So the covid all Irelands donāt have an asterisk then?
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I think Maher will eat him without salt.
Will get some jolt when he sees the price of the breakfast in Hueston has tripled
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Really looking forward to the games at the weekend. As someone with a stake in both games there seems to be a great buzz about the place about them. Itās like Christmas waiting for it.Iāll be tipping into both and pinting accordingly with good Tipp and Dublin hurling people.
Iām convinced Dublin will be competitive on Sat night. Harnedy out is a huge minus for Cork. He is a leader on both sides of the puckout, never goes hiding when others do and brings that edge. On the other side Crummy being out will strengthen Dublin. Yes, he is a good hurler, but he is a terrible defender with no āDefensive Disciplineā @peddlerscross. He was heavily targetted by Cork last year in Thurles and was responsible for about 4/5 1st half points from it. He also is very slow facing his own goal. Iād imagine Conor Donohoe will fill in for him. Not as good a hurler, but a better defender who has legs. He is also very adaptable and will allow the Dublin defence apply a horses for courses approach, which Crummy sometimes constrains.
Conor Burke had a good game last day out but has been poor all year. Iām a little worried about him on TOM. The big scores cover up his game. He was 100% the last day but is generally a 50%. However he is a confidence guy and hopefully the last day will help. Brian Hayes on Darragh Fitzgibbon matches up the two fastest middle 8 hurlers in the country. Hayes had the better of it last year in Thurles but Fitzgibbon was sick that day.
One of NOCs biggest achievements this year is getting a functioning forward unit without Danny Sutcliffe and Donal Burke. Sean Currie has flown a bit under the radar and is a certain all star if picked today. Cian O Sullivan is someone I expect to have a big game too. I presume they will be targetting that Cork FBL. Currie skinned SOD in Thurles last year. E Downey is a good hurler but a poor full back. He will be targetted by a variety of the attack. I think Donal Burke will start and Hedgo to come in. Cork surely have question marks about Rob Downey too who hasnāt been at it this year.
I think this game will come down to how the Dublin defence deal with the Cork route 1 puckout. Dublin have been poor under direct high ball all year. EOD a loss here as is Crummy. If they deal with this, they win but alas I donāt think they can.
Pat Ryan must have some job keeping a lid on all the hype. It has to filter through to the group. I know they have one eye on a final already.
Cork by 4 similar to the Dublin AISF losses in 11+13.
On the Sunday game there is huge pressure on KK. Team on the go a while, good age profile, Croke pk experience, physically bigger, recent history vs Tipp at all grades( no win since 2014). Traditionally KK teams use the break to from LF to SF to get to peak form. They need it as they are the most predictable team to read in how they play. They need to bring something new.
This all really boils down the Richie Reid at 6 vs the Ormonde/Morris axis. If Reid is left there the two lads could replicate the 10 points from play like the last day. However in possession Reid is probably their most important player building the play and delivering ball. Tipp need to sit on him out of possession and let Paddy Deegan hit his boomers.
Kk have the better team. Their MF in my opinion has been the best one in the championship so far. Their forwards have more potential than Tipps though often never get firing. I believe if they get their match ups right in the backs they will win.
Lawlor on McGrath
Deegan on Forde
Walsh on McCarthy
Butler on Ormonde
Carey on Morris
Reid on SOF
The KK backs should push up man on man and forget about zonal. Trust Lawlor and Deegan to be comfortable in 50 yards of space as both will win footraces with Forde/McGrath.
Tipp have done brilliantly to get this far and Cahill should be happy with the blooding of new players. However there are still glaring issues like Connolly, our MF and an out of form McCarthy. The Tipp defence will go horses for courses but Iām wary of losing the physical battle there.
I think KK by 3 but I still have to seriously question how Lyng can tolerate a charlatan like Boyne, while Tipp have a Paul O Brien. Maybe those small margins will tip the scales.
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Great post.Id agree with alot of it.I feel Dublin are a completely different beast now and have a manager that has something about himā¦
Im not saying the Dubs will win but have a hunch people will be looking at them in a different light after Saturday.
And youre right about what you said about Kilkenny.Bigger,more seasoned etc.They should win but it wouldnt surprise me if this young Tipp team come of age.Theres a glaringly obvious weakness to their half back line and if thats targeted,then its trouble for the Cats.
Cork by 2
Draw in the other one or 4 points either way.
Great post.
Spot on about Crummy. Kinda defends in the Coleman way. Try hit as many balls and scores as possible but donāt worry if my man scores xyz. Was better last time out in the first 20 as he was away from CB, when in there heās basically everywhere but there.
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Pat Mulcahy and Pat Ryan absolutely destroyed Limerick hurling, when a game of hurling broke out in the Munster final when it mattered, Limerick where ran out of it by Cork
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Great post.
Thereāll be a serious class of Hurling person drinking in Dublin this weekend.
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Outstanding post. Better insight than any if the 9 podcasts Iāve listened to this week.
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Blow after blow for @thelimericks
They are reeling!
Side group hopping trying to offload train tickets but @balbec has em warned not to offer on the main board
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Pat Mull > Graeme Mull
I was getting worried when you were quoting Landers, Skehill and Ryan Oā Dwyer earlier.
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Posts like this the reason to keep coming back to the site.
#langerball
Is McCarthy short a bit of pace for this level?
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Yes.
Totally overrated in my opinion. The other inside forwards on the 20s team are better. An excellent free taker but is he worth carrying when Forde is as good on them.
Played a lot of the league inside, but has been more withdrawn in championship. Finds nice pockets to shoot. Limerick game an example. In fairness he is very accurate.
He has struggled hugely in the physical stakes. SOD in league final threw him around the place like a rag doll.
The most infuriating thing about him is his fouling. If beaten to the ball, he more than often gives away the free and the easy out.
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Iām worried about Saturday, naturally.
I donāt think this Dublin team have been given enough credit for what they achieved two weeks ago.
I hear the word āclinicalā thrown around about their performance v Limerick. Were they really? I canāt recall precisely the figure for missed shots they had but I know it was in the high teens at least. Thatās insane for 14 men and perhaps reflective of their grip on the game.
Hetherton could be a problem. Not sure whether Dublin should start him or bring him on. I can see the pros to either for NOC - If he starts well on young Downey, that could leave Cork with a very uncomfortable early predicament.
If our forward line fire consistently, I am confident we can do it but theyāll have to go up another gear from Munster. The Dublin FB line in particular will be a proper test for our lads.
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A bit harsh with the overrated comment, he is struggling physically and I wouldnāt be surprised if he doesnāt start Sunday.
Start OāDonoghue for him?
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He didnāt get a puck of the ball in the county final last year off a solid club corner back.
His freetaking is covering over a lot of his poorer attributes.
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You could make a case for doing that, or Darragh Stakelum but both appear to be good impact subs this year.