Are ye the same shower who were getting excited after the Walsh Cup final. Train four times a week, put your life on hold for a bunch of anonymous keyboard warrioirs to direct abuse when there's a setback. What motivation ye provide to play for Galway!!

longsocks (Galway) - Posts: 103 - 16/02/2009 11:24:54    207943

The importance of the league can not be understated, especially should a Division 1 structure be maintained for coming seasons. Just need to reference the scores coming in from Division 2 to see benefit to be had from playing there!

Whilst the league is good testing ground we also need to be winning matches. Unfortunately the desire of the players was light years away from Dublin yesterday. Dublin did not beat us by desire alone yesterday they were sharper and more skillful, their full forward was pulling the ball down from the sky and causing all sort of trobles for us as one example. I do not think our half forward line won a handfull of ball all day from Dub half backs. No evidence yesterday that Galway can beat Dublin when summer comes along!!

The center spine (ex ger Mahon and kevin Hynes) was a problem. Thought it was really silly of mark kerrins to get himself sent off after coming on, the center half forward positin is up for grabs and he has put himself out of running for now as suspect will be suspended, same for full back who was well beaten in general play and no excuse for dropping a player like he did.

Away to Cork next I believe and this is a real pressure game. Cork are improving with each game and can hurl with no expectations. They will see this as their chance to get points on the board. We will need to improve by leaps and bounds to put them away.

Like others that post here I was there in the 80's and am ever hopefull of a return. I cannot understand where all the talent at underage level that i have witnessed over the past 10 years has gone? Galway hurling must be better than what was put on show yesterday. Make no mistake Dublin were more game and more skillfull yesterday.

mota (Dublin) - Posts: 78 - 16/02/2009 11:26:01    207944

Yes twas very nice of Mark Kerins to hit a fellow Galway man who lined out for Dublin yesterday.

On the match.
Galway a disgrace. No CF ,10,11, 6,5,3, 13,14,15.

But a disgrace in February I can handle. Time to chop some of that panel before it's too late.

milicDunanuchta (Galway) - Posts: 149 - 16/02/2009 11:32:44    207956

milic Duanachta - I doubt you were there with your insightful analysis into the game. You have listed out what you see as problem positions and if you had been there you wouldn't have some of the numbers and most definitely would have added four more. Whatever happened yesterday, it did seem that Dublin were hungrier for the ball and if any of you muppets were at the game you couldn't fail to have mentioned the standard of refereeing which was the worst I have ever witnessed at that level. It doesn't alone count for the manner of defeat but was absolutely shocking. This was one day and already people are on the Galway players backs, they should be judged at the end of the year by their peers and not bad Junior Z hurlers who never caught a hurl in a competitive match in their born years but are big men sitting at a computer.

elara3427 (Galway) - Posts: 31 - 16/02/2009 12:07:09    208013

what should the team be so if we want to win next week end?!

BIG.JOE (Galway) - Posts: 22 - 16/02/2009 12:14:49    208020

Lads this is the lowest point in Galway hurling since the 60's. Callinan in my opinion has been awful in goal continuously conceding something like 8 goals in 3 matches and 13 other players were also woeful with the possible exception of Kavanagh. A decent club side would have performed better and what was galling most of all was the complete lack of heart, hunger and pride in the jersey. Once again Murray and Tierney failed to show any leadership and will to win when things were going against us. How many more chances will they get? You could say the same about the Healys and Farragher who being the more senior members of the panel should have given leadership to the younger members. It was a complete sham and insult to Galway hurling and its supporters who are granted not too many but would you blame them after yesterday's "display"?

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 16/02/2009 12:45:48    208069

Elara I take your point about the refereeing. Sean Walsh on GBFM mentioned the Westmeath ref gave everything to Dublin including a penalty and let them away with countless high tackles, dirty strokes etc etc. I suppose that is something we can expect from Leinster refs for invading their patch as they see it but the GAA will have to try to stamp this bias out ASAP! It didn't make all the difference to the result but it certainly exaggerated the margin of defeat.

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 16/02/2009 12:54:20    208088

Elara Oh Hurling Guru that you are..

1st. I wasn't at the game. But Galway to lose by that margin to Dublin at any level is a disgrace.
2nd. It doesn't bother me greatly as it is only February and by the end of the year no matter how Galway do it will be forgotten.
3rd. Those Positions I named out are not based on yesterdays match but on the last few years of watching Galway club and county.
4th. I have picked up a hurl more than once. and I would have been a good Junior Z if there was such a thing.

milicDunanuchta (Galway) - Posts: 149 - 16/02/2009 13:21:38    208124

no sign of tommy k today. dublin are a much better side than people give them credit for.(they have had some very good underage teams in the last few years- and now they have daly to give them that confidence). they were also missing a few, incliding their best back(ronan fallon). ive said it before galway just dont have the players. now their missing their only good option at centre back for the season.(john lee). im looking forward to tommy k take on yesterday.(the expert that he is).

catch the ball (None) - Posts: 90 - 16/02/2009 14:03:32    208181

I cannot remember suach a bad performance from a Galway Team. They seemed to be very lifeless.. There seemed to be no fighting spirit or pride in the jersey. Kavanagh in the backs cleared an awful lot of ball, Hynes in centre was his usual work horse and tierney in spots seemed to be the best. Farragher was very quiet by his standards except for sidline and frees he convereted. Hopefully these guys can regroup very soon improve vastly or otherwise I think Galway Hurling is in serious trouble. And elara3427 before you slate me yes I was at the match and stating it as i saw it

nemo (None) - Posts: 112 - 16/02/2009 14:05:34    208184

I would worry for galway this year,i knew when i seen the team that you showed dublin no respect,i would question if mcintyre has whats needed to bring u to the next level.galway have the hurlers just don't have the direction.

thehillontour (Dublin) - Posts: 390 - 16/02/2009 14:07:40    208189

Dublin have beaten us before in the league in recent times but it was the margin they won by that's worrying. Lee's a huge loss for us and I think the jury's still out on McClearn at fullback. Dublin have to get some credit though. They've been doing the groundwork at underage level for a few years now and sooner or later they'll be putting out decent teams.

Maroonatic (Galway) - Posts: 1067 - 16/02/2009 15:29:43    208336

Sorry to disappoint you catch the ball I already commented. Good "Galway" people like yourself should get behind the team now instead of constantly criticising them!!

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 16/02/2009 15:33:01    208338

Catch the ball why don't you stick to the Clare messageboard and comment about their lacklustre performance at home to Waterdord which was yere second defeat in the league with nearly yere strongest team out? At least we have the footballers to fall back on unlike Clare who were hammered by the might of Antrim at the weekend!!!

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 16/02/2009 15:39:17    208357

Was at da game yesterday-very few positives to take from it. Just as well the kk game was cancelled last weekend. McIntyre made some poor decisions like taking off niall healy who was one of our more threatening forwards. Feel sorry for Joe Canning because galway definately wont win an All Ireland in the next five years!!

Blackcat (Galway) - Posts: 132 - 16/02/2009 15:55:59    208395

well said longsocks...the only level headed comment on this topic

rapper (Galway) - Posts: 42 - 16/02/2009 17:24:16    208531

Bit early slatting players management etc. and joe canning altho he's a serious talent is not the only player to feel sorry for if we dont win al ire.

gaa gal (Galway) - Posts: 20 - 16/02/2009 17:26:31    208534

In fairness, Galway did seem to be missing a fair few players. Was that team much the same as the team that nearly beat Kilkenny in the Walsh Cup? Apart from Joe, Ollie Canning and Damien Hayes, how many other realistic Championship starters were there missing yesterday?
Ronan Fallon, Ross O Carroll, Joey Boland (listed in subs but injured) and David O Callaghan (flu but came on as a sub) were probably our only players who could realistically start in the Championship.

I'm not too familiar with Galway hurling but it seems that you have so many good players that you don't have a clue what your best team is and just never get settled. I know that Tannion and Hayes and others were missing yesterday but they did nothing against Cork last year so who's to say they will this year when it comes down to the crunch?

In fairness, the ref did give Dublin a few dubious decisions. I know that with the kind of players that have come through in Galway over the years, you will be clear favourites if we meet in the Championship but make no mistake about it:
Dublin are improving a little bit every year and things look like they could really come together this year. The younger players are used to mixing it with the best from around the country and they have no inferiority complex. Liam Rushe, our full-forward, is only 18 and he caused absolute havoc there yesterday.

dubfan (Dublin) - Posts: 24 - 16/02/2009 18:25:40    208610

Lads this is the lowest point in Galway hurling since the 60's. Callinan in my opinion has been awful in goal continuously conceding something like 8 goals in 3 matches and 13 other players were also woeful with the possible exception of Kavanagh. A decent club side would have performed better and what was galling most of all was the complete lack of heart, hunger and pride in the jersey. Once again Murray and Tierney failed to show any leadership and will to win when things were going against us. How many more chances will they get? You could say the same about the Healys and Farragher who being the more senior members of the panel should have given leadership to the younger members. It was a complete sham and insult to Galway hurling and its supporters who are granted not too many but would you blame them after yesterday's "display"?


FFS we have had lower points than this. Get a grip. Its only the other day with a similar team KK were taken to extra time.
How many of those goals was Callinan responsible for Tommy? I see you appear to judge your goalkeepers strictly on the amount of goals conceded no matter how many saves he might make. I would question how much protection he got from those in front of him? I know you don't rate him anyway so i would take your criticisms of him with a large dose of salt.

Its time to accept we are not as good as some people think we are. The players you have 'named and shamed' will continue to get opportunities because by and large they are the best players we have available. Like it or not this is the situation. Unless you are going to give us some names of players who should have been involved in recent years but haven't been?

I see nobody has yet flagged up what appears to me to be the biggest concern: in four games this year (three WC and one league) we have scored one goal from open play, that being against Offaly in the WC QF. In our last three games we have barely troubled the goalkeeper, never mind raise a green flag, from open play despite racking up some impressive looking point tallies.
Is it the case that our forwards are either (1) overly concerned with boosting their personal tallies by shooting for points or (2) lack the gumption to take their man on and try for a goal?

Whichever it is it is a worrying trend which we can't expect to be solved by Joe Canning alone. If we can't get goals we are not going to be involved at the business end of any competition. No matter who fills jerseys 1-7.

Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 941 - 16/02/2009 19:14:40    208654

Interesting to see McIntyre affectively blame the players. And yes, I know it's only february, and a lose at this stage means little. But this was more than your average loss, and it's not like the team was starting cold...

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3151 - 16/02/2009 21:53:35    208852