Cyril Donnellan trained tonight and should be ok for Sunday meaning Galway should be at full strength. Been very lucky with injuries this season for once and Galway should name an unchanged side to the one that hammered Kilkenny. The team really took shape this year from the Dublin relegation replay with Tannion deployed to MF and David Burke out to the wing and the move of Johnny Coen to wing back. Regan, Hynes, Smith and Tannion have been the only ones to generally hold their position while everyone else has been rotating or dropping back or forward as the case may be with increased frequency with each game. David Burke has been a real scoring threat since moved and this combined with Donnellans improvement has taken the scoring pressure off Joe who in turn has rediscovered his sharpness.
Cork seem to be chopping and changing a lot espicially in defence. They finished strongly in many of their games and have Lehane to return. Ultimately though I think the Galway forwards will make shit of Corks defence and will build up to big a score for Cork to reach.
Galway by 6
The question that Cork fans are asking is whether Cork are as poor as they looked against Offaly, Wexford and Waterford or are they simply playing well within themselves and are capable of increasing the intensity when required?
I believe we have a very good set of forwards but are very suspect at the back and are lacking serious pace.
Hard to see Cork beating Galway but we have had a very satisfactory year and have made genuine progress and unearthed a few players.
I think we are that poor really. No top quality team has such a poor half-back line. Its a miracle we have gotten so far with not a single in form half-back in the county and eventually we are going to get blown away because of it.
However, I agree it has been a good year, and it seems like the list of problems JBM and co have to solve have diminished considerably since the start of the year.
the HB line issue is key, and also, Corks HF line was truely shocking in 2nd half v Waterford, i really cant see Cork winning, , Cork have good efficient forwards, but i doubt their goal threat. They dont have a Canning, or the experience of Hayes, and they dont have a HF line such as Burkex2 and Donnellan who will secure possession and will score. TO hit those good Cork fwds the hb line needs to dominate, just cant see that happening and it could be a long day at the office, but they have made progress, 2 finalsâŚ
I fully expected Waterford to beat Cork. I didnât expect Cork to be as battle hardened as Waterford and couldnât believe how easily Waterford threw away their commanding position. So there is steel in this Cork team and they wont lie down easy. If they get quality ball into Horgan or Sullivan they will do damage as our FB line/Goalie have frailties that were not exposed against KK due to the work rate of our âmiddle thirdâ.
However I cant see us losing the battle in the war zone between the two 45âs. Fitness levels are high, Helebert has confidence levels brimming over and the hunger for the sliotar should be greater than ever again on Sunday.
Once possession is gained then its up to our forwards who have proved they are up to the task. Donnellan did very little in training last night so he could still be in doubt for Sundays starting 15. His work rate would certainly be a loss.
The only team that can beat Galway on Sunday is Galway. It will be horrendous for Galway hurling if they flop in this.
I thought Waterford threw away the game the last day as opposed to Cork winning it and like KP above Iâd be confident of Galway winning this by 4+. Canning looked fitter than ever the last day and showed more maturity in his hurling than Iâve ever seen in the past. Donnelan (if fit) Canning & Hayes should have more than enough for the Cork backs.
Iâd be more worried about OâFarrell, he is the only effective goal threat we have starting - if he doesnât get a couple of goals we have no chance.
What would be the quality of the tickets around on Sunday lads? Not sure if I should get tickets from Supervalu, or ticketmaster and on the dayâŚ? Donât want to get stuck in some awful position in the stands.
Theyâre not great on Ticketmaster or Tickets at the moment anyway. You can get a package of the two Cork semi-finals for âŹ65 on Tickets. Only available in lower Davin at the moment though.
Ah yes. The old âCork people are so cocky they think they have a God given right to win every gameâ line. Never grows old.
If Galway win as much primary possession as Waterford did against us, they have a much better set of forwards to take full advantage. I expect Galway to win at least that much possession, ergo I think we are fucked. If I were inclined to bet against Cork, I would pile into the -2 handicap on Galway at 10/11 with Powers.
[quote=âTurenne, post: 702121â]Cheers Braz, I suppose if I order tonight off tickets.ie I wonât be stuck without tickets for SundayâŚ? As in they will actually arrive.
Will probably just get tickets on Sunday, donât want to get stuck with stuff down by the sideline.[/quote]
You can print them off yourself if you get them online.
if galway lose this it will be because the jersey spooked them. the idea that a defence containing mcdonnell cadogan and sean og plus in their current state could reach an all ireland is mad.
if galway with a set of forwards of the size and skill that they have lose against that defence they will be a laughing stock
cork have done very very well to reach this stage. their performances have been good enough to get the job done all along the way but waterford crucified them around the middle but failed to finish when they should have
anyhting close to 90% of whatgalway did to kilkenny will do
[font=arial][size=3]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]The Cork Senior Hurling Team to play Galway in Sundayâs All-Ireland Semi-Final at 3.30pm in Croke Park will line out as follows:[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]1. Anthony Nash[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â] Kanturk[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]2. Shane O Neill 3. Stephen Mc Donnell 4. Brian Murphy[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]Bishopstown Glen Rovers Bride Rovers[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]5. Tom Kenny 6. Eoin Cadogan 7. SeĂĄn Ăg Ă hAilpĂn[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]Grenagh Douglas Na Piarsaigh[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]8. Pa Cronin 9. LorcĂĄn McLoughlin[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â] Bishopstown Kanturk[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]10. Conor Lehane 11. Cian McCarthy 12. Jamie Coughlan[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]Midleton Sarsfields Newtownshandrum[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]13. Paudie OâSullivan 14. Luke OâFarrell 15. Patrick Horgan[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]Cloyne Midleton Glen Rovers[/size][/font]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]Subs: [/size][/font][font=arial][size=3]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]16. Darren McCarthy Ballymartle
17. Damien Cahalane St. Finbarrs
18. Conor OâSullivan Sarsfields
19. William Egan Kilbrin
20. John Gardiner Na Piarsaigh
21. Christopher Joyce Na Piarsaigh
22. Darren Sweetnam Dohenys
23. Daniel Kearney Sarsfields
24. Cathal Naughton Newtownshandrum
25. Niall McCarthy Carrigtwohill
26. Stephen Moylan Douglas [/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font=arial][size=3]
[font=âarialâ][size=â2â]Jimmy Barry-Murphy and his selectors have made two changes to the team that defeated Waterford in the semi-final. Conor Lehane resumes his position at wing forward, having missed the Waterford game through illness, with Niall McCarthy losing out, while at mid-field, LorcĂĄn McLoughlin is preferred to Daniel Kearney. Meanwhile, Christopher Joyce returns to the panel, having recovered from a hand injury.[/size][/font][/size][/font]