Not particularly. Begley, Tierney, McMahon, Booth, Carroll, Healy, Sheehan, Timmons, Kingston, Donoher were all starters in Cship last year and none started Sunday with only two coming on.
McNulty has completely overhauled the panel by a combination of necessity and wish though and while there’s not much to get excited about at present, what he does have is a panel of lads who are interested in pulling on the jersey at least. I like the idea of Clancy at full forward, been saying it for some time, and with Meaney, O Loughlin, Begley, Strong, Julian, Boyle and Quigley around the middle, we can spare him. Lillis at full back is looking like filling a hole thats been there since 2003 even if he is a bit questionable with regards to pace. David Conway scoring 5 points yesterday was a bit of a shock to all in Laois, another of the 2003 Minor era he’d never really been given much of a sniff a this level due to his size (another pipsqueak Laois footballer) but he’s bulked up a bit of late and has a massive workrate, and with the size in the team elsewhere he seems to be taking over from Tierney as the obligatory small forward. He’ll work harder as well and less fucking tatt’s so thats a good thing.
Mayo Saturday night will tell a lot. Justin wasn’t getting carried away yesterday anyway thats for sure. Justin is a dour dour man.
saw conway play some mini 7s, not too bad a player. was marking a debutant yesterday in hayden i think, he got fairly well roasted from what i have heard.
That could go someway to explaining it, 5 points from David at this level would be a shock. Saw him in one of the previous games and he impressed me a bit so I’ll give him a chance.
Being reported elsewhere that Lee Chin and Andrew Shore will be committing to the senior footballers this year. I’d wonder how much of an influence the club had with the latters decision.
You’d wonder if either of them would make the senior football team. What age is Chin? Rumour has it a Canadian student will be back for the U-21 footballers first game against the Dubs.
Who’s the student padjo? PM if necessary. Chin was minor 2 years ago so I’d guess he’s 20 or so. He’ll be playing with both U21 teams as well. He’s an excellent hurler but I don’t know about his football ability. Shore could be pressing for a place in midfield and neither Waters or Quinlivan are exactly world beaters. Shore should have more ability than both but depends on his attitude both in the dressing room and on the pitch.
Shore was the standout player at midfield in the schools championship for Knockbeg over the last few seasons. He would have been on the U21 football team last year only for his back injury. Training and playing with Parnells should improve him as well so ruling him out based off a game in January is fairly bizarre.
DIARMUID ‘GIZZY’ Lyng is on the way back to the Wexford senior hurling camp.
The team captain of 2009 and 2010 has not featured in the purple andgold since the Leinster championship quarterfinal loss to Galway on May 29th, 2010 in Nowlan Park, when he accounted for 0-11 (8 frees and 1 ‘65) in Wexford’s 2-22 to 1-14 loss to the Corribsiders.
He missed the subsequent All-Ireland Qualifier that year – a trimming by Tipperary – owing to suspension.
‘Gizzy’ wasn’t involved with the squad in any capacity last season as he took a hiatus in order to travel the world, spending time in the USA, while he is currently travelling through Asia.
He was due to return home this Summer.
But he has moved things along having been given an ultimatum by Wexford senior boss Liam Dunne to be back by early-February or forget about it.
And Lyng will have to fight hard to get back into the plans, as Dunne and fellow selectors, Tomás Codd (a St. Martin’s club-mate of Lyng’s) and Murty Dempsey, together with trainer Rory Kinsella, won’t be tolerating anything other than total commitment to everything hurling-wise.
Obviously Lyng, who broke-through to the senior team in 2004, and has about 20 championship appearances to his credit, would be a welcome addition to the armoury, especially in terms of his placed-ball talents, which would be a significant aid to Wexford’s bid to achieve progress, first via the National League – where he captained Wexford to the Division 2 title in 2010 and ultimately in the championship.
The brother of county senior football star Ciarán would also be a huge plus for St. Martin’s as they seek glory on both senior championship fronts this year.
