Two reasons not to bet on Galway

I enjoyed the Galway Leitrim game yesterday and especially the performance of former All Star Padraig Joyce.
Joyce is simply a class act, a player who always played with some grace, intelligence and skill.
He had it all including speed off the mark and his quick thinking unlocked many a defence over the years.
However, Padraig in my view was last a great player three to four seasons back and his best work in a Galway jersey goes back for me to the great side of '98 to '01.
He has been one of the best forwards in the country over the last ten years but Galway's continued dependence on Joyce to produce the goods is one of two reasons why I won't be rushing out to the bookies to put what's left of the equity on the house on the Tribesmen.
Joyce has lost a little of the pace which made him the scourge of defences up and down the country but he still knows where the onion is and he gave a masterclass in finishing against Leitrim in yesterday's Connacht semi final.
However, Leitrim are not one of the country's top sides, they're not even near it and yet most of what was good about the Tribesmen's attack came through Joyce.
The other reason why Galway won't win the Sam Maguire is that their defence leaks like a sieve.
That's ok in Connacht although Mayo may have other ideas. However, Galway's cavalier style, no matter how pleasing on the eye, won't cut it in the latter stages of the championship, not because there's anything wrong with the attack mindedness of Liam Sammons' team but because they can't defend for shite.
I wonder is Sammon playing the old double bluff that his team are going to play pretty because they believe in it and they will then review their tactics when they come up against better opposition later in the season.
I hope so as I am a fan of the way Tribesmen play but if they are to get back to the top table they will have to plug the gaps in defence.

Bergin's absence casts shadow over Galway win

Earlier in the season I said that the loss of midfielder Joe Bergin could have a massive impact on Galway's chances in this season's All Ireland.
I am more convinced of that today after Galway's defeat of Roscommon.
While the Tribesman totally outplayed an inept Roscommon in the second half and tagged on an impressive score to run out winners by 16 points they struggled in the first half after Roscommon pulled Karol Mannion back to the middle and he provided a platform for the Rossies to fight back in the run-up to half time.
However, when Roscommon had a player set off early in the second half Galway used the space well and simply punched holes in the opposition defence.
Padraig Joyce's passing and movement in the second half was a treat to watch but at times Galway seemed to be playing almost a training game and they were not stretched other than in the second quarter of the game.
However, I feel that Bergin's absence will cost them dearly if they come up against the Kerry midfield or Derry's Fergal Doherty.
Roscommon have a mountain to climb to get off the floor after this one, I think the best they can hope for is to give some of their promising young players a run out in the qualifiers, they are as bad as they have been for long many a day.
We didn't learn too much about the Tribesmen, they are great to watch and it's how I like to see football played but I can't help but feeling that they will come up well short in a tough game which is a pity.
Padraig Joyce is one of the best footballers of the last 25 years but I think his move to centre half forward is a sign of weakness in the Tribesmen's game plan.
Ageing footballers are usually moved forward or further back late in their career, it's not usual to bring them out to positions where more not less movement is required and good a footballer as Padraig Joyce is I believe he will struggle against top centre backs as the season progresses.
The Tribesmen move on to face Leitrim but Liam Sammon will be hoping that Bergin may be around to play some part in the season cos when Sam's handed out there are no prizes for the nicest team to watch.