Club Hurling

Started by BallyroanAbbey, April 16, 2017, 11:40:37 AM

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redsetanta

Camross v Borris/Kilcotton has the makings of an epic encounter.

Hard to know how the Abbeyleix v Ballacolla game will go. Abbeyleix must be full of confidence after defeating Camross however Ballacolla have been there before and know what it takes. As proved over the weekend they have big game players. Hard to fathom how they turned it around after such a hiding in the last round.

On thing that's interesting from reading the reports is that the stand out names are either current or former county men which isn't always the case in the football championship
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

Keyser Söze

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

Ogie

Any verdicts or previews of the Senior Hurling Semi Finals??
Clough Ballacolla & Borris Kilcotton final for me.

Keyser Söze

Quote from: Ogie on September 08, 2017, 02:13:22 PM
Any verdicts or previews of the Senior Hurling Semi Finals??
Clough Ballacolla & Borris Kilcotton final for me.

I think there will be a "shock" in one of them.

Abbeyleix probably be least favoured of the four. Have lots of hurlers. I presume some of C/B's injuries are beginning to heal. If they can get over this game it'll begin to look like their mid season meltdown was well timed!
Being in semi finals on an almost annual basis has to count for something. Any new team that has come to the top in the last 30 years has had to serve their time in a few semi finals (Rathdowney Errill, Clough Ballacolla, Borris Kilcotton, Castletown, Clonaslee Gaels/Tinnahinch). I like the look of Abbeyleix, but I don't think they are anymore special than the teams above. A final is coming, but I don't think it will be 2017.
Wouldn't be shocked eitherways, but Clough Ballcolla by 6! Hyland to star.

Borris Kilcotton have been on an ominous march all year. Their scoring threat is well flagged, but I think Camross can match it.
Zane, Mark Dowling, Holmes, Andrew & Ciaran Collier, Gilmartin, Mossy Burke all usually score from play. Not to mention Dean Delaney, who I think is criminally under rated. They will have a plan and will suck the life out of the game when necessary. Gearoid Burke is the best centre back in the county, and with Damien Keenan still hurling like a chap beside him and Palmer mopping up ball inside, there is a serious platform there to supply ball.
Borris Kilcotton have enough talent to win any game, but they are surely not as good as the Clough Ballacolla result makes them look?
I'd favour Camross by 4, Ciaran Collier to star.
John Lalor has been having some fairly erratic performances this year- hopefully he is low key on Sunday.


The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

redsetanta

Good analysis there Keyser.

Would Gearoid Burke come back in with the county? Any particular reason why he stayed away?
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

Keyser Söze

#110
From what I know, Burke just isn't bothered. Pity. Himself and Keenan would be some addition to county team. Would make some difference to Camross this time of the year to have had the two of them there too.

On the Senior A semi finals. I'd expect that they will both be tight.

Rosenallis V Colt Gaels is interesting. Colt probably favourites, but the quality of opposition they have faced was desperate. Shanahoe were a no show, and then the Clonaslee game was atrocious by all acccounts. Rosenallis on the other hand have played the two best teams in the competition, holding their own against both. They were impressive in dismantling Mountrath in the quarters in terms of taking scores.
Semi finals are always hard won. It's not going to be a nice evening. Rosenallis know how to win games like this, there is no evidence that Colt do. If it comes down to spirit and hard work I don't think a Gaels team can match a team like Rosenallis.
Going on quality of opposition played to date and a proven ability to win games, I'll go for Rosenallis by 6 with Ronan Murray starring!

Ballyfin Gaels V The Harps is equally interesting. Ballyfin are well set up, organised and play to their strengths. Being out of the football for the last few weeks will also have been a help. The Harps simply have to win, and there is enough of a core of experienced senior hurlers right down the middle to do so. If they stand up and scrap it out, they younger fellas around the fringes are more than good enough to get the scores needed. I expect John Brophy to have a massive influence on this, and I reckon Conor Brophy and Padraig Delaney could end up with decent tallies.
The Harps to come good and win by 7.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

redsetanta

Two fairly one sided semi finals. Were Borris not up for the fight. Very hard to win back to back titles anymore.
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

Keyser Söze

I called the Senior well! I should have left it at that!  ;D
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

Keyser Söze

Also, major repercussions for the 2018 Senior A championship- two big guns there instead of one for the first time!
Relegation from the Senior championship now becomes a major poisoned chalice!
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

Dave like the tv channel

Who was the last senior team not to bounce back up? Not talking about the yo-yo clubs, but the established teams.

Keyser Söze

#115
Clonad I would say. They were going for a long time, but kept hanging on.

Or would you classify Mountrath as a yo-yo team? Senior for roundabout 10 years before going down (I think for 2013 when the championship went to 8 teams.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

merman

#116
I was wrong with all 4 predictions.

Rosenallis never showed up; poor individual performances from a number of their key players. Colt Gaels worthy winners; Clonad lads have given them a boost. Will go in as underdogs.

Very disappointed with Abbeyleix. Ridiculous shooting with the wind cost them scores that would have had them closer, if not ahead at half time. I did feel their win over Camross was overstated as we saw a Camross performance that day as bad as I can ever remember. CB did enough and have a steely determination about them; Willie Hyland was excellent, comfortably the best individual performance of the weekend.

The Harps were my bankers. Poor on the pitch; poor on the line. No leaders. Feel bad for them to be honest. Ballyfin Gaels full value for the win. I'd fancy them strongly in the final; very powerful and athletic side.

BK had no answer for Camross in terms of intensity and game management. Camross dictated everything and I was disappointed with BK's second half showing. A few of their marquee forwards didn't contribute enough from play.

Camross and Ballyfin Gaels look the likely favourites for me.

Keyser Söze

Good analysis there Merman.
I think Rosenallis should really be in the final, but overall they will be happy enough with their year. Going to be a very competitive grade for the foreseeable!
I don't know where The Harps go from here. How long is it since they won a championship match of any note? 4/5 years?

What happened B/K happens to a lot of teams going for 2 in a row, having won their first. Everything seems to be going swimmingly all year and when they eventually hit a bump on the road the wheels totally fall off. That and the fact that for all of their talent they don't really have any subs! Camross had a much stronger bench. There isn't a lot coming through in the next 3/4 years to make that bench stronger either.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

redsetanta

I haven't seen any club hurling games this year however i will go to the final.

Have any lads that are not already on the panel shown anything that would make them worth a call? The likes of Zane and Willie Hyland aside even though they are still up there with the best but won't be back. We mentioned Eoin Reilly who would be worth a shot but is there anyone else that would add to the panel?
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

steven seagal

Reilly is working out in Abu Dhabi now, so I doubt he'll be involved. Of the lads not currently there, Gearoid Burke would be the biggest addition, but he doesn't seem to have the interest. Saw Rathdowney-Errill a couple of times and thought James Ryan did alright, might be worth a call up.