Best championship in years already? Cork and limerick with big upsets and Dublin nearly with another, Laois making huge strides nearly taking out Galway, wexford (hatchet men) resurgent, Kk looking vulnerable, fuck it it’s just brilliant.
Davey Fitz is some tool.
“I’m absolutely disgusted with a few things, but I’m not going to go into it…”
Why even mention it then?
At least TV3 are calling him out on it. Clown. Can’t see what his problem is
“I’m absolutely disgusted with a few things, but I’m not going to go into it…”
Go home and weep you pathetic excuse for a Clare man.
[quote=“Fran, post: 791125, member: 110”]Davey Fitz is some tool.
“I’m absolutely disgusted with a few things, but I’m not going to go into it…”
Why even mention it then?[/quote]
He used to do that shit when he was managing Waterford too-he is a pup.
Ah fuck it, I like Davy Fitz.
4 weeks in a row would have no impact unless they’ve picked up injuries. A week is ample time to recover.
It’s not the physical side it’s the mental peak and freshness
And if Dublin are beaten in the replay next weekend won’t they play Clare or Tipp the week after in the qualifiers, meaning they’ll have played five weeks in a row? That would be tough going.
This is some pile of shit from Crowe.
It would be absolutely ridiculous if Dublin were sent out 5 weeks in a row.
Why? They’d be training hard if they weren’t playing. If I was a player I’d love it.
Five matches in five weeks would be very unfair though, you’d be knackered mentally more than physically. Impossible to maintain focus and concentration for five consecutive weeks.
Just some more on Dublin-Kilkenny:
Paul Schutte had an absolutely immense game for Dublin. Totally snuffed out Colin Fennelly and even went forward against the wind to collect a pass on the run and shoot over a great point.
Peter Kelly was impressive too with his speed and strength. A couple of loose passes when he’d actually won possession were punished but he was very good in the second half.
Corcoran found Walter Walsh a real handful but struggled on gamely.
Rushe was really, really good in the second half. At one stage near the end, he plucked 3 balls out of the air in 3 successive attacks. Carton’s having a good season and had another more than decent game.
McCaffrey was the spare man when Dublin moved to a 2-man full forward line after half time and that as good as I’ve seen him play in ages. He was a key component of their running, support play game - picking up short passes, moving it on intelligently or carrying it and he also got a very good point.
Boland took over the frees when Ryan was hauled off and was very good on them - he was also very prominent in open play. Suttcliffe had come back to midfield with McCaffrey dropping back but was taken off for Durkin early in the second half. He may have taken a knock - I think he scored a point only, Dublin’s opener.
Keaney came up really big at the end. He pointed to level it at 0-15 to 1-12, was unlucky with an effort off the post and won the free for Boland to put them up at 0-16 to 1-12. He also did an outstanding piece of skill at 0-16 to 1-13, a diving block followed by a sharp pick up when he was on the ground.
Dwyer worked tirelessly, as you’d expect, as did Treacy. Ryan and McCormack weren’t factors but O’Callaghan and Mark Schutte made really telling contributions off the bench. They occupied three Kilkenny defenders between them but were helped by the good quality ball coming in.
Dublin played much better than I thought they were capable of in the second half with their smart use of short passes and working the ball up the field and using the extra man in their own half against what was a gale. A lot of good cross field passes to O’Callaghan who gave Fogarty a tough time and Schutte made life uncomfortable for Delaney and got a fine late point too.
Great report Bandage.
Kilkenny got out of jail today. Their equalizer came about 3.5 mins into a 2 minute injury time. Saying that the previous Dublin point was from a very soft free.
Dublin were brutal in first half and wasted countless chances with the wind. Their forwards kept refusing to take shots and never tried to run at goal. They kept trying to pass it to another man further out the pitch. Ryan missed a few frees and missed an one on one goal chance when he got a lucky break from the nervous looking JJ Delaney. The wind was so strong that the Kilkenny puck outs were landing just about the half way line. The Kilkenny forwards weren’t great but Walter Walsh was skinning Shutte with 3 points. Eoin Larkin put over some excellent frees before missing easier ones towards the end of the half. Paul Murphy being stretchered off with, in evident pain, with an ankle, injury seemed to be the most significant incident. I thought Kilkenny would walk it at half time.
Dublin came out transformed in the second half. Playing into the wind seemed to suit them better. They dropped McCaffrey back in front of Richie Power and Rushe, who had a great game, dropped back into space and proceeded to hoover up ball. Paddy Hogan, on for Murphy, played as a free man instead of the Kilkenny full back line. Cillian Buckley swapped into this role and was far better.
The Dublin backs were superb in the 2nd half. Shutte who was switched out to half back and especially Peter Kelly were oustanding. The number 3 just ate up most of the Kilkenny clearances. Dublin got the first few scores before Walsh got in for a goal from a break off a long clearance.
Up front Dotsy, on for Ryan, and Mark Schutte, on for McCormack, were proving a right handful. Keaney was excellent too when the game really was up for grabs.
KK were average all over the pitch. They kept in it again with frees. Walsh scored 1.4 of 1.7 Kilkenny scored from play. Larkin and richie Power are shadows of their former selves. Colin Fennelly was very poor. Richie Hogan was good in small patches but was dominated by bigger men. JJ was first to most balls but kept losing it. Dublin did a great job of bottling up the half back line. Buckley was good enough. Rice was taken off. Taggy and Matthew Ruth had no effect when they came on. Cody’s surprising decision to drop TJ, their best forward last year, was plainly wrong. He was effective in possession and his final score was a cracker in the circumstances.
I’d be interested what Bandage thought of the ref. I’m not sure of his name. Somebody says he was from Tipp. I’m biased always, but thought he was a little picky, esp against Kilkenny. The last free against Lester Ryan was ridiculously harsh.
The small number of Dublin hurling fans were rightly gutted after the game that they probably should have won
As for Kilkenny:
Paul Murphy was stretchered off before half time - he looked in severe pain and it seemed to be an ankle/foot injury. He’d earlier collided with one of the other full back line members to give a great goal chance to Ryan, who didn’t connect cleanly and Eoin Murphy stood up to repel it.
Delaney and Fogarty were tested by Schutte and O’Callaghan when they came on and Paddy Hogan was the spare man when Dublin reverted to a 2-man full forward line having replaced Murphy - he wasn’t all that impressive.
Tommy Walsh was quite good - the Kilkenny crowd were seething when Johnny Ryan (Tipperary) penalised him for that swipe back with the hurl he does in possession to free himself from tacklers. Hogan played well and had a good battle with Dwyer, while Joyce was good too but Keaney finished very strongly.
Michael Rice was a disappointment to me today and I don’t know if he was injured before being replaced by Reid at half time. Lester Ryan was more prominent without being outstanding but was perhaps harshly penalised for overcarrying for Boland’s last free for Dublin. I thought the Dublin midfield won that battle today overall but they were supplemented by the extra player in the second half.
Cillian Buckley started in place of Fogarty with Fennelly moving to corner forward and was involved in the play a fair bit without doing anything to stand out - he went back to midfield when Reid came on. Richie Power was okay in the first half but moved in full forward after half time and was well held by Kelly and ultimately replaced.
Larkin started well from frees and open play but faded as the game progressed. The wind was a joke but he missed one really bad free before half time. Colin Fennelly didn’t really get on the ball at all - Schutte was really good - and he’ll struggle to retain his place based on that performance (despite being captain).
Richie Hogan got a few good points - he moved around a bit as the game progressed with Power going in full forward for a spell. He was briefly wing and corner forward. Walter Walsh was excellent and bagged 1-4 or 1-5 from play. 3 excellent points from play against the gale in the first half and took his goal brilliantly too. It goes without saying that they would have been fucked without him today. TJ Reid toiled away without having much joy until his point at the death to level it.
Michael Fennelly and Henry Shefflin were pucking around on the pitch beforehand without taking part in the collective warm up. They were sporting trainers and team tracksuits. I’m not sure how close Fennelly is to returning but he’s needed based on today. Tyrell was also a big miss given how O’Callaghan and Schutte posed a fair few problems to the full back line.
Kid had them too. I had one point on them at 12/1 to win and had 5 points on a + 7 handicap at 2/1. Two things prompted the bet. Waterford who are shit beating Offaly nearly as easily as Kk did. And Shefflingtons absence. KK are not a team without Shefflington. He has carried them for 13 years. Cody know this which is why Cody ensured the Shefflington will end his days as a cripple when he played him in an All Ireland final with a gammy cruciate. It’s always worth backing against KK when Henry is out.
I also put five points on Cork at 11/8 when I heard Tony Kelly was out.
It made up for a shit Ascot.
Jaysus Dublin were fierce innocent the way they played Walter. The back out in front of him all the time and getting beaten over his head.
Has Daly been following Mouseys diet?