U21 Hurling Championship

[johnneycool]

Very poor performance really from a very good Galway team on paper. We have actually won minor and U-21 All-Ireland's with less talented teams IMO but I don't feel their focus was right at all for this one. Like Limerick earlier in the Summer I actually think it's a disadvantage sometimes to have too many U-21 players involved with the senior panel. For the U-21 team that is.

Yeah and some worryingly poor individual performances from Regan, Coen and Conor Cooney in particular. Kilkenny are excellent though and they did hammer us at minor in 2010 with many of the same players so this wasn't any great shock. The Galway full-back line seemed totally outclassed and Kilkenny were just sauntering in for goals in that first half. Galway would be better off being in Leinster for minor and u-21, not in terms of winning trophies at those grades but in terms of developing players for senior level.

The main positives from the game were the performances of Niall Burke and Johnathon Glynn. Glynn should start the senior final ahead of Cooney or Regan from what I've seen. Probably some mistakes by the management too. The backs were a mess and a few guys being played out of position didn't work. Also, Brehony and Richie Cummins have both been in very poor form for their clubs all year and both were taken off yesterday, though Cummins was a bit unlucky. But, it's a tough job and if we were playing again next week the starting line-up would be a lot different. That's the trouble with coming in cold at the semi-final stage.

Better team won though.

I suppose some of the Galway lads would have had the senior final in mind in the coming weeks and the focus wasn't there, Cillian Buckley was possibly the only Kilkenny senior on display, Irish isn't great and TG4 wasn't a good picture on Sat evening.

Play wise I thought  both teams were reasonably well matched, it was the ease of how Kilkenny got goals and the Kilkenny's fullback lines ability to prevent the same happening the other end was the difference.

Galway can gain some comfort from the spirited fightback, but it'll all be forgot about come the senior final.



Less said about the other semi final the better, but it does highlight the lack of interest in this age group within the Province. In my county there's no effort but into this age group whatsoever, Derry seems to be ditto, Antrim seem to rely heavily on any members of their senior panel to carry the burden and this is normally enough to get an Ulster title, then the obligatory slaughtering in a semi-final.

I really can't remember a decent showing from an Ulster U-21 team at all. 

[CitySlicker11]

Derry done well a few years ago against Tipperary I think.

[Minder]

Derry done well a few years ago against Tipperary I think.

I thought that was a hammering, can't remember the score.

Cant remember anything less than about 12 points.

[Forever Green]

Antrim done well

[johnneycool]

U21 final this saturday in Thurles at 7PM.

Firstly, thank god there's something else to watch other than Red or Balllax and the X fecktor.

Secondly, I was impressed by the scoring exploits of the Kilkenny team against a fairly strong Galway side, but more importantly the Kilkenny defence held Galway at bay reasonably comfortably but conceeded a goal late on.

I thought the weight of expectation weighed heavily on Clare in the Munster final and they stumbled over the line against a Tipp team who really should have won.

Big things are expected from a lot of these Clare hurlers, some already on the senior team and no doubt they've some very talented individuals but it could be too much too soon, Kilkenny don't seem to have any pressure on them and should hold onto the win.

Hopefully the Clare lads can relax a bit and go for it to make a good game as these U-21 finals often are better than the senior games.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Is the Kildare v Roscommon curtain raiser on TG4?

[bp]

certainly is , what way will it go ?

from tg4.ie

Live Matches - Saturday, 15.09
Saturday 15th September, Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U-21 Hurling Final (A & B Finals)
LIVE MATCH 1

Bord Gáis U-21 Hurling B Final

Kildare v Roscommon

Match Starts: 17:00
Venue: Semple Stadium, Thurles
Extra Time: YES

Presenter: Micheál Ó Domhnaill
Commentator: Mac Dara Mac Donncha
Analysis: Donal O'Grady & Cathal Moore & Pat Fleury

LIVE MATCH 2

Bord Gáis U-21 Hurling B Final

Clare v Killkenny

Match Starts: 19:00
Venue: Semple Stadium, Thurles
Extra Time: Yes

Presenter: Micheál Ó Domhnaill
Commentator: Brian Tyers
Analysis: Donal O'Grady & Cathal Moore & Pat Fleury

[Donnellys Hollow]

Roscommon 2-9 Kildare 2-7 at half time in the first match. Kildare full back line struggling a bit under the high ball. Not getting a good enough supply into Gerry Keegan and Conor O'Hehir so far.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Vey entertaining game! Pity lads at this level dont get more exposure

[Donnellys Hollow]

Kildare now up by a point. We need to get more ball into Keegan. He has the beating of the Roscommon backs.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Yip- Keegan is a very tidy player, just scored another

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Big % of lads on both sides using cultecs

[Donnellys Hollow]

Gutted. Think we deserved a draw at least. Fair play to Roscommon.

[ross4life]

Hard luck Kildare played their part in a good game our strong finish was the diffence in the end. All Ireland champs 

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Hard to lose a game like that but both teams should be very proud of the show they put on, as a neutral I really enjoyed that to be honest