[quote=âFat Poxâ]Well done on the win yesterday. It was easy to see that Clare had a lot more done than Tipp. Tipp were actually away in a training camp in Offaly on Friday and Saturday so that might explain the fatigue in the second half
Some great performances by Gerry O Grady, Gerry Quinn, Carmody and Colin Ryan. Colin Ryan has developed a lot since I saw him last.
Full back line was our only line to do well. Seamus Hennessy started well, has lovely hands but limited mobility. Bonnar Maher stuck his goal well but his time has not come yet. Noel Mac took his score well. Im sure we will see more from him this year further out the field.
Terrible performances from Benny, Festy, Woody and P Kelly. With improved accuracy Hugh Moloney might do on the 40. Lots of catching up to do[/quote]
Thought Pat Donnellan had a fine game alsoâŚryan did well took a couple of nice scores but just seems a bit too cowardly for my liking, certainly has the ability/potential but wonât battle/contest for the ballâŚ
Tipp half forward line was poor again, Moloney tried hard but the rest were poorâŚTwasnât a day to be an inside forward and the pitch was tight
He still doesnt rate it though. Sure Longford made it to the final last year and what use did it do them? Wexford lost to Carlow but yet won every game in the League and get to an AI semi. Its useful for some of the minor counties to hit the ground running but when you see Dublin sending out a third team while the main panel isnât even in the country you can tell its worth.
[quote=âThe Pukeâ]Thought Pat Donnellan had a fine game alsoâŚryan did well took a couple of nice scores but just seems a bit too cowardly for my liking, certainly has the ability/potential but wonât battle/contest for the ballâŚ
Tipp half forward line was poor again, Moloney tried hard but the rest were poorâŚTwasnât a day to be an inside forward and the pitch was tight[/quote]
Nice little set up there in Ogonelloe. Was never there before. Had a lovely view on the terrace/cliff face/potential landslide.
Do the Fordes still play there or did they transfer away. I remember Colm Forde playing Fitz with UL in 02 and I thought he was the next best thing. He was better than Gerry Quinn on that team.
Good on ye lads, ye have yerselves higher up the chain than I had imagined. Better countyâs than ye have been happy to win it by the way, not that it matters much of course.
Poor attempt MBB, would expect more from you. The Fermanagh keeper didnt score 3 unanswered points in extra time to win the game. Plus it was Div 3.
The OâByrne cup, like all winter trophys is nothing more than a warm up competition, giving counties like Louth, Longford Carlow, Leitrim and Clare opportunities to win a trophy early in the year cos they havenât a hope of winning anything else that year.
[quote=âFat Poxâ]Nice little set up there in Ogonelloe. Was never there before. Had a lovely view on the terrace/cliff face/potential landslide.
Do the Fordes still play there or did they transfer away. I remember Colm Forde playing Fitz with UL in 02 and I thought he was the next best thing. He was better than Gerry Quinn on that team.[/quote]
The Forde are still going strongâŚColm was on the Clare panel up to the start of last year, certainly had the ability but too much of a hot head and âŚAnother brother of theirs Kieron was hurling with london a few years agoâŚThey have been holdong their own in senior for a long time now despite having fuck all to pick from, but they always produce decent hurlersâŚGot to the senior B final in 2007
Credit ot Ogonnolloe they did a fine jobâŚGreat view overlooking lough derg alrightâŚ
Thought Benny Dunne and Fitzgerald looked good yesterday for tipp along with Conor O Brien who seemd to love playing against clare
[quote=âmyboyblueâ]He didnt need to, heâd already given ye as much of a help up as he could! Ah he was chronic Mac, be fair.
Fair play, ye took adavantage, but it was the worst goalkeeping at inter county level I think Iâve ever seen.[/quote]
I can only remember 1 goal that was his fault. In the second half when the high ball was lofted in and he punched the ball off Paddy Colfer and in it went. Thought he played well other than that.
Thought Benny Dunne and Fitzgerald looked good yesterday for tipp along with Conor O Brien who seemd to love playing against clare[/quote]
Ya Conor did well, but if he couldnât beat Nugent out to the low balls he might as well forget it. Delighted to see Dimi back after all his injuries.
Would disagree with you about Benny. He is way too loose. He prefers to sit in front of the full back line and pick up easy ball. Put a runner on him (Naughton, Brennan) and untold damage will be had. Also his clearances are aimless with an emphasis on distance. Wouldnât have him on the team. He was very lucky with his outburst yesterday as well.
Any sign of any of the Clonlara lads breaking onto the team?
Any sign of any of the Clonlara lads breaking onto the team?[/quote]
All four of them got a run the first day out against Tralee, conlon has come on as a sub in the other 3 games and I think that he wonât be far off come JuneâŚ
The O Donovan twins are unlucky in the fact that we seem to have a lot of options around the halfback line and midfield and I doubt they will see much game time this season, while Nickey O Connell is only 19 and it is probably a year too early for himâŚAll four should paly starting roles for the 21s this year when we win the munster and all ireland titles:D
With regards Benny he is loose alright but he plays an awful amount of ball, canât see him keeping his place at wing back but he could do a job at midfield beside McGrath
Backs:
G. O Grady
C. Dillon
P. Vaughan (all crusheen)
D. O Donovan (Clonlara)
J. McInerney
E. Barrett (both Newmarket)
G. Quinn (Corofin)
P. Donnellan
C. Cooney (both the mills)
E. Glynn (inamona)
M. Hawes (cratloe)
B. Bugler (whitegate)
G. O Connell (Tones)
C. McMahon (kilmaley)
C. Plunkett (Clarecastle)
Midfield:
B. O Connell (Tones )
C. Lynch (kilmaley)
C. O Donovan
N. O Connell (both Clonlara)
C. Hassett (Barefield)
Forwards:
T. Carmody
G. Arthur (both Inamona)
N. Gilliagan
C. Morey (both the bridge)
T. Griffin (Ballyea)
J. Clancy (Clarecastle)
B. Nugent (Eire OG)
C. Ryan (newmarket)
M. Flaherty (killenana)
F. Lynch (Clooney/quin)
A. Markham
D. McMahon (both Kilmaley)
C. Macnamara (Scariff)
M. ogie Murphy (Cratloe)
J. Conlon (clonlara)
Think that is everyone
In other news Nickey O Connell was named hurler of the year for 2008 while John conlon was named young hurler of the year at the Clare People All star awardsâŚ
Well he is the man in possesion at the momentâŚHimself and Cooney(still a bit green) are the two natural full backs on the panelâŚI would say that Mac will give him two or three games to see how he goes, if he goes well then he will keep it for the year, if he is poor I wouldnât be surprised to see either Gerry Quinn or Brian O Connell drafted back into full back as we seem to have a bit of strength in depth in the half back line and midfieldâŚ
Would love to see him grow into it on the basis that he is actually a full-back. Whether he has the athleticism to cut it at intercounty is a big issue though. Winning clean possession and nipping attacks in the bud is vital. Still, his performances for Crusheen were Noel Hickey-esque last year and something like that would do very nicely.
Yeah he was superb for Crusheen last year, stand out full back in the championshipâŚI would hope he could make the step upâŚSaw him twice in the Waterford crystal, did as well as could be expected on Joe Canning against LIT, kept him scoreless from play but never looked like dominating or winning clean ballâŚHe struggled a bit against Tipp, was marking a lad by the name of maher who was making his first start for tipp and he struggled with him, maher got a soft enough goal where he just outmuscled him and a more experienced full forward could have had a hat trick the same dayâŚBut hopefully he learns from these mistakes and kicks onâŚ
He has a younger brother Cian who is around 21 who has the makings of a lovely tidy intercounty corner back in the mould of Gerry O Grady