Well, fair enough. Point taken.
But your own comment sums up what I meant.
They have no issues winning their own ball when they play us
3 Likes
Yeah, they won the 3-team group last year (usually 2 groups of 6 & 5 group games to get 8 quarter finalists but 4 groups of 3 last year because of the pandemic where 2 went through in each). It was a relatively weak group but Ferns would have been favourites for it based on their recent latter stage appearances. They also beat Fethard. The Harriers defeated Oylegate in the relegation play-off/final the year before and their problem has been a lack of depth/pure talent to support Chin, Richie Kehoe and a couple of others. There was an absence of players in that early 20s bracket coming into the senior team for one reason or another for a few years. They blooded 3 of Wexfordâs 2019 minor team last year but are still a bit short. They were comfortably beaten by eventual winners Shelmaliers in the QF but they probably performed a little above expectations overall, albeit in the shortened season. I saw 2 of the 3 games and there were occasions when they had 1 or nobody in attack. 
I saw their 3 games and I thought they were awful in all of them, albeit winning two. They scored 1-14 and 2-10 in the two games they won. Just all out defence and stifling the opponents who both played awful and should have had the nous to go against it and take much longer range shots. They scored 1-12 against the Shels, who just kept tapping over points from deep, scoring 0-22 and I dont recall them ever really threatening for goal as there was no need to. Credit to the Harriers for winning those games, but I was far from impressed by them.
1 Like
That was fucking hilarious. In the short time he was there he made clane shite of Nenagh. Mention his name to any Ăire Ăg man and just watch the colour he turns. 
2 Likes
I more or less agree from a team setup and performance angle, but I think winning the group slightly exceeded expectations. Whether they were 1st or 2nd though, I think a QF exit was about par. Iâm not sure they could have gone further with another manager. Letâs see if they show more attacking intent in his second season - itâll probably be more of the same. I would like to see Wexford pursue other options first, but Derek could conceivably get us playing some vivacious stuff.
3 Likes
Is Derek back involved this year?
Thatâs good to hear. Cloonan is a good lad and Iâm glad to hear is been well-received. That crop of St. Maryâs hurlers has yielded some excellent coaches. John Hardiman had underage success with Galway, as has Brian Hanley, and both are well-regarded. Hopefully Cloonan continues to develop.
1 Like
It takes an awful awful awful amount of skulduggery to get run out of Salthill.
A most instructive conversation, alrightâŚ
Mick Fennelly would surely be a better option than a more refined Davy in Derek McGrath. Davy 2.0 if you will.
Pretty much what Iâve been saying about Galway dor years. The players are there, the management to get them to click together never has been.
Think so, yeah. Not sure how often heâs there but heâs some way involved afaik.
âVivaciousâ. Fantastic word. I hope you get a nice post for that.
But what is the best Galway team?
Ăanna Murphy
TJ Brennan
DaithĂ Burke
Darren Morrissey
PĂĄdraig Mannion
Joseph Cooney
Fintan Burke
Shane Cooney? [bomb scare as a defender]
Ian McGlynn
Evan Niland
Cathal Mannion
???
Conor Whelan
Jason Flynn
Brian Concannon
Iâd be plamassing OâDonoghue as much as I could and do my best to get Eamon OâShea involved with him. OâShea can walk away from Tipp with his head held high and a change of scenery would do him no harm.
3 Likes
Something like that. Surprised if Conor Cooney doesnât have something to contribute still.
Youâve four players up there with the best in the country if not the best in their positions Burke, mannion, mannion, Whelan. Thatâs as much as most counties have.
Youâve the spine of your defence nailed down.
Youâve a next tier then of Cooney, Niland, Flynn (maybe), and concannon that are well up there with what most teams can put out.
Is Johnny coen even 30? What age is David Burke. You need a mix of ages and tipp have it wrong, but I still believe players are well able to perform til 32 minimum and we tend to write them off too fast based in age.
Thereâs so much in place with that team already I think, if they all performed to the level their capable of. Iâm sure they must have the supporting cast available to round it out.
2 Likes
Iâm a big fan of Padraig Mannion but his form has been pretty poor since 2019. He is a long way off the player he was in 2017/2018.
3 Likes
Is Ian McGlynn even on the panel? He may be next year and he may well start but I donât know if Iâd say heâs definitely one of Galwayâs best two midfielders. And Iâd have doubts over Shane Cooney as a midfielder too.
Actually, when you put it out like that, it doesnât look all that impressive. Now that is partly because they havenât really brought through that many young players. Diarmuid Kilcommins could be an option at wing-forward next year but they definitely look light at half-forward.
I asked the question before but where are Shane Moloney, Brian Molloy and Thomas Monaghan these days? The latter two would only be around 23, are they on the scrap heap already