It’s not that simple. Even if de Búrca is bypassed with a ball to the corner, the man that collects it has his marker to neat as usual with de Búrca racing in to assist or tackle a fraction of a second later.
Hurling is so fast and multidirectional though that there’s always ways around everything, especially if the hurling is fast and sharp enough.
I think he has really refined the system in the last four games starting with Offaly. There is a clear pattern now with distinct milestones. Dillon and Bennett start up front and run themselves to a standstill for 45-50 minutes harrying defenders. Scores are hard got in this period for us and hopefully for our opponents. Maurice comes on at 45-50 minutes for Dillon and things change a bit. There is less chasing by Maurice but he offers more of a scoring threat and more of an option in terms of holding the ball up for runners. Barron takes up more attacking positions. Austin moves forward from midfield.
Minute 55. O’Halloran comes on for Bennett and minutes 60 Ryan comes on for Brick. We have abandoned to notion of holding the opposition and are going gangbusters at tired defenders with pace. Dunford comes on for Mahony. The opposition defence is spread all over the place and there is space everywhere for Gleeson and Barron.
That’s the theory of it as I see it. Depends very much on the opponents not having got the jump on us early on.
I do understand the theory but there are still a few flaws in my book… Look, if ye win the All-Ireland, I’ll hold up my hands and say I’m wrong.
I know Dillon and Bennett are hard workers and very fit, but there’s a huge reliance on them and Brick to defend from the front and the best teams will be able to get around them.
And because they are so outnumbered, it requires pinpoint accuracy with the passing up to the pitch to find them. Galway will look to disrupt that and force the aimless balls that we saw earlier in the year. And because they are so physical, I do expect a relapse. And that’s even more work for those 3 to do.
If Waterford are still in it with 15 to go and the likes of Gleeson and Barron start running at them, they could open Galway up. But if Galway are 5 or so ahead, they’ll be happy to pull them down well out from goal and pick ye off.
I just think Galway are much better suited to disrupting the short passing game from the front. Their work rate is unreal and they’re so so physical.
Would be surprised at that. Keaney walked pretty quickly when Gilroy took over the county footballers as he was told his work rate wasn’t up to the standard. Whelan is coaching Vincent’s senior hurlers at the minute but can always be persuaded. Is Tommy Dunne not being mentioned as a skills coach?
Well, it could still be tweaked. Committing one more man further up the pitch? Starting Maurice to give you a ballwinning scorer in that opening half? Maybe give Gleeson a run inside early in the game, he could probably survive off the scraps better than the others?
I’m just throwing ideas out there. But I think Galway are beatable, if you expose their weaknesses. That’s true for any team I know, but Tipp wasted 3 really good goal opportunities, that’s more than they should be coughing up.
That’s just me being tongue in cheek… Joe would have been an average enough hurler, from a pretty dysfunctional club, I don’t think anyone in Wexford would have foreseen him being such a successful underage manger in Dublin
Cannot underestimate Galway’s ability to pluck defeat from the jaws of victory. They will have to earn the win and if they don’t perform to their best and one or two of their stars have a bad day then Waterford well honed system leaves less to chance and player performance on the day.