The Official Clare v Galway Thread

Besides a little bit of wear around the goals, Cusack Park is in good shape for the visit of Galway.

Are they not selling cusack park for money anymore?

[quote=“SHANNONSIDER**”]Besides a little bit of wear around the goals, Cusack Park is in good shape for the visit of Galway.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2068/2496184120_d4498de165_o.jpg[/QUOTE]

:clap:

Quality.

Cathal McAllister is down to ref this…Live on RTE saturday night…Can’t wait for a full cusack park and to hammer these windy fuckers…

Mon Conlon ot Fuck!!!

[quote=“The Puke”]Cathal McAllister is down to ref this…Live on RTE saturday night…Can’t wait for a full cusack park and to hammer these windy fuckers…

Mon Conlon ot Fuck!!![/QUOTE]

Will he be the first Clonlara man to ever start a Championship game? I know zilch about Clonlara - is Ger O’Connell from there?

:rolleyes:

Does the name of former all star Colm Honan ring any bells…

Ger is Clonlara alright, his younger brother Nickey joined the panel last week and should figure at some point…

Does the name of former all star Colm Honan ring any bells…

Ger is Clonlara alright, his younger brother Nickey joined the panel last week and should figure at some point…[/QUOTE]

Rings a bell but sure was before my time too.

Didnt Ger try out for Limerick too?

[quote=“KIB man”]Rings a bell but sure was before my time too.

Didnt Ger try out for Limerick too?[/QUOTE]

he did, got sick of waiting behind Davy, went to Claughan(he was living in the city at the time) was unlucky not to make the breakthrough with them as they had three other keepers of around the same ability in Timmy Houlahan, Albert Shanahan and the thrid lads name escapes me, he eventually fucked off to Australia for a year and then came back to the Clon about 2 and a bit years ago…Would rate him every bit as good as Phillip Brennan, if not better…

If he is the same ability as Timmy Houlihan I think its safe to say he aint good enough for Clare Puke. That Houlihan was one of the worst intercounty keepers I ever saw.

Any chance of him getting another run or has he missed the boat now?

[quote=“KIB man”]If he is the same ability as Timmy Houlihan I think its safe to say he aint good enough for Clare Puke. That Houlihan was one of the worst intercounty keepers I ever saw.

Any chance of him getting another run or has he missed the boat now?[/QUOTE]

Timmy has/had a shite load of ability, but his concentration/decision making is shocking…In Christy O’Conners book “last man standing” gives a decent insight into him…Ger would be coming close to 30 now, Donal Touhy from Crusheen looks like the number 1 in waiting and is 10 years younger…If he did get a chance he would do well, couldn’t see him conceeding teh two goals Brennan conceeded against Cork last year…

My team V Galway

-----Brennan—
-Vaughan-James Mac-O’Grady–
----------Markham--------
O’Connell-Bugler-Donnellan
–Clancy–Griffin-----
-Conlon–Barrett–Ryan–
–Gilli----Diarmuid----

I would advocate the use of a sweeper early doors to try and nullify the threat of Joe Canning…Conor Cooney could well be fit but i would be surprised if they threw him in for his first start on top of Canning, James Mac did well enough against tipp, considering he got little protection from his half backline in the first half and he would have the physicality for Canning, with Markham just sitting ahead and filling the gaps…

BOC seemed to solodify the half backline when moved there the last day and I would keep him there, Donnellan is a doubt with a broken finger buut will probably keep his place as the other options are relatively inexperienced at intercounty level…

Tony Carmody cannot start after his peformance against Tipp, looked miles off the pace…Conlon and Barrett would give us two decent targets for puckouts with Ryan, Clancy and Griffin feeding/running off them at pace…Same with Gilli and Diarmuid inside both are capable of winning hard ball and both have an eye for goal, if teh can at least win it then they can lay it off to the oncoming man…

Space will be a premium on saturday and if we do only play with a two man inside forward line then they need to work their bollocks off, Ollie Canning would more than likely be the free man and if he is allowed all the time in the world then he will pick passes all day…

I would drop Conlon back beyond our midfield and infront of the halfbacks for galways puckouts and try and crowd galway in the middle of the pitch…There won’t be much in it but if we learn from out mistakes against Tipp, don’t give away soft goals and start better than we did against tipp then we will bbeat this crowd of shapers…

prediction:

Clare 2-17
Galway 1-16

I’d be very worried about James Mc. I would say he was caught badly out of position for two of the goals and showed poor decision making for the other one by not meeting Callinan. We lost because of it and he only needs to make a mistake or two half as bad as those to cost us the game against Galway. Given Cooney’s injury trouble I fully understand the decision to go with him but it is high risk to say the least. At the other end Gilli and Diarmuid don’t have the pace to pressurise a three man line all day long but they are our goalscorers so it might be worth a shot. Should we get away with it on those fronts we’ll need huge performances in the middle third. Would be delighted to see the back of Carmody and see this ‘eye for the future’ that Mike has been talking about. Half-forward line will be crucial and the three young lads playing well would go a long way towards winning the game and lift Clare hurling massively in the process. A game that is definitely there for the taking but a game I feel will be decided by the goal tallies. Galway marginally the favourites on that basis.

We need to stop Galway scoring goals. Canning and Damien Hayes are the biggest threat in this regard. We need to play like Dublin did yesterday in their faces. Make it a battle dont let them run. I dont want to see Carmody starting. Most people will believe that we will play a 7th defender so we need to have a 2nd game plan as well. Any opinions on this? I am sure Galway will be set up to counteract the 7th defender plan we will have. Puke that looks like a good team would be worried about Barrett though. I thought he was poor against Tipperary and not the required standard.

As much as they know about it pullhard you’d have to ask what can they do about it? I’m sure Cody knew exactly what Daly was going to do yesterday but he still couldn’t prevent all his forwards bar his best ball-winner having poor games. I’ve said here before that if I was McIntyre I’d start as normal, then put someone else on McInerney and move Joe out on to the sweeper who he’d probably beat. The Clare line would take an age to react. I don’t think Galway will do that because their natural tendancy is to create space but the point is you’d need to do something that completely upsets the other teams strategy and forces them to react.

Another question you’d always ask is where can we win fifty/fifty ball and where do we need to win it. As much as I give out about our backs they’re solid enough in that situation but they are completely unable to handle teams running at them. Tipp twice and Cork (2nd half) did huge damage doing just that and unfortunately it’d be one of Galway’s strong points. You’d nearly think we could do with the extra man in front of the half-backline to stop runners but also to give us an edge for breaking ball which we badly need. A Nicky O’Connell type player would be spot on but I wouldn’t say he’d up to the job just yet.

would have to say that i would be very wary of putting james mac full back again. his positional sense for full back was awful and let lar corbett get ahead of him far too easy.

as far as david barrett - he looked like he wanted to get rid of the ball every time he got it. he didnt seem to have any confidence whatsoever.

He wasn’t great against Tipp but battled well when moved to the 40, looked nervous to me and hopefully he will improve from it, would rather him than Carmody to be honest, don’t think we have any other plausible alternatives, Barry Nugent could start but doesn’t have the ball winning ability or work rate…

Looks like things are gonna get an awful lot worse for Clare even after next Saturday nights pastin’

Phase 2 hurling losers face relegation playoff
07 July 2009

Contrary to reports, Offaly and Antrim will not meet in a Liam McCarthy Cup relegation playoff.

It was widely believed after last Saturday’s Phase 1 qualifier games that Offaly and Antrim would meet to determine who would make the drop to the Christy Ring Cup next year, but the GAA has confirmed the losers from this Saturday’s Phase 2 ties between Clare and Galway and Wexford and Limerick will also be thrown into the relegation dogfight.

The two losers from Saturday’s games will be in the draw next Sunday for a relegation clash against either Offaly or Antrim. The eventual two losers will end up in a playoff, with the defeated team dropping to the Christy Ring Cup.

Their place in the Liam McCarthy Cup will be taken by the winners of Saturday’s Ring Cup final between Carlow and Down.

[quote=“Lazarus”]Looks like things are gonna get an awful lot worse for Clare even after next Saturday nights pastin’

Phase 2 hurling losers face relegation playoff
07 July 2009

Contrary to reports, Offaly and Antrim will not meet in a Liam McCarthy Cup relegation playoff.

It was widely believed after last Saturday’s Phase 1 qualifier games that Offaly and Antrim would meet to determine who would make the drop to the Christy Ring Cup next year, but the GAA has confirmed the losers from this Saturday’s Phase 2 ties between Clare and Galway and Wexford and Limerick will also be thrown into the relegation dogfight.

The two losers from Saturday’s games will be in the draw next Sunday for a relegation clash against either Offaly or Antrim. The eventual two losers will end up in a playoff, with the defeated team dropping to the Christy Ring Cup.

Their place in the Liam McCarthy Cup will be taken by the winners of Saturday’s Ring Cup final between Carlow and Down.[/QUOTE]

:eek:

Jokeshop! Making it up as they go along these fellas.

I think Mike Mac has them focused on some kind of record here. Cant remember ever hearing of a team being relegated twice in one year but in fairness this Clare team really looks like they have what it takes.

Anyone confirm that if Galway win on Saturday they have to play Cork because they cannot meet Laois again?

I’m only asking because Monaghan/Derry was pulled out again in the bogball?