When you lose a match the implication is that any complaints are "sour grapes". Well, no-one in Leitrim is saying that we would have won the match Sunday, in fact we tend not to complain.

I don't go into complaining too much about Gaelic Football (except for my detestation of the overuse of handpass) - but I left quite despondent on Sunday. Not at Leitrim's defeat, expectations were not high and its a new young team - but the play of Galway, the most cynical display I ever witnessed. Co-ordinated, transparent, blatant and organised fouling - particularly in Leitrim's third of the field, all their players involved. leitrim neve allowed to play out of defence. Gave Galway time to get behind the ball - had all 15 men in their own half at times.

So, Why??? The reason - practice for the remainder of the season when they face stiffer opposition. You have been warned - the fluid classy Galway football style has been put on hold for the duration of Kevin Walsh's reign - which hopefully will be a short one.

Exaggeration, you'd suggest - Galway alone committed more fouls against Leitrim - than Donegal /Tyrone combined (now that is saying something!!)

Solo Run (None) - Posts: 316 - 19/05/2015 15:31:18    1725609

Exactly. Im ashamed to say I didnt see the game, but from what Ive heard they were pretty bad for it, and to prove to Im not biased, i will say that that type of thing has no place in the game, and Galway should cop onto themselves.
Im not going to blindly defend my county. If theyre wrong, theyre wrong.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 19/05/2015 15:48:35    1725634

It really doesn't matter because Galway are not in Ulster , this won't get a mention because the biggots who detest Ulster won't care. If Galway were the single entity that appears to be Ulster , they would get jail !

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 19/05/2015 15:51:38    1725637

Fair play to you joncarter. Nothing worse than people who say this is to be expected in championship. Its a sad day when Galway footballers have to resort to 15men behind the ball and deliberate fouling to slow the game down.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 19/05/2015 16:00:21    1725645

Because the referee gave Leitrim a lot of very soft frees especially in the 2nd half. It would have been a much better game if he just waved play on occasionally and let the players at it. It would probably have been better for Leitrim as well. And yes I was at the game.

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2216 - 19/05/2015 16:07:34    1725652

It's ok. You'll get away with all of it. You know why so I don't have to say. Must be what Walsh was meaning when he said he wanted his team to be more "ruthless".

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 19/05/2015 16:09:31    1725656

Similarly, TheRightStuff, you wouldn't see this on an ulster thread either:

joncarter
Exactly. Im ashamed to say I didnt see the game, but from what Ive heard they were pretty bad for it, and to prove to Im not biased, i will say that that type of thing has no place in the game, and Galway should cop onto themselves.
Im not going to blindly defend my county. If theyre wrong, theyre wrong.


Fair play joncarter.
It probably was practice for the semi final alright.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 19/05/2015 16:14:46    1725660

How much lower can football sink?

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 19/05/2015 16:46:28    1725689

Galway would need to work on their wee "half-foul"... ;-)

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 19/05/2015 16:56:59    1725694

First off joncarter fair play to you for been a true gael, no western bias on your behalf unlike a certain part that should remain nameless.
I would be of same opinion if Meath did the whole puke football thing, nothing wrong with robust defending but the cynical stuff is not what any would expect from a traditional county like Galway, lets hope it was a once off thing. Galway are one of my favorite counties and i always like to see them do well. But this carry on would not be welcome by anyone with true football at their core.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 19/05/2015 17:01:57    1725699

19/05/2015 15:51:38
TheRightStuff
County: Donegal
Posts: 632

1725637
It really doesn't matter because Galway are not in Ulster , this won't get a mention because the biggots who detest Ulster won't care. If Galway were the single entity that appears to be Ulster , they would get jail !

And even when your not guilty , you bring yourself into the dirt like a ten stone belly flop from a twenty foot height .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 19/05/2015 19:11:58    1725779

Its clear to me that this was a practice match for Galway ahead of the 14th of June against us. They will deploy these tactics against us and they have every right, its not against the rules. No way did they need to play this way against leitrim

mayoaresavage (Mayo) - Posts: 313 - 19/05/2015 19:27:07    1725782

I was at the Armagh v Galway match in Salthill in a scorching hot day in July 2013. When leading going into the last 10 minutes Galway systematically fouled Armagh players around the midfield area. Hardly new.

Armaghball (Armagh) - Posts: 96 - 19/05/2015 19:49:49    1725795

@Armaghball - I was at the Galway v Armagh game in 2001 and remember seeing the man marking Jarlath Fallon hit him when the ball was down the other end of the field. Fair play to Fallon, he turned round and hit him a shot in the mouth. Anyone from Armagh is the last person who should be talking about cynical play or thuggery.

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 859 - 19/05/2015 20:13:20    1725806

Was at the game myself as a neutral. If Leitrim had a forward or 2 that could shoot they could have been outta sight after 20 minutes. Was suprised at how Leitrim put it up to Galway for large spells in general play. I heard a lot about Shane Walsh and Lundy but was much more impressed with Leitrims centre half back Reynolds. I like a blanket defence meself and thats what saved Galways bacon. Leitrim couldn't score from far out or break tackles high up the field as some of them seemed too light and small for county football. That said the ref let Galway foul at will. He gave a yellow after about 20 fouls. Leitrim no angels themselves I seen 2 Galway lads gettin flattened off the ball.
If Galway beat Mayo playing like that I'd be very suprised.

Dessie_Cross (Armagh) - Posts: 142 - 19/05/2015 21:51:20    1725859

There was nothing about this on the Sunday Game with the four wisemen, did they they totally miss the controversy? Hard to believe that posters forget how Dublin beat Mayo in 2013? lol

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1669 - 19/05/2015 21:52:23    1725860

Maybe it is a case of Galway finally waking up to the reality of today's game? I am not defending it. I hate more than anything to see 13-14 men behind the ball but if you are going to win games in this day and age you are going to have to mix the good with the downright defensive. Kerry do it, Dublin will have to do it as Alan Brogan said last night on Newstalk. Except some of from Mayo too this summer.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 20/05/2015 08:54:53    1725879

Ailteoir
County: Galway
Posts: 541

1725806
@Armaghball - I was at the Galway v Armagh game in 2001 and remember seeing the man marking Jarlath Fallon hit him when the ball was down the other end of the field. Fair play to Fallon, he turned round and hit him a shot in the mouth. Anyone from Armagh is the last person who should be talking about cynical play or thuggery.

Far be it from me to stick up for Armagh but.....Shock, horror, someone once hit someone off the ball in a football match!! How come this incident isn't still being debated on these pages 14 years later? Punishment - no one from that county ever allowed to discuss disciplinary matters ever again.

benched (Tyrone) - Posts: 534 - 20/05/2015 09:08:45    1725884

@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.

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 859 - 20/05/2015 09:41:01    1725907

mayoaresavage
County: Mayo
Posts: 297

its not against the rules. No way did they need to play this way against leitrim

I think you'll find that it is actually Against the rules.. That's why it's called "foul" play.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 20/05/2015 10:04:48    1725921