“I think its niave to think that Cunningham would think that roughing it up with Kilkenny will suffice? Is that what you implying Kid Chocolate”
i hope you are right, but the sight of joe canning playing MF for periods v Cork and Galways most effective forward again today just drifting out, combined with the air on the deliveries esp in the second half would have me greatly worried to be perfectly honest
KK were not right for the Leinster final, I think most reasonable people would accept that now. Cunninghams other 4 games were v Westmeath, Offaly and today v KK in the u21 and i would be very worried re the way Galway setup. I think KK will score at least 4 goals (like KK did today and Westmeath did and Offaly should have) and the AI final will be a very one sided affair unless he cooks up a game plan which involves some huge aspect of Galways MF play I have not seen (blown away there again today) and a speed of delivery inside into space as the primary strategy. He is obsessed with size and physique and Galway look slow and predicitable to me today and v Cork with their more dangerous forwards badly positioned due to the lack of ammunition
With their goal scoring potential they should probably be shorter than that. This Clare group have always been very close to them though so you never know. It’ll take a much better performance than anything they’ve delivered so far this year.
I would be cautiously optimistic about our chances all the same. Especially seeing how easily Galway got their two goals by simply running hard at the kilkenny backs, something they didn’t really bother to do in the opening 40 odd minutes
will be a good final, 2 very constrasting styles, KK definitely deserved favs, i thought Clare were very poor today, another 13 wides against very poor oposition
The 2009 team were far superior from 1 to 4 anyway. Think this side are a superior side in terms of technical ability but the 2009 had plenty of steel about them and an in form Darach Honan that gave them a bit of an x factor. We will need big games from the likes of Galvin, Kelly, Collins and McGrath in the final
Conlon also had x factor, thats my worry too. we are going to have to get huge early performances from Taeffe, Ryan, Mc and FLanagan. I think they have it in them, but how they perform will decide this game. KK also very strong at MF, but we are too. Galway forwards were starved of any good posession today so KK defence an unknown, but very strong under the ball
That minor team is of age next year. Yesterdays win would not have been expected at all.
Not hugely unusual for an u-21 team to come a year early in KK though. The problem is that when they do, the following year tends to be a flop when the expectations are greater.
It’s quite clear that a few of the Galway players were minding themselves yesterday, no harm either u-21 titles are two a penny in Galway. That said Kilkenny were excellent and they’ll make short work of Clare in the Final.
No injuries to report and now time to focus on the real thing
[quote=“Lazarus, post: 664433”]It’s quite clear that a few of the Galway players were minding themselves yesterday, no harm either u-21 titles are two a penny in Galway. That said Kilkenny were excellent and they’ll make short work of Clare in the Final.
No injuries to report and now time to focus on the real thing[/quote]
Wow, This is very interesting, could you name the Galway players that were "clearly " minding themselves ?
The Galway Tactics yesterday were mind boggling, down at half time and didn’t follow the extra KK man out the field in the second half, kept horsing it into a KK full back line that ate it up all day had success with a running game but didn’t continue it.
Your townie already did. Just glad yesterdays out of the way to be honest. Cunninghams remit was to turn successful young players into successful seniors. Going alright so far.
The non-performance of Coen, Regan, and Cooney has to be a concern after yesterday. If they can’t live with the kittens the cats will eat them alive.[/quote]
It’s not the individual performances that stood out for me, the shit stupid use of the ball was the single biggest feature that I took from it, and when you consider both Galway senior and u21 panels train together that is significant . But that was all before we knew Galway had thrown the game
[quote=“Lazarus, post: 664437”]
Your townie already did. Just glad yesterdays out of the way to be honest. Cunninghams remit was to turn successful young players into successful seniors. Going alright so far.[/quote]
I think You’ll find that’s every senior managers remit, but its good you’ve finally got there