Daily Debate: Eoin Kelly (Tipperary) v Pat Horgan (cork)

Sport
61

Yeah he hasn’t had any major injuries and if anything he is a better hurler now than he ever was.
There are probably 3 more years left in him. He is worth his place for his freetaking alone. Kelly in 2010 pointed every free in that final and while he wasn’t as influential from open play and was pushing on he was still able to lead the line and orchestrate Eamonn O Sheas plan. Cork are probably due one at this stage.

62

:joy:

Some very low level wummery

63

I don’t think this is as clear cut at all. It’s easy say Kelly because he has the All Ireland’s and gave some incredible displays from 01 to 06 but in those same years he was regularly held by the top corner backs of the time Canning and Brian Murphy. Damian Reale used do well onhim too. He would destroy average full back lines like Clare and Waterford.

I think too much is placed on the Limerick 06 game, he was marking Mark Foley for all of it. His finest hour was definitely the 2009 all Ireland. He was incredible that and he was a way better leader than Horgan. I’d say he’d a huge impact on Callanan and Noel McGrath coming through.

Horgan has been off the charts for a few years now. A lot of Cork hurling heavyweights reckon he’s their best since Christy Ring.

1 Like
64

Incorrect

65

Kelly fluffed his lines badly in the 2009 All Ireland Final when the goal chance that would surely have won it for Tipperary presented itself. Badly affects his legacy. Really great players on any sport rise to the occasion and seize the moment.

1 Like
66

[quote=“BarneyCurley, post:11, topic:30887”]

Horgan is carrying a much weaker cork team. Kelly did have Corbett and then the likes of Callanan and McGrath.

[/quote] You’ve not watch much hurling if you think that. Between 2003 and 2007 Kelly had a forward line that at times included Devane, Fitzgerald , Colin Morrissey , Webster and he shine. His display against Limerick in Thurles in 06 was one of the best I’ve seen. No contest. Kelly all day
2 Likes
67

It was a performance for the ages, a privilege to witness it.

68

He slipped you goose, Callanan fudged his effort alright.

69

Ah between 02 and 07 did tipp even win a Munster title? They didn’t. So Kelly carried them to nothing. Horgan won what four munsters maybe?

70

Id say 90 per cent was on Foley. Reale wasn’t on him that day. It was bizarre.

Even in his pomp Eoin Kelly could be held whereas today the likes of Horgan, Callanan and Reid are all untouchable when on form.

Maybe defenders now aren’t as good.

71

I think forwards are given much better ball now, for a lot of Kelly’s early career it would have been lads launching it down on top of him and it up to him to win it

72

That’s just not true. Eoin Kelly got 4 points from play in the 2004 qualifier against Cork, 4 points from play in the 2005 Munster Final against Cork, 1-09 against Galway in 2005, 12 points against Limerick in 2002. Even the 2007 games against Limerick he chipped in with 7 points from play across the 3 games. Then in 2008 below in PUC scoring that unbelievable goal and 1-2 overall

It was rare to see forwards getting more than 2 or 3 points from play in those days

73

Waffle.

He played a roaming roll all day & LK never coped with it.

74

They didn’t but they got to Munster finals in 02, 05 and 06. In 02 they lost to Waterford and in 05 and 06 they came up against a very good cork team. It could be argued they wouldn’t have gotten to the 05 and 06 finals without Kelly. In 07 his back was fucked and was dropped by babs. He often was a one man forward line for tipp in that period.

75

Left leg slid a little just before he struck, I had closed one eye when he got possession given the position he found himself in.
Callinan hit the shot sweetly but in the only place a right handed Goalie could have stopped it, PJ Ryan got massive credit for that but thought it was a miss more so than a brilliant save.

76

I dislike both counties equally so no bias. Horgon is unreal but Kelly all the way

77

Yes but Horgan carried threes to Munster titles and all Ireland finals. I think it’s much closer than lads are letting on.

78

In fairness they are two very good free takers.

1 Like
79

Horgan only started carrying Cork the last two years

1 Like
80

Not so much the defenders are not as good rather the forwards are receiving way more protection from the officials now than say even 5 years ago.