The high free count against Galway last Sunday has as much to do with woeful refereeing as it does with cynical play.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 20/05/2015 10:19:11    1725930

On the original post I forgot to mention, the feigning injury and dropping to ground at the slightest touch - soccer-like. Leitrim manager complained about it afterwards.

It was all very un-Galway like. Who in fairness are usually one of the best teams in the country to watch, but not in 2015.

Also it wasn't the blanket defence that was the issue - Leitrim play that way too - its up to teams to score from distance to beat it (and Leitrim couldn't). I actually don't have an issue with it. It was their continual (40 odd!!!) and well-organised fouling in the Leitrim half - which as another poster said, is against the rules

Solo Run (None) - Posts: 316 - 20/05/2015 12:30:44    1726004

Ailteoir
County: Galway
Posts: 543

1725907
@benched - it was obviously too subtle for you, so I'll make it simpler for you this time - pot, kettle and black. I don't like the tactics adopted against Leitrim, but the hypocrisy on this thread from certain counties is something else.

What was subtle about it? The point you were making was very clear, posters from counties you deem unfit aren't allowed to comment on discipline or foul play. Pot, kettle and black just about sums up what a lot of Ulster posters have been trying to say over the past couple of months

benched (Tyrone) - Posts: 534 - 20/05/2015 12:58:23    1726028

Shock horror. Was at the game and the ref was whistle happy. Systematic fouling. Well some of the posters here come from counties who have perfected the art. I agree it was a very unlike Galway display but many of the frees were of a soft variety. Obviously KW is implementing a new approach because from what we have seen for the guts of the last decade it is a completely different type of football that I would have experienced. Unless you were at the game just because you read/hear of the high free count how can you comment on something with the benefit of only 3 mins of Sunday Game coverage.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1947 - 20/05/2015 13:00:47    1726032

When it looked likely that the home team were not going to score at all in the 2nd half the ref kept giving them very, very soft frees.

giveitlong (Galway) - Posts: 1226 - 20/05/2015 13:09:09    1726034

Keep circling them wagons up there benched. At least when we are cynical, Galway people will say that they don't like seeing it. I'll take criticism of Galway from the likes of you seriously when you look critically at the cynical stuff a lot nearer to home.

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 863 - 20/05/2015 13:24:04    1726051

galway posters dont seem to understand here that all the people from the other counties are saying is everybody does it yet there the ones who get slated for it..stop being so defensive...bringing up matches from the 2001 is pathetic..as if a galway player never done anything dirty

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 20/05/2015 13:38:10    1726061

Ok as someone who is a neutral supporter and was at the match has already stated the fouling isn't as bad as whats being made out and Leitrim were just as bad but for some reason the referee gave them frees for everything. I was surprised that the Leitrim camp complained after. The match itself was a terrible to watch and I don't like the blanket defence I'd rather galway lose than resort to that again but Im not the one who gives up my evenings weekends and social life to be rewarded with a quick exit from championship. So if that what Walsh wants his team to do I'll support them at every match. It's just a pity that this is the way things have gone

galwayfball (Galway) - Posts: 1679 - 20/05/2015 14:10:38    1726081

First off I accept that I didn't see one kick of Galway / Leitrim and I admit to having a soft spot for Galway football and hurling teams as they are generally amongst the fairest and most sporting teams playing our games.In my opinion Galway play the ball and not the man and have probably paid a price for that approach.I hope Kevin Walsh isn't trying to change their approach to the game.Benny Coulter on the Sunday Game said they were brilliant when he saw them in the league this year ( a game they lost by the way) and I'ld say Benny is a fair judge.
Lads from Tyrone & Armagh having a go at Galway for cynical play ? Do me a favour lads.

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 20/05/2015 14:42:06    1726096

Fabio while not exonerating Galway the difference is that many of those counties do it consistently. Galway to date have not being doing it consistently. Will it become the norm with us well who knows.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1947 - 20/05/2015 14:45:58    1726100

Galway's fouling must have been very well organised, and super subtle, because I didn't notice it, and I was at the game. Leitrim had no difficulty whatsoever waltzing through the Galway backline, and around our corner-backs on more than one occasion. Leitrim's main problem was that they couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo on the day, and they never threatened Galway seriously as a result. The referee was poor, and gave too many frees. He was especially poor when a boot went in at a ground ball with other players 'in the vicinity'. This is a free, and dangerous play, when a pickup is in progress, but this referee was handing out frees for Galway fellas kicking at perfectly loose balls on the ground. It was crazy stuff. I'd say Leitrim got 10 soft frees, at a conservative estimate. Leitrim are div4, and they looked it, and the referee fell into the trap of helping them out. I don't recall the chap's name, but he'd need to up the standard of his refereeing game in future. Galway, on the other hand, possibly need to reduce their fouling, but start HITTING HARDER!!

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3477 - 20/05/2015 14:56:30    1726109

Seems like I'm not allowed a right of reply to Ailteoir comments, but I'll try again. Can you point out where I have criticised Galway or defended cynical play? Hypocrisy and holier than thou attitudes is what gets to me. I have no problem with Galway football and have not even seen Sundays match so haven't commented on it.

benched (Tyrone) - Posts: 534 - 20/05/2015 15:13:47    1726116

It's funny every team that fouls systemically also complains about woeful refereeing. What are the chances of mad coincidences like that eh? It's a head-scratcher!

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12125 - 20/05/2015 15:14:56    1726118

Why would you be fouling Leitrim systemically? For practice, I suppose? Certainly, it's not because they're an offensive threat, on the break or otherwise. Systemic fouling is nearly always of the pulling, dragging, and holding variety. There was a minimal amount of that last Sunday.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3477 - 20/05/2015 15:34:49    1726127

most counties have been at kiloter..remove the wool from your eyes..look at mayo in your own province for instance..who can forget finian hanleys brilliant black card tackle v sligo some years ago?..this 'good guy' stuff about galway is complete nonsense..the reason they havent been winning is they havent been good enough...its nothing to do with being too nice

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 20/05/2015 15:53:14    1726144

Minimal Pope Benedict? Emmmm I'm not so sure.
Galways fouling was subtle and clever. Leitrims CHB was cutting out loads of attacks and when he would begin to counter 2 or 3 Galway players would surround him and pull and harass him. Seen this a good few times. Not a haul him to the ground job but enough to prevent a counter attack all the same.
Now Leitrim got lots of soft frees in the second half but so did Galway in the first including one Conroy sneaked on about 10 feet from where it happened and he pointed. My fellow club man from Crossmaglen was the linesman and he failed to spot this.
Lundy ran 7 or 8 steps to score a point. He tried it again a second time but got caught. In fact I don't think he bothered soloing anytime he got the ball. Just grabbed it and ran with his white boots as fast as he could.
Galway almost got a goal from a clear push in the back on the full back in the second half. Somehow they managed to put it over the bar.
So Galway people complaining about the ref being biased sorry I have to pull yous up on that one. He was a terrible ref though.

Dessie_Cross (Armagh) - Posts: 142 - 20/05/2015 15:56:38    1726146

I don't think the referee was biased Dessie, but he did award Leitrim maybe 10 unnecessary frees, and if they hadn't got those, there wouldn't be a debate about Galway's 'systematic' fouling. As regards your notion that if Leitrim has two forwards, they'd have been out of sight after 20mins, I'd say that's a naïve assessment, or inaccurate, or both. For a start, it ignores the possibility that Galway might have been capable of finding a slightly better level, if they ever felt even the remotest threat coming from Leitrim, a threat that in fact never materialised at any point. If Leitrim were in fact only two players short of the standard required to 'put Galway out of sight in 20mins' as you say, it's a bit surprising that the entire 70minute match unfolded with the identity of the winners and losers never in the remotest doubt from the first whistle.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3477 - 20/05/2015 16:15:29    1726153

Ah Fabio you are being very selective. I certainly remember the Hanley incident but those incidents have been few and far between from our perspective. By and large we have rarely used the excuse of 'being too nice' as a cover for our football inadequacies. Yes we have tradition and yes we have had a number of performances over a number of years but lets get this thing straight. Bottom line is we have not consistently engaged in the tactics at the heart of this discussion to the same extent as most other counties. It is only being discussed now as some people are surprised we are involved in a discussion such as this.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1947 - 20/05/2015 17:03:08    1726178

Lads, I was at the game on Sunday and I'm not disputing the figures or anything, just want to say the referee was atrocious. Galway conceded something like 41 frees. I'd consider myself a very fair judge of a game Galway were involved in but there was 7-10 frees awarded in the second half to Leitrim that boggled the mind as to where the ref saw an infraction.

The Leitrim manager's comment about play-acting caught me as sour-grapes as well. Paul Conroy was flattened with a shoulder to the face 15mins in and it was as clear a bodycheck as you'll see, no card. Damien Comer went down twice in the 1st half as well but with the way he takes defenders on, putting the head down (half charging to be honest), he's prone to get hit in the face. He also had to get some dental work done after a hit in the Kildare league game so not surprising he spent a little time checking himself.

Regarding the wider point of Galway being cynical, of course we are and it's about bloody time. There isn't a team in the game who don't partake in the 'dark arts'. It ruins games and if there was a way of eradicating it, I'm all for that but this is just the way the game is played now. And for all the people saying, 'It's a dark day when Galway have to resort to cynical fouling,' why should Galway be the lone bastions of 'pretty' football when our thanks would be patronising congratulations after yet another heavy defeat?!? We wouldn't mind actually winning something again and if cynical football is what it takes, so be it,

GalwayFancyDans (Galway) - Posts: 75 - 20/05/2015 17:20:10    1726189

thats largely due to the fact that you havent been in the championship long enough or been in many competitive games v the good sides..every team is at it..galway are no different

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 20/05/2015 17:33:09    1726195