Didn’t know that. They’re fucked so. Ignore my previous post.
Offaly and Dublin are far more physical, which counts for a lot. Plus Dublin now have an extra top class forward that they have badly needed.
I would worry that Offaly managed a draw against the same Galway team that pissed all over us last year. Saying that we always seem to beat them when it matters in the last 10 years (League Final apart) so hopefully we can continue that trend.
+1
Wexford took a fair trimming off Tipp tonight in a challenge match
That’s a good point in fairness. One of the biggest problems with restructuring the league is the drop off between division two and division three, never mind the gap between one and two.
One option with the league of course is to go a bit more radical with it, creating a top division of two groups of eight. This would probably mean two groups like:
A - Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Offaly, Clare, Laois, Antrim, Westmeath
B - Tipperary, Galway, Dublin, Limerick, Wexford, Carlow, Down, Kerry
You’re still looking at seven games for most teams and nine for the top 2 from either side, almost the exact same as it is now. However, the same question comes back to haunt it. This system would largely guarantee the top 10 or 12 teams safety from relegation. One of the major features of the current system is the very real danger of relegation for 2 or 3 teams in Division One, and the very lively competition for promotion in Division Two.
The question then is whether the danger of relegation is a good enough reason to maintain the current system. What benefit does it actually bring? Laois and Carlow have definitely turned in improved performances in the championship over the last two years, but is that attributable to the league system or to other factors? Either way, anyone from Clare, Wexford, or Offaly would argue that the current system is not cost-free either.
Tipp team v Kilkenny:
- Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
- Paddy Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh)
- Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
- Conor O’Brien (Éire Óg Annacarty)
- David Young (Toomevara)
- Conor O’Mahony (Newport) Captain
- Hugh Maloney (Nenagh Éire Óg)
- Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
- Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
- Gearóid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
- Pa Bourke (Thurles Sarsfields)
- Noel McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)
- John O’Neill (Clonoulty Rossmore)
- Patrick Maher (Lorrha & Dorrha)
- Timmy Hammersley (Clonoulty Rossmore)
The forward 6 will hardly line out like that…Maher to 11 with Bourke on the wing and McGrath at full or McGrath & Bourke switching I presume…Who are kilkenny likely to have at centre back???
Spotted this earlier, Hawes has been living up there for the past couple of years…
Antrim boss Dinny Cahill has named his team for this Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League opener against Kerry at Tralee.
Sean Hawes, who is a member of Clare club Creatlach and a student at UUJ, makes his debut in goal for the Saffrons, with Cormac Donnelly and Michael Herron named at full-back and centre-back, respectively.
Karl McKeegan is partnered by namesake Karl Stewart at centre-field, while Neil McManus occupies the number 10 jersey in a half-forward line which includes Michael Armstrong and Simon McCrory.
In the last line of attack, Conor Carson is flanked by Darren Hamill and PJ O’Connell for the Division Two clash at Austin Stack Park.
Antrim (Allianz HL v Kerry): S Hawes; N McAuley, C Donnelly, A Graffin; K McKeague, M Herron, C Herron; K McKeegan, K Stewart; N McManus, M Armstrong, S McCrory; D Hamill, C Carson, PJ O’Connell.
Subs: L Kearns, S McNaughton, J McCouaig, M Donnelly, B McFall, C McFall, T McCann, C McGuiness, C McKinley.
wexford team for the weekend:
Niall Breen, Paul Roche, Matthew O’Hanlon, Brendan Hobbs, Richie Kehoe, Darren Stamp, Ciarán Kenny, Colm Farrell, Brendan Doyle, PJ Nolan, Tomás Waters, Stephen Banville, Peter Atkinson, Keith Burke, Jim Berry.
That is a seriously weak Wexford team minus some of the Oulart contingent and without Lyng and Quigley. I see that utter, utter simpleton Colm Bonnar whining about the league format in the Independent yesterday; when he was in Division 2, he was moaning and now he’s doing the same when we’re back in Division 1. He also managed to offend two of the Division 2 sides that have actually defeated us in the past year. We basically need to target the Dublin and Offaly games in March and see if winning those keeps us up.
Decent half back line-other than that it’s weak enough. O’Hanlon in full will be interesting to watch-he has it in him to be a good one anyway, hope it goes well for him.
Half forward line obviously set to win some ball/puckouts-an area we usually struggle in the last few years.
Could be in for a tough welcome back to Div. 1 though.
This game is on TG4 too ain’t it?
[quote=“Pikeman, post: 556951”]
Decent half back line-other than that it’s weak enough. O’Hanlon in full will be interesting to watch-he has it in him to be a good one anyway, hope it goes well for him.
Half forward line obviously set to win some ball/puckouts-an area we usually struggle in the last few years.
Could be in for a tough welcome back to Div. 1 though.
This game is on TG4 too ain’t it?
[/quote]
Say it isn’t so? 
Tis indeed, just checked. 2.00, followed by Waterford v Dublin iarbeo.
Ah, no harm getting a Wexford match outta the way on the box.
I’d say Galway would have way too much physically for Wexford at this time of year. Ye put it up to them in the championship last year in fairness. But for Jacob’s point blank miss and that soft free Canning goaled from before half time ye’d have been right in it.
Not at all lad, they hit about 10 or 12 wides in the first half. Jacobs goal would have made it close but we still would have been beaten by the same score. We’re muck now and I’d expect Galway to more than cover the 6 point handicap.
When I throw you a bone, I don’t expect you to tell me how it tastes.
Some of the players in the team named above wouldn’t get near a decent club team though. It’s possibly the weakest Wexford league or championship team that I’ve ever seen and there’s absolutely no scoring threat in the forwards. I genuinely don’t think Colm Bonnar has any judgement skills and he comes across as a complete simpleton. Then you’ve selectors picking lads from their own clubs on the team as if it was an U12 match and they were getting a start for their son or something. I’ve directly asked Tipperary lads on here what Bonnar’s reputation is like back there but the silence has been deafening. Anyone play under him for WIT?
Newstalk tonight had Jamsie O’Connor and Nicky English on. They said that KK are favourites for the game on Saturday… what a crock of shit. Tipp are the leading hurling county in Ireland at present and lets just all leave it at that.
Tipp by 4
Sorry Pike, for some strange reason i thought it was Wexford-Antrim, whatever way i read a few posts here. I wouldn’t watch Cork playing Antrim in Feb, not to mind someone else.
Galway is a far better game, say ye might struggle though.