Dublin basically weren’t good enough to carry out gameplan against wind. It was like throwing nuts to monkeys running at Fennelly, etc. like that.
They really were up for it in first half but heads dropped badly (and understandably maybe) after Kilkenny’s goal. Moving the best forward, Treacy, to wing back/deep lying midfielder was a bizaare decision by the management, as was moving their worst forward Ryan O’Dwyer in onto a struggling Holden after he had been carded and further penalised.
From a KK perspective, I thought they looked vary shaky in the first half when Dublin were competitive. Lennon was grand but never a corner back. Still a better option than Jackie. Joyce was more sprightly than usual. I was surprised to see he seemed to be using a Cultec hurl. I haven’t seen any other inter county lads use one. Buckley, Murphys and both midfielders were excellent. Forwards were only average. Lester Ryan would be lost in August/September. Larkin was way off the pace but I would never drop him. Walter and John Joe were the standouts. I’d think even good corner backs would struggle on JJ, he is so awkward. You wouldn’t know where to start trying to hook/block him.
Rightly or wrongly he was given huge amount of credit for Corks performances in 2013. Interestingly I believe that himself and JBM barely speak despite being club mates
as I said when he was appointed he doesn’t have personality to be a manager or to lead a team. He has, as predicted, alienated lots of players and lost them to the panel.
Enda writing on chipp v rimlick in dexaminer today
Among Cork’s myriad failings this past couple of years has been their inability or unwillingness to do due diligence on the opposition. They haven’t just lost the winning touch. They haven’t just lost their first touch (12 possessions coughed up in the opening half against Tipp, most of them butter-fingered out over the sideline). They’ve lost their low cunning.
Three articles in the Examiner that essentially explain how Limerick shouldn’t get their knickers in a twist implementing a system to defend against Tipp, all of which then go on to explain what kind of system Limerick need to defend against Tipp. The Expensive Corkman even has a diagram with helmetless hurlers and arrows and circles like some sort of Apres Match sketch.
And an interview with Teege saying we need 15 lads playing well. Teege knows.
