galwayfball (Galway) - Posts: 1678 - 02/04/2018 19:56:40    2090421

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 03/04/2018 01:35:40    2090513

14 against 15 dose not always make a difference for example Dublin hurlers had 15 players on the field and Tipperary had 14 players for most of the match yet they hammered Dublin last week.

getting back to the Galway v dublin match Galway were only 1 point behind in the closing stages when dublin were wrongly awarded a easy score free,they quickly added another point and their experience stood to them as they closed out the game.

the positives for Galway are they were in with a chance to win with 5 mins to go and they showed tremendous pace which will have teams worried when Galway meet them in the summer .

Galway will grow from this match where a doubt has now been put in the dublin camp should these teams meet later on in the summer.

while we all want to win it will serve galway football better that we put up a display against a dublin team who got all the important calls in their favor.

heartbroken (Galway) - Posts: 370 - 03/04/2018 09:29:02    2090534

Entertaining game and not going to get into this referee debate. Thought he was poor for both sides and if we did shade the decisions then it's not Dublin's fault, you can only play away as the ref lets it. I am enjoying the optimism of Galway's resurgence but I just hope they don't head to Castlebar thinking they've won it already. They played well on Sunday but I'm not buying this stuff of pushing Dublin all the way. Dublin are well behind Galway in terms of training progress this year, are missing easily 6 top class players (Galway missing a couple too but not at the level of our absentees, of our finsihsing 14 on Sunday only 8 started last years All Ireland Final), went down to 14 men and still had 4 points to spare come the final whistle. I know Galway have come a long way since Div 2 last year and have some great talent coming onto the scene but I can't help feeling a Mayo ambush is on the cards. In fact Mayo will be loving all the praise that is coming lately for Galway. I think Galway will come on a lot after Sunday but are they more equipped to challenge for an All-Ireland than Kerry, Mayo or Tyrone? Don't want to rain on Galway's parade, far from it as it's great to see them coming on like they have but just genuinely asking the question if they're as close to the top as a lot of people are making out?

TrueBlue35 (Dublin) - Posts: 206 - 03/04/2018 09:54:59    2090542

I didnt give Galway a chance in this one but fair play, they pushed Dublin all the way. Unfortunately I didnt see the game but for Galway to go to Croke Park and push Dublin to the end takes fair going.
I hope they can now push on and reach the super 8's. A semi final appearance now has to be the aim and it's achievable but a lot of hurdles ahead.

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 03/04/2018 10:50:00    2090569

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 03/04/2018 11:16:14    2090584

TrueBlue35 (Dublin) - Posts: 206 - 03/04/2018 11:37:21    2090586

Lads actually I don't think Galway played anywhere near their full potential (maybe 70% at most). Yes I know many posters will say Dublin didn't either but I can only go on what I have seen so far. The Corofin contingent (perhaps 5 or 6 of them) plus the likes of Daly, Cummins and Armstrong would definitely have improved that team. Midfield is still a problem and the best midfielder for Galway IMO is Cian D'Arcy who we didn't get to see much apart from 5 minutes against Kildare where he scored a point.

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3326 - 03/04/2018 11:55:24    2090595

Galwayjoe86 (Galway) - Posts: 258 - 03/04/2018 12:24:33    2090617

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3425 - 03/04/2018 12:28:26    2090620

When Scully got the line I thought we had them. I said earlier on in this thread that Dublin indiscipline would cost them. But instead they played like they had an extra man and the game got away from us.

Congratulations to Dublin. Hopefully see you in the summer.

Gaillimh abú.

Wests_Awake (Galway) - Posts: 877 - 03/04/2018 12:30:39    2090623

The Dublin lads says the ref was bad both ways, not sure what decisions they have an issue with? I'm not blaming the ref for the defeat as Galway weren't good enough in those last 10 mins but there's no a few decisions went Dublins way.

I'd agree Scully shouldn't have received a second yellow card but you have to remember he got away with no card for pulling Comer down in the first half. As for the free Rock got at 9-9, it was a dreadful decision. Never looked like a free and after seeing the replay it confirmed it.

Dublin deserved their victory and their experience showed in the last 10 minutes, they kept possession brilliantly and made sure they were guaranteed a score before they shot at the posts.

I do laugh at when Dublin posters come out this time of year about their fitness, you'd have to be very naive to think that Dublin players fitness levels aren't high at this time of years, thats the reason why they've hammered Mayo during the league the last 5 years yet their games are so close come September. They might not have as many collective training sessions as Galway but they'll be doing as much work on their own as any Galway player and who could blame them, nobody wants to miss out on All Ireland's and there's no shortage of talent who's capable of taking a place.

JDF (Galway) - Posts: 322 - 03/04/2018 12:34:44    2090625

Galwayjoe86 (Galway) - Posts: 258 - 03/04/2018 12:38:26    2090628

SamandLiamSoon (Galway) - Posts: 591 - 03/04/2018 12:49:45    2090635

Disappointed last Sunday evening but my God did our players + management do us proud. To say that we could match Dublin at the start of the season you would have said you were mad. This Dublin team apparently is the greatest of all time and our lads really put it up to them. I am so happy that Galway Football is getting the credit it deserves. Galway GAA must get credit to be so competitive on both fronts. May13th will be awesome. Mayo suppoters are great and the banter has started already. Gaillimh abu

philip3 (Galway) - Posts: 196 - 03/04/2018 13:01:38    2090644

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 03/04/2018 13:02:33    2090646

Galwayjoe86 (Galway) - Posts: 258 - 03/04/2018 14:14:25    2090668

Kurt_Angle (Dublin) - Posts: 567 - 03/04/2018 14:55:26    2090687

Now that the dust has settled on the final, im increasingly pleased with Dublin and the campaign in some ways it has been won of the most competitive of the few we have won and from that score you have to be pleased.

To reflect on Galway a bit im a bit on the fence with them, they scared the bejaysus out of us in both Salt Hill and Croke Park. They have no fear of Dublin and physically could match them. The games were hugely competitive and i expect them to be dining at the top tbale or very close for a while. But you are left with a little doubt, they seem to have played a lot of FBD, Sigurrdson and league games, their fitness seems optimal as a result, others will get closer i think in the summer months. But talent is talent and Galway have it in abundance. I think they will just bully a lot of teams and have quality to finish, some they wont like Sunday.

That leaves me with questions about Galway. I never felt really in the games in Salt Hill or Corke park theat Galway were likely to outscore Dublin, i thought we were there for taking when Scully got sent off, i think you also have to factor in we were cursed with injuries to James McCarthy and John Small through out the game and many of the lads that finished were playing their second or third game for Dublin. In the melting pot with 14 men, a loose cannon ref and against the wind, significant injuries and a make shift team Dublin still outscored Galway in the last quater by 6-2 i think.

Now im not bigging up Dublin, but what does that tell us about Galway, the system, composure, game management and ability to take inititive in the melting pot. Yes they matched Dublin for significant periods of the game, but like so many teams they are beaten by themselves throwing everything in to 50 mins with nothing left in the tank. These are serious questions if you want to talk about all irelands or silver ware. If you take the two games against against Galway in the league who took more from the game in Salt Hill, you have to say Dublin. I also wonder have Galway shown there hands very early this year, certainly Dublin had better dieas against the defensive system then they did in salt hill.

The other thing is this was far from Dublin starting team or panel all fit, it was a hybrid of young, fringe and experienced players. The starting 15 for Dublin is going to be very different in the championship and i think you could see the galway system creaking as the calibre of player for Dublin increased in the forward line with Basquel, O Callaghan and Mannion all causing significant damage at respective periods of the game. Im just not sure Galway can outshoot a team like Dublin the way they play the game and are set up. Even if they can physically match them.

On game management i think Galway shot themselves in the foot a bit, i think they wasted an awful lot of their time, trying to break up the momentum of the game. They had a strategy for Cluxtons kickouts to look for attention on the ground, make subs etc, that fine ultimately they ran out of their own time. The only way that tactic and system is effective if you have your noses in front which they never really had in a meaningful way. Galway wer emassively hungry but to much focus in physically matching Dublin, they were so focused on putting it up to Dublin, i think it took away from their composure, quality and decision making and ultimately they were spent. Its a snare teams fall into time time again.

Dont get me wrong im citiuqing rather then critising, im a huge fan of what Galway are doing (im about to have a go at Dublin too). The two games against Galway were at Championship pitch and two of the most competitive in many years at this stage. I think Galway are shoulder to shoulder with some of the best players in the country and other contenders and would not be surprised to see them in the final. But there are definite areas of development and progress and questions that remain around them. Great credit has go to Galway a real coming force, maybe even this year, but some lingering doubts remain and areas to improve on. The fabled Corofin lads might make a difference, but i think every team leaving the league campaign has plenty of head room to improve and i think teams are maybe that little bit wiser about Galway then other teams. We will see galway will be there r thereabout for me and will only improve,. perhaps to the very top, they will certainly do damage.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/04/2018 15:09:21    2090694

On to Dublin you have to happy with the campaign as a whole, The positives have been the padding out of the squad and some genuine contenders for starting slots just look at what has been blooded in this league Comerford, O Shea, Small, Mually, Murchan, Howard (looks very speical), Basquel all getting their 1-5 apperances for Dublin. Other lads who have been on fringes like McHugh, Redden, O Conghaile, Carthy etc have all been opportunists and all go home with league medals.

The team has largely been hybrid throughout the league with a core of 5 established very successful players, rotating in and out and young and fringe lads playing. Its made us look human at times but is critical to developing the panel for the summer which is one of our huge strengths.To go home with the title is a massive bonus.

Yet plenty to be critical about from a Dublin perspective. For me the forward line has looked a little limp, if you look at Dublin results we haven't scored that many goals or have put in performances that have left goals behind, that concerns me. Some players who really should have made this league their own just haven't in Costello and McHugh and raises question about the great hopes that were there for both as young layers that could make the big breakthrough, time is passing them by to be definite starters.

My own opinion in that Dublin can be got at centrally, i thought the half back line on Sunday was poor and offered little protection for the back three, who themselves looked overwhelmed by Galway in the first 20 minutes. Dublin could really do with a player like ROC to emerge for the ranks especially against your Comers of this world. A concern for me was Jim after the game talking about the defensive system and how good it was, not for me Jim. without Cian we are absolutely at sea centrally. To be fair we were missing our first choice half back line for much of the league.

Dublin to me seem to be playing more functional ball then the swashbuckling (but ultimately flawed) style of recent years. Gavin seems to have a long term plan in his head of retaining possession or recycling the ball and picking the perfect score, with the added benefit of making other teams empty their tank chasing us. It works to a degree but we loose something in the spontaneity of our play or forcing teams into defensive errors, if we are turned over in attack its a lot of work for very little reward.

Jim also seems to have a picture in his head of hybrid footballers, we have seen players like Scully, Killkenny, Howard, McCarthy, O Sullivan and Cooper move between the lines and flood different lines at different points, i cant say it hasn't worked but again its very functional and tactical. You also wonder where it leaves some of the mavericks on the team in Dermot Connolly, Macker and one or two others.

Overall you have to be happy and we look in very good nick coming into the championship and the panel looks stronger, with the injured and rested players coming back and a positive outcome to the beast of the east situation and we can get him playing to his rouge best we will be competitive

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/04/2018 15:31:14    2090705