Cunningham would have soldiered with that group. He was corner forward in 86. Think he was captain of the minors the previous year or two.
He didn’t perform on AIF day as a player. The big occasion seemed to pass him by and he ended up being substituted. I liked him initially as a manager, but Donoghue has brought leadership, as well as management, to the table. He’s streets ahead of Cunningham. Believe that.
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Perspective is often lost in the GAA. Cunningham brought them to 2 All Irelands and the first one was only scuppered when the GOAT led one of the finest teams ever to force a draw.
Donoghue lost a semi final last year and but for a moment of genius from JC super star in the semi final he’d have been put of a job.
Also he didn’t have to deal with Kilkenny.
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Galway would have had no fear of playing Kilkenny this year. One thing I admire about Cunningham is that he stood up to Cody and wasn’t intimidated by him. In fairness to him, he’s more suited to football management.
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Kilkenny are rubbish this year though. They’d a serious team in 2012.
They did, but we also had them on the ropes in the first half and Cunningham just needed someone to go to centre back and dog Shefflin. Tony Óg was far too nice.
He wasn’t much use for Thomas Davis in Dublin this year. They played absolutely awful in their champo exit.
Ah you’re sitting hares now. Shefflin was nigh unmarkable when he was motoring at centre forward.
It was a big thing in 1983 when Galway won their first ever minor hurling all-Ireland. Cunningham was the star name on that team. They beat Niall Quinn & Dublin in the final (note for breakthrough-win theory).
They won the u21 in 1986, having secured the title by beating Limerick at Ennis in the semi-final, but he was no longer the star name.
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Joe Cooney beat Limerick in 1986 . Probably the best display I ever saw from a player at that level .
It’s also possible, one would say, very likely the reality, that in 2017, those better teams from 2012, 2015 and 2016 were either finished in Kilkenny’s case or performing below their previous level in Tipperary’s case. Therefore a similar level of performance from Galway to those years was enough this year.
Collins was the only Galway player who emerged with credit from the second half of the 2015 All-Ireland final, scoring two points from left half-back.
Galway were 7 points up in 2012. The 2015 vintage was the worst Kilkenny team of the Cody era to win an All Ireland. A cripple beat us on his own in the second half. This Galway team would have fared better in 2015 imo.
Tyrone got the first point against Dublin. Therefore your theory is bunkum.
Galway’s most important scores were quite clearly the four or five points in a row they got around the 50 minute mark when Waterford had gone a point ahead. Niall Burke’s equaliser from near the sideline probably the most important if you want to single out one score.
It wasn’t Cunningham’s fault that Galway lost those leads. Kilkenny were relentless.
Galway were just as fit in 2015 as they are now. They showed that in their semi-final performance against Tipperary that year when they put in a wall to wall performance.
The fact is that Galway were in prime position to win the 2015 final, Kilkenny threw down the gauntlet after half-time, and the Galway players folded.
Galway are maybe 5% a better team now than they were then but Kilkenny were not a factor this year and Tipperary have gone back probably a good 10-15% since last year.
Waterford aren’t at the level of those Kilkenny or Tipperary teams in 2012. 2015 and 2016.
It was shown in later years that Clare won the 2013 All-Ireland mainly because they were the best of the rest when Kilkenny and Tipperary both had stinkers of years.
Galway have won this All-Ireland mainly because they maintained a similar or slightly better level of performance to 2015 and 2016 in a year when Kilkenny have fallen away and Tipperary were not the same force as last year.
But you only have to beat what’s put in front of you.
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Galway secured the U21 All Ireland in 1986 after beating Wexford by 3 points in the final. There was no Cup handed out after Galway’s 4 point semi final win over Limerick.
I said before the semi i hoped we got Tipp as I wasn’t sure we’d beat them in a final. Galway now have the experience of winning it so hopefully they’ll improve with the nagging doubts removed.
Talking up failures under Andy Cunningham and talking down results under Micheal Donoghue. Surprise, surprise.
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Ah lovely. Finally sid
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It was secured after the semi final win
In the same way 10 years later Limerick won the all Ireland beating Tipp in a replay in Pairc UI Caoimh .
Limerick hurling folk have a comical ability to see beyond Wexford 
.
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