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thanks lads

Heading to Mullingar Saturday to see our Minor hurlers.

Can anyone give me directions to the ground? Will be travelling from Dublin.

Tried the Westmeath Gaa site (probably the worst out there) and the Mullingar Shamrocks site (nothing there either) before anyone says go google it

could be good crack before throw in like in 2001. Murray flooring McEvoy and Power breaking a hurley off someone before the throw in.

the verbal scuds from Ger are bringing the pot to the boil nicely

How's the form lads? I'd agree with a lot of what ye said.

My own take on it.

A great night at the match and some night in Thurles afterwards. The Centre was rocking as was every pub on the Square later. The look on my 5 year old nephew's (at his first match!) face when the final whistle went as the Old Stand erupted! The look on Big Dec Fanning's face when I hopped on his back to celebrate! In fairness the Cork people couldn't have been more sporting. Credit to them. The last time I can remember such an atmosphere was at the final whistle of the 01 Munster Final.

Honestly, hand on heart I couldn't see that performance coming. What made it so pleasing was the fact we did it when most required.... with our backs against the wall at 8-3 down and minus Curran, Fitzgerald, Woodlock, McGrath, Carroll, John O'Brien plus Paul and Eoin Kelly. 2-13 from play without the Boy Wonder!

I gave Fanning MOTM. The guy played from the front, kept cool throughout and was still going strong at the end. He could have batted for the Cork goal but sure these things happen in a match.

I'd leave Kennedy there BT. No point in replacing him now. I think he had feck all chance for the goal. His puc outs are immeasurably better than Cummins'. The midfielders clear off and our half forwards come out to collect a low ball he hits with a bit of top spin. Fair enough he should have done better for the goal against Offaly but Cummins has made his fair share of mistakes and is weak when a shot is close to him on his left side. I thought Kennedy did brilliantly for Joe Deane's goalbound shot. For what it's worth,I think Babs wants his own men there, people who feel they owe him something and not the other way round.

I thought the backs as a unit were brilliant. I was worried about Byrne and Maher on the one flank of defence but bar a couple of iffy moments in the first 15 for Byrne they were great thereafter. O'Mahony was superb at CB and when Tipp goaled Corcoran really settled into the game. His hand must be sore from catching and clearing balls in the second half!

Midfield cancelled each other out but we got a hold of here when McGrath came on.

Seamie Butler, Larry and Benny really led the way up front. Both Corbett and Butler have serious turns of pace and when they're let roam around and not confined to the corner they take a lot of watching. Butler's point on the run towards the Old stand off the hurley was a gem. The Cork half back line were on the back foot for 50 minutes and didn't like it one bit. O'hailpin got fair narky and had a swipe at Hickey. He miscontrolled one ball out over the sideline at the end when Cork were looking for the equaliser.

Fair dues to Willie Ryan, he made Cusack look a novice for the first goal and was smart enough to hit the ball into the skiddy turf for the second. He has ice in his veins in front of goal this boy! He has a nice turn of pace too BT.

To be fair to Webster he needs 3 or 4 games in a row if he's going to do anything of note. He's like Brian Begley in this regard. He won't be a bad option to lob in like a grenade in the last 15-20 minutes of a match. I'd throw Egan in there next Sunday. Carroll and Egan acquitted themselves well when they came on.

I'm delighted for the whole set-up and particularly for Babs who had absolute neanderthals abusing him. Whatever about this year, himself Leahy and Tom Barry have laid a great foundation for the future. That must be 13 or 14 players that have debuted so far this year. Amazingly Corcoran and Corbett were the only 2 left from 2001 to start on Saturday.

Babs is too long on the hard road to make a slip up this week in our preparations. I'd say the aches and pains of playing 6 weeks in-a-row will melt away after down Cork's colours on a Saturday night in Thurles. Wexford will need to do some rearranging of their team to get back on track. Their first touch and basics were abysmal against KK and Meyler's man-management doesn't look great to me. Wexford have taken some serious hidings over the last number of years from the likes of Clare, Cork, KK. If we get ahead early I don't think they'll have the stomach for it.

Tiobraid Árann abú!

Any of my Tipp brethern make it over to this DB?

Colombia, GMB, Lemon, HOH etc?

Is it correct that the Church men have a Mudjha in their ranks for '07? 

should be a good test for the Tipp lads with both teams probably itching to get at each other.

Will be very interested to see how the full forward line goes. Have great time for O'Hanlon since i first saw him underage. An ox of a man. His swing could do with a bit of work but he's a great target man. Himself and Lucey will go at each other hammer and tongs. With the 2 Kelly's either side of him it could be a deadly inside line. Definitley worth giving Paul a spin in this position. He's too loose for half back, midfield or half-forward and he knows where the posts are.

Interesting also to see how Buckley, Shane Maher and Scroope go. Always liked Buckley as a player. haven't seen much of Maher except against us last year when he started a brawl at the start of the match and was given the runaround by Redser before getting on top eventually.

Should be good plus there's the added bonus of enjoying a pint in Paddy Rohan's before and after. A must if ye're visiting Nenagh for the match.