O'Byrne Cup 2011

[ross4life]

Dublin 6-10 1-08 Wexford worring times ahead for Wexford fans

[The Real Laoislad]

Can't believe Kilkenny scored a goal!

I can't believe they fielded a team.

[heffo]

Dublin 6-10 1-08 Wexford worring times ahead for Wexford fans

Especially when you consider the team Dublin had out...some of those lads wouldn't even be 3rd/4th choice for league football never mind championship..

[Croí na hÉireann]

Poor game in Athlone at the weekend, pitch didn't help, wasn't easy to keep your footing judging by the amount of players who kept loosing theirs. Fahy didn't help either, over officious, at one stage he was on course for booking everyone on the field, never took the conditions into account.

Westmeath toughed it out though, helped hugely by the retaken penalty (keeper saved first one by advancing off his line) which was the difference in the end. Didn't learn a whole lot from the game, the two corner backs kept the two Westmeath lads quiet but DIT never got any ball into the corners to be fair. English was a bit loose on Connolly I thought, probably overly cautious on not letting him by. Half back line were ok, nothing special. Midfield were poor again, Sharry doesn't have the physical attributes to play there yet (he should be hb or hf) and Murtagh hasn't really offered anything in the two games. He was named in the top 100 hurlers in Ireland there at the weekend but like Mattie Forde and rugby he may not be cut out for this game at the top level. We need to start showing some aerial ability and workrate around the middle. Glennon and Greville played the same decent game again, Glennon was to the fore and delivered some lovely ball inside, Greville looked dangerous every time he got the ball. Dessie was Dessie and took some lovely points when he came on but the outstanding man for me was Ger Egan. He has the work hungry look that Doran Harte had in 08 and took some lovely scores to boot, one to watch for the summer. David Glennon, Quinn and Willo were only ok, Quinn got around the pitch and himself and Glennon Jr may be better suited as half forwards.

Anyways the flourbags will offer us a bigger challenge on Sunday so hopefully we'll learn more about ourselves then.

[ross4life]

Kildare 1-11 0-09 DCU

Plenty of positives to take from the performance again. Kildare were far too strong in the first half and DCU had no answer to them. The game was over at half time and a combination of Kildare sloppiness and a sympathetic referee let DCU put some respectability on the scoreboard.

Callaghan was excellent for the second weekend running (if there was one surprising Kildare ommission from that Indo top 100 list it was him). For two lads that have been knocking around for a good few years both Scanlon and big Heff had fine games. Willie was horsing lads out of it anytime the ball came his way and he looks to have also added a bit of subtlety to his game. DCU had no one to match his size and strength. Scanlon was very solid at centre-back with Mick Foley moving to full-back. With Peter Kelly likely to be out for the season we should see a lot more of him in the full-back line during the league.

Of the rest, Ollie Lyons kept David Kelly very quiet. He's not the biggest lad in the world but he's got great pace. His Celbridge teammate Mark O'Sullivan again showed well in the forwards and looks a more rounded player than he did when he was on the panel a few years ago. Young Moolick looks well able for senior football and Dowling showed good poacher's instincts for the goal. Connolly in goal has really put down a marker for the rest of the year. Apart from one poor kickout he was solid throughout and saved two penalties in injury time (retaken for some reason).

Wouldn't be reading too much into these O'Byrne Cup games but it's positive to see the fringe lads pushing hard for places. DCU had a strong team but I think all but one of their scores came from Donie Shine frees. I'd say McGeeney will be happy enough with that.

Yes 7 frees & a 45 from Shine the one point from play was from Cathal Cregg

[Rossfan]

Can we play the DCU lads next Sunday or are they ineligible for the whole tournament ?

[heffo]

Can we play the DCU lads next Sunday or are they ineligible for the whole tournament ?

Unfortunately not - they're 'cup-tied' to borrow a phrase from a foreign code.

[thejuice]

Meath team to play Laois in the Bihatimber 2nd round

Meath (O'Byrne Cup Shield v Laois) -
Brendan Murphy,
Cormac McGill, Bryan Menton, Cormac McGuinness,
Donal Keoghan, Eoghan Harrington, Caoimhín King,

Thomas Walsh, Conor Gillespie,

Paddy Gilsenan, Anthony Moyles, Niall Mooney,
Ian Davis, Paddy O'Rourke, Cian Ward.

Interesting to see Paddy in full forward. Now since this is Banty at the helm and not Eamonn O'Brien I reckon paddy is unlikely to stay there and probably move to the centre. Thomas Walsh and Conar Gillespie keep their places from the match with the Cats.

[Chicken and Cheese]

Can't believe Kilkenny scored a goal!

I can't believe they fielded a team.

Sure it was only Meath. 

[Donnellys Hollow]

The Kildare team to face Westmeath in the semi-final of the O'Byrne Cup has been named. Ciarán Kelly will wear Number 26 instead of Shane McCormack. Darragh McEvoy will replace Éamonn McCormack, but he will wear No. 27. The match will take place at 2.15 in Cusack Park, Mullingar.

1. Shane Connolly, St. Laurences
21. Emmet Bolton, Eadestown
2. Hugh McGrillen, Celbridge
4. Ciarán Fitzpatrick, Kilcock
5. Éamonn Callaghan, Naas
6. Mark Scanlon, Round Towers
7. David Whyte, Moorefield
3. Mick Foley, Athy
9. Pádraig O'Neill, St. Laurences
10. Tommy Moolick, Leixlip
11. Eoghan O'Flaherty, Carbury
12. Fionn Dowling, Suncroft
19. Ronan Walsh, Cappagh
14. Willie Heffernan, Nurney
15. Mark O'Sullivan, Celbridge

16. Tom Corley, Moorefield
17. Damien Hendy, Castledermot
8. Hugh Lynch, Confey
13. Karl Ennis, Maynooth
20. Tommy O'Neill, St. Laurences
22. Alan Smith, Sarsfields
23. Brian Flanagan, Johnstownbridge
24. Keith Cribbin, Johnstownbridge
25. Conor Tiernan, Sarsfields
26. Ciarán Kelly, Moorefield
27. Darragh McEvoy, Celbridge

[INDIANA]

dublin tanked offaly in the shield . about 3-14 to 0-6. offaly were beyond dire.

[ross4life]

Looking bleak for Offaly,Wexford but Dublin have some strength in depth now.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Westmeath 0-08 Kildare 0-12

Desperate game not helped by some daft refereeing. Kildare were not as good as they were the previous two weekends but Westmeath were a step up from Longford and DCU. Good to get the win but it could and probably should have been a bit more comfortable.

Mick Foley and Hughie McGrillen stood out. Forwards were poor enough but weren't helped by the quality of ball they were being sent in. Even Callaghan gave away a few horrible passes in the first half but he was much improved after half time. Dowling was very lively and kicked his frees well (not sure he was going for the point from the penalty though). The subs made the difference in the end - Flanagan, Bolton and Lynch were all prominent in the last quarter.

I think we're back in Newbridge next weekend but we'll be facing our bogey team again!

[Any craic]

Watch the last 60 seconds from the Louth-UCD game. The students levelled but Louth went straight upfield to get a winner right on the whistle.
http://www.jeromequinnmedia.com/watch/Louth-v-UCD---OByrne-Cup-Semi-final-295

[Dinny Breen]

I've high hopes for Dowling DH - he seems to have settled in well - do you think he'll nail a starting spot for the league?