Galway have always been labelled windy/tog-shitters but they were always competitive in any finals they were in but are rarely on the wrong end of a hiding. While they never looked like winning the 2005 final they were competitive and kept it relatively close against a far superior Cork team. 2012, they hung in there for the drawn final, the ten minutes before half time was where it started to go wrong but they hung in there against a scarily good Kilkenny team. They were competitive in the replay but things fell apart after Canning hit the post and Cyril Donnellan was sent off shortly after. 2015 was a bit of a collapse in the second half but they still only lost by 4/5 points.
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If you go through the 6 All Ireland finals Galway lost between 1988-2017, four they were outsiders in and lost to the stronger team - Kilkenny in 1993, 2012 & 2015 and Cork in 2005. Of those four, the drawn game in 2012 was one that was let slip as Galway had a 7 point lead coming up to half time.
The 2001 final against Tipperary was probably seen as the most 50/50 final beforehand in the last 25 years. Tipperary held a slight edge throughout a close game and ultimately ran out three point winners.
1990 against Cork was one that was most definitely blown, largely down to frailty in the full back with Sylvie Linnane and Conor Hayes having retired from the year before and an over-reliance on Joe Cooney in the forward line.
The 90 final was a disaster. Naughton clean through and his shot hits Cunningham in the face and goes out wide, umpire waves it wide even though Cunningham gets treatment. Cunningham then pucks it out and Cork get a point iirc. Momentum changer. Sean Treacy and Commins were a disaster that day. Treacy wasnât a natural full back in fairness but he needed to be told to stay at home and not to rush out to centre back. Cyril lost more than he won but when u look at the 2 boyos he had as selectors 
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Whereâs this myth coming from that Limerick shat themselves in 07? The greatest team of all time and overwhelming favourites beat Limerick by 7 points in an era where they were hammering every team. Look what they did to a much more vaunted Waterford side the following year ffs. Limerick most certainly did not collapse or shit the togs in 07.
94 v Offaly was a freak, we actually performed very well bar the last 5 minutes. It is unbelievable how much that game has affected the Limerick Hurling psyche, it really left itâs mark.
We underperformed and shat the togs in 96, we were a far better side than Wexford and never turned up, even more sickening than 94 to be honest.
2007 already discussed above. 2009 and the annihilation against Tipp on Croke Park was our darkest ever day, firstly we should never have gotten that far, we were not a good side or a well prepared camp under Justin. We stumbled into a Semi Final after beating Wexford and Dublin (maybe Laois too?) and were blown away by a team announcing themselves on the scene. Iâll never forget it.
In 2013 we shat the bed v Clare. Far too much hype. In 2014 we performed superbly in the rain v Kilkenny but they found a way.
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Galway lads clutching at straws. Limerick were totally outclassed in 07. Kilkenny were faster, stronger and more skilful in pretty much every position.
In absolutely every position. That Limerick side did very well to reach an All Ireland final but werenât in the same class as that Kilkenny side, nobody were. They dismantled Waterford the following year in a frightening manner. They were at their peak in 07/08 in my opinion
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I take @mikehunt point about the opposition being better but Kilkenny definitely game back to the pack. No way would Kieran Joyce have made the 06/09 team in my opinion. That Galway team in 2012 wouldnât have touched them either.
Shaughs and Ollie aside, the rest were very average playersâŚ
Twas the closest any team got to Kilkenny all year I think, on the scoreboard anyway
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Galway pushed Kilkenny hard for about 63-64 minutes in the quarter final in 2007. Scores could have been level or a point or two in it at most, until Eddie Brennan got two late goals in about two minutes to decide the issue. Limerick played their All Ireland when they ambushed Waterford in the semi final. Would have been interesting to see how Waterford got on in that 2007 final if they had made it. Waterford were flying in 2007. They inflicted a first league final defeat on Kilkenny under Cody, were very impressive in winning Munster but really shot themselves in the foot not beating Cork the first day, with the Cork replay meaning they were out three Sundays running when they faced Limerick in the semi final.
Lawlor and Geary and Damien Reale had very good years that year too, and Begley and Donie popped up once or twice too.
The game was over after ten minutes.
Dodge wasnât average, you disrespectful little Cork cunt. Scored 0-02 from midfield and was one of our best performers on the day.
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Youâre right, he had a very good year â but I suppose the best was yet to come from Dodge and iâd always associate him with 2012 -2015 team more so than 07.
Cheers pal, sorry for snapping. Understandable with the week thatâs in it and all.
Truth be told Dodge was a mainstay at a time of some pretty average Limerick sides. The likes of him Reale, Geary and Ollie Moran ploughed a pretty lone furrow for a few years when we were at a very low ebb.
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Waterford would have been opened up. If Limerick scored 5 goals against them, imagine what Kilkenny would have done to what was a below average full-back line.
As @GeoffreyBoycott has stated, Galway stayed with Kilkenny for most of that match in 07. That Galway team didnât have either Joe or Ollie Canning who declined to play that year. They certainly werenât beaten after 10 minutes. That was an average Galway team under a disasterous manager.
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They won though and won the all Ireland.
Weâll never know. Waterford didnât concede any goal to a near full strength Kilkenny in the League Final in 2007, a match was played at Championship pace intensity. Waterford in 2007, a bit like Tipperary in 2015 were primed for Kilkenny in the All Ireland Final. Like Tipperary in 2015, Waterford in 2007 forgot they had to win a semi final first.
Yes but an average Galway team gave them their only tough game.