Leinster under 21 championship

shark · March 18, 2010, 04:14:49 PM

Superb win from a Westmeath point of view. Once Corroon and Heslin got on top at midfield there was only going to be one winner. Plenty of scores in that forward line and good options from the bench too. A pity the final is in Parnell Pk, but still Westmeath will go there with nothing to fear.

stevecw · March 18, 2010, 07:22:30 PM

Quote from: INDIANA on March 18, 2010, 10:43:31 AM
Disappointed yesterday really with Dublin. The aberration we hoped was against Louth continued against Carlow. Had Carlow won we could have had no complaints. Some of the off the ball stuff from Carlow was unacceptbale though. In my view I think if one of the Dublin lads had subtly levelled one of the Carlow lads it would have sorted most of that out. But I'd sincerely hope we don't take that sort of shite of Westmeath or anyone else again.

Selection again is baffling and the manner in which the subs are used is hammering players confidence levels. How is O Rourke now 8th choice forward for example? Keogh comes on - does well and its taken off- the mind boggles. We're just not firing at present and considering we were on the softer side of the draw its been more than troublesome. Louth and Carlow should have beaten us really. I fins it hard to believe either Westmeath or Dublin will do anything in the all-ireland series. the standard in Leinster on my viewing has been crap thus far. Devereux did very well yesterday and outshone his senior colleagues.

Brendan Murphy was adifferent class yesterday. the mind boggles how he didn't make it down under. I've never seen a GAA player more suited to that code. If he was with a strong county this guy would be recognised as one of the best in Ireland. I wonder will Carlow be able to hang onto him.

Can't say I thought we were over physical or that there was much off the ball stuff to be honest. I agree that we should have had a red card for our corner back who took Devereux out when he was on yet another great run, but apart from that all seemed fair enough.

As for Murphy, yeah he is a special talent. He has everything that a great midfield player needs already, and he is only 20. No reason why we won't hang onto him, unless Micko goes offering houses and more as happened with Thomas Walsh..but hopefully Murphy has enough cop on to stay where he is. With the side built around him, we should be ok at senior level over the next few years. Have about 4 or 5 other really good players from that side, to go with about the maybe 6 good standard county seniors we already have and we should get out of the 3 worst teams in the country at least!

As for his time in Aus, well he was dogged by injuries throughout his 2 years there. After a couple of months, they were raving about him...and how he was going to make the seniors almost immediately etc...but then he was out for a few months. Came back 2 or 3 times..but always seemed to pick up an injury at the wrong time. Pity for him, but from a Carlow point of view it worked out good for us.

A few highlights from the game + interviews with manager Luke Dempsey and a very pissed off Brendan Murphy here:
http://ow.ly/1nQP9

Croí na hÉireann · March 19, 2010, 02:19:51 PM

"That Carlow team would have beaten Westmeath in a Leinster Final" Jaysus, Lukie is a visionary now as well...

"Not worth a f**k" says Brendan...

Quote from: stevecw on March 18, 2010, 07:22:30 PM
A few highlights from the game + interviews with manager Luke Dempsey and a very pissed off Brendan Murphy here:
http://ow.ly/1nQP9

Jinxy · March 19, 2010, 03:51:10 PM

Quote from: INDIANA on March 18, 2010, 11:49:24 AM
Quote from: Jinxy on March 18, 2010, 11:13:43 AM
Quote from: INDIANA on March 18, 2010, 10:43:31 AM
Disappointed yesterday really with Dublin. The aberration we hoped was against Louth continued against Carlow. Had Carlow won we could have had no complaints. Some of the off the ball stuff from Carlow was unacceptbale though. In my view I think if one of the Dublin lads had subtly levelled one of the Carlow lads it would have sorted most of that out. But I'd sincerely hope we don't take that sort of shite of Westmeath or anyone else again.

Selection again is baffling and the manner in which the subs are used is hammering players confidence levels. How is O Rourke now 8th choice forward for example? Keogh comes on - does well and its taken off- the mind boggles. We're just not firing at present and considering we were on the softer side of the draw its been more than troublesome. Louth and Carlow should have beaten us really. I fins it hard to believe either Westmeath or Dublin will do anything in the all-ireland series. the standard in Leinster on my viewing has been crap thus far. Devereux did very well yesterday and outshone his senior colleagues.

Brendan Murphy was adifferent class yesterday. the mind boggles how he didn't make it down under. I've never seen a GAA player more suited to that code. If he was with a strong county this guy would be recognised as one of the best in Ireland. I wonder will Carlow be able to hang onto him.

He just got fed up with it, injuries etc.
They were mad keen to keep him.

No doubt he's have made it. I'd love to know how he scored scientfically down there. I'd say his scores are off the map for a GAA player. Never seen a guy who's able to run 21-21 relentlessly for 60 mins. His vertical jump is quite spectacular for a Gaa player. Head and shoulders above anybody yesterday on the pitch. Best young midfielder in Ireland by a country mile. We'd never produce a player in that class.

He finished 3rd in a club time trial a couple of days after getting off the plane.
He was already a super athlete they just made him much bigger.
Which is probably why he had so much injury trouble.

micka the dub · March 19, 2010, 11:21:15 PM

gary sweeney for dublin is a super player and imo he has been our best player in leinster this year,he was also a great minor.
gilroy was keen to involve him in the seniors this year but his da was adamant he concentrates on his leaving so gilroy said he would get back to him when the exams are over.
altough at 17 i doubt he would get game time but the experience would be good for him.just shows gilroy is planning on being around for a while yet.

INDIANA · March 20, 2010, 12:18:34 PM

Quote from: micka the dub on March 19, 2010, 11:21:15 PM
gary sweeney for dublin is a super player and imo he has been our best player in leinster this year,he was also a great minor.
gilroy was keen to involve him in the seniors this year but his da was adamant he concentrates on his leaving so gilroy said he would get back to him when the exams are over.
altough at 17 i doubt he would get game time but the experience would be good for him.just shows gilroy is planning on being around for a while yet.

He's only 18 micka so lets keep the pressure off him. Very talented though.

Declan · March 20, 2010, 09:05:11 PM

If he's that good I'd tell him to wait till the Gilroy era is over i.e August

mattockranger · March 30, 2010, 11:03:37 PM

What times the Final at sunday lads??

I know its on in parnell park.....good game looking forward to heading up!

heffo · March 31, 2010, 10:11:19 AM

Quote from: mattockranger on March 30, 2010, 11:03:37 PM

What times the Final at sunday lads??

2.30pm

An Laoch · March 31, 2010, 04:23:33 PM

RE: Brendan Murphy

Quote from: INDIANA on March 18, 2010, 11:49:24 AM
We'd never produce a player in that class.

Why? Isn't as much a fluke of background as anything else that Carlow have produced that kind of player?

micka the dub · March 31, 2010, 10:03:39 PM

read in the paper today your man heslin is meant to be unreal,is he that good

INDIANA · April 04, 2010, 05:20:54 PM

Dublin 1-12 to 0-9. Dublin were blessed. Played very well in the first half and were 0-9 to 0-3 up. Collapsed in the 2nd half as Heslin gave an exhibition of fielding. I doubt Westmeath will be able to keep Ricky Nixon away.
Westmeath brought it back to 0-10 to 0-9 and had 6 chances to level the game and kicked all of them wide. Dublin against the run of play got a cracking goal by my clubman Ciaran Dorney to finish the game. Dublin tagged on a few to win.

Dublin are struggling big-time at midfield and may have used up their nine lives today. I can't believe we won that game. Dean Rock, Cooper and Mc Carthy were best overall and I though Dorney was decent as well. We have a good side but glaring weaknesses. I imagine Roscommon wiill be big country mullahs ( I mean that in a nice way- I wish we'd a few big mullahs!) and will be very stiff opposition. A good result for us but so much to work on.

Jinxy · April 04, 2010, 05:23:52 PM

Indy where are all the big lads hiding in Dublin?
I mean the lads that are naturally big and strong as opposed to gym monkeys.
The Keith Barrs, Jack Sheedys, Charlie Redmonds, Vinny Murphys etc.

INDIANA · April 04, 2010, 05:34:39 PM

Indy where are all the big lads hiding in Dublin?
I mean the lads that are naturally big and strong as opposed to gym monkeys.
The Keith Barrs, Jack Sheedys, Charlie Redmonds, Vinny Murphys etc.

Sean Murray and James Mc carthy are playing midfield. Both are excellent half backs - but only ok midfielders. Just don't have any big lads for midfield this year. Heslin is a monster for 17. Absolutely tailor made AFL player. Coughlan did a decent job on him in the first half and then the managment took him off and Heslin took over.
This is not a big Dublin team Jinxy. In some ways thats good because they've largely gone for footballers. But you still need big lads at midfield.

shark · April 04, 2010, 09:46:32 PM

Absolutely sick. Westmeath had Dublin on the ropes in the second half but just couldnt get there. Fair dews to the Dubs, they hung in there, weathered the storm and finished very strongly. As posted above, the main weakness in the Dublin side is midfield. John Heslin was outstanding in the second half. It will be interesting to see him at minor level this summer. Rock is a fine footballer for Dublin. Impressed with Cooper and Nelson too. A win today would have been a huge boost for us. Pity.