Cork V Offaly

[INDIANA]

Embarrassing losing to Offaly- my we have notions about ourselves. Might be embarrassing for kilkenny to lose to offaly. I wonder does Joe Dooley read this website?

[orangeman]

Embarrassing losing to Offaly- my we have notions about ourselves. Might be embarrassing for kilkenny to lose to offaly. I wonder does Joe Dooley read this website?

I don't know but I'd say he has been informed of the Cork view. 

[awfulynice]

I think it was a very patronising comment. I wasn't aware it would be embarassing to lose to Offaly. Was it embarassing in 2000? I'd love to see it, but Cork are obviously big favourites. However, I don't think it would be embarassing for Cork to lose to us. Were Limerick embarassed to lose? Were Wexford embarassed to lose to us in the Div 2 final? Or is it only embarassing if you lose to counties that aren't Kilkenny, Tipp or Galway?

Are you honestly telling me that you can't see how it'd be embarasing if we lost to ye, or if a team like Galway/Tipp/Waterford did? Maybe embarasing isn't the right word, but the teams I've mentioned would be looking to go on in the competition and get to the final and such, and would need to beat the likes of Offaly to do so. I mean do you really think you're on the same level as the teams I've just mentioned?

The likes of Wexford wouldn't be embarased and 2000 was a very long time ago. Teams have moved up and down on the scale.

Embarrasing is definately not the word, I think the word you are looking for is upsetting or dissapointing.  Trying to say Galway / Tipp / Waterford are so far ahead of Offaly that they would be embarrased if they lost to them...is frankly embarrasing for you. Because if you were looking at last years championship you would have seen Offaly thrash Limerick, who drew with Tipp 3 times 2 years before, give Waterford a game for 65 minutes & Galway with an extra man for 40 minutes unable to get past Cork. Hardly teams on a whole other level. Im afraid there are two levels in hurling at the moment Kilkenny & then everyone else

[Reillers]

I think it was a very patronising comment. I wasn't aware it would be embarassing to lose to Offaly. Was it embarassing in 2000? I'd love to see it, but Cork are obviously big favourites. However, I don't think it would be embarassing for Cork to lose to us. Were Limerick embarassed to lose? Were Wexford embarassed to lose to us in the Div 2 final? Or is it only embarassing if you lose to counties that aren't Kilkenny, Tipp or Galway?

Are you honestly telling me that you can't see how it'd be embarasing if we lost to ye, or if a team like Galway/Tipp/Waterford did? Maybe embarasing isn't the right word, but the teams I've mentioned would be looking to go on in the competition and get to the final and such, and would need to beat the likes of Offaly to do so. I mean do you really think you're on the same level as the teams I've just mentioned?

The likes of Wexford wouldn't be embarased and 2000 was a very long time ago. Teams have moved up and down on the scale.

Embarrasing is definately not the word, I think the word you are looking for is upsetting or dissapointing.  Trying to say Galway / Tipp / Waterford are so far ahead of Offaly that they would be embarrased if they lost to them...is frankly embarrasing for you. Because if you were looking at last years championship you would have seen Offaly thrash Limerick, who drew with Tipp 3 times 2 years before, give Waterford a game for 65 minutes & Galway with an extra man for 40 minutes
unable to get past Cork. Hardly teams on a whole other level. Im afraid there are two levels in hurling at the moment Kilkenny & then everyone else

Ya embarasing isn't the word I suppose. But, and if the Leinster lads could take their blinkers off, there is 3 levels. Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Galway..etc. Then Dublin, Offaly, Wexford..etc.
Embarasing isn't the word and I apologise for people I genuinely offended, but Offaly, Dublin and Wexford have about one good game in them a year, usually giving a team like Galway, like Waterford, or whoever they come up against, but one game is it. And that's pretty much fact for the last few years.

They (Offaly, Wexford..etc) aren't (any time soon) going to get much further then that. They'll give a team a good go, they might even win one game in the qualifiers depending on who they play, but you're not going to see them in the semi final.

There are 3 levels. Now while embarasing might have been a slight bit harsh but I believe, most do, that there are Kilkenny, Tipp, Galway, Cork, Waterford.. and then the rest of the Leinster teams, and that's not going by my opinion, that's looking at results over the last few years.

[heffo]

I think it was a very patronising comment. I wasn't aware it would be embarassing to lose to Offaly. Was it embarassing in 2000? I'd love to see it, but Cork are obviously big favourites. However, I don't think it would be embarassing for Cork to lose to us. Were Limerick embarassed to lose? Were Wexford embarassed to lose to us in the Div 2 final? Or is it only embarassing if you lose to counties that aren't Kilkenny, Tipp or Galway?

Are you honestly telling me that you can't see how it'd be embarasing if we lost to ye, or if a team like Galway/Tipp/Waterford did? Maybe embarasing isn't the right word, but the teams I've mentioned would be looking to go on in the competition and get to the final and such, and would need to beat the likes of Offaly to do so. I mean do you really think you're on the same level as the teams I've just mentioned?

The likes of Wexford wouldn't be embarased and 2000 was a very long time ago. Teams have moved up and down on the scale.

Embarrasing is definately not the word, I think the word you are looking for is upsetting or dissapointing.  Trying to say Galway / Tipp / Waterford are so far ahead of Offaly that they would be embarrased if they lost to them...is frankly embarrasing for you. Because if you were looking at last years championship you would have seen Offaly thrash Limerick, who drew with Tipp 3 times 2 years before, give Waterford a game for 65 minutes & Galway with an extra man for 40 minutes
unable to get past Cork. Hardly teams on a whole other level. Im afraid there are two levels in hurling at the moment Kilkenny & then everyone else

Ya embarasing isn't the word I suppose.  I apologise for people I genuinely offended

Does that include me for jumping down my throat and claiming I was 'whining' (your word of the week for the last two months) when I initially brought your attention to your faux-pas?

[Reillers]

I think it was a very patronising comment. I wasn't aware it would be embarassing to lose to Offaly. Was it embarassing in 2000? I'd love to see it, but Cork are obviously big favourites. However, I don't think it would be embarassing for Cork to lose to us. Were Limerick embarassed to lose? Were Wexford embarassed to lose to us in the Div 2 final? Or is it only embarassing if you lose to counties that aren't Kilkenny, Tipp or Galway?

Are you honestly telling me that you can't see how it'd be embarasing if we lost to ye, or if a team like Galway/Tipp/Waterford did? Maybe embarasing isn't the right word, but the teams I've mentioned would be looking to go on in the competition and get to the final and such, and would need to beat the likes of Offaly to do so. I mean do you really think you're on the same level as the teams I've just mentioned?

The likes of Wexford wouldn't be embarased and 2000 was a very long time ago. Teams have moved up and down on the scale.

Embarrasing is definately not the word, I think the word you are looking for is upsetting or dissapointing.  Trying to say Galway / Tipp / Waterford are so far ahead of Offaly that they would be embarrased if they lost to them...is frankly embarrasing for you. Because if you were looking at last years championship you would have seen Offaly thrash Limerick, who drew with Tipp 3 times 2 years before, give Waterford a game for 65 minutes & Galway with an extra man for 40 minutes
unable to get past Cork. Hardly teams on a whole other level. Im afraid there are two levels in hurling at the moment Kilkenny & then everyone else

Ya embarasing isn't the word I suppose.  I apologise for people I genuinely offended

Does that include me for jumping down my throat and claiming I was 'whining' (your word of the week for the last two months) when I initially brought your attention to your faux-pas?

As per usual you're more interested in starting fights and wanting attention, highlighting a line to start a fight instead of talking hurling, then again right now, doing the same thing yet again, instead of talking hurling. You pick out a random line, still trying to stirr crap again.
I said I apologise to anyone I genuinely offended, by your responses I don't think you are one of them. You seem more interested in moaning and starting fights then talking hurling. IF you are one of those people who are offended then I apologise, but I don't think you are. You seem more interested in making it about yourself and starting fights then talking about hurling, but whether you're "offended," well that's down to you I suppose. But I don't think you are.

[Bord na Mona man]

A very depleted Offaly team now.
A lot of enforced changes.
Nearly every line of the time has significant switches which is hardly ideal.
The team now lacks pace a bit too. I'd worry that a few of our lads will be chasing shadows all day.
Even with the first choice 15, recent trends suggest Offaly would easily concede 20-25 scores to a team like Cork.

Hayden at wing back is a big call. He has had a mixture of good and not so good days for Birr there and how he copes at inter-county level there is a big unknown.
Expect plenty of switching in the forwards, but at the moment we are short on specialist corner forwards.
How will Offaly cope with the Cork half back line? Brady, Mahon and several broken hurleys might be the best option.
--

Offaly Hurling Team To Play Cork
02/07/2009

The following is the Offaly team selected to play Cork in the All-Ireland Hurling Qualifier at O'Connor Park, Tullamore, on Saturday next.

Ger Oakley (elbow), James Rigney (shoulder), Daniel Currams (finger) and Cathal Parlon (knee) have all been ruled out through injury.

As a result, there are three changes to the team that started against Wexford in the Leinster Championship with Michael Verney, Dylan Hayden and Conor Mahon replacing Oakley, Rigney and Currams. The starting 15 is:

Brian Mullins (Birr)

David Franks (Carrickshock, Kilkenny)

David Kenny (Belmont)

Michael Verney (Birr)

Dylan Hayden (Birr)

Rory Hanniffy (Birr)

Paul Cleary (Birr)

Kevin Brady (Coolderry)

Brendan Murphy (Ballyskenagh)

Brian Carroll (Coolderry)

Conor Mahon (Kilcormac/ Killoughey)

Derek Molloy (Shamrocks)

Shane Dooley (Tullamore)

Joe Brady (Coolderry)

Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran).

[heffo]

I think it was a very patronising comment. I wasn't aware it would be embarassing to lose to Offaly. Was it embarassing in 2000? I'd love to see it, but Cork are obviously big favourites. However, I don't think it would be embarassing for Cork to lose to us. Were Limerick embarassed to lose? Were Wexford embarassed to lose to us in the Div 2 final? Or is it only embarassing if you lose to counties that aren't Kilkenny, Tipp or Galway?

Are you honestly telling me that you can't see how it'd be embarasing if we lost to ye, or if a team like Galway/Tipp/Waterford did? Maybe embarasing isn't the right word, but the teams I've mentioned would be looking to go on in the competition and get to the final and such, and would need to beat the likes of Offaly to do so. I mean do you really think you're on the same level as the teams I've just mentioned?

The likes of Wexford wouldn't be embarased and 2000 was a very long time ago. Teams have moved up and down on the scale.

Embarrasing is definately not the word, I think the word you are looking for is upsetting or dissapointing.  Trying to say Galway / Tipp / Waterford are so far ahead of Offaly that they would be embarrased if they lost to them...is frankly embarrasing for you. Because if you were looking at last years championship you would have seen Offaly thrash Limerick, who drew with Tipp 3 times 2 years before, give Waterford a game for 65 minutes & Galway with an extra man for 40 minutes
unable to get past Cork. Hardly teams on a whole other level. Im afraid there are two levels in hurling at the moment Kilkenny & then everyone else

Ya embarasing isn't the word I suppose.  I apologise for people I genuinely offended

Does that include me for jumping down my throat and claiming I was 'whining' (your word of the week for the last two months) when I initially brought your attention to your faux-pas?

As per usual you're more interested in starting fights and wanting attention, highlighting a line to start a fight instead of talking hurling, then again right now, doing the same thing yet again, instead of talking hurling. You pick out a random line, still trying to stirr crap again.
I said I apologise to anyone I genuinely offended, by your responses I don't think you are one of them. You seem more interested in moaning and starting fights then talking hurling. IF you are one of those people who are offended then I apologise, but I don't think you are. You seem more interested in making it about yourself and starting fights then talking about hurling, but whether you're "offended," well that's down to you I suppose. But I don't think you are.

I was talking about hurling Reillers son - I asked whether you were happy about your two club mates selected and commented that your comment was inappropriate - I'm not trying to start any fight - I think Offaly will give it a right rattle especially as they're at home.

I just ask that you think before you post in future..

[awfulynice]

I think it was a very patronising comment. I wasn't aware it would be embarassing to lose to Offaly. Was it embarassing in 2000? I'd love to see it, but Cork are obviously big favourites. However, I don't think it would be embarassing for Cork to lose to us. Were Limerick embarassed to lose? Were Wexford embarassed to lose to us in the Div 2 final? Or is it only embarassing if you lose to counties that aren't Kilkenny, Tipp or Galway?

Are you honestly telling me that you can't see how it'd be embarasing if we lost to ye, or if a team like Galway/Tipp/Waterford did? Maybe embarasing isn't the right word, but the teams I've mentioned would be looking to go on in the competition and get to the final and such, and would need to beat the likes of Offaly to do so. I mean do you really think you're on the same level as the teams I've just mentioned?

The likes of Wexford wouldn't be embarased and 2000 was a very long time ago. Teams have moved up and down on the scale.

Embarrasing is definately not the word, I think the word you are looking for is upsetting or dissapointing.  Trying to say Galway / Tipp / Waterford are so far ahead of Offaly that they would be embarrased if they lost to them...is frankly embarrasing for you. Because if you were looking at last years championship you would have seen Offaly thrash Limerick, who drew with Tipp 3 times 2 years before, give Waterford a game for 65 minutes & Galway with an extra man for 40 minutes
unable to get past Cork. Hardly teams on a whole other level. Im afraid there are two levels in hurling at the moment Kilkenny & then everyone else

Ya embarasing isn't the word I suppose. But, and if the Leinster lads could take their blinkers off, there is 3 levels. Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Galway..etc. Then Dublin, Offaly, Wexford..etc.
Embarasing isn't the word and I apologise for people I genuinely offended, but Offaly, Dublin and Wexford have about one good game in them a year, usually giving a team like Galway, like Waterford, or whoever they come up against, but one game is it. And that's pretty much fact for the last few years.

They (Offaly, Wexford..etc) aren't (any time soon) going to get much further then that. They'll give a team a good go, they might even win one game in the qualifiers depending on who they play, but you're not going to see them in the semi final.

There are 3 levels. Now while embarasing might have been a slight bit harsh but I believe, most do, that there are Kilkenny, Tipp, Galway, Cork, Waterford.. and then the rest of the Leinster teams, and that's not going by my opinion, that's looking at results over the last few years.

Well if youre looking at the last few years & judging on the league there is the appearence of three levels, Certainly Clare & Limerick are at the same standard or below of Offaly / Wexford / Dublin, you seem to have left them out of your list for some reason?!

If you are speaking about teams with one performance in them you cant look any further than Galway, and some years they dont even give one! Saying Offaly etc only give one performance a year is an obvious windup surely?? The real facts are that them teams if they have the right attitude can give anyone in the championship bar KK a game.

If you want facts of this you only have to look at Clare, they have had a bad team for nearly a decade, 0 forwards until this year yet they have performed extremely well in the championship. Why? Because they have a never say die attitude, if you beat clare you will be put to the pin of your collar. Offaly used to be this way in the nineties especially, but sadly this is well gone, the attitude is often one of indifference from this team when they take the field. That is why they hurled so well against Waterford & Limerick last year, they had the belief they could win, and the attitude. Its the most frustrating thing offaly fans have been dealing with for years, we dont know what the performance is going to be like, we will either give Cork a right rattle or get hammered, its that unpredictable!

[awfulynice]

A very depleted Offaly team now.
A lot of enforced changes.
Nearly every line of the time has significant switches which is hardly ideal.
The team now lacks pace a bit too. I'd worry that a few of our lads will be chasing shadows all day.
Even with the first choice 15, recent trends suggest Offaly would easily concede 20-25 scores to a team like Cork.

Hayden at wing back is a big call. He has had a mixture of good and not so good days for Birr there and how he copes at inter-county level there is a big unknown.
Expect plenty of switching in the forwards, but at the moment we are short on specialist corner forwards.
How will Offaly cope with the Cork half back line? Brady, Mahon and several broken hurleys might be the best option.
--

Offaly Hurling Team To Play Cork
02/07/2009

The following is the Offaly team selected to play Cork in the All-Ireland Hurling Qualifier at O'Connor Park, Tullamore, on Saturday next.

Ger Oakley (elbow), James Rigney (shoulder), Daniel Currams (finger) and Cathal Parlon (knee) have all been ruled out through injury.

As a result, there are three changes to the team that started against Wexford in the Leinster Championship with Michael Verney, Dylan Hayden and Conor Mahon replacing Oakley, Rigney and Currams. The starting 15 is:

Brian Mullins (Birr)

David Franks (Carrickshock, Kilkenny)

David Kenny (Belmont)

Michael Verney (Birr)

Dylan Hayden (Birr)

Rory Hanniffy (Birr)

Paul Cleary (Birr)

Kevin Brady (Coolderry)

Brendan Murphy (Ballyskenagh)

Brian Carroll (Coolderry)

Conor Mahon (Kilcormac/ Killoughey)

Derek Molloy (Shamrocks)

Shane Dooley (Tullamore)

Joe Brady (Coolderry)

Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran).

I actually dont see much of a difference with this team to be honest bord na mona. There are some positives and negatives with the new team imo.

First off Verney i think will struggle at Corner Back so this is a big negative imo

Hannify at centre back is a "hallelujah" moment for me, he is the best centre back we have by a mile, his speed and fitness will help counteract the cork running game

Hayden getting a game, i think he will do fine, this isnt the best half forward line in the country, and the fact that he knows hannify & Cleary on the line beside him should steady him, what i like is that both players love running and could provide a platform to get the ball into the full forward line thus making the Cork half back line defunct

Kevin Brady at midfield is hard to know which way it will go, he has been lambasted from all sides about playing midfield, but hannify and brady can easily switch after twenty minutes if this doesnt work

Conor Mahon should compete in the air, he will (hopefully) hassle and harry all day, at least ensuring the cork half back line are clearing the ball under pressure will be the main objective for him

I think high ball on top of Joe Brady might work, you can say a lot of bad things about Joe, but he is great in the air and in fairness isnt selfish, he nearly set up two goals against wexford setting up Carrol on both occasions, and i would actually switch Bergin and Carrol to allow these two to link up again.3

On the whole this team should be good enough to give Cork a right rattle, I will travel down to Tullamore in hope of an upset, expectant of a defeat, and in dread of a hammering

[AZOffaly]

Verney got absolutely roasted by Eoin Kelly against Waterford. That was the losing of that game in fact last year. (How embarassing for Waterford that we were so close to them ) I agree with Rory at #6. I actualy like him as a midfielder, but he is absolutely wasted at wing back, and he'd have gotten a roasting if the Cork speed merchants were out around there. At Centre Back he can hold the position, and he's a better hurler than Wolverine. However, he's not as doughty a competitor as Oakley, and he has to be going well, so I hope he gets a good start on his man.

Who will pick up O'Connor? Cleary won't have the legs for him (although he should be good under puckouts) and Hayden is a bit raw as a wing back. I'd have worries there. Pity Diarmuid Horan is in the States.

I'm worried about our half forward line. Brian Carroll, if he plays there, stands a good chance of being absolutely cleaned. He's infuriating to me. I've seen him play really well, but then I've seen a lot of disinterested, disheartened showings that are really bad for aa lad who should be a 'leader' of the attack for Offaly. I hope Joe doesn't leave him to get crucified by Kenny, Gardiner or O'Hailpin and even swaps him with Joe Brady. In fact, given Cork's potential strength under the dropping ball in that area, I'd prefer to see a half forward line of Conor Mahon, Joe Brady and Derek Molloy, who are all big enough lads. I'd bollock them out of it before the game and challenge them to at least compete and win ball in there. That could be the springboard for a shock.

I'd have Joseph Bergin at full forward, with Dooley and Carroll either side of him, and try our best to play over or around the Cork Half Back line.

I'd fear for an embarassing defeat for Offaly, but I'm travelling in hope that the attitude and application will be right for 70 minutes regardless of how the game is flowing. If that happens I think we'll be close enough, and if a few things break in our favour, or if Cork have an off day in the half back and midfield area, we could be talking about the end of this particular great Cork team on Saturday night in the pubs of Tullamore.

Kilkenny ended us in 2000. Can we end Cork in 2009?

[monny14]

Cork by 8 pts

[orangeman]

Cork by a good few.

[orangeman]

Cork by a good few.

Comprehensive win this eveing. Big scored rattled up as well.

[Rossfan]

Eat your heart out Orangeman