2015 Laois Senior Hurling

Started by redsetanta, February 13, 2015, 12:55:38 PM

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Giovanni

Quote from: finbar o tool on July 14, 2015, 07:36:25 PM
Physical size IS an element of the game, but its certainly not Essential. There is a difference between being physically big, and being physical. Good coaching and having a good hurling brain is way more important. Things like awareness and spacial awareness, timing your jumps and your runs and your passing is very important and are sometimes overlooked. Little things like these separate the likes of Kilkenny and Tipp from most other teams. If i was a physically big person playing for say, Waterford or Cork etc, i still wouldnt like to see Tommy Walsh jogging over to mark me!!

Fully agree with this. Hurling is a game of skill and a game of wit and that must be the starting point. We're working on that very effectively which is great to see. As Finbar says, there is an important difference between being physically big and being physical.

Having said that, Pat Critchley himself said that the minors lost out in the physical battle (I wasn't at the game) and physicality was definitely a factor in both the Galway and Dublin games. However, I wouldn't conclude from that that we need to pick the 15 biggest lads that we have. We're on the right road and, as Merman says, once we have enough good skillful players to choose from, we can also look at their physicality.

Unlaoised

Quote from: Giovanni on July 15, 2015, 10:35:20 AM
Quote from: finbar o tool on July 14, 2015, 07:36:25 PM
Physical size IS an element of the game, but its certainly not Essential. There is a difference between being physically big, and being physical. Good coaching and having a good hurling brain is way more important. Things like awareness and spacial awareness, timing your jumps and your runs and your passing is very important and are sometimes overlooked. Little things like these separate the likes of Kilkenny and Tipp from most other teams. If i was a physically big person playing for say, Waterford or Cork etc, i still wouldnt like to see Tommy Walsh jogging over to mark me!!

Fully agree with this. Hurling is a game of skill and a game of wit and that must be the starting point. We're working on that very effectively which is great to see. As Finbar says, there is an important difference between being physically big and being physical.

Having said that, Pat Critchley himself said that the minors lost out in the physical battle (I wasn't at the game) and physicality was definitely a factor in both the Galway and Dublin games. However, I wouldn't conclude from that that we need to pick the 15 biggest lads that we have. We're on the right road and, as Merman says, once we have enough good skillful players to choose from, we can also look at their physicality.

Pat has admitted we lost out Physically but it was more height than actually body shape or fitness not much we can do to buck that trend if the height isn't there.

We pick our most skillful hurlers and thats what comes through the setanta programmmes where as the bigger lads that fade away from it tend to either play football or just Hurl with their club...We don't have the numbers like other counties so don't have the variety of chaps just yet coming thru.
LAOIS ABÚ

redsetanta

I thought we matched up fairly well physically with Dublin. The full back line was caught moreso with height and pace. We probably need to get a bit cuter in the tackle.
Clare won an All Ireland with plenty of lads who are lightweight enough. Shane O'Donnell and Tony Kelly are not big, imposing men.
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

finbar o tool

i didn't make it to the minor match so it might be unfair of me to say, but i heard that it was a lack of balls/guts rather than physical size was the problem......just what i heard from a couple of people.
An amateur requires a personal commitment that money cannot buy

Jimmy P

Lack of physcial size ties in with us having a much smaller pick than the bigger counties. Galway Tipp KK can have the pick of a lot more players than we do simple as that.

Strength can be trained but height unfortunately is what you are born with. Reilly, Healy, Stapleton,  Joe ,Dwayne, Cha and Tommy to mention a few regular starters are all under 6 ft. All good hurlers but pair them with an equals in hurling terms from the bigger counties and 9/10 they will lose a physical confrontaion because the Dublin and Galways of this world simply have as good a hurlers but also dwarf us in size.

From writing this post I'd actually be interested in the average height of the panel. Just out of curiosity and compare it to the top 3 teams in the country!

blueandwhite1

I agree with all of the above, just making the point that physicality is another ingredient. That's why Kilkenny and several others put a strong emphasis on it. Tommy Walsh isn't tall but he is a tough man to push around the place. With all due respects to Butch, John A, Cahir and a few more, they have been bullied around on occasion despite their hurling ability. Even some of our bigger men struggle. Height can be counteracted with muscle to some extent. But when you have neither we are in trouble. In saying this I am conscious that the improvement journey is only a couple of years old, it takes many years to get things to where they need to be.

redsetanta

Didn't want to start a new topic so posting it here.

Good to see IT Carlow retaining the colleges league title by beating UCC with a good representation from Laois. A third of the starting 15 from the county. Picky, Cha, Willie Dunphy, Dwaye Palmer, Enda Rowland all playing
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

Helix

Willie Young of Clonaslee instead of Willie Dunphy!
It's hardly possible to build anything if frustration, bitterness and a mood of helplessness prevail