Listen, we won’t be saying much about the opposition except they’re a very good side that are well coached and well drilled, and we will have to give it our all to beat them. They’ve a game under their belts and my lads are coming in somewhat cold, but sure look it, they’ve been giving it 110% in training, and if they do that today, we’ll be there or thereabouts, and that’s all I can ask of them.
A few notes on my selection.
McGarry will be horsing ball into the half forward line. He’ll occasionally pass it short to Kavanagh or Maher. He won’t be passing it short to Curran cos he can’t hit a ball more than forty yards.
Kavanagh lines as selected. While neither Curran or Maher are natural corner backs, both have played that position IC and may rotate if needs be. Curran will start at 3 as he is more skilled in the dark arts of full back play.
Half back line is what it is. Two good hurling men in Corcoran and Browne flanking the best out and out centre back of his generation. Seanie will probably chip in with a few long range frees too.
In midfield, Lyng is going to get through an amount of work. Jerry O’Connor will benefit from his comrade’s donkey work and pop up with scores.
It’s a workmanlike half-forward line. Dan McCormack is gonna hit a few wides but he will also win an amount of soft frees. Big John Carroll is going to raise a green flag I feel. When he tires, Prendergast and Power can leave him into the full forward line for a sos beag. Niall McCarthy was my Cork 4 point pick (over Timmy and Lehane). He will work his socks off and score a point or two and his helmet will look like it’s going to fall off.
This is the supporting cast to DJ and Power who will make hay, le cúnamh Dé
I think @caulifloweredneanderthal has three good lads in his full backline but @gaillimhmick has three seriously hardy lads inside who are all very direct and would have a pace advantage whatever way they match up. They won’t be bullied and normally match ups like those don’t end well for the full back line either goals or early baths.
2 very well balanced teams on show here and as is often the case the HF line is the weak line for both.
I think O’Donnell could give Curran a rough time of it if he’s up for it but don’t think Coen is up to it at this level and could get steamrolled by either Lyng or O’Connor in midfield.
Have a feeling DJ and Power will go to town on Lohan and Ryan.
I beg to differ. Paul Murphy has been tasked with picking up DJ and has him in his pocket all day. Richie is hobbling around and doesn’t look right at all but no surprise with his injury history.
As for winning hurling matches, your half lines determine that and I comfortably have the two better half lines. There is a serious lack of balance in particular in cauliflowers half forward line. When the supply of ball is cut off from the FF line, I can’t see where enough scores are going to come from. I have this by 5-6 points, as I have six forwards all comfortable and capable of taking their own scores.
County bias will undo @caulifloweredneanderthal here. I wouldn’t be against a team with 5 Tipp players in it but they would be very different. Players like Brendan Maher. Mick Cahill, Eoin Kelly would make any team hard to beat but five at best average Tipp players won’t cut it at this level. While Gaillimh hasn’t the best team in the comp, he should have enough for this one.
I haven’t picked a single player from Galway, Wexford, Dublin or Limerick. I haven’t a hope of getting out of this round mate.
My five Tipp players came to a total of 18 points. My five Kilkenny came to 30, and I hate those cunts. I’d be surprised if I get votes outside of those two counties, as this thing can be quite parochial
With the exception of John Troy and Conor Whelan, we’ve no real fears of the forwards we are up against though. They can be flaky enough and can’t see them all ticking on the one day
I’m not sure about the balance of either team tbh. If a situation arises where Conor Whelan is isolated inside in a corner against Ronan Maher, it could be carnage. Maher is a lovely hurler but not suited to marking a direct speedster in the corner and tbf to Mick, he has that.
What he doesn’t have is ballwinners outside. Troy might help that a bit, but that’s a strong, strong half-back line from the Tippman, and they’ll dominate.
Good midfield battle then; and the 4 workers across half-forward will cause disruption, with Carey & Power the potential to do damage.
I could see 5 or 6 goals in this one. I’m just going to give the edge to @caulifloweredneanderthal on the strength of his half-back line, to supply enough ball to DJ & Power to make up for the shortcomings behind them.
Ronan will move about a bit. He’ll probably go full back for a while. Prendergast will roam a bit too. He will go out to half forward line for a bit to allow big John a break
Wow! I voted for cauli (he voted for me) but I can’t help feeling @gaillimhmick got the rough end of the refereeing there. That powerhouse halfback line must have had an off day. Though Seanie & Browne are big players in cauli’s HB line with DJ & Power on the FF line, cauli is avery dangerous team. Favourites? Anybody opening a book?