TJ Ryan: 'Galway haven't put the consistency around a 70 minute performance to say 'this is the team''
TJ Ryan sees flashes of the old Galway in recent displays but knows they are far from the finished article as he spoke on Dalo's Hurling Show for the Irish Examiner.
Micheál Donoghue's side last won an All-Ireland back in 2017 when they beat Waterford. They reached the final the year after, losing agonisingly to Limerick by a point. Since then it has been the great struggle for The Tribesmen.
For Ryan the solution was - somewhat - simple: "If Galway are to be successful they need to get with quick ball into the forward line, they need to get goals and they need to get a style that suits them and that they all buy into."
With their All-Ireland quarter-final against Tipperary in Thurles looming, Ryan claims it is the 'perfect game' for Donoghue's team.
"I think this is the perfect game for Galway. There was a few flashes in them during Leinster championship where they looked like they were getting back to where they wanted to be.
"Cathal Mannion is hitting Hurler of the Year form, his striking has been off the charts, he's been a beacon. David Brooks is back in the middle of the field, Daithí Burke is back. We've found a centre back in Gavin Lee.
"But, they haven't put the consistency around a 70 minute performance to say 'this is the team'.
"There's a positive in that they stuck at it in the Leinster final, now how much of that was Kilkenny falling away, we don't know."
Galway manager Micheál Donoghue during the Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship final match between Kilkenny and Galway at Croke Park. File picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Former Limerick manager Ryan emphasised the importance of showing up on the big occassion, something Galway have failed to do on a handful of occassions in recent memory - including the beginning of this year's league campaign.
"One thing I would say for Galway people here, and I'd nearly put this in the dressing room for them, is if you don't show up you won't win. They've got to show up here. They went into the first round of the league this year and they didn't show up at all.
"Galway people, being the sort of hurling fanatics that they are, they want to play their way, they want to push up, they want to have a go and if they get beat by a better team they'll say alright fair enough.
"Even Micheál [Donoghue] alluded to it after the Leinster final they they weren't doing what he wanted them to do. So, I think that that is where some of the confusion is."
It goes without saying Galway have a wealth of individual talent but, as Ryan points out, a lack of cohesion in the forward line has cost them.
"Conor Whelan is a very good inside forward but they haven't been getting supply to him, that hasn't been working so they've had to bring him out the field and he's played well at times.
"Brian Concannon has had flashes where he's scored plenty aswell. They've moved Cathal Mannion in and out. The inside forward line and the delivery of ball into the inside forward line are the two things that need to click for Galway".
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