I just noticed that Cluxton wasn't playing, him and Osullivan are major absentees from that team, theyve being dancing through the league with a team that won't start in summer

lilypad (Kildare) - Posts: 1363 - 19/03/2018 15:04:29    2085846

HurlingSnob (Dublin) - Posts: 220 - 19/03/2018 15:52:51    2085862

Great to see Galway going well but please Galway lads don't turn into other counties with the bitching you gave as good as you got and you've been giving it to other teams aswell Sean Andy (great player) gets black carded nearly every game should we all lose respect for him now ?? Come on both teams at it let's look forward to Sunday week it should be a great game.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 19/03/2018 15:59:26    2085865

I like to see all this bitching about Dublin.

Means people are not fully focused on the keys to our success and how to combat them. It is the ref's fault, we have home advantage (though are unbeatean outside Croker in 3 years) they are dirty and cynical, its the money.....

Just one point about what is a defense team. If the opposition play 15 men in the regular positions and you don't drop back extra defenders, you go 15 to 15 with them, you are not defensive. If you drop players back anyway regardless, then you are a defensive team.

I think only Dublin, Mayo and Kerry are happy go 15 on 15.

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 19/03/2018 16:33:29    2085875

Agree we're no angels but I'd be fuming if Brian Silke or Sean Conlon were at the messing Jayo Sherlock was at yesterday. It's one thing for Sean Andy or O'Gara to be scuffling but a different story for old men to be shouldering players like minors.

Looking forward to the final. We've had a great league missing key players and no doubt it'll be a different Dublin side in a ground we've had many disappointed performances in since 2001 but I still think we could at least run them to within 4 points. Dublin travelling supporters were good craic too.

Diabhal (Galway) - Posts: 181 - 19/03/2018 17:32:57    2085905

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1794 - 19/03/2018 17:42:24    2085910

At one point Dublin had 13 players back defending in their own half .. its a common occurrence now with most teams.

Belclare1 (Galway) - Posts: 1626 - 19/03/2018 17:53:27    2085917

Galway are defensive so are dublin . Jim Gavin saying dublin play a traditional type of football doesn't make it true. Plenty of times they had 13 men behind the ball.

galwayfball (Galway) - Posts: 1678 - 19/03/2018 20:01:16    2085974

Lads jayo is a selector you can ban him for ten years from the sideline for all we care , yes it was petty and he should be suspended but as long as it's not an out field player do you really think we care? If silk got suspended would it bother any of you? I think I know the answer.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 19/03/2018 20:33:57    2086008

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 19/03/2018 21:10:45    2086028

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 706 - 20/03/2018 08:53:28    2086100

Well a great weekend down in Galway, wonderful City it really does keep getting better and better and one of the finest places in Ireland for my money. Very welcoming and friendly hosts and very knowledgeable around GAA, Bred on a rich history of GAA with not many counties who can go shoulder to shoulder with their tradition both in hurling and football, the good times seem to be back and the City is alive with hope in both codes with very good reason. Fun times to be maroon. Hopefully we can return the warm welcome in a couple of weeks and hopefully a good crowd make the trip.

As for the game itself, if i am honest i was a bit dissapointed in it myself, it was one of those that was fiercely competitive but low on quality, i expected more from both teams if im honest. Dont get me wrong as entertainment goes it was dramatic, but wasnt a game of for the ages with many mistakes, questionable hits and much gamesmanship on show. Hopefully a better game in a couple of weeks.

Galway reminded me of Donegal a little 2011 - 2014, it seems a similar kind of system allowing other teams to have the ball, trying to force the turnover and breaking. I was a bit surprised because i thought there was a bit more balance to defensive and offensive play. But its working for them so you cant have any complaints. I know lads are saying every county has 15 men behind the ball and that true, for me its all about the innitive and progressive play with the ball i think the possession stats would be about 80-20% in favor on DUblin. Thats not a cirtisim of Galway every team is entitled to play the system that suits and is successful its up to other teams to break it down, which Dublin struggled with. I can see why they have got some criticism from the likes of O Rourke and i do worry their will be a negative narrative developed around them as time goes on, but this year there should be a lot of good will given they are a new face.

Its early in the year and Galway may be able to improve their attacking and creativity, they certainty have the players. I suppose on the flip side of that the novelty and surprise factor of how Galway set up is not going to be their in the championship. Personally i think Galway will need to score more 13 points against teams like Dublin to be in with a shout of the all Ireland. I would be concerned that their was a period in the second half were they couldn't score for at least 20 mins and then a couple of frees. That will be something they will look at to improve.

Havnt said that their was horrible cynical time wasting and dragging of the ball by both teams for either to build any momentum.

All in all, i think Galway will do a fair bit of damage in the championship this year, Mayo, Kerry, Tyrone or Dublin wont look forward to playing them the way they did last year. I do think their system is their to be picked away at and they will loose the surprise package tag and teams will be aware of how they set up soon enough Gavin will have a different game plan in two weeks, they look at peak fitness at this stage of year and are very young team, when other teams hit optimal fitness it will be interesting to see where they are.

They will be delighted about going toe to toe with Dublin and rightly so and have earned the right to be considered up there with the other top table teams, personally im delighted real GAA people and look forward to some tussles in the time ahead. No county can come from no where to the top spot like Galway. Looking forward to welcoming yee to Dublin 1 in a couple of weeks!!!

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 20/03/2018 09:07:29    2086103

As for Dublin it was a pretty inexperienced and fringe side put out on Sunday which i was personally delighted about. Fair play to Gavin hes looking to the panel and developing players.

Galway are the best team we have played so far in my opinion and to play a lot of the young and fringe lads shows he invested in developing some of the outstanding young talent we have on offer.

Much of what i have heard was Galway would have taken away from playing Dublin of "where they are", but in all honestly i think Dublin will have taken more, in terms of young lads given a start in a very competitive game away in Galway and also an insight into their system and approach to games.

The game would have have brought Reddin, Paddy Small, Basquel, Costello, Comerfod, Ó Conghaile, McGowan, McCugh on leaps and bounds and they will be happy with such a young team going away to Galway and narrowly missing out on the win and earning a draw. Of note i was particularly impressed with Comerford and his kick outs given there was no Fenton, Howard or Scully.

Of note Kilkenny was superb and ran the game, best player in the country in my opinion., just when you think he cant get any better he does and he still so young. MDM has rolled back the years, i havent seen him look so fit and mobile in years, he has really put some work in to stake a place for this year. Cooper had a good game, to but sailed close to wind as only he and John Small can do on a few occasions. McCarthy to is just a galiec football machine.

Good to see a few lads get a rest, though Fenton was sprung in the second half.

I thought we committed to our game plan, Jim is obviously trying a system of trying to move defenders out of the blancket defense, its worked up to this point but i thought less so on Sunday. I wouldn't be surprised if the players were told that the result was irrelevant and that the game plan to move the blanket around with passing ws the objective. I countered at least eight times a Dublin player could have popped the ball over on the 20 or 30, in stead they passed to a team mate to pull a defender around. It was wired to watch.

Galway matched Dublin athletically, albeit there was no momentum in the second half really due to cynical fouling, time wasting and fighting, that suited to Galway to disrupt Dublin flow. So we need to learn that lesson.

Over all im pleased i think we will take a lot from that game, we are clearer on Galway and with a very young team more then matched them on home soil with a very young team. So many players to come back into the Dublin panel, but its great we can be so competitive with the younger and fringe lads. Very pleased overall.

A 6th national league final on the bounce, looking forward to Easter Sunday in Dublin 1 now.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 20/03/2018 09:36:31    2086106

Comerford hit Sean Armstrong twice in the pocket in the first half to give away two scores from kick outs, would be very worried about him when Cluxton is gone. Dublin definitely not the same without Cian O'Sullivan, you don't usually see them give away so many goal chances (Varley, McHugh and Sweeney).

rossie1996 (Roscommon) - Posts: 143 - 20/03/2018 09:55:36    2086117

why (Kildare) - Posts: 142 - 20/03/2018 10:38:08    2086147

DannyMcA (Dublin) - Posts: 260 - 20/03/2018 11:14:03    2086168

Have to say I am very happy after this draw. There was some real fear that we could get walloped and the wheels would come off. Still could happen in the final, however i think we will be competitive. I am not fooling myself. Dublin are the top side in the country by a long way and even when they bring in the reserves their level does not drop too much.

We had not our first 15 out either so happy with how the lads that came in stood up.

Think this debate about Galway's defensive football is rubbish. Nothing wrong with getting men behind the ball when defending as long as you also attach with pace and numbers. I personally like Galway's new style. I say new because last year we didn't attack with pace and numbers. We hadn't the balance of defense and attack. That is (along with the intensity of our tackling) the biggest change this year. Last year we were terrible to watch. This year we are creating goal chances against every team (3 one on ones against Dublin).

13th of May is imprinted in every Galway player & fans mind. That is the big day for us and it won't be easy no matter how bad Mayo are going. If we can win that then we can start to dream about super 8's etc........... (coz obviously we don't have to worry about The Rossies......not!!)

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1829 - 20/03/2018 14:06:24    2086240

No mention of O Gara getting red on TV analysis, no big surprise I suppose. Also, Ciaran Kilkenny was dragging Comer around on the ground, no action taken. I think Galway have to be cute and not to get fooled into retaliation in the final, must avoid cards, Dublin are amazing at fouling.

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 20/03/2018 19:44:37    2086379

DannyMcA (Dublin) - Posts: 260 - 20/03/2018 20:05:13    2086392

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 20/03/2018 21:01:56    2086422