O'Byrne Cup & Bihatimber 2012

[Donnellys Hollow]

Just watched the match back there again. Peter Kelly was absolutely superb. Great to have him back. Kildare's defence will be as strong as there is out there.

Achilles heel will as always be the forwards. Hopefully Johnny will go some way towards solving that. I hope he is parked beside O'Connor inside on the 14 when he returns. No good to us playing half the game inside our own 45 as he ended up last year. Interesting to see if O'Flaherty and Conway can be accomodated in the same half-forward line - possibly deploy Leper as a half-back? Smith and Kavanagh should both be given every opportunity in the league to find some form and confidence. Dowling is a nice footballer but still has a good bit of filling out to do. Would like to see how Pádraig Fogarty gets on at this level. Tommy Moolick looks like more of a half-back/midfielder.

Jeez DH - are you mental ?
OCallaghan taken out of his whf position (now Dooher is retured OC along with Paul Galvin is the best in football in that position right now).
Part of the problem iimo is that OConnor isnt a scoring FF.
I'd rather see Doyle and Smith. Or if a free scoring FF can be found to allow Doyle out to CHF then better still.
I have also to be convinced that Early will be anything other than a cameo player for the last 15 mins - too many inj will surely blunt his effectiveness?
Can still do a job when coming on for last 15 or so though...
the kildare forwads CAN get better and be improved - they dont have to be the weak point of the side. I have an opinion on that which I wont post on here though.

I think Leper probably played his best football ever in 2010 when he lined out at centre-back for a few of the games. Kildare have to get the balance right in the forwards because from 1 to 9 I don't think we're that far away.

Smith is not the player he was when he first broke onto the scene. Granted, he has had his troubles off the field and he has had a few niggly injuries but he should have established himself as the main man in the Kildare attack by now and he hasn't. Similar story with Kavanagh, who is probably the most talented natural footballer on the Kildare panel - including Doyle IMO. Brilliant one week and then anonymous the next. Reminds me a bit of Martin Lynch. Not sure whether McGeeney thinks Conway and O'Flaherty can be accomodated in the same half-forward line. EOF in the half-back line was a bit exposed yesterday so I presume that will necessitate either Conway or Leper going back there. McGeeney clearly sees a lot of worth in Paudie O'Neill's role in the half-forward line so he'll be very hard to dislodge.

As for Dermot, even 15 minute cameos would be a huge bonus. Who knows whether he'll have the legs for midfield anymore but I doubt many full-backs would like to see him landed on the edge of the square during the final quarter of a match.

What day is the O'Byrne Cup final fixed for? i see NUIG got the FBD final fixed for Friday night & i think that would suit both parties.

Next Sunday. It cannot be fixed for a weeknight if it's on in Newbridge as there's no floodlights. Has to be either Saturday or Sunday.

[Donnellys Hollow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP_70qItmmY&feature=player_embedded

I assume Mr Connolly will get a ban for this, no?

The ref booked himself and Jimmers so presumably it can't be reviewed?

[AZOffaly]

why would the ref book himself? Was he that bad?

[Donnellys Hollow]

why would the ref book himself? Was he that bad?

He was worse! The lad with the whistle behind the Town End goal would have probably done a better job.

[Hound]

What day is the O'Byrne Cup final fixed for? i see NUIG got the FBD final fixed for Friday night & i think that would suit both parties.

DCU asked for a midweek fixture, but Kildare refused.

Bit of a joke though that this wasnt all sorted out long before now.

Though you'd think better for Kildare to play a decent team rather than a second steam (even if it means having to travel somewhere for floodlights)

[Dinny Breen]

It's a fine line between doing what UCC did and resting all their main men, and simply ignoring the fixture altogether as rumour suggests DCU are considering. I personally think these competitions are much improved and are much more interesting for the presence of the college teams, and let's be fair here - it's not unheard of for county teams to make less than total effort either. Anyone remember Wexford vs DIT last year?

IF DCU are forced to play to a conclusion, they'll just put out the second stringers instead. And how do you legislate for that? Which is the lesser evil here - DCU fielding a second string side and lots of supporters paying €10 into a non-contest, or DCU pulling out altogether and Kildare being awarded the O'Byrne Cup, which in fairness, they have dominated?

The other consideration is that if DCU pull out Kildare GAA will be down about 30K in revenue, which considering the financial situation would be a blow. Will the Leinster Council compensate Kildare GAA if DCU pull out?

[Lone Shark]

It's a fine line between doing what UCC did and resting all their main men, and simply ignoring the fixture altogether as rumour suggests DCU are considering. I personally think these competitions are much improved and are much more interesting for the presence of the college teams, and let's be fair here - it's not unheard of for county teams to make less than total effort either. Anyone remember Wexford vs DIT last year?

IF DCU are forced to play to a conclusion, they'll just put out the second stringers instead. And how do you legislate for that? Which is the lesser evil here - DCU fielding a second string side and lots of supporters paying €10 into a non-contest, or DCU pulling out altogether and Kildare being awarded the O'Byrne Cup, which in fairness, they have dominated?

The other consideration is that if DCU pull out Kildare GAA will be down about 30K in revenue, which considering the financial situation would be a blow. Will the Leinster Council compensate Kildare GAA if DCU pull out?

But if DCU fielded a team that everyone knew would be uncompetitive, is that a realistic number? The Leinster council would also argue that since Kildare been at home in every match, they've done quite well revenue wise anyway, albeit deserved because their team has played the most entertaining, high quality football.

[Jinxy]

Attention Dublin fans, who is that absolute prize clown that always stands behind the goals with the bodhran? Every time the camera goes onto him he's screaming foul-mouthed abuse at someone. Every game Dublin play he manages to get his big angry head on the telly.

[Canalman]

It's a fine line between doing what UCC did and resting all their main men, and simply ignoring the fixture altogether as rumour suggests DCU are considering. I personally think these competitions are much improved and are much more interesting for the presence of the college teams, and let's be fair here - it's not unheard of for county teams to make less than total effort either. Anyone remember Wexford vs DIT last year?

IF DCU are forced to play to a conclusion, they'll just put out the second stringers instead. And how do you legislate for that? Which is the lesser evil here - DCU fielding a second string side and lots of supporters paying €10 into a non-contest, or DCU pulling out altogether and Kildare being awarded the O'Byrne Cup, which in fairness, they have dominated?

The other consideration is that if DCU pull out Kildare GAA will be down about 30K in revenue, which considering the financial situation would be a blow. Will the Leinster Council compensate Kildare GAA if DCU pull out?

All gate proceeds go to an injured players' fund iirc. Kildare CC will not be "down in revenue".

[Donnellys Hollow]

Attention Dublin fans, who is that absolute prize clown that always stands behind the goals with the bodhran? Every time the camera goes onto him he's screaming foul-mouthed abuse at someone. Every game Dublin play he manages to get his big angry head on the telly.

The lad who brings the whistle to all their matches should be hung from the crossbar at the Hill 16 end. Very irritating and distracting yesterday.

.... no I'm not referring to the referee AZ! 

[Dinny Breen]

It's a fine line between doing what UCC did and resting all their main men, and simply ignoring the fixture altogether as rumour suggests DCU are considering. I personally think these competitions are much improved and are much more interesting for the presence of the college teams, and let's be fair here - it's not unheard of for county teams to make less than total effort either. Anyone remember Wexford vs DIT last year?

IF DCU are forced to play to a conclusion, they'll just put out the second stringers instead. And how do you legislate for that? Which is the lesser evil here - DCU fielding a second string side and lots of supporters paying €10 into a non-contest, or DCU pulling out altogether and Kildare being awarded the O'Byrne Cup, which in fairness, they have dominated?

The other consideration is that if DCU pull out Kildare GAA will be down about 30K in revenue, which considering the financial situation would be a blow. Will the Leinster Council compensate Kildare GAA if DCU pull out?

All gate proceeds go to an injured players' fund iirc. Kildare CC will not be "down in revenue".

Really? Heard something before about this before mind, which actually makes it even more galling if true.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Attention Dublin fans, who is that absolute prize clown that always stands behind the goals with the bodhran? Every time the camera goes onto him he's screaming foul-mouthed abuse at someone. Every game Dublin play he manages to get his big angry head on the telly.

I know him Jinx......................................hes a thick mouthed eejit, in fairness he travels rain sleet or snow all over the country............had to laugh though when I came across him on facebook begging for a ticket for the all ireland final last year

Hes a mouthy arsehole, He works for CIE by the way and gives updates via facebook every hour or so of what hes up too........................ a looney out and out

[Jinxy]

Tell him to calm down before he has a heart attack.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Tell him to calm down before he has a heart attack.

I wouldnt even talk to him Jinx, hes a looney.................he always gets the mug on tv, another arsehole with a whistle frequents near him too 

[INDIANA]

Regardless of fitness, poor pitch and poor ref, I thought the Dubs were pretty awful. Our main tactic when we had the ball seemed to be the aimless hoof. Apart from Kev Mac and Paddy Andrews, who instead went the "run into a cul de sac" option, with very little end product. Cullen was our best man I thought.

You'd be poor if you trained for 4 hours on the saturday. Cant have helped.

Having said that I know where you are coming from. But we're at a different stage of fitness compared to Kildare.

Christ of Almighty you'd swear we'd lost something important yesterday the way some are going on.

Not sure half our lads are dried out yet.