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Galway Football thread

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Replying To jobseekersbent:  "McHugh isn't a reliable point kicker. He was in great form in 24 yes but he is not a reliable point kicker. If he could add that consistency to his kicking he would go up a level to elite.
Someone mentioned nailing down a solid free taker. It is incredible that we haven't got a consistent free taker and haven't had one since Barry McHugh in 2017/2018. Galway need a player on the pitch who can kick long frees consistently from the ground. That's a lot of scores we have been leaving behind over the years. I don't think there is anyone in the panel at the moment with that skillset?
Someone also mentioned that Comer being fit is dream territory and I think the same can now be said for Walsh. The starting 15 for championship needs to be a team that doesn't rely on Comer or Walsh because they are most often injured/not fully fit. I wouldn't say no to their impact off the bench but realistically we need to plan without them judging on their injury history."
What championship games has Walsh actually missed in the last 5 years through injury? Past last years Connacht championship, I'm struggling to think of any

Yeah there's been times he's been carrying and playing with knocks, such as 2024. Galway would also have been knocked out in the quarter final stage v Dublin were it not for him being on the field that day, carrying a knock or no. Plenty were saying the same things about his injury profile last year and he put in two superb performances to keep Galway in the championship v Armagh and Down

PressureKick (UK) - Posts: 352 - 19/02/2026 22:52:01    2657386

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Replying To PressureKick:  "What championship games has Walsh actually missed in the last 5 years through injury? Past last years Connacht championship, I'm struggling to think of any

Yeah there's been times he's been carrying and playing with knocks, such as 2024. Galway would also have been knocked out in the quarter final stage v Dublin were it not for him being on the field that day, carrying a knock or no. Plenty were saying the same things about his injury profile last year and he put in two superb performances to keep Galway in the championship v Armagh and Down"
If we needed a superb Walsh performance to avoid exit to Down, alarm bells should have been ringing before the Meath 'surprise'. Maybe they were ringing of course.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4564 - 20/02/2026 09:55:20    2657408

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "If we needed a superb Walsh performance to avoid exit to Down, alarm bells should have been ringing before the Meath 'surprise'. Maybe they were ringing of course."
Surely that was the case though? Alarm bells should've been ringing all year, especially after the narrow escapes in Derry, Cavan and Down especially. It doesn't mean Walsh wasn't exceptional in two of those games despite being "constantly injured"

PressureKick (UK) - Posts: 352 - 20/02/2026 12:37:16    2657461

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "If we needed a superb Walsh performance to avoid exit to Down, alarm bells should have been ringing before the Meath 'surprise'. Maybe they were ringing of course."
Alarm bells certainly were ringing at the time. We went through rollercoaster games against Derry, an Armagh team who were already guaranteed top spot in the group, and had another against Down.
We were flying by the seat of our pants for most of last year's All-Ireland championship. Teetering on the brink of elimination, before Meath finished the job. Even then, we had hauled ourselves back from a very poor position, only to hand the initiative back to them.
As we've seen again in the year's league, the lads always fight to the end and have shown tremendous character over the last few years. We're all well aware that we need to improve massively if we're to make any impression on this year's championship.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2730 - 20/02/2026 13:02:11    2657465

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PJ seems to be finding players which is great, I was thinking its not so long ago if we fell 12 down to Kerry we were relying on Shane to do some magic and save us. If the baton has passed for Shane and Damien its a pity but if they were both fit and we made it to the latter stages no team would like to see Comer and Walsh coming in for the last 20 minutes. I think Molloy is a savage competitor but has a habit of taking one touch too many into possession, if he could Iron out that tendency and offload it quicker he is some player. I would stick with the young goal keeper as the match in Kerry was played in awful conditions, he deserves another few goes. It will be interesting to see how we go against the Rossies who are flying.

JahTribe (Galway) - Posts: 172 - 20/02/2026 20:06:47    2657554

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Big boost to have Darcy,Conroy back, McHugh,Fitzgerald deemed fit to start another boost should be enough to allow Galway edge a competitive contest under lights tomorrow night.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 693 - 20/02/2026 21:39:28    2657569

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "Big boost to have Darcy,Conroy back, McHugh,Fitzgerald deemed fit to start another boost should be enough to allow Galway edge a competitive contest under lights tomorrow night."
Galway for sam sure it must be !

S1234 (Mayo) - Posts: 838 - 21/02/2026 12:24:18    2657622

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Anyone know what is the story with the Galway Gaa app, no competitions fixtures or results being added in 2026???

WonTon5 (Galway) - Posts: 137 - 21/02/2026 14:23:59    2657635

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Replying To S1234:  "Galway for sam sure it must be !"
Do have this answer on repeat or cut and paste?

Alwaysencourage (Galway) - Posts: 580 - 21/02/2026 15:13:51    2657637

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What can you say after that? Some very nice stuff to go well ahead, but some of the mistakes we made in the second half were shocking. Completely careless with the ball. Even with all that we would have won it, but two very bad decisions at the end. We're lacking something upstairs and until we get smarter, it's going to be hard to progress.
When under pressure on a wet night with no outlet, the last thing a defender should do is hit a floaty ball out in front of his own goal. That ball needs to go long and down the line. If it goes out of play, that's ok. A ball floating out like that is only asking to be attacked, and is an almost certain goal chance if it's won by the opposition.
At the very end, I think it was Tierney who took a brilliant catch from the kickout and we had an easy punch to level it. The angle was awful tight get a goal from there.
While we did struggle on the kickouts for the last 20, we still had more than enough ball to work a few scores to keep them at bay. Some very poor passes gave the ball black and we got punished on the counter every time.
It's a league game on a wet February evening, so not a time for overreaction, but we have to start learning. It's worrying that we make the same mistakes over and over. I'll never question the heart and spirit of this team. They're warriors and put in an incredible amount of work. However, we need to get a lot smarter and show that we're learning or it'll be a short year.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2730 - 21/02/2026 21:36:40    2657698

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "What can you say after that? Some very nice stuff to go well ahead, but some of the mistakes we made in the second half were shocking. Completely careless with the ball. Even with all that we would have won it, but two very bad decisions at the end. We're lacking something upstairs and until we get smarter, it's going to be hard to progress.
When under pressure on a wet night with no outlet, the last thing a defender should do is hit a floaty ball out in front of his own goal. That ball needs to go long and down the line. If it goes out of play, that's ok. A ball floating out like that is only asking to be attacked, and is an almost certain goal chance if it's won by the opposition.
At the very end, I think it was Tierney who took a brilliant catch from the kickout and we had an easy punch to level it. The angle was awful tight get a goal from there.
While we did struggle on the kickouts for the last 20, we still had more than enough ball to work a few scores to keep them at bay. Some very poor passes gave the ball black and we got punished on the counter every time.
It's a league game on a wet February evening, so not a time for overreaction, but we have to start learning. It's worrying that we make the same mistakes over and over. I'll never question the heart and spirit of this team. They're warriors and put in an incredible amount of work. However, we need to get a lot smarter and show that we're learning or it'll be a short year."
Yes, a short year and perhaps a drop year, as two away games to come against Donegal and Monaghan and then the Dubs at home in the final game, even though the Dubs looked very average today against Kerry.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2450 - 21/02/2026 21:52:57    2657700

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Tough defeat to take on the chin, did so much right in the opening 47 minutes to lead by 13 points then so much wrong for the rest of the game to lose by one.

With Dublin,Monaghan to play should still enough to stay in Division 1 but plenty of improvement required before the championship in two months.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 693 - 21/02/2026 22:07:59    2657707

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Yes, a short year and perhaps a drop year, as two away games to come against Donegal and Monaghan and then the Dubs at home in the final game, even though the Dubs looked very average today against Kerry."
Doubt it will be a drop year especially as Armagh also in relegation danger and have already played Monaghan. Likely to be Monaghan and the loser of Armagh Dublin for drop.

systematic (Galway) - Posts: 245 - 21/02/2026 22:11:56    2657708

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Yes, a short year and perhaps a drop year, as two away games to come against Donegal and Monaghan and then the Dubs at home in the final game, even though the Dubs looked very average today against Kerry."
Yes, I think it'll be difficult to stay up now. A win this evening and we were in very good shape to stay in Division 1. We continually make things harder for ourselves than they should be. We're getting to see new players which is positive, but hopefully we can hang in there.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2730 - 21/02/2026 22:16:43    2657711

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "Yes, I think it'll be difficult to stay up now. A win this evening and we were in very good shape to stay in Division 1. We continually make things harder for ourselves than they should be. We're getting to see new players which is positive, but hopefully we can hang in there."
Think ye will stay up. If thats the best Dublin can do this evening against Kerry and they beat Monaghan last week you should beat both of them.

JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 133 - 21/02/2026 22:35:20    2657715

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "What can you say after that? Some very nice stuff to go well ahead, but some of the mistakes we made in the second half were shocking. Completely careless with the ball. Even with all that we would have won it, but two very bad decisions at the end. We're lacking something upstairs and until we get smarter, it's going to be hard to progress.
When under pressure on a wet night with no outlet, the last thing a defender should do is hit a floaty ball out in front of his own goal. That ball needs to go long and down the line. If it goes out of play, that's ok. A ball floating out like that is only asking to be attacked, and is an almost certain goal chance if it's won by the opposition.
At the very end, I think it was Tierney who took a brilliant catch from the kickout and we had an easy punch to level it. The angle was awful tight get a goal from there.
While we did struggle on the kickouts for the last 20, we still had more than enough ball to work a few scores to keep them at bay. Some very poor passes gave the ball black and we got punished on the counter every time.
It's a league game on a wet February evening, so not a time for overreaction, but we have to start learning. It's worrying that we make the same mistakes over and over. I'll never question the heart and spirit of this team. They're warriors and put in an incredible amount of work. However, we need to get a lot smarter and show that we're learning or it'll be a short year."
What were Ros like?

moros (Roscommon) - Posts: 1274 - 21/02/2026 22:44:35    2657716

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Seemed to be a lack of defensive system about us in the second half. Ros seemed to find remarkably large acres of space in our 'defensive setup' to hit targets or run through 2nd half, considering that they had the weather elements. I thought Ros were more compact and structured on defense in the first half, than we were in the second half. Individually and collectively, our defenders didn't look great at defending tonight imo. Maybe we need to revisit KWs 'defensive manual' 2016-2019, and see can we find some sort of enhanced defensive formula, because our defenders, or our defensive system, most likely both, needs to get to a better level for April-July? We're too easy to score on currently, and we had the same problem last summer in Down and other venues.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4564 - 21/02/2026 23:00:10    2657719

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Replying To JimB1991:  "Think ye will stay up. If thats the best Dublin can do this evening against Kerry and they beat Monaghan last week you should beat both of them."
Thanks for the encouragement Clare.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 693 - 21/02/2026 23:01:51    2657720

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First 10 minutes was the real killer this evening.
We had loads of ball but wasted a lot of it.
Tonight made it clear that we actually could do with Walsh and Comer

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 581 - 21/02/2026 23:04:16    2657722

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Poxy last minute win v Armagh.
12 down v Kerry away and draw.
13 up v Roscommon at home and lose.
The only thing consistent under Joyce is inconsistency.
Do we ever know what's coming when Galway take the field?
Only positive for next game...
Donegal will have no idea what to expect!

StopTheLights (Galway) - Posts: 461 - 22/02/2026 08:08:04    2657729

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