"
Finnerty was Galway's best player but King Con was right up there with KK until injured in a cynical trip on 45mins

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 899 - 18/05/2025 09:57:06    2610513

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Another great game.

If Derry beat Armagh we will be truly in for an explosive championship as the final match will be a repeat of last years final but wit h everything on the line.

It's going to be a brutally tough route for Galway now to get back into mix. The only godsend is Derry will only have a week turnaround whereas Galway have two weeks prep.

For all talk of lack of jeopardy in groups, don't think for a second Galway will even qualify for preliminary quarter finals.

shaggykev (Donegal) - Posts: 334 - 18/05/2025 10:12:45    2610519

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Replying To Eire89:  "Disappointing day Dubs deserving winners and I feel we're 5 better than us at least. No harm to bring us back down to earth as today showed we are by no means the real deal. Perhaps it's more a reflection of Connaught being poor. We struggled in middle 3rd badly with breaks. Gleeson a wink link and has been for sometime also could have done better with Costello goal. O Flaherty was only sub who made an impact. The game should stand to Walsh I hope. I felt we were passive in the backs and the last score summarised that Dublin worked it well but not a hand laid on anyone in the last play of a championship match. I'm a big fan of Kelly but I feel he is too loose from a defensive point of view. Mulkerrins lucky to be starting IMO. Derry in 2 weeks a huge game"
Mulkerrins was good and didn't really put a foot wrong. We had mistakes from Silke and McHugh yesterday for scores which I don't think I've ever seen before.
Hernon and McGrath under pressure too 1 v 1.
It was the first half that killed us and not being able to win possession from kick outs. That last kick out from Cluxton, absolute class

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 509 - 18/05/2025 10:16:24    2610523

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I thought we showed good character second half. The winning Dublin score was alarmingly easy from start to finish. We've a habit of winning or losing these top level matches by a point or two, so this season isn't any different to last season in that respect. Margins are tight with div1 2025 sides currently, and our group happens to be stacked with 4 of those 8 sides.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4148 - 18/05/2025 10:18:51    2610525

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Bonus is we have 2 week prep for Derry they will only have one.

Joyce sounds encouraged about comer availability. Heaney should be ready to go also.

I also thought McGrath on Con was wrong choice.

Any reason Glynn was out yesterday?

To the chap wondering why go against wind I was hoping we would yesterday.

We are notorious slow starters and Dublin could have been further ahead in first 10 minutes

We are prob best at them so far but are we over doing it forcing 2pt.

Should Walsh have done Joyce 98 when through on goal

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1533 - 18/05/2025 10:19:31    2610526

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yes, bounce ball around keeper, get goal or penalty

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1738 - 18/05/2025 11:18:40    2610538

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Replying To jm25:  "Bonus is we have 2 week prep for Derry they will only have one.

Joyce sounds encouraged about comer availability. Heaney should be ready to go also.

I also thought McGrath on Con was wrong choice.

Any reason Glynn was out yesterday?

To the chap wondering why go against wind I was hoping we would yesterday.

We are notorious slow starters and Dublin could have been further ahead in first 10 minutes

We are prob best at them so far but are we over doing it forcing 2pt.

Should Walsh have done Joyce 98 when through on goal"
If a team are not getting out of the blocks early in big games the question needs to be asked, Why? and addressed, not just hope you win the toss and play against the wind?

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 899 - 18/05/2025 11:19:35    2610539

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Replying To sam2024:  "Galway in trouble here - that's a damaging defeat. Derry notoriously difficult place to go so good luck with that. Don't be surprised to see ourselves & yourselves in a knock-out scenario."
yes, there will be a lot riding on this 3rd round, I can see ye beating Dublin,
good luck

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1738 - 18/05/2025 11:23:27    2610541

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Disappointing result and performance. Felt we were a bit flat until they got a bit of a rocket at half time. Kickouts went badly. We got cleaned out on the breaking ball. Dublin just seemed to have the hunger for it after a bad display against Meath. That said Dublin didn't create a single goal chance really. Their goal came from a freak error from the normally so reliable Liam Silke. Even then Gleeson should really have saved the shot. Meanwhile, Galway had 4 goal chances. Scored 2 but Walsh should have buried his one on one with Cluxton. While in the first half, Hernon beat Cluxton with his shot but the ball was cleared off the line behind him. Dubs seemed to find pockets of space in our defence a easier than we were finding them in theirs though. Kilkenny was a huge influence the final 10 minutes there with his decision making. Worked a few openings for the Dubs. While all our main decision makers in attack were up sitting in the stand.

Silke and McHugh made uncharacteristic mistakes that they normally wouldn't make that cost us scores. Hernon had a tough game at corner back. Was ran past a few times. Don't think it's a position that suits him. Glynn a big loss after he fell ill. Mulkerrin was decent at 3 though. Thompson a real find. He has to be on the team now. His performances have been very good.

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2386 - 18/05/2025 11:37:44    2610544

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