Messages

Niall Corbett; Trevor Collins, Mark Timmons, Gearoid Hanrahan; Sean O'Flynn, Robert Pigott, Patrick O'Sullivan; John O'Loughlin, Sean Byrne; Michael Keogh, Colm Murphy, Eoin Lowry; Mark Barry, Kieran Lillis, Evan O'Carroll.

Team along expected lines, not much in the way of options at present owing to unavailability and other players only coming back. interesting to see the subs to see who made the cut. Lillis will hardly stay in full forward with the new mark?? Poor Sigerson lads not getting a rest before their final.

Mark Fanning; Simon Donohoe, Liam Ryan, Joe O'Connor; Damien Reck, Shaun Murphy, Paudie Foley; Kevin Foley, Jack O'Connor; Cathal Dunbar, Rory O'Connor, Aidan Nolan; Aidan Rochford, Conor McDonald, Paul Morris. Subs: James Lawlor, Shane Reck, Conor Firman, Conal Flood, Jack Cullen, Harry Kehoe, Liam Og McGovern, Andrew Shore, Seamus Casey, Gary Molloy, Michael Dwyer.

wexford not starting a few big names as well, still a very tough ask.

Live now GAA.IE, Carlow IT against GMIT in the Fitzgibbon, plenty of lads playing

Tough night tonight, Dublin we're far fitter and slicker and missed very little. The few starting changes gave us a very light and young looking team. We are all over place at times in the first half and seemed to be playing mullaney as the spare man. It wasn't one of Ryan's best nights as he was the cause of a few scores. Dublin went down the sides and stretched us constantly. We hit a lot of poor ball down to their spare man throughout the game and it put the backs under pressure with it coming back. We stayed in touch somewhat with Ross nabbing a few scores. A few changes at half time especially Dublin taking off thankfully eamon Dillon who caused us no end of problems and we settled. Jack Kelly went back to the full back line and Podge Delaney made a huge difference. Purcell stayed full forward and despite not doing much it allowed Ross out the field where he ran himself into the ground. Got it back close before they got the goal and then we collapsed to a succession of points.

It might be unfair to say the team is unfit but they certainly have a good bit to do before the league. Flanagan man marked their big man hetherton and had a tough night. He battled well but needs a bit more hurling but I can see him starting as he has the size. Jack Kelly was plugging holes everywhere and Delaney made a big difference. Was not a night for our forwards bar Ross and we were out muscled a lot. We certainly are going to feel the loss of mark kavanagh

A few regulars back for the Dublin game

things learned from today,

• 
  meath used todays game with their division 1 games in mind
  they played a lot of regulars, the meath chronicle reckoned very close to the starting league team
  a lot of our trialists aren't going to make it

a bit like the last few years we tried a lot of players (a few their second/third time) and a lot are not at present up to the standard. I say present, as unfortunately you can't judge them all when they are facing a near enough full strength meath team in navan coming off promotion and Super 8 games. Meath were just bigger, used the kick pass better and generally did what they wanted apart from a spurt in the third quarter. the only thing for sure is that their is a lot more of the older crew are going to have to appear in the league as we simply haven't found anything new so far. Division 2 is going to be tough.

On the game itself, we didn't start to bad in that we had a lot of ball but unfortunately no end product. meath tackled hard and forced a few turnovers and kicked direct, something we really didn't do all day , we were more inclined to constantly hand pass laterally, their wasn't much of an option inside. they got a run of scores but their forwards in particular all fouled at the sign of danger, you could call it cuteness but it was definitely a tactic. they pressed our kickout aggressively, and we messed up dreadfully going short which resulted in goals and a few missed opportunities for them. Long kickouts gave no real return. Tyrell was too raw to be on Menton and didn't appear for the second half and they punched everything aimed at JOL. the physical difference in size between their halfback line and our half forwards meant going long their was not an option. We were trapped at times and luckily avoided another few goals. they kicked a few wides which could have made it a lot worse. Bright moment was Keogh placing the ball for Evan to palm in for a goal. Evan had an all too common game with a bit of everything. got a goal, kicked some good points from frees and play, but at the same time missed a 21 yard free in front of the goals and another badly on his own side. We ended up with the keeper taking a 45 wide before Comerford slotted one. A settled, consistent freetaker still eludes us.

The second half or the third quarter in particular we started really well. Paddy o Sullivan went midfield and tracked menton. We really pressed their kickouts, on a number of occasions the whole team bar the full back was in their half leaving four meath forwards free. it was very brave and thankfully the meath keeper hadn't a long enough kickout to reach them. their was some lovely points scored by Barry in particular and we got it back to four. They got two points back which settled them and then the corner back was outmuscled on a high ball in and the on running meath forward buried it. The game died after that, their was numerous changes, the keeper saved another goal and their corner forward blazed over from 5 yards. A few other rusty warriors like Timmons, Gary Walsh and Ross came on and he kicked a nice point before JOL dunted menton under one of the last kickouts and was wisely substituted. it will be interesting to see how many of last years team are back training before the league starts.

3-8 to 1-3 at half time and could be far worse if Meath didn't kick so many wides. Poor kickouts or lack of options on kickouts a cause of a lot of damage. This could get really ugly

Hughie played 1 championship game in 00, he came as a sub 3 times in 03 win, that's it

Seen similar on a few forums, have a go

Byron
Fennelly, Timmons, Higgins
Begley, tom Kelly, Mcmahon
Clancy, jol
Ross,Mick Lawlor,
Beano, Donie, ian Fitz

Last spot I couldn't decide Conway, Bruno or kevin Fitz. Rooney and Garvan very close

Malachy gone to Rhode

hard luck to rathdowney, tried hard but st mullins were worthy winners. st mullins looked a bigger team and out muscled them at times especially in the forwards but rathdowney plugged away especially mark Kavanagh. have to wonder about some of the tactics at times which seemed to invite St. Mullins onto them. should campion taken a few of the puck outs to at least get the ball further down the field??, should they have chanced paddy Purcell in the forwards for a chance of another goal?? . real missed opportunity to get to a final.

St Mullins strong in the air, especially in the forwards, this is going to be tight

Strong rumours that hogan got the all star hurling award, would be very disappointing for rowland who was far better

Minor was an excellent game

Anybody got a spare programme from yesterday ??