Rory OāConnor is decent at everything.
We have a few free takers that are all moving parts. Stand back from the ball, big high jab lift and a wide arc of a swishy, wild swipe at it in the air at a different height from one free to the next.
All that movement and inconsistency in the strike leads to varying results. Sometimes a few in a row go over despite using a technique that doesnāt allow for consistent results, but ultimately we miss loads of frees.
P Foley is probably the best long range option but I donāt know with the close in ones. Iāve seen McDonald, Chin and ROC miss really easy ones from inside the 45 over the past 2 years. Jack OāConnor was on frees towards the end of the league and his style is as outlined above. He was good in some games and not in others.
Some of the national pundits have kinda lazily said we need to give our household name player like Chin the responsibility and let him get the scores and inspire those around him. But the other side of the coin is itās a bit of a killer if youāre driving handy frees wide.
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Iād 100% agree. Your description of too many moving parts nails it.
As an aside, I went to watch a bit of lancs and associates vs Leitrim.
The refereeing was poor in that, unlike someone such as myself, whoās equally incompetent for both sides, this referee favoured lancs throughout. The Leitrim lads were doing their nut, and deserved better having travelled. I donāt think there were umpires at first. A couple were press ganged. Lancs hit a wide, signalled as a wide, and the ref gave a point. A lancs forward then leapt unopposed to catch a ball, spilled it over the end line, and the ref gave a 65 which was scored. The free count in favour of lancs in the first half was astronomical. It spoils any game, no matter who you want to win, when it doesnāt appear to be quite an even playing field.
The Leitrim lads gave far less abuse however than I received from the ladies football team on weds for my honest incompetence, and itās left me feeling hard done by.
Itās odd, because generally Iāve been amazed by the standard of referees at this level, and at club level in Ireland.
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He was possibly 25 then, so 27 years ago - early 50s. Had a year in Callan then went into Kierans
That definitely him? I know he hurled with Carlow but thought it was a few years earlier. He was out in Callan when I was in first year. Sound man, softly spoken too, always struck me as a bit dithery, had a habit of turning on the lights in the classroom as soon as he entered no matter what the conditions. Could have been blazing sunshine, room flooded with light, in heād come and on would come the lights.
Yeah, it was him alright. Think I was in either 3rd yr or 5th yr when he was there. That same Pat Murphy was from St Mullens and played in the forwards.
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Pat Murphy would have been around 30 by 1993 Iād say. Much better spread of clubs back in 1993. You still had an input from Carlow Town with the Haydenās (of Eire Og football fame) and a strong Leighlin contingent.
The three English brothers (sons of Wexford 1956 All Ireland winning captain Jim) were there. The Englishās were hurling with Erins Own in Bagenalstown after defecting from Ballinkillen. Pat Englishās Son David is centre back tomorrow. Back in the fold in Ballinkillen now.
Just one Mount Leinster Rangers player. They were still intermediate in 1993.
Mark Mullins threw in his lot with Cork after 1992.
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Your two brothers played as well, fair play to ye 
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With Frankie Flowers as sponsor and local club for closutton they should be well set
I would have liked to see Shane Reck start instead of Donoghue. Shane looks a smashing hurler and has done well anytime Iāve seen him play.
Itās a very experienced team that Davy has picked, no real surprises. I probably would have preferred if Dunbar was included with possibly leaving out Joc but perhaps the likes of Dunbar and Casey could be game changers off the benchā¦ weāll see!
Just on free taking I think someone said Chin is going to be on themā¦ I think I would have asked Roc to take them, just feel heās probably the best we have.
Any chance Waterford go with a sweeper to try and counteract the dangerous ball that Tipp were hitting their full forward line with last weekend. Or is the new manager adverse to that kind of thinking?
Horses for courses Iād imagine.
Iād rarely advocate going with a sweeper but if I was Waterford Iād make an exception. The ball Tipp were hitting in, especially in the first half, was as good as anything Iāve seen in a few years.
Could just do a kk on it and play all the lines deep.
It was very easy as the Cork team were strolling around leaving their men in acres of space all day long.
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Tis all the one if your own forwards stand up and watch the opposition driving it in.
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If anyone is looking for a city end ticket I may have one spare. I am going in early so let me know.
I donāt see it being that easy a fix, especially for a Waterford team that looked mediocre enough last week. This is a classic line of form maker or breaker. Tipp do the same thing to Waterford that they did to Cork last week you probably make them AI favourites. Waterford turn them over and Munster is back being the 5 way mess we know and love.
A draw it is then!