Weâre just focused on the Cork game. Much less pressure with a medal in the back pocket.
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In fairness to Mahoney he was being marked by Cathal Malone who has this inate ability to spoil and completely stop his man from hurling while not being able to do much else. He is the 21st century version of Michael OâHalloran. He isnât the first or last who barely pucked a ball while Malone was man marking him
If Mahony has even been asked to take the frees. it would have given him something to do for the 70 minutes. It would probably have put three more points onto the total as well.
Kennedy will surely get a big ban for that? Disgraceful carry on from a selector
Donât know what youâre laughing about.
Was it just me or did Tipperary hit an awful lot of puckouts straight down the middle? Itâs not something that people would generally say is advisable but they did alright on the breaks. Tim OâMahony caught one clean in the second half but generally they seemed happy to just get the hurley up and knock it down for a break.
It didnât seem like a particularly nuanced puckout strategy, utilised the distance that Hogan can get with the big booming puckouts but they did okay on it.
This is going to sound appallingly sycophantic, but itâs always interesting to hear from someone knowledgeable whoâs actually watched the game. Television often gives you no idea of how it actually played out.
I thought before it started that clare, Cork and waterford were the main threats to limerick. I still think that Waterford have the makings of an all Ireland winning side, but tipp are right back in the mix. Honestly think that kk give all they have, but someone will beat them, galway have run their race honourably, which is all you can ask, but they have run their natural life cycle, Dublin donât have the forwards, and wexford have run through the two year davy routine, and are not likely to threaten the scorers.
I think that if Maurice is a starter, itâs easier for teams to negate him. He has come on a few times against a team trying to defend a lead, which is silly in hurling, and nor something youâd ever see Cody do, but itâs a different game entirely.
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Awful regression in Waterford after the steady progress of 2015 & 16 to semi final, League win in 15, U21 All Ireland In 16 and final appearance in 17. Derek McGrath was possibly guilty of over complicating things and been too systems focused but there was always a game plan and players bought into it. I couldnât see any discernible game plan from Waterford today. I was a t the match and I couldnât believe after all the drama about Walsh Park, how flat the atmosphere was. The mood of a match and crowd is often set in first few minutes and the Waterford team didnât do anything to fire up the home support.
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I watched it on TV and exactly what I thought, I expected the place to be buzzing and it was like looking at a league game in the sun.
No game plan at all, itâs all well and fine being âdirectâ and going âman on manâ but that today was pathetic to watch
I actually thought Kearney was far from the worst Waterford player today, looked to me like he was working hard at least.
I would say that if you have a half-forward line which includes Kearney & Mahony, youâd want to have a decent puckout strategy. Waterford looked unsure at best. How many times did SOK give the ball to one of the full-back line only for them to launch it aimlessly or for SOK to do the same and not even bypass the Clare half-back line?
And the Waterford full-forward line was absolutely eaten alive; Shane Bennett seems to have lost a bit of pace but he was beaten all ends-up by Davy McInerney who had a poor enough league. Stephen Bennett came into it a bit in the second half, but was also poor in the first half and really Mahony should have been on the frees. I thought Shanahan could have been brought on at half-time considering how badly they were struggling inside.
And despite all that, they only lost by a point. I thought that in the second half, Clare stopped hitting the dangermen of Conlon & SOD inside. This didnât just happen by accident, Waterford did seem to do a better job of getting bodies in the middle third and pressurising the ball inside. If they had kept the head a little better, maybe they could have sneaked a draw⌠possibly went for goals a little early and gave away some very bad points in defence.
Was hard to tell from the TV, was Moran at wing-back throughout? I thought maybe he would offer more higher up the pitch but maybe he did move up & was just anonymous.
Itâs by design. We vacate wingforward positions and crowd the centre back. Leaves oceans of room for players to run into and creates goal scoring opportunities. Itâs very well executed at times with a player batting a ball down 1 handed and a midfielder coming at pace to pick up the pieces.
Unlikely Iâd say. Itâll be deemed to have been dealt with by the referee. He shouldâve been sent to the stand for it though, although the dressing room might have been a safer haven for him
Great to see us back to our best today. There is an other All Ireland in this group of players. Hunger wont be an issue but injuries to key players may be.
True, if canning isnât right ye are the team to beat. 2016 all over again
What exactly happened with Bill Cooper today? Did he get a dig or what?
His calf was strapped, gave up during warm up.
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Yeah all eyes on Limerick next week. Limerick obviously will be the team to beat this year. The conditioning of their players is incredible but they never blow teams away like they threaten to do at times. A Cork win next week would really throw the cat amongst the pigeons.
From a Tipp perspective, very happy with that considering the worry about over the lack of fresh faces in the starting 15.
Thought Hogan did okay all in all Bar one brainless short puckout in the 1st half. To Corks credit they completely shut down that option but alarmingly it took them the guts of 20mins.
The FB line was pretty good ( even if both CBâs were booked ) and that Barry commanded his area well .
Half back line also more than decent, great to see Brendan hurling like that again, Iâd actually strongly argue he should go to CB.
Ronan Maher canât move fast enough and his distribution is weak.
MF bizarrely wasnât the area I feared weâd get a trimming in. Okay, Breen was mainly an-ominous for stretches but got a great score while also defending reasonably well. Noel was Noel, mixed what looked like a man stuck to the ground with his usual selection of lovely scores.
Half forward line were good too, Bonner looks fit and Seamie excelled roaming from the 40 to the 21. Niall looks to be out now so Dan probably slots straight back in.
Bubbles & John are just unmarkable when in that mood but Forde was the major issue again.
Just never put any stamp on the game, too easily heaved off ball and isnât exactly Quick on his feet either. Iâd happily replace him with Kehoe or Morris.
Ref Cork.
Nash is a major problem for them. He looks like a chap who just does what he wants. Brainless puck outs etc will be papered over by saving a Penalty that good U16 keepers would get too.
Hard for Meyler tbf if thereâs nothIng in the County better than Cadogan or Cahalane. Leary looks a real bit of stuff if he can hone his aggression to win ball that isnât winnable.
Hoggie and Leary probably the main positives for them, although losing Cooper was a major blow you expect more from Harnedy ( great goal ) over the 70 mins. Lehane yet again flattered to achieve what we know he can. They urgently need Cadogan back when you see the 2 lugs ( Walsh & Dalton ) introduced.
The slight glimmer for Cork fans it that there are probably 7 players who can play up to 40% better and who knows whatâs achievable if they all click.
Sheedy & Co will be happy with that today, real desire and skill on show. A doggedness in defence too which had been absent for a long time. Leaders stepping up in all the lines at certain times too.
Youâd like to have seen fresh legs sooner today considering the slog that this new format is.
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