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Galway Vs Clare Hurling Semi Final

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This match intrigues me and I wish it were the Final instead of the Semi Final. I really like both these teams but I have to give Galway the slight nod. Either way it'll be close I'd say. Galway by 3 points.

I'm guessing a Galway vs Cork All Ireland Final.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2125 - 17/07/2018 18:47:19    2123258

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I can't see Clare winning this.
Galway by 4 at least..

skillet (Limerick) - Posts: 1063 - 17/07/2018 19:52:02    2123280

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Replying To skillet:  "I can't see Clare winning this.
Galway by 4 at least.."
I favor Galway but it wouldn't be the biggest shock if Clare won.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2125 - 17/07/2018 20:08:23    2123284

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Think galway will have too much, both teams have excellent forwards but think galway alot stronger 1-9, in that section only Colm Galvin and David Mcinerney (not instead of daithi burke but at 2,4 or 7) would make the Galway team

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 17/07/2018 20:15:57    2123289

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Replying To Trump2020:  "I favor Galway but it wouldn't be the biggest shock if Clare won."
No,, it wouldn't be a shock by any means.
Clare are good and can be brilliant at times but I fancy Galway to win the all ireland.

skillet (Limerick) - Posts: 1063 - 17/07/2018 20:16:02    2123290

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Replying To wexico15:  "Think galway will have too much, both teams have excellent forwards but think galway alot stronger 1-9, in that section only Colm Galvin and David Mcinerney (not instead of daithi burke but at 2,4 or 7) would make the Galway team"
Unfortunately i agree with that. I still give Clare a chance but need to be at tere best for 70 minutes.

Dec82 (Clare) - Posts: 242 - 17/07/2018 20:28:53    2123297

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I would have to nod towards Galway but this is not a foregone conclusion, Clare have gotten a monkey off their back reaching Croker for the first time since 2013 and that could be a great tonic to them, I fancy this game could be a real classic......

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 17/07/2018 22:49:01    2123337

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All the pressure is on Galway and rightly so. They are formidable and All Ireland champions. However, I think Clare have a reasonable chance for the following reasons:

1. Croke Park has brought the best out of these players in the past and they will get a great buzz from being back there. The performance in the drawn game and replay in the All Ireland final in 2013 was superb.

2. Galway are big favorites and all the pressure is on them. No one thinks Clare will win. This suits us.

3. Clare have had top quality games all season since the start of the championship. Munster teams are battled hardened at this stage. Perhaps this is the reason 3 out of the 4 semi finalists are from Munster.

4. I truly believe this will be Galways biggest test of the year. They flattered to deceive against KK in the first Leinster final to draw the game. Clare are better than Kilkenny.

5. Clare's top players - Kelly, Conlon, Podge are all on form right now. Our defense has been better than people give us credit for with Morey, O Connor and Browne having great seasons.

With all that being said it is very hard to argue against the fact that if Galway play to their best they will win. This line is applicable to Galway at the moment versus any team in the Country however.

I am slightly optimistic we could be in for an absolute belter. I would be very surprised if there is much between us.

LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2482 - 18/07/2018 02:52:23    2123360

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I think I underestimated Clare and possibly slightly over estimated Galway to date. Having said that Galway are building nicely.
The pressure is most defintely on Galway going into this. They're hot favs for the All Ireland in most peoples eyes and on paper are as good as any team i've seen. Back to backs are rare though - for most teams.
For Clare to win this all their big players will need to perform to their best. Kelly and Galvin will need to have their radar on and make the most of their chances. They have a tendancy to hit wides from distance at times. They will also need to counteract the sheer size difference of the two teams. If it turns into a battle then Galway will win. If they can get good quality ball into the forwards then they have a chance. Conlon should give Burke more to think about than he has seen this year. Both for me are two of the front runners for hurler of the year.

Having said all that I think Galway by 3-4 points. If you'd asked me a few weeks ago I'd have said a lot more. It's far from a foregone conclusion though on current form.

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 18/07/2018 10:25:34    2123407

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On paper you would expect Galway to win this, but as a number of people have pointed out, you wouldn't be shocked either if Clare won it. Galway on form are currently the best team in the country, and if they were to play like they did in the first half of the replay against Kilkenny, it's very hard to see Clare or anyone beating them. However all of the pressure is on Galway, if they don't perform to their own high standards like against Kilkenny in the drawn Leinster final, then they can be caught by anyone, but without been cocky you would have to say that the All Ireland is Galways to lose.

gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 18/07/2018 10:31:57    2123413

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Daithi and Conlon will be some battle.

Will Gearoid have the legs in a match up with Kelly? He will need to front him up and not be looking at Kelly's heels too often.

I think Galway will come out on top in the midfield, Cathal Malone has looked very average in a number of games, even though he improved against Wexford.

Id match up P Mannion with Peter Duggan, and G Mac on Tony Kelly, but would be happy to switch these two if things aren't working out. Aidan Harte to go on Reidy.

The full forward/Full back line will be good match up. I think Galway would opt for Tuohey on SOD and Hanbury on Podge, but there may be a slight mismatch for Hanbury if Podge gets the ball to hand as he is very mobile. But Hanbury is well able to win it in the first place.

Hopefully Galway management will address any issues swiftly and not let mismatches take place (although I don't see there being too many for us) as happened in 2013 when they had the tall and not most mobile Kevin Hynes on the quick and elusive C McGrath while barely 6ft Fergal Moore marshalled the huge man that was Darach Honan!

I think a lot more needs to go right for Clare to avail than it does for Galway. Throwing in the superior strength in depth from the bench I have to go with Galway to progress. I truly hope its a fantastic game. Flights booked, cant wait!

Miami305 (Galway) - Posts: 147 - 18/07/2018 13:03:31    2123475

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daithi will be well able to saw conlon,just like he did rory o connor!

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 18/07/2018 15:05:44    2123514

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Replying To perfect10:  "daithi will be well able to saw conlon,just like he did rory o connor!"
I dont think any full back in the country is well able for John Conlon this year. Arguably the best full back he has faced this year was last week on Liam Ryan and I think Ryan did very well even though Conlon scored 3 points from play and won at least 2 frees that resulted in scores.

John Conlon's scores from play this year:

V Cork - 5
V Waterford - 3
V Tipp - 2
V Limerick - 4
V Cork - 5
V Wexford - 3

That is not even counting the frees he has won. He has been sublime. I have no fear of him not getting the better of any full back. The key is to feed him ball and thats where Clare's challenge will come from not who is marking Conlon.

LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2482 - 19/07/2018 02:18:39    2123664

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Replying To LohansRedHelmet:  "I dont think any full back in the country is well able for John Conlon this year. Arguably the best full back he has faced this year was last week on Liam Ryan and I think Ryan did very well even though Conlon scored 3 points from play and won at least 2 frees that resulted in scores.

John Conlon's scores from play this year:

V Cork - 5
V Waterford - 3
V Tipp - 2
V Limerick - 4
V Cork - 5
V Wexford - 3

That is not even counting the frees he has won. He has been sublime. I have no fear of him not getting the better of any full back. The key is to feed him ball and thats where Clare's challenge will come from not who is marking Conlon."
My favourite two Conlon moments this year were the pick up and off load of the little hand pass in the lead up to the goal against Tipp just after Tipp had hit the post (funny how small the margins can be, if Tipp score or Conlon doesn't win the ball Clare could be out of the championship now)

And in the same game his point towards the end when he created the space to get the shot away by leaning into his marker and then slinging it over from the touchline

Definitely a HOTY contender....

Miami305 (Galway) - Posts: 147 - 19/07/2018 10:08:57    2123696

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Replying To Miami305:  "Daithi and Conlon will be some battle.

Will Gearoid have the legs in a match up with Kelly? He will need to front him up and not be looking at Kelly's heels too often.

I think Galway will come out on top in the midfield, Cathal Malone has looked very average in a number of games, even though he improved against Wexford.

Id match up P Mannion with Peter Duggan, and G Mac on Tony Kelly, but would be happy to switch these two if things aren't working out. Aidan Harte to go on Reidy.

The full forward/Full back line will be good match up. I think Galway would opt for Tuohey on SOD and Hanbury on Podge, but there may be a slight mismatch for Hanbury if Podge gets the ball to hand as he is very mobile. But Hanbury is well able to win it in the first place.

Hopefully Galway management will address any issues swiftly and not let mismatches take place (although I don't see there being too many for us) as happened in 2013 when they had the tall and not most mobile Kevin Hynes on the quick and elusive C McGrath while barely 6ft Fergal Moore marshalled the huge man that was Darach Honan!

I think a lot more needs to go right for Clare to avail than it does for Galway. Throwing in the superior strength in depth from the bench I have to go with Galway to progress. I truly hope its a fantastic game. Flights booked, cant wait!"
O'Donoghue seems well clued in on the matchups against Kilkenny although he had the wrong man starting in full forward the first Leinster final. He didn't make that mistake again.
P Mannion should be dispatched onto Tony Kelly from the get go with McInerney onto Duggan and whoever wins those battles will have the platform to win the game.
I think midfield will be won by Galway but I do give the Clare half backs a chance against their respective opponents but they really don't want to get sucked out the field to leave spaces in behind them.

Burke/Conlon could be a humdinger of a battle as both are huge, physically strong men who can hurl. O'Connor of Wexford supported by a sweeper did well on Conlon last day out, but Conlon still weighed in with a few points and frees to bother the scoreboard.
Clare will need goals so that battle is pivotal to Clares ability to win the game.

Galway by 4 points for me.

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 19/07/2018 11:41:02    2123715

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Replying To LohansRedHelmet:  "I dont think any full back in the country is well able for John Conlon this year. Arguably the best full back he has faced this year was last week on Liam Ryan and I think Ryan did very well even though Conlon scored 3 points from play and won at least 2 frees that resulted in scores.

John Conlon's scores from play this year:

V Cork - 5
V Waterford - 3
V Tipp - 2
V Limerick - 4
V Cork - 5
V Wexford - 3

That is not even counting the frees he has won. He has been sublime. I have no fear of him not getting the better of any full back. The key is to feed him ball and thats where Clare's challenge will come from not who is marking Conlon."
Not saying that Conlon won't score his usual tally, but Daithi Burke has pretty much kept Seamus Callinan quiet in their last two All Ireland semi final meetings, and on his day he is easily the best forward in the country.

gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 19/07/2018 12:11:55    2123727

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I wonder if Galway will start Johnathon Glynn again.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2125 - 19/07/2018 21:03:14    2123870

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Replying To Trump2020:  "I wonder if Galway will start Johnathon Glynn again."
I love Glynn, love his style, a more honest player you will not find.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 20/07/2018 00:27:45    2123914

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Replying To LohansRedHelmet:  "I dont think any full back in the country is well able for John Conlon this year. Arguably the best full back he has faced this year was last week on Liam Ryan and I think Ryan did very well even though Conlon scored 3 points from play and won at least 2 frees that resulted in scores.

John Conlon's scores from play this year:

V Cork - 5
V Waterford - 3
V Tipp - 2
V Limerick - 4
V Cork - 5
V Wexford - 3

That is not even counting the frees he has won. He has been sublime. I have no fear of him not getting the better of any full back. The key is to feed him ball and thats where Clare's challenge will come from not who is marking Conlon."
Bold talk.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 20/07/2018 14:52:54    2124039

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Replying To arock:  "I love Glynn, love his style, a more honest player you will not find."
I do too...I hope he starts against Clare.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2125 - 20/07/2018 16:50:58    2124054

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