Hurling 2022

[tippmaninlaois]

Tipp need a rebuild. They got as much as they could out of that team. Last year their best lasted 35 minutes.

We have 2 u21/20 all ireland winning squads that are now 22/23/24

With hindsight changes should have been made at half time in the Munster final with us 10 points up

But hindsight is cheap now

Limerick got the breaks with one if not 2 red cards missed

But tipp showed the way last year for 37 mins as to how to take Limerick on

Let's see how they got on this year in a compact attritional round robin Munster championship,they struggled in 19 after winning the all ireland the previous year with this format.They had a much clearer run in 20 and 21 when it wasn't played.

They have Cork away round 1
Waterford at home round 2
Clare in Ennis round 3 which could be a very tricky one for them
Tipperary at home round 4

4 games in the space of 5 weeks

Squad depth is also an issue with them,it will be interesting to see if Adam English and a few more more force their way in

WRT the Munster final, Tipp did indeed bypass the middle third, went long, by passing the Limerick halfback line with Seamy Callinan flicking the ball down to the runners coming through and enjoyed a lot of scores off that process UNTIL Dan Morrisey was brought into the fray at the expense of Richie English. That turned the game round for Limerick and from then on they turned the screw in a serious way that Tipp couldn't cope with.
Yes, Guillane should have got a red for slapping Barrett, it was a red every day of the week, except in a Munster final it seems. I still think Limerick would have went on for the win but we'll never know.

Squad wise with the condensed championship we have now I'd say Limerick are better placed than most to cope with a few injuries along the way. They've a very settled 20 or so lads will plenty of championship experience and whilst they got beat by Cork in last years U20's they were nip and tuck the whole way so they've more to come and I think some were blooded the weekend past vrs Kerry with Clare to come.

They're better placed than most to deal with a tight schedule but obviously everyone will be hoping key personnel avoid anything serious.

It was Jason Forde not Callinan that did the damage in the first half of that Munster final against Limerick

He roved around the 40 and was given free reign.

The first 4/5 minutes of the second half was when the tide really turned

The Limerick forwards upped their work rate and stopped the tipp backs hitting accurate ball out of defence

Limerick have been using the same 17 odd hurlers for the last 2 all irelands

It's going to be fascinating to find who else they have in a no holds barred compressed Munster championship

Any 3 from the 5 could come out of it and a good start is vital

Callinan was the one knocking the balls down for Forde and the runners coming through. The two goals came from high balls in knocked down by Callinan to runners off his shoulder IIRC.
Limerick are probably the best at changing tactics during the game, and use the water breaks very effectively which I'd like to see the end off.

The first Tipperary goal was a result of a barry hogan puckout which Jake morris ran onto and scored

The second one was again a puckout which broke off a Limerick back

Coaching Breaks are gone

[imtommygunn]

How sick would you be losing that game. Horrendous way to lose.

[Sheedy]

How sick would you be losing that game. Horrendous way to lose.

you'd be absolutely sick. looking back should they not have had more players between tj and the goal? some strike all the same

[imtommygunn]

I don't think I've seen many games where the winner deserved to win less. Seems to be a few people debating whether it was a penalty too. When you have a boy like tj Reid you always have a chance. Eoin Cody some player too.

Really feel for st Thomas's.

[Milltown Row2]

Haven't watched the game, recorded it so will watch tomorrow, ballyhale are not the team of last few years, have said it a few times.


Backed Thomas's plus 5 at evens, so disappointed that ballyhale won

[Baile an tuaigh]

St Thomas were slightly better and more balanced team all round. This is one of those rare occasions when the best team looses in hurling.

Ballyhale have been on the ropes against O Loughlin Gaels, St Ryan's and now St Thomas and gotten over the.line by the skin of their teeth.

I think they will win the final because of experience and the Croke Park factor.

[johnnycool]

I don't think I've seen many games where the winner deserved to win less. Seems to be a few people debating whether it was a penalty too. When you have a boy like tj Reid you always have a chance. Eoin Cody some player too.

Really feel for st Thomas's.

Great game all the same and whilst St Thomas' played most of the hurling Ballyhale kept themselves in contention as wily old hands do.

The penalty was a bit iffy as Fennelly just put the head down and charged into the Thomas' lad, the only thing that I could think of why the referee may have given the penalty was that the defender grabbed the faceguard on the way down and pulled Fennelly on top of himself. That's the only thing I could see out of it but the initial foul IMO was Fennelly charging..

TJ isn't covering the ground as well as he has and that's to be expected but he's some operator in a ruck with great ability to win those types of ball, superb vision and ability to get the pass off to a teammate. Still a joy to watch but i think he might call it a day with Kilkenny after the final. Just my gut instinct on that one. Can't understand how the free at the end made it's way in as Thomas' should have got bodies as close to TJ as the referee would allow and those lads need to make sure the ball hits you and it was a decent enough height for that to happen. They'll rue that one for manys a day....

Shamrocks are unashamedly direct with high balls lobbed most of the time into the danger area for Fennelly (who i thought was marshalled well) and Reid to battle for. Reid drifted out for a while to get Ballyhale ticking. Eoin Cody looks to be the real deal for the next while for Kilkenny but he too faded out the game for long periods but their defence struggled yesterday and thomas' had them for pace more often than not, so the final will come down to how well Ballygunner can handle the high ball and how well Ballyhale can handle the pace of Ballygunner.

FWIW, SN give them a right good go of it and it was Ballygunner who were holding out at the final whistle. They just couldn't get the score down to 3 points to get Ballygunner panicky. They'd it down to 4 but then Ballygunner went up the field and tacked on the next three. The SN goal brought them back into it, but Ballygunner held out well and aren't a bit shy themselves when it comes to the physical side of the game.

It'll be an interesting final and TBH I think Ballygunner might just do it as Ballyhale surely must be running out of lives and it looked like their corner back left the field with a broken hand as well as the other lad limping off in the first half.

[NAG1]

Two great adverts for club hurling to be fair.

Unbelievably tough on St Thomas's, IMO the penalty was never a penalty. Have no idea why the ref didnt consult his umpires, you can't win the ball and turn directly into a man and try to run straight over the top of him, was a free out all day every day.

On the free, cynical pull down for sure, but look where the incident happened compared to where the free was taken from. The linesman started moving the ball back to where it occurred and then realised oh it's TJ he can put it where ever he likes. No taking away from the finish but if its taken from the correct place, he doesnt score it on that angle. Two very poor calls and that's the difference in who goes to the final.

The other game probably suffered from being played in Parnell, no idea why they keep taking hurling matches to there. I thought Ballygunnar played within themselves really and just kept SN at arms length the whole game. Not really impressed with the SN tactics off the ball and the continual mouthing of some players, something they have never been pulled on until yesterday.

Saw a lot of comments on on SM about CO'D, I dont get that at all. I thought he got found out slightly. Ballygunnar no.8 continually available for the out ball from defence and ran the show around the middle of the field. In fact they totally dominated this area and was the platform for a lot of handy scores.

[Milltown Row2]

Was out so didn't see the second game, have it recorded so will watch it later.

I heard Banagher were called black bastards and prods!! If that's the best a team can come out with during a game its very sad

[general_lee]

Saw a lot of comments on on SM about CO'D, I dont get that at all. I thought he got found out slightly. Ballygunnar no.8 continually available for the out ball from defence and ran the show around the middle of the field. In fact they totally dominated this area and was the platform for a lot of handy scores.

I'm no hurling expert but I couldn't help notice how much BG were allowed to dominate from puck outs especially no8, marking non-existent. Presuming Slaughtneil dominate Ulster for another year or two, what is it they need to properly challenge, apart from another Brendan Rodgers? I just get the feeling that they're a level below the top clubs in the country.

[johnnycool]

Saw a lot of comments on on SM about CO'D, I dont get that at all. I thought he got found out slightly. Ballygunnar no.8 continually available for the out ball from defence and ran the show around the middle of the field. In fact they totally dominated this area and was the platform for a lot of handy scores.

I'm no hurling expert but I couldn't help notice how much BG were allowed to dominate from puck outs especially no8, marking non-existent. Presuming Slaughtneil dominate Ulster for another year or two, what is it they need to properly challenge, apart from another Brendan Rodgers? I just get the feeling that they're a level below the top clubs in the country.

Ballygunner made mincemeat out of Kilmallock, the Limerick champions who in turn made mincemeat out of Midleton, the Cork champions, they were made to earn their victory there yesterday and yes, maybe allowing Ballygunner to create and take so many scores from their own puck-outs would need looked at but SN are definitely there or there abouts.

Watched back the TJ Reid free there and was surprised at how few St Thomas' players were in front of him when he struck it.

They should have had a wall of two like in football, prepared to get hit with the ball with another bank of players behind them and if the referee is allowing BH players closer than the 20 metres then he'd have to allowed the St Thomas' lads the same latitude. As said before, they're the types of defeats that cause endless sleepless nights for all involved.

[tiempo]

Saw a lot of comments on on SM about CO'D, I dont get that at all. I thought he got found out slightly. Ballygunnar no.8 continually available for the out ball from defence and ran the show around the middle of the field. In fact they totally dominated this area and was the platform for a lot of handy scores.

I'm no hurling expert but I couldn't help notice how much BG were allowed to dominate from puck outs especially no8, marking non-existent. Presuming Slaughtneil dominate Ulster for another year or two, what is it they need to properly challenge, apart from another Brendan Rodgers? I just get the feeling that they're a level below the top clubs in the country.

Ballygunner made mincemeat out of Kilmallock, the Limerick champions who in turn made mincemeat out of Midleton, the Cork champions, they were made to earn their victory there yesterday and yes, maybe allowing Ballygunner to create and take so many scores from their own puck-outs would need looked at but SN are definitely there or there abouts.

Watched back the TJ Reid free there and was surprised at how few St Thomas' players were in front of him when he struck it.

They should have had a wall of two like in football, prepared to get hit with the ball with another bank of players behind them and if the referee is allowing BH players closer than the 20 metres then he'd have to allowed the St Thomas' lads the same latitude. As said before, they're the types of defeats that cause endless sleepless nights for all involved.

Just seen it, criminal from Thomas'. 5 lads in the vicinity but standing out of the way/not in the potential line of the ball, lads (forwards) standing down the pitch watching. I'm sorry but as gut-wrenching as it would be they have no-one to blame but themselves.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1485299697573109765

[Franko]

The keeper is 100% to blame.

Just as TJ rises the ball he makes a hare brained 5 yard dash off the line and gets nowhere near the ball.

The ball hits the net in pretty much the exact spot that the keeper has just vacated

Mad stuff from him.

Agree with JC - build a wall of men and (unlike the keeper yesterday) don't feckin move!

Horrible way to lose, but we've all been there.

[Baile an tuaigh]

Coming out of Mass last night I met one of me old hard-core hurling mates from Galway. He was telling me the night before the game TJ had is hurl in water to make the boss very heavy. His technique is masterful, how he can raise the ball and put the maximum weight of his body behind the shot. As soon as he hit the sweet spot he knew it was going in. That was a bullet he fired! In real time I didn't see the sliotar, all I saw was the net bulge. The only thing you can hope for is the ball comes off your body if your a defender.

I played a small stint in the backs back in the day but one of the first things we would do is one man would stand in front of the free taker until we were all positioned right in the backs. I thought St Thomas were to casual for that free. Amazing.

Interesting to hear how TJ would water the hurls before the night of a huge game. We would winterize our hurls by drilling a hole in the handle and filling it with linseed oil so it would seep through the ash over a few weeks of winter. Same idea with the boss.

Slaughtneil were just unlucky. Off to a poor start and even missed a glaring goal chance themselves. The one time at the start the Slaughtneil forward was breaking through and was in two minds what to do with his shot ended up hitting it very tamely probably because he had to much time to think about it.

At half time Slaughtneil had more possession according to the stats. They worked very hard to pull the gap back to two points, then were caught very laxidaisical for the start of the second half when they coughed up that 2nd goal.

Ballygunner really swarmed their goal mouth in the 2nd half and were very syniccal with their defening. One passage of play the Slaughtneil forward nearly had the shirt pulled off and didn't even get a free.

Bringing Brendan Rodgers out to the half forward line made a big difference but it was too little too late at that stage. I think they will win Ulster next year again.

[Milltown Row2]

so watched the game last night, As Johnny said, the Shamrocks kept themselves in the game, St Thomas's will need to know how to manage out a game better, they didn't apply the brakes when they were 3 points up before the penalty or when they went back 2 points up in injury time, of which there was only 3 to see out.

On the penalty he could have gave a free out for charging, as he raised his hurl chest level and threw the head down, the pull down of the helmet happened after, so you blow the first free if he seen it as a free.

As for the last second winner, they had managed both TJ and Colin on the edge of the square the whole game, without any real hassle, panicking at the death undid all the great work, TJ was going out wide, the defender just needed to push him further out and let him try and develop something from a wider position, or foul him 30 yards out, as for the free, the only option Ballyhale had was to go for goal, so 15 men along that line or a line of 2 7's plus the keeper would have provided better cover, I think one player ducked  once it was hit.

Ballygunner for me and by at least 5 points, the first half of the game yesterday was decent enough, though plenty of frees,, second half was poor enough affair until the last 8 minutes of the game