It is, but I donāt think that matters, Iāve never seen anything to suggest he could dominate his area in the air as a centre back or even just about hold his own. Any team could put their best ball winning half forward on him and go to town.
Clonlaraās a gas one. No one would have believed you in 2008 if you said they wouldnāt win another championship. In fairness to them they probably should have won the '16 final and definitely the '09 final. But even that would have been a modest return on the talent they had.
Barrett did a decent job on him this year albeit the game never flowed for Clare and was played on Tippās terms due to the early goals.
Kelly gets plenty of stick inside and outside the county when he doesnāt perform to say otherwise is simply not true. Typically teams detail their best man marker or most athletic player to sacrifice their own game to pick him up. Forde on the other hand is often picked up by the least athletic back on a given team and teams donāt do anything special to limit his impact
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Pwell are miles off nap and ballygunnar.
A multitude of factors - a lot mainly self inflicted behind the scenes unfortunately.
He did but Kelly still scored a point and played some ball. Itās not like Barrett was out in front of him all game. Kelly still dragged him out and Clare used the space well.
Not unlike Flanagan in the Munster final who was well marshaled by Hayes but still created acres of space for Gillane.
If the club had instituted a no father of a player can manage rule it would have helped
Youād give them a pass? They were shock winners off the Limerick championship in 2016 after series of not so great incidents. Theyād have have been 50/1 to win the Munster club that year at the start of the season.
You seem to be trying to elevate Pwell to a level nobody else thinks they are at.
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Certainly would have helped but the family are steeped for generations in the club and tough to tackle. That is a central reason but plenty of others too - some terrible outside appointments and too much chopping and changing of management.
Having too many lads in county senior and 21 panels didnāt help too. A handful of lads who needs to be nurtured got sick of taking hammerings in Clare cup games only to get no game time come championship once I/C lads returned and decided to play week in week out with the second team while a lad who gave up hurling at 13 for over a decade while not playing other sports either started two county finals for Clon in the 2010s and was roasted in both while there were half a dozen better players on the second team.
Panel got very young very quick too in the early 2010s and a number of key players working shift work or up the country didnāt help either
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I really donāt think he does. Heās lauded all over as one of the best players, or the best player, in the game, and rightly so. Thatās the overwhelming commentary on him. The lads on the hurling pod talking about him being shut down was noteworthy to me because itās so rarely if ever mentioned. Against their point, Clare as a team were awful against Kilkenny and the real test will be whether Kelly can be shut down when the rest of his teammates turn up. I expect the match against kk will be different this year. He might be curbed but I doubt heāll be shut down completely.
Thats because it so rarely ever happens.
Loughiel Shamrocks in 2012.
They won 4 antrim titles in a row from 2010 to 2013
Clonlara and Cratloe had two outstanding teams on paper. I used to be disappointed when a well drilled but relatively limited Sixmilebridge team would oust them both comfortably. I think the Bridge and Ballyea have shared every title since 2014 which is fairly damning for Clonlara and Cratloe during that period.
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An unheralded Ballyea came from nowhere to win that Munster Club so it can be done. Borrisileigh came from nowhere too.
I just think if they donāt give Munster/All Ireland a rattle at some stage theyāll regret it in years to come.
Na Piarsaigh have been depleted/disinterested a few times in this era too so they are not as insurmountable as Ballygunner in Waterford or Corofin/Crossmaglen were in their pomp.
Patrickswell are falling into the same category as Ballymun Kickhams but they still have a couple more chances to change the narrative.
Ballyyea won 4 of the last 7 Clare county titles.
I canāt understand why you think the 3rd or 4th best club team in Limerick should be competing for the all Ireland club unless you think our club championship is miles better than everyone elseās.
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Thatās what I call snooker
Iām fairly sure a prominent adare hurling fan had the well at 20s to win the 2016 county championship just before the first round.
I think they are going to struggle in the next few years unless you see a situation where Limerick are knocked out in the middle of may or something and they can get a good run With gillane, lynch and byrnes.
As you correctly point out, The Well are the 3rd or 4th best side in Limerick. Itās a bizzare argument, unless of course he is admitting that the Limerick Championship is of such a higher standard than all othersā¦
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