Messages

I read an article about young players to watch out for in Div 1b this year and Leigh Bergin was one of them. He didn't play against Dublin so will he be involved on Sunday? Is he training away with the panel?
I assume everyone being fit he would be challenging with Mullaney for a half back slot.

I'm pretty sure Leigh Bergin played against Dublin. I must admit, I arrived just on time, so all the team sheets were gone, but I thought he was number 18? And taken off in the second half? He didn't seem to set the world on fire, but he got a few pucks. I'd prefer Mullaney, to be honest.

Personally, I didn't think John Walsh was very good at full-back on Sunday. I don't think you could have him in the full-back line, anyway.

Actually, I thought Foyle played a bit better as centre back this time. Himself, Healy, and Maher were the pick of the backs, while further up the field there wasn't a whole lot to be excited about. With that amount of wides, how could you? Dublin seemed to be out in front a lot of the time. Dowling took his goal very nicely indeed, but didn't do much apart from that.
Reilly really should have stopped the penalty, which wasn't all that well struck.
What's the story w/ Ross King? He was togged out for UCD at Heywood, but didn't feature for them at all. In fact, he was number 30 on the 'programme'. Is he still coming back from injury?

I heard that both Zane Keenan and Willie Hyland won't be involved this year. It was just chat at the match - I hope it's not quite true?

They hardly will this year, either - can't see them beating Dublin. For a long time they looked like they'd lose today to UCD, but, in fairness, good fitness in the last ten minutes paid off. Brendan Reddin and Ryan Mullaney caught the eye, and it was good to see Ciaran Collier back, too. Some nice points from Scully and Purcell, and Maher and Whelan were solid. Foyle didn't really dominate at centre back, but he got on a lot of ball. There were times when he could have gone for the score, but just played it in low to the two-man full-forward line. I suppose he's been told to do that. Still and all, nice to get a win for them. Didn't think much of the grill around the pitch - didn't make it too easy to get a good view. Are they training there all the time, I wonder?

Yes, I agree. I'm not a football man at all, but we happened to be in Tullamore yesterday so dropped in to the game. Early in the second half I said Portlaoise were better, and that they'd win. However, the ball off the post, a save by the goalie, a couple of refereeing decisions, and of course, the late misses, meant they just couldn't do it. Mnid you, I thought Keany was superb for Ballyboden. Who got MOTM?

Yes. Don't know who they play, but apparently they have a bye to the semi-final. Trumera are playing this weekend, too - against Brownstown from Westmeath. Seemingly they only lost to Portlaoise by a point in a recent practice match.

Oulart were certainly there for the taking, but CB just couldn't take their chances. The third goal was soft, and a killer, as it put them five points up in a tight game. However, I do think the penalty was a penalty - just about. The ball should have been cleared in the corner, anyway.
Hopefully Darren Maher will make himself available for the county next year.

Amazing what they've achieved considering the scant resources they have in terms of players. I wonder will they in fact compete at Senior B next year - if they get a few retirements, they may not be able to field at all. Hopefully they can survive, but there's not much coming through.

Should probably be a 10 team championship, as the 'B' is too weak for the team going down, and it gives nobody in the 'B' the chance to get up and taste life at senior 'proper'. Or even for a new amalgamation?

Yes, but - this old chestnut again - would back doors produce 'more of these type of games'?
Mind you, the minor B has had group stages, and there's plenty of valid arguments why young lads should have more meaningful games, too.

Perhaps the hurlers are cut more slack because the manager isn't getting paid a heap of money by the County Board?
Also, making progress in hurling is far more difficult than it is in football, where it IS feasible for a correctly applied and fit team to beat a team two divisions higher than them. Thus, getting out of the round-robin system is tangible progress, whereas the footballers reached way below themselves is losing to a depleted Antrim.

Ha ha ha! Do you really see the county board shelling out for Daly? Do we really have enough coming through to entice someone like Daly? I think the answer to both is 'no'.

I agree. People seem to think we're better than we actually are. We're at the level we're at, because that's how good we are. Cheddar has the players' confidence. Who else would you suggest we call on, anyway?

Not yet Mossy, but its a long week in hurling let alone politics, I would be expecting a handful to call it a day. Next year will be a transitional year - as long as we avoid Round Robin winners we should be safe - watch the draw in late Oct/early Nov for that one.

Would it not be fixed to make sure Laoise played the round robin winners? This year the perceived 'weakest' - Offaly and Wexford - played the round robin winners, although I know the previous year Offaly dodged that. How will it work, I wonder? Would we not be better off playing round robin winners, than coming in cold against Galway or Kilkenny?
Yes, last night's performance was A LOT better than the Waterford game last year.