The challenge games behind closed doors between April and May are where it is at. You learn nothing in January games only how the fitness is going.
The point is the lads iv mentioned wont make it as far April/May. Without ever getting a real go of it.
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Here goes
Goalie: Quaid. Im still not completely sold on him but am resigned that he will start. Heās generally safe but is not great on puckouts by modern standards, regularly puts one out over the sideline and not exactly laser guided with short puckouts, often putting the receiver under pressure. Might have more to offer at half back or midfield but sure heāll do.
Full back line: Richie Mc and two of Hickey, English, Casey, S OāBrien. Richie will be back in situ, English looks like being ready to nail a spot. Some touting English for full back already but heās not even playing there for his college, relax. Need one pacey player in there IMO. Hickey was incredible in 2014, Casey might be ready, heās more impressive with every game, and I still think OāBrien would be solid given a man marking detail. Finn is behind the others for me. Condon is dropped.
Half back: donāt see Wayne Mc, Condon, or Paudie coming back here. Wayne looks past it recently, Iād welcome him at 5 if he could get back to his best, heās not turned 30 yet so I wouldnāt entirely write him off, but it looks unlikely. The other two are both lacking for half back. Byrnes, OāConnell, Gavin, Hickey, Seanie OāBrien, Ronan Lynch all good options. Byrnes will be 5 or 6. I like how OāConnell plays 6, more calm than Byrnes. With two strong wing backs and some cover from midfield he might even be the best option. If OāConnell can make the step up at half back it frees up Gavin or Lynch for half forward, for this reason Iād be giving him every chance during the league. Otherwise Gavin is the best option at 6 in terms of his delivery and ability to get his head up and do the right thing with the ball which is where Hickey is lacking for this position. I like Lynch for wing back, plenty strong enough, has all the hurling in the world and will always do the right thing with the ball.
Midfield: Browne probably. With one of Ryan (J, T, and P), Hickey, OāBrien, OāDonovan, and either Lynch all options as partner. Seanie the pick of the options on the panel I think. A hard working dirty ball winner type would be an ideal partner for Browne, we know what we get from J Ryan and some improvement on him would be good. If only there were a hard working midfielder playing for a decent club in the county that fitted that profile, someone that consistently out-hurls most of the players listed above, and that has great ability to win dirty ball but can actually strike the ball well on the run unlike J Ryan, hmmmā¦
Half forward: Pick from Hannon (not a full forward), Lynch x2, Downes, Reidy, Morrissey, Dowling, Nash. Gavin is a good bet here, harder working than Hannon, good vision, wins ball and very accurate. This could be a good spot to introduce Ronan Lynch to the team, but less chance of him drifting out of the game at wing back. Downes would go well from centre forward and add more pace and ball winning ability, not on the wing as it would be a nightmare to see him firing it wide all day and would dilute his goal threat. Cian Lynch is the other obvious option but heās not an orthodox player, i donāt think he should play as an orthodox half forward. I think one of Nash, Morrissey or Reidy are going to force their way in here, I really like Nash, great cut about him.
Full forward: Dowling, Downes, Morrissey, Nash, Mulcahy, Tobin. Dowling is our full forward and free taker. Iām a fan of Downes and think a space has to be found for him in the forwards. Best use of Cian Lynch is give him the roving role so Iād name him corner forward. Mulcahy loses out for me, maybe itās our shite supply but he flatters to deceive a lot, better used as an impact sub maybe. I actually think Peter Casey is nearly a better option already. If OāConnell doesnāt cut it then Gavin back to half back, Downes or Dowling to half forward and Mulcahy comes back in.
Quaid
Hickey
Richie
Richie
Byrnes
OāConnell
R Lynch
Browne
S OāBrien
Gavin
Hannon
Nash/Morrissey/Reidy
Downes
Dowling
C Lynch
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Decent analysis. Struggling to see seanie o Brien as a corner back. Had never played there for any team only lim seniors last year. Didnāt Alan Dempsey have a major falling out with management last year after having to trial for the squad?
If so I didnāt hear a whisper of it and it strikes me as unlikely.
Anyway as good as he can be Iād think he lacks pace for midfield at inter county level. He used to be a great sweeper for lit. I think mark carmody is incredibly unlucky not to be on the panel. Heād a fantastic game in the county final.
Iām not saying heās a world beater but heās unquestionably better than a good few panel members and some of the regular starters of recent years. Agree on Carmody, but I think heās similar to King in thatās heās a very decent player but unlikely to nail down a starting place.
I guess you could say they had a good luck at dempsey and carmody the couple of years they were on the panel.
They might as well have been looking into a bucket for all theyād see
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A couple of observations:
Firstly, T. Ryan is in the US and will be there for the rest of the year. He hasnāt been, nor will be, a part of the current panel.
Secondly, thereās no way that Ryan will go with a half-back line as inexperienced as the one youāve suggested. Byrnes will certainly be there, either at 5 or 6. If heās at wing-back, Iād actually expect Gavin to be manning the middle. Mike Casey, much as I like him as a hurler, will have missed the League and will have too much ground to make up. English will make it, but Finn is well ahead of Casey in the pecking order.
Ronan Lynch is a possibility but is a long way off a senior inter-county hurler at the minute. Lack of games during the league will hamper his chances also but heās worth looking at in either half-line afterwards. Barry OāConnell will, realistically, do well to hold his place on the panel after the cut.
Pat Ryan could be a dark-horse. Needs a lot of stamina work but gives everything and could be the long-term replacement for JimBob who has looked in terrible condition during the Munster League.
In my opinion, Cian Lynch is an 11 and should play as loose as possible around that area. The downside is you run the risk of leaving an opposing centre-back free, which is a red flag given our utter ineptitude in playing against teams with sweepers.
As for the forwards, a fit Dowling goes to the half-forward line. Iāve a feeling theyāre going to leave Hannon inside. The rest of them are a toss-up. Downes has the talent, and if his head is right, heāll be thereabouts. Nash could play himself in, but must be prepared for the fact that heāll have as many bad days as good during the League.
If I was to call it now:
Quaid
HIckey
McCarthy
English
Condon
Byrnes
OāMahony
Browne
J. or P. Ryan
Reidy
C. Lynch
Dowling
Downes
Hannon
Nash
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Nice work mate.
Iād disagree with that in places, but no point re hashing old arguments about Slipāin Hickey etc.
I think youāve swung too far to the youth as well in the back line, no experience in the HB line for example. Might be the best three half backs on the team (I wouldnāt think so) but youād need a bit of experience in there.
Iām not sure if itās exciting or depressing that weāve hardly any nailed on starters. Iād say depressing. For me only Dowling, Browne, Gavin & Quaid are nailed on starters and we only know where two of those will play, maybe even only one (Quaid). Iām not even sure Quaid should start, as you mentioned he has a fair few weaknesses, but he will.
Iād go;
Quaid (would like to see more of others)
Richie x 2
Casey/Finn/Condon
Byrnes
Gavin
S OāBrien
Browne
Jim Bob/Pat Ryan/Hickey
OāDonovan
Downes
Jim Bob/Morrissey
Nash
Dowling
C. Lynch
Iāve picked the half forward line entirely on ball winning ability. Our complete ineptitude at winning puckouts kills us every year. No more small FFās either (Lynch will be roaming out), we canāt get them the right ball and while that isnāt their fault they have to go.
Iād be worried about our CB most there. Gav isnāt commanding enough but is our best option at the minute. We havenāt had a decent centre back since Geary and even then he wasnāt top class.
For contextā¦
19th June. Limerick winner of Tipperary/Cork at Thurles/Gaelic Grounds
20 weeksā¦
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I think we should whip ourselves into a frenzy now. It has always worked for us before.
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Wouldnāt disagree with much from Elvis&Julio.
Finding the right style/system to suit what we have should dictate selection somewhat. I think Cian Lynch goes best in a free role in the middle third so I name him corner forward. It would allow our 6 to sit deeper and mids to cover. I think how the 21s lined out would suit our senior team.
I did pick an inexperienced half back line, wishful thinking for OāConnell probably. Byrnes is a cert to start and Lynch is more than ready and a very composed hurler whereas Condon is only interested in fonging the ball up the field. Probably Byrnes Gavin Lynch is more likely and realistic. Compare that to something like OāBrien Wayne and Condon -thereād be a serious improvement in delivery to our forwards at a minimum.
Finn is ahead of Casey right now but I just think Casey is superior. Pat Ryan was an oversight on my behalf and could come in. One thing we will actually have is a decent subs bench and we should expect to use two sub mids and in the last 10-20 minutes, as well as a few forwards.
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Byrnes will get murdered playing centre back.
+1. Too early for any of those u21s to line out at 6. Gav is probably the best of the alternativesā¦ anyway, who ever they decide, they have to play him throughout the whole of the league and subsequent challenge matches through good and badā¦ Make your choice and instill the confidence in him and none of this changing it around every second game and everyone then left scratching their head come Juneā¦ However, with Ryan under pressure to save his job, every result is going to count and he will be fucking around with the team no end and with no regards for later in the year.
The league is our All Ireland too by the looks of things, division *2 is where itās at
*1b
Looks like Tony Kelly is out of the league with an ankle injury for Clare, will back us at 7/4 for 1b now as it will be gone to surely 13/8 with him out.
We are going to win both the League and All Ireland this year. Fuck em. We will batter them all.
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2017 is the year. Steady that rifle.
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