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Replying To Pope_Benedict: "In my opinion, the older players (most of them) are still the key core players. Daithi Burke, Cathal Mannion, and Whelan-who's shown poorish form in 2024 and 2025. David Burke and Padraic Mannion looking 'finished'. Of the younger crew Gavin Lee, Morrissey, Kevin Cooney and young Molloy might be the closest we had to a desired standard on occasion in 2025." Ok so on the subject of a rebuild for winning things in 4 years time you are talking 3 lads who will be well into their mid 30s, plus 4 lads who still aren't the finished article? Surely to God there's more lads than that? Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16768 - 30/07/2025 14:39:21 2629279 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Ok so on the subject of a rebuild for winning things in 4 years time you are talking 3 lads who will be well into their mid 30s, plus 4 lads who still aren't the finished article? Surely to God there's more lads than that?" I didn't say anything about 'a rebuild for winning things in 4 years time'. I merely responded to your question regarding my opinion of who Galway's 'core players' are currently. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4358 - 30/07/2025 19:36:25 2629352 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "I didn't say anything about 'a rebuild for winning things in 4 years time'. I merely responded to your question regarding my opinion of who Galway's 'core players' are currently." Ah ok. The 1st 3 are top level intercounty hurlers by any standards. Think you are being hard on Daithi Burke and P Mannion, both very good players still imo. Not sure the other 4 would be core players, as in automatic starters, except perhaps Morrissey. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16768 - 30/07/2025 21:58:29 2629378 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "I didn't say anything about 'a rebuild for winning things in 4 years time'. I merely responded to your question regarding my opinion of who Galway's 'core players' are currently." Cathal Mannion was the only real talent we had this year from the old brigade, whelan kept falling down in possession and coughed up the ball too much. Daithi Burke played ok but sendings off are a problem and hes 32 years old now. Players lose a step by 30 so I can only see a decline from here. I agree with the youth selections you made from the limited view I saw of them. Im glad that we are D1 in the league so hopefully we can see more of these and some of the younger players coming through. Gavin Lee may be a decent player but hes not an intercounty center half, theres a lot of parts that need replacement so no better time than the present BostonGuy (Galway) - Posts: 184 - 31/07/2025 02:42:02 2629393 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Ah ok. The 1st 3 are top level intercounty hurlers by any standards. Think you are being hard on Daithi Burke and P Mannion, both very good players still imo. Not sure the other 4 would be core players, as in automatic starters, except perhaps Morrissey." Ah they would be yeah, sure Lee starts every game at no6. Outside of Cathal Mannion, Kevin Cooney is the only pacey forward we have, although very injury prone unfortunately. Molloy isn't an established starter yet obviously, only debuting this season, and i didn't say that he was. What I said was that he was one of the younger players, who in my opinion, met a desired standard of performance on occasion in 2025. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4358 - 31/07/2025 19:37:11 2629534 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "Ah they would be yeah, sure Lee starts every game at no6. Outside of Cathal Mannion, Kevin Cooney is the only pacey forward we have, although very injury prone unfortunately. Molloy isn't an established starter yet obviously, only debuting this season, and i didn't say that he was. What I said was that he was one of the younger players, who in my opinion, met a desired standard of performance on occasion in 2025." Molloy looked good at times ok, but I thought Fleming did also. The fact Lee started every game at 6 this year still doesn't mean he will be a good 6, jury still out for me. Kevin Cooney has had good games too. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16768 - 01/08/2025 07:15:11 2629572 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Molloy looked good at times ok, but I thought Fleming did also. The fact Lee started every game at 6 this year still doesn't mean he will be a good 6, jury still out for me. Kevin Cooney has had good games too." Whether he's a good 6 or not, he'll likely play every game next season if he's fit, at no6 or someplace else. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4358 - 01/08/2025 10:59:13 2629615 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Molloy looked good at times ok, but I thought Fleming did also. The fact Lee started every game at 6 this year still doesn't mean he will be a good 6, jury still out for me. Kevin Cooney has had good games too." but the elephent in the room is we have declined further again in 2025. Hammered twice by Kilkenny and Tipp. Players looked good against weak opposition end of. Black&White26 (Galway) - Posts: 12 - 01/08/2025 14:56:55 2629660 Link
Replying To Black&White26: "but the elephent in the room is we have declined further again in 2025. Hammered twice by Kilkenny and Tipp. Players looked good against weak opposition end of." At least you can dress that elephant up as improvement too of course, depending on the way you look at it. Last year,beaten by Dublin and Wexford. This year, beat Dublin and Wexford. Hammered twice this year, but weren't even good enough to reach those games in 2024. That elephant was clearly in the room in 2024 as well, but perhaps was on a loo break when you looked into the room. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4358 - 01/08/2025 18:26:29 2629697 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "At least you can dress that elephant up as improvement too of course, depending on the way you look at it. Last year,beaten by Dublin and Wexford. This year, beat Dublin and Wexford. Hammered twice this year, but weren't even good enough to reach those games in 2024. That elephant was clearly in the room in 2024 as well, but perhaps was on a loo break when you looked into the room." Well done we are on the up so..... as I said players looked good against poor teams. Black&White26 (Galway) - Posts: 12 - 02/08/2025 10:00:08 2629751 Link
Replying To Black&White26: "Well done we are on the up so..... as I said players looked good against poor teams." You're right. No improvement with them this year and what is EoS doing with the forwards nothing from that I can see BigBàsMan (Galway) - Posts: 177 - 02/08/2025 17:11:00 2629804 Link
I'm hoping that during this year's Galway Club Championship some late bloomers or diamonds in the rough are discovered and compete for a County slot. Very unrealistic of me but I'm just hoping. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2614 - 02/08/2025 19:07:33 2629811 Link
Replying To Trump2020: "I'm hoping that during this year's Galway Club Championship some late bloomers or diamonds in the rough are discovered and compete for a County slot. Very unrealistic of me but I'm just hoping." We can but hope though it would seem unlikely. Seems to me we need some 'project players' ie identify those who are good enough earlier on, then pick them and stick with them unless/until it's apparent they won't get to the level. The alternative is to do what we did v Tipp and play all of the older established players over and over again. And we all know how that movie ends, it's the same every year at this point. Groundhog Day. Stool Pigeon (Galway) - Posts: 951 - 02/08/2025 21:03:15 2629832 Link
On paper there are a couple of crackers next weekend to kick off the championship. Oranmore and Sarsfields on Friday should be a great game. Oranmore with bundles of young talent coming through and Sarsfields with one of the most solid spines in the county (Morrissey, Joseph, Connaire/MacCarthaigh/John Cooney, Kevin Cooney). Larkins against Cappy in the group of death is a big one for both teams. Larkins had a poor end to last season but they have the potential to beat most teams on their day. Turlough against the Bridge has to be the game of the championship group stages. Turlough the best team in the league and were missing their county lads for the majority of it. Very strong panel this year and they know they made a mess last year in the quarter final. I'd have them as favourites to lift the cup. We all know the stick men that Clarinbridge have - a dry ball and they will be very tough to beat. Not sure if Gavin Lee is back from the US for this one but they will still have Evan Niland with a point to prove and the two young lads Aaron Niland and Joshua Ryan in the forwards. Would imagine TJ Brennan would play at 6 if Lee isn't available. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 952 - 03/08/2025 20:19:46 2629951 Link
Replying To galway19: "On paper there are a couple of crackers next weekend to kick off the championship. Oranmore and Sarsfields on Friday should be a great game. Oranmore with bundles of young talent coming through and Sarsfields with one of the most solid spines in the county (Morrissey, Joseph, Connaire/MacCarthaigh/John Cooney, Kevin Cooney). Larkins against Cappy in the group of death is a big one for both teams. Larkins had a poor end to last season but they have the potential to beat most teams on their day. Turlough against the Bridge has to be the game of the championship group stages. Turlough the best team in the league and were missing their county lads for the majority of it. Very strong panel this year and they know they made a mess last year in the quarter final. I'd have them as favourites to lift the cup. We all know the stick men that Clarinbridge have - a dry ball and they will be very tough to beat. Not sure if Gavin Lee is back from the US for this one but they will still have Evan Niland with a point to prove and the two young lads Aaron Niland and Joshua Ryan in the forwards. Would imagine TJ Brennan would play at 6 if Lee isn't available." Paddy power would have a different opinion than you.. there's a reason they haven't won anything in 40 odd years. It takes a lot more than talent to win the county cup. I don't get the clarinbridge hype at all. The over reliance on Evan niland is astounding. Literally nobody else was scoring for them last year. Beaten comprehensively for Loughrea twice and Loughrea missing Martin McManus and a half fit Jamie Ryan. BigBàsMan (Galway) - Posts: 177 - 04/08/2025 11:22:57 2630004 Link
Replying To BigBàsMan: "Paddy power would have a different opinion than you.. there's a reason they haven't won anything in 40 odd years. It takes a lot more than talent to win the county cup. I don't get the clarinbridge hype at all. The over reliance on Evan niland is astounding. Literally nobody else was scoring for them last year. Beaten comprehensively for Loughrea twice and Loughrea missing Martin McManus and a half fit Jamie Ryan." Paddy Power also have Thomas' third favourites at 4/1 which seems miles off. They should have been beaten by Gort last year and I can't see them being involved in the business end at all with Fintan injured. Can't believe they are shorter price than Clarinbridge or Sarsfields. If I had to rank a top four it would be Turloughmore followed by Loughrea, Clarinbridge and then Sarsfields. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 952 - 05/08/2025 08:49:26 2630099 Link
Replying To galway19: "Paddy Power also have Thomas' third favourites at 4/1 which seems miles off. They should have been beaten by Gort last year and I can't see them being involved in the business end at all with Fintan injured. Can't believe they are shorter price than Clarinbridge or Sarsfields. If I had to rank a top four it would be Turloughmore followed by Loughrea, Clarinbridge and then Sarsfields." Any idea how long Fintan will be out? Maybe Thomas's are ahead of Bridge and Sarsfields due to doing something LATELY. Maybe they are in a softer group. Hard to say but I do know Paddy Power are not a charity so there has to be a good reason. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2614 - 05/08/2025 13:20:15 2630147 Link
Replying To Trump2020: "Any idea how long Fintan will be out? Maybe Thomas's are ahead of Bridge and Sarsfields due to doing something LATELY. Maybe they are in a softer group. Hard to say but I do know Paddy Power are not a charity so there has to be a good reason." Paddy Power don't determine odds by how likely an outcome is, but by how much money they will make on all the different possible outcomes. In other words it's the betting, or more particular the amounts bet, that determine the odds. If me and 4000 others all went in and put a few euros each on Bridge to win the title they would be clear favourites. If just me, you, and ten others went in and put enough on them they'd shorten the price. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16768 - 05/08/2025 14:38:08 2630169 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Paddy Power don't determine odds by how likely an outcome is, but by how much money they will make on all the different possible outcomes. In other words it's the betting, or more particular the amounts bet, that determine the odds. If me and 4000 others all went in and put a few euros each on Bridge to win the title they would be clear favourites. If just me, you, and ten others went in and put enough on them they'd shorten the price." Fair enough. So are you saying the majority of people or bettors favor St Thomas's over Bridge and Sarsfields? Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2614 - 05/08/2025 15:07:09 2630174 Link
Replying To Trump2020: "Any idea how long Fintan will be out? Maybe Thomas's are ahead of Bridge and Sarsfields due to doing something LATELY. Maybe they are in a softer group. Hard to say but I do know Paddy Power are not a charity so there has to be a good reason." It was neck surgery for Fintan which seemed serious so unlikely to see him soon for all that he is as tough as nails. They are in a handy group to get through but I wouldn't fancy them to beat four or five teams if they played them this weekend. Oranmore will be the interesting ones to watch on Friday. Savage underage groups coming through and I noticed from their football team list that a lot of the lads who were playing both hurling and football seem to be only on the hurling panel this year. galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 952 - 05/08/2025 15:31:51 2630177 Link