O'Byrne Cup 2013

[All of a Sludden]

Louth v Dublin next Sunday in Drogheda.

[Ard-Rí]

That was a useful little O'Byrne Cup this year.
Good Luck to An Lú against Dubh Linn.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Kildare 1-13 Wexford 1-11
Typical early season fare for the most part. Mick Foley, Gary White and Johnny Doyle best for Kildare. Cathal McNally did his chances no harm at all – quick, good eye for goal and played with his head up. Some very sloppy play to let Wexford back into it but great response to get back up to field for the winning goal. Excellent pass from James Eaton to set up Morgan.

KILDARE: Connolly, E Doyle, Foley, McGrillen, Bolton (0-1), Conway (0-3, 3fs), P Kelly, White, Lynch, Flanagan, McNally (0-2), M O'Flaherty (1-0), P Brophy, J Doyle (0-7, 3fs), Dan Flynn.
SUBS: O'Neill for Lynch, Konstantin for P Kelly, Eaton for Dan Flynn, Fogarty for P Brophy, E O'Flaherty for McNally.

[AZOffaly]

Offaly are the official Midlands champions for 2013 after winning the grand slam against Laois Athlone IT and Westmeath.

Well done boys.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Should have won that match yesterday but won't lose any sleep over it. A narrow win wouldn't have been enough to progress anyway with Laois hammering AIT. 1 point in the second half and 7 points in total was a very poor return in what was a very defensive game. Westmeath had the greater share of the ball in the first half due to the amount of breaking ball they won but Offaly got on top in the middle third in the second half. Dessie, Glennon and Doran going off injured didn't help. Least we've got three weeks to prepare for the Louth game and the students are back. Chance for management to see Louth next week as well, need to get/keep key players fit this year.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Has always been in recent years, time we stuffed yous in the league as well. 

[heffo]

Grudge match to the death v Louth next Sunday.

[All of a Sludden]

An Lú Squad for this weekends match vs Dublin:

1-NEIL GALLAGHER-CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE
2-JOHN BINGHAM-NAOMH MHUIRE
3-BERNARD MULLIGAN-NAOMH SEOSAMH
4-JAMIE CARR-GORMAITHE BAILE NUA
5-DECLAN BYRNE-NAOMH MOCHTA
6-LIAM SHEVLIN-DREADNOTS CEANN CLOCHAIR
7-ADRIAN REID-RAONAITHE MAITEOIGE
8-CONOR RAFFERTY-CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE
9-RONAN CARROLL-NAOMH MHUIRE
10-SEAN MC CANN-NA GAEIL
11-JIM MC ENEANEY-NA GEARALTAIGH
12-RUAIRI MOORE -O RAGHALLAIGHS
13-DAVID REID-RAONAITHE MAITEOIGE
14-EOIN O CONNOR-NAOMH PADRAIG
15-DANIEL O CONNOR-NAOMH PADRAIG
16-SHANE MC COY-DROIM AN TI
17-GERARD HOEY-NA GEARALTAIGH
18-JOHN O BRIEN-SEAN O MATHUNA
19-CONOR MC GUINNESS-CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE
20-DEREK CRILLY-NA GAEIL
21-CATHAL BELLEW -EMMITTI CILL CHOIRLE
22-PATRICK SHEELAN-CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE
23-PADDY KEENAN-NAOMH PADRAIG
24-JJ QUIGLEY-CLAN NA GAEL
25-SHANE O HANLON-NA GEARALTAIGH
26-SHANE LENNON-EMMITTI CILL CHOIRLE

[All of a Sludden]

There has been a pitch inspection in Drogheda and the game is still on.

[All of a Sludden]

Latest from Drawda

Louth 0-02 Dublin 3-05

[All of a Sludden]

Louth 0-07 Dublin 4-08 HT

[All of a Sludden]

 Louth 0-10 Dublin 4-15 All over.

[Dinny Breen]

Kildare unearthed a new talent today Sean Johnson scored 0-7 in Kildare's 1-12 to 1-09 win over Offaly.

[heffo]

He can show off the full array of his skills next Saturday night in Parnell pk so in the final.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Entertaining match in Tullamore and a good crowd at it. McDonnell looks to have Offaly in decent shape and they will definitely be stronger this year if today is anything to go by.

Kildare will be grateful of another competitive game as they prepare for Division 1. I know it's only the O'Byrne Cup but it is hard to work out how Kildare are approaching things at this stage. A lot of the experimentation today had been tried unsuccessfully in the past. I don't understand playing two backs in the half-forward line when we have three forwards in the half-back line (Bolton probably more of a natural forward than a defender). From watching the last two weekends it looks like we are trying to be too clever and are fairly shapeless at times because of it. The three players listed in the half-back line kicked 1-3 and we got one Cathal McNally point from the half-forward line. EOF was tried at wing back this time last year and it did not work. I don't see why he was there again today. Conway was poor and should have had more sense than to go diving into tackles after picking up a yellow card. O'Neill will never make an inter-county midfielder but Daryl Flynn could miss the whole of the league so there's a serious lack of options there.

We kicked our usual high quota of wides and it nearly came back to haunt us only for McNamee to drive his penalty wide. Johnston did well to be fair to him but I wouldn't go overboard. He still has a lot to prove to the Kildare support. It's good to be in the final of this again but I would like to see a bit more shape to the team ahead of what will be a very tough league. There are too many square pegs in round holes at the moment.