The Championships been a bit drab so far but this game in O Connor Park on Saturday should get things going. Flakey Galway v unproven Dublin? The Dubs will surely never have a better chance of really announcing themselves than this. Galway are battered, mismanaged and woefully inconsistet. Their rate of inconsistency means you can never write them off, even against the very best but their 7/1 valuation to win the All Ireland is, frankly, an insult to Tipp and Kilkenny. Whatever lingering belief that we were unlucky in last years QF was utterly destructed by Tipp in Pearse Satdium. I fear that game may well have already defined Galways year but that said all it takes is one big win in the Championship to build up a head of steam and ingrate some belief and that’s what I’ll be hoping for on Saturday night in Tullamore.
Kavanagh and Regan are both 100% to start. Joe is 99% Tannion is doubtful. Farragher is sound but may not make the starting lineup ditto Kevin Hynes who failed to convince v Westmeath. I reckon that Johnny Coen starts either to partner David Burke in midfield or at wing forward personally I’d prefer to see him in a central position but Donnellan will look to build on his big game the last day from Center forward. Skehill will start in goal with Fergal Moore in the corner where Ollie used to be. Big ask for Moore to fill his boots but he’s the one player I’d say might well be up to it assuming he doesn’t pick up his annual injury.
Galway could well go on the rampage here assuming they show up in the right frame and Dublin don’t but all the evidence points to a close encounter of the squeaky kind. I know a lot of lads who are completely dismissive of Dublin and consider the result a formality. Foolish imo though I still think we’ll pull away cosily enough in the end.
Kavanagh played wing back against Offaly in a challenge last week with Collins moving to FB. This fcuking around really shows the true worth of this management team. Why the fcuk would you alter the spine of your best starting 15 in a preparation game the week before a big championship game. Kevin Hynes lined out a wing back also.
We might beat Dublin and build a bit of momentum but it will be down to the players if we do. I cant see any recognisable progressive game plan or altered hurling style in Galway hurling since these lads took over. All I see, time after time is the viscous circle of backs clearing the ball under pressure to a limited ball wining HF line and the beat goes on…
Winning primary possession is not our strong point, please come up with a plan to compliment this until we have a bunch of young fella who can catch a ball cleanly.
Twould sicken your hole.
Saying that, Dublin are far from the real deal yet but they will be properly prepared and god help us if we play into their hands with high dropping balls.
The half forward line conundrum. Anyone care to put forward a plan to circumvent a non ball winning half forward line? That will work consistently, not just on a once off basis like Weisfjord in 2004.
Or is the ball winning half forward line a myth and are most conclusions we come to about hurling based on perception not fact?
short pucks would be the only way to go, but that can lead to its own problems.
all defenders and midfielders would have to be constnatly moving and making them selves available for the ball…
I thought breens pucks at the weekend didnt help our lads as they were sent up in the sky, well hit low trajectory ball are easier fetched, space needs to be opened in front of a wF by a wb dropping short, it wont suit a team like wex anymore as there will be a lot of thankless running.
Skehill
Joyce(needs to raise his game)
Kav
Moore
Collins
Regan
Cullinane
Coen
Burke
Gant
Donnellan
Ryan
Hayes
Joe
Callinan
I assume they’ll start again with Andy Smith though. Hynes didn’t look match fit against Westmeath but can make an impact if brought on here. Hopefully he won’t be needed to. Starting Johnny Coen at midfield might be risky but we need to solidify that sector and Mcyntire still hasn’t a clue what his best options are there. Coen has the talent definitley worth a shot imo.
Edit-Being a bit harsh there singling out Damien Joyce truth every one of them needs to raise it or we’re proper fooked
Yeah, McIntyre loves Smith and to be honest you cant knock his work rate but his ability to turn work into scores is pretty poor. He’ll prob get the nod ahead of Gant.
Otherwise I’d say your pretty close to the mark, though Ryan seems to have fallen outta favour of late.
To be honest, I wrote off 2011 in my head leaving Pearse Stadium after the Tipp game. McIntyre begged the Galway public to turn out in numbers for that game… twas disgracefull stuff. Those scars dont heal easy…
However its time to send Biddy Daly back to the black jack table.
His apparent hatred of Galway irks me somewhat. It may have been more to the fore when Gerlock was running the circus but I have no doubt that Daly has a Galway grudge.
Interestingly enough, he may find an offer coming his way when McIntrye moves/is moved on.
I have no ill feeling towards the Dubs. I hurled with Crokes for a few years, a nice bunch of fellas who would run all day and were very committed… however the link between the parietal lobe and the wrists was like the 46B.
The Dublin team to knock the shite out of Galway and hopefully knock some sense into the hurling snobs who don’t like a new team coming into their little cosy party.
DUBLIN (SHC v Galway): Gary Maguire; Niall Corcoran, Tomas Brady, Oisin Gough; Johnny McCaffrey, Peter Kelly, Shane Durkin; Liam Rushe, Alan McCrabbe; Conor McCormack, Ryan O’Dwyer, Conal Keaney; Peadar Carton, David O’Callaghan, Paul Ryan.
