Looking at the two games last night and in the second game very slack marking I think defence is the first thing you sort out and teams must have a bit of organisation about them.
Also I thought in the G v T game some poor place kicking. Can't see Galway handling Kerry but Mayo should be very careful as to playing Cork Could be a shock in store.
Still would not swap Donegal for any of the teams left in it and since I came back to London all Iv heard is ::: Donegal will win nothing , terrible style of football , everybody will turn off the TV when Donegal are playing and so on and on Leaving out last years game v Mayo and I don't think you will see Donegal conceding 3/4 goals or 15/16 points either

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 27/07/2014 09:40:45    1626364

Apart from the Kavanagh incident there was not one other offence that deserved a black card. People are confusing tough man on man tackling, as we saw in this game, and the sort of stuff that the black card is there for. Dubs/Meath game was another good example of this. So refs will let it flow.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 27/07/2014 09:45:00    1626365

Ahsure

Dont think anyone hates seeing Galway do well (apart from the odd mayo or ros fan).

But you would have to seriously worry about that defence against Kerry.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5012 - 27/07/2014 10:05:16    1626372

Nothing to seriously worry about at all. All we've established so far is that we're better qualified than London, Sligo, Tipp to be on the end of this looming hiding from Kerry. I rather be seriously worried watching our lads defend, than seriously bored watching the way Cavan set up in big games last season. If your going to play puke football, I like to watch quality 'puke' football like Tyrone 2003-2005, or systemised 'puke' football like Donegal play, but Cavan's style of loser puke football is an eyesore.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3423 - 27/07/2014 10:25:10    1626377

hurlingdub I think the point is that there might only have been one black card incident but the referee having seen clearly it still called it wrong - pass mark of 0%.

As for Galway haters - most people I know would always back the Connacht teams when they are not playing Ulster teams.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 27/07/2014 10:26:37    1626378

SamOnErrigal - that last paragraph of yours had diddlysquat to do with Galway/Tipperary. The interest here was on last nights match between the two teams not Donegal. Save it for another thread

Maroonatic (Galway) - Posts: 1060 - 27/07/2014 10:55:49    1626389

malone would not be one of our biggest fans from some previous posts although I guess much of this is as result of the hammering laois gave us in the league. that was march but this is championship. of course our defence is porus and we need major tighening up. strange that in recent times our best defensive display was against armagh in the qualifier last year where donal o'neill curtailed jamie clarke I recall to a point. yet o'neill was given a runaround by o'connor in the connacht final. part of the problem is we are too conventional in defence. some nice ball players but no sweeper or extral defensive cover. on the galway haters I have noticed a bit of this and maybe it is because some posters don't like us getting credit for the brand of football we are generally associated with while their own county get flak because of their playing style etc. It is all relative and people will notice us if we continue to produce performances particularly as underdogs. we are top 8 and nobody can deny this to our young team.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1946 - 27/07/2014 11:09:13    1626392

I would agree. Every good team is built on a solid defence, every man, woman and child with any knowledge of Gaelic football will know that the Galway defence isn't solid...far from it. We're able to win ball, get scores and our link up play is sometimes a joy behold. At times we aren't clinical enough but we could rant and rave about the good and bad points of this Galway team until the cows come home.

But I'll tell you all something: We are Galway, we are the third most successful county in Gaelic football history, we have the talent coming through and we will rise again.

Gaillimh Abú

ahsure. (Galway) - Posts: 1572 - 27/07/2014 11:22:49    1626397

Pope_Benedict that attack is a bit uncalled for and not what one would expect of a pontiff. I did not see Cavan this year but the whole 'Puke Football' thing is getting a bit tiring - especially when it comes from quarters that are starved of success and used to describe Tyrone or Donegal - seriously misplaced.

Yes Galway are in a better place that a lot of teams right now and it is a no brainer that you would rather be there with a leaky defence than out on your ear like the vast majority of teams right now.

However I just feel that teams like yourselves are wide open for the Kerry forwards to fill their pockets. I actually believe that if Kerry were to meet Dublin they too will be too wide open for coming up against Dublins attackers.

If you do not have a solid base you might as well be going to a poker night with 1000 quid in your pocket with the intention of playing until you lose it.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 27/07/2014 11:25:39    1626399

Was quite impressed with Galway, particularly going forward, they have plenty of pace and skill, A bit if tweaking at the back and they could rapidly develop into a dangerous team, they were getting plenty of bodies behind the ball to protect their lead, trouble is they were not getting any tackles in or pressure on the ball. Tipp will be kicking themselves a bit, they self destructed with the concession of the 2 goals after halftime, the 2nd one in particular when they lost the ball on their own 45

NorthKildare (Kildare) - Posts: 197 - 27/07/2014 11:26:17    1626401

Pope_Benedict
County: Galway
Posts: 1091

1626377
Nothing to seriously worry about at all. All we've established so far is that we're better qualified than London, Sligo, Tipp to be on the end of this looming hiding from Kerry. I rather be seriously worried watching our lads defend, than seriously bored watching the way Cavan set up in big games last season. If your going to play puke football, I like to watch quality 'puke' football like Tyrone 2003-2005, or systemised 'puke' football like Donegal play, but Cavan's style of loser puke football is an eyesore.


Slight bit of an over-reaction to my observation there, but while you're at it. .let's see if you come within the 6 points we lost by against Kerry at the same stage last year.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5012 - 27/07/2014 11:29:21    1626403

Well done Galway...Its Connacht v Munster next Sunday.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11232 - 27/07/2014 11:38:17    1626408

For the record I will be roaring on Galway against Kerry- best of luck in that one - and prove us doubters wrong!

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 27/07/2014 11:41:51    1626410

First time all year we played like a division 4 team, poor decision making and poor handling. We won't let this one performance define our year though and will look forward to division 3 next year where I feel we will be there or thereabouts for promotion with this young and improving team. On another note, Colin o riordan (wingback) really is the real deal, as good an 18 year old in the country, only thing is he looks like he could be destined for the afl giving he has all the attributes they look for. Best of luck to galway going forward, like ourselves a good young improving team.

tipp11 (Tipperary) - Posts: 353 - 27/07/2014 11:58:26    1626413

I wouldn't read too much into what Galway conceded yesterday. After 40 minutes yesterday they had conceded 8 points, their centre back had gone off injured and the game was over. In the next 25 minutes they made a host of changes with next week in mind, and traditionally Galway would not be a ruthless team anyway, so to concede what they did would not be seen as big a deal as it would with some other counties.
I thought the game itself was very enjoyable, Walsh lit up the game but I thought Galway could do more to get him on the ball more often. However in a time when all the talk in football is about systems, intensity and gym work, it is nice to see some outrageous skill and individual talent that youngsters can try to copy. Also good to see that there is still space for a small, quick, talented corner-forward in the game as well, the way Cummins took his goal was a throwback to the days of Brolly and co. Galway do have work to do on shooting though as some very poor wides yesterday.
As for Tipperary, yesterday is an excellent example of their problem - they are a fine side and can beat a lot of sides in the country, but when they come up against the very best attacking teams they fall short, often I think because they are not as quick-thinking due to the standard of football they are used to playing at. Unfortunately for them they have Kerry to beat if they are to win Munster, and that is why they sometimes get hammerings like they did last year which saw some people ask what is the point of having them compete for Sam. Good to see them shove that talk back down peoples throats this year, but the gap is still there between them and the best attacking sides.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 27/07/2014 12:08:59    1626417

Tell us something we don't know Naysayer about the defence. I disagree that it's a no brainer to prefer a qf spot with a leaky defence than to be out on one's ear, when we haven't yet built a side that's capable of competing against div1 sides. After all, only only one team will win Sam this year, and all the rest will be losers at the end of Sept. There's a lot of talk about the stage of exit of course, but of course the vast bulk of teams don't improve incrementally year on year, so the stage of exit isin't such a big deal. I do however believe that the loser brand of puke football practiced by Cavan last year is an abomination in the game, and it's even sadder to hear the likes of cavanman applauding the achievement of running Kerry to 6pts while boring all neutrals to tears in the process, and taunting other weaker counties like ourselves who like to play an open brand of football, to do 'as well as we did!'.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3423 - 27/07/2014 12:50:04    1626431

Hard luck Tipp, you played well but had too many wides ( a bit like Galway in C/Final), should be a force in Munster in the coming seasons

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1669 - 27/07/2014 13:25:01    1626442

Unfortunately for them they have Kerry to beat if they are to win Munster, and that is why they sometimes get hammerings like they did last year which saw some people ask what is the point of having them compete for Sam. Good to see them shove that talk back down peoples throats this year, but the gap is still there between them and the best attacking sides.

Unfortunately for Tipperary they are like the rest of Munster teams who should they make the All Ireland Quarter Finals any given year that year would be looked back on as the high point of the counties achievements in recent memory - that is the reality - Munster teams outwith Cork and Kerry are in the third tier when it comes to All Ireland contention with the like of Antrim I am afraid.

As for the gap between Tipperary and 'the best attacking sides'. Do you not consider there to be a gap between Tipperary and the best counter attacking sides or are you just not up for discussing the counter attacking sides?

But I said it last week and I will say it again after yesterday. I have seen nothing yet to change my opinion that the All Ireland path/draw is loaded on Ulster/Leinster side.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 27/07/2014 13:58:47    1626461

Having being paying too much attention doublehop, but what's the craic with Kavanagh and Galway, has he declined since his move?

Well haven't got to see him too much myself but he seemed to go well in the last two games. His best position is probably in the corner but Galway don't seem to need him in there.Seems to be playing very deep for them doing a bit of the dirty work and linking up the play. Was a cert to set up a goal yesterday before the aforementioned 'no black card' incident.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 27/07/2014 14:07:42    1626467

Doublehop

Cheers, always thought he was one of your more dangerous players!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 27/07/2014 14:12:55    1626469