I’d be expecting some explosive exchanges on the sideline in this one. @Fitzy has gone with a solid defence but the forward line looks weak. Neither look world-beaters and it may come down to managerial strategies.
@Fitzy has put a decent team together until you get to that FF line. Just about scrapes through here, the lack of scoring forwards will trouble him down the line
Matthew o Hanlon, adrian fenlon and larry Murphy… Wtf?.. JJ and brian hogan are good picks but Harnedy is gonna be lonely up there
The cowboys good balance, surprised i haven’t seen paul murphy more, a dangerous full forward line but a bit light in the half forwards, i think trollier prefers nearer to goal. If p Mannion can regain form they’ll take beating here
Absolutely, hence my rotation strategy with himself, Troy & Whelan.
While @Fitzy 's ff line is weak, It’s his HBL that’s his weakest link. My lads would run through that line like scutter through a bullock.
I’ll beat him in 10 of 15 positions and 8 is enough.
It has to be also noted, the Dublin players are the most underrated in this competition and provide serious value. Trollier is one of the most dangerous forwards in the game and always delivers.
Finally, this team is an absolute goal Machine from 8-15 and possesses imho, the most skilful pair of wrists ever to hold a hurl in John Troy.
There are also bags of points coming from that HB line needed when I face Davy or Derek McGrath.
The best of luck @Fitzy.
I like the composition of Micks half back line, a real nice balance to it. He had six tidy forwards albeit Lehane and Sutcliffe are flakey and Dillon much more effective in the corner and is constantly injured but he is a fine direct inside forward when right. Would swap him inside.
Not sure about @gaillimhmick ‘s front 6. I’d put Troy to CF, Sutcliffe to the wing and Dillon to the corner. That would match Sutcliffe with @Fitzy ‘s weak link (for me) Crummy. Shane O’Donnell will need to stay well away from JJ to anyway effective.
I like @Fitzy ‘s midfield they’ll win the aerial battle I’d reckon & but with Barron’s & Coen’s driving pace and workrate who comes out on top is a toss up.
@gaillimhmick ‘s HB looks brilliant but the right ball to @Fitzy ‘s HF line could leave them in trouble. High ball and Mannion & Brick & Browne will devour it but low fast ball @ Jamsie & McGrath will make hay. Jamsie will be flying off down the wing while McGrath has superb skill & vision but then comes the problem. @Fitzy ‘s FF line. Just doesn’t convince me.
I’m surprised lads are lauding Fitzy’s defence when you look at a fairly workmanlike half back line, but then you look at the half forward line he’s facing and wonder will it really matter. I do think he has one of the best half forward lines named to date but that full forward line really is something…
I’m too many cans in to make my decision right now but a better spine is edging me towards Fitzy here.
My team, The Ground Hurlers, are picked based on skill. There are few if any agricultural athletes there.
A fantastic Kilkenny based spine of McGarry, the best hurler I have ever seen in JJ and Brian Hogan. Noel Connors is very undervalued at 4 points, a terrific, tigerish hurler. The riches of @gaillimhmick 's forwards will struggle against this experiemced backline.
A midfield that can mix it with anyone. I dearly wanted Cian Lynch in there, but wanted Ken more. One of those players who put in an immense performance more often than not.
The whole point of the forwards is class amd it’s here in abundance. Imagine the space Jamsie would have with the peerless Noel McGrath moving hither and to, feeding him beautifully timed ball. Larry is his usual 3-4 points from play and he needs to be marked so his back isn’t going roaming.
With a HF line like that, do you really need 13-15? Of course you do when they are legends like a playing out of position Harnedy bringing a new perspective to FF (and of course moving out the field and playing as a CF when Noel McGrath wants to go walkabout) and then the other two latching onto the odd wayward or breaking ball.
But with those 4 lads in the half forward line, everything will be sailing over their heads and between the posts anyway.
Best if of luck @gaillimhmick oul pal.
Agree with everything here except Sutcliffe being flakey. Sutcliffe wouldn’t look out of place on any all ireland winning team of the last 20 years, nor would Dillon or Maguire for that matter.
Spot on there. A player of pure class who would start for any county in Ireland for all his career and isn’t rated accurately due to his county being shite for years and because he he took a bit of time out after being blackguarded by a proven fuck up of a manager.