Nfl div 3

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

Feely didn't play like a man had been away from the inter county scene for years. He could be the midfielder Kildare have been crying out for since Earley retired.

Such a classy footballer and showed plenty of leadership too. I the 1st half he read almost every Offaly kickout and either directed others to the ball or got there himself. Moolick might struggle to win his place back unless they move Daniel Flynn into the forwards.

[Donnellys Hollow]

I'd find a place for Moolick as a sitting midfielder much like Willie McCreery used to be when Buckley was alongside him. Allow Flynn and Cribbin the freedom to push forward without as much defensive responsibility.

[Dinny Breen]

I'd find a place for Moolick as a sitting midfielder much like Willie McCreery used to be when Buckley was alongside him. Allow Flynn and Cribbin the freedom to push forward without as much defensive responsibility.

Moolick was our best midfielder last year, Cribben and Flynn both have the engines to push forward and to cover back as well, I think they still need to be very responsible in defence. We are looking to have a very mobile middle 8, pity we don't have Paddy Brophy at full forward as I think Niall Kelly could really pull the strings at 11.

I like the fact that we are learning to close out games when momentum swings against us, like Westmeath last week Offaly got close but we finished with the last score. That's invaluable learning for this team, winning by a cricket score while would be great for confidence but won't aide our development. Can't see Lyons messing up again this year.

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

I'd try accommodate Moolick definitely but Dan Flynn is looking like midfield is his strongest position and Feely likewise. It is good to have options. Fergal Conway if he maintains his form has to have the 6 jersey sewn up meaning Eoin Doyle will have to move to wing back although I would not mind him being tried in the corner. Although a different sport he impressed there in the international rules.

The full forward line is badly missing a couple of ball winners in the mould of Alan Smith/ Fogarty or even Tomás O'Connor. If Paddy Brophy ever decides to come back it would be some bonus too.
Neil Flynn will take time to settle but his frees got good when he got his first one and the potential is there, his struggles in open play remind me of when James Kavanagh first made the step up under Crofton so I would not write him off. Callaghan was poor but still was capable of spotting the pass that created the goal.

Offaly were limited enough but were not atrociously bad, they will probably stay up.

[AZOffaly]

Big win for Tipp in Tipp town today. That eases relegation worries significantly.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Deflating day in Markievicz Park yesterday. We showed all the signs of a team that thought we just had to turn up to collect the two points. A well set up Sligo team took to their task with relish in the first half and were well worth their 8 points to 1 lead. Then we scored 1-3 to end the half only a point down and with Brendan Egan black carded. So we had got our wake up call and with a bit of a wind behind us in the second half things could only improve surely. Yet we only managed to draw the second half and got what we deserved from the day. Very insipid showing over a year into the Cribbin reign. We are still moving bodies around and are still tactically immobile. Credit to Sligo, they saw we were targeting the wings for our kickouts and after 10 mins stationed men out there to stop the run into space. I can't once recall us using in game management like that. A ridiculously weak half back line was selected yesterday but there's only so long you can make so many excuses. Long hard look needs to be taken at what we are trying to do and why we are consistently not reaching the required performance levels. 5 games left and probably need to be winning the 5 to get promoted, very big ask. Huge game in a couple of weeks against Tipperary now, lose that and the whole year could fall apart.

[tippabu]

Big win for Tipp in Tipp town today. That eases relegation worries significantly.

Massive, it was the big players who carried us to this really, acheson and fox were outstanding. the new lads feehan and especially o'shaughnessy were massive pluses too. At this stage its still about securing safety, whether we are looking up or down I feel will come down to how clonmel get on this weekend, get these lads back (hopefully we wont though!!) and i feel we may have a good shout for promotion, without them and i think we are too light for numbers and overall quality.

[ck]

Deflating day in Markievicz Park yesterday. We showed all the signs of a team that thought we just had to turn up to collect the two points. A well set up Sligo team took to their task with relish in the first half and were well worth their 8 points to 1 lead. Then we scored 1-3 to end the half only a point down and with Brendan Egan black carded. So we had got our wake up call and with a bit of a wind behind us in the second half things could only improve surely. Yet we only managed to draw the second half and got what we deserved from the day. Very insipid showing over a year into the Cribbin reign. We are still moving bodies around and are still tactically immobile. Credit to Sligo, they saw we were targeting the wings for our kickouts and after 10 mins stationed men out there to stop the run into space. I can't once recall us using in game management like that. A ridiculously weak half back line was selected yesterday but there's only so long you can make so many excuses. Long hard look needs to be taken at what we are trying to do and why we are consistently not reaching the required performance levels. 5 games left and probably need to be winning the 5 to get promoted, very big ask. Huge game in a couple of weeks against Tipperary now, lose that and the whole year could fall apart.

Fair enough assessment. From a Sligo point of view I think we are very tactically aware and well set up but our problem is our quality. It's simply not there.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Deflating day in Markievicz Park yesterday. We showed all the signs of a team that thought we just had to turn up to collect the two points. A well set up Sligo team took to their task with relish in the first half and were well worth their 8 points to 1 lead. Then we scored 1-3 to end the half only a point down and with Brendan Egan black carded. So we had got our wake up call and with a bit of a wind behind us in the second half things could only improve surely. Yet we only managed to draw the second half and got what we deserved from the day. Very insipid showing over a year into the Cribbin reign. We are still moving bodies around and are still tactically immobile. Credit to Sligo, they saw we were targeting the wings for our kickouts and after 10 mins stationed men out there to stop the run into space. I can't once recall us using in game management like that. A ridiculously weak half back line was selected yesterday but there's only so long you can make so many excuses. Long hard look needs to be taken at what we are trying to do and why we are consistently not reaching the required performance levels. 5 games left and probably need to be winning the 5 to get promoted, very big ask. Huge game in a couple of weeks against Tipperary now, lose that and the whole year could fall apart.

Fair enough assessment. From a Sligo point of view I think we are very tactically aware and well set up but our problem is our quality. It's simply not there.

Yeah, I certainly thought ye were making the best of your resources. Very good effort for the names you were missing. The goal was huge, we would undeservingly have nicked it only for that I feel.

[Syferus]

Deflating day in Markievicz Park yesterday. We showed all the signs of a team that thought we just had to turn up to collect the two points. A well set up Sligo team took to their task with relish in the first half and were well worth their 8 points to 1 lead. Then we scored 1-3 to end the half only a point down and with Brendan Egan black carded. So we had got our wake up call and with a bit of a wind behind us in the second half things could only improve surely. Yet we only managed to draw the second half and got what we deserved from the day. Very insipid showing over a year into the Cribbin reign. We are still moving bodies around and are still tactically immobile. Credit to Sligo, they saw we were targeting the wings for our kickouts and after 10 mins stationed men out there to stop the run into space. I can't once recall us using in game management like that. A ridiculously weak half back line was selected yesterday but there's only so long you can make so many excuses. Long hard look needs to be taken at what we are trying to do and why we are consistently not reaching the required performance levels. 5 games left and probably need to be winning the 5 to get promoted, very big ask. Huge game in a couple of weeks against Tipperary now, lose that and the whole year could fall apart.

Fair enough assessment. From a Sligo point of view I think we are very tactically aware and well set up but our problem is our quality. It's simply not there.

Eh. I don't rate Carew and I think the Sligo players by action have said they don't really either.

[sligoman2]

To beat Westmeath while missing Kelly, marren, Donovan, Hughes, Martin, Maye and probably a few more is a great achievement.  However of the starting line up not one forward scored a point from play (assuming murphy was picked in midfield).  Cawley scored a goal from play, but we need better production from our forwards.  Work rate from all was excellent but we do need to score more from play.

[AZOffaly]

Decent result for Tipp in Mullingar, and a good win in Tullamore for Offaly. Westmeath must be dodgy for promotion now. Kildare nailed on, and the other spot is in the melting pot. Big game in Thurles next weekend.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Very dodgy, need to win remaining four games, Kildare to beat Clare & Tipp & hope Tipp slip up as well. 

That said, Westmeath were much the better team yesterday, their shooting let them down in a big way. The Tipp keeper must have topped their possession stats such was the amount dropped in to his arms. There was a crazy amount of wides as well as we were shooting from outside our comfort zone. We were dominant in the middle third in the first half but didn't work scoring chances close enough to goal and got caught for a breakaway goal. The positives were the work rate in the middle third and the return of Paul Sharry to his best position. John Connellan was very good inside too, when he got the ball. Good to see Paul Greville back on the field and Kieran Gavin would be a huge addition to the team, badly needed in the back line.

[tippabu]

Very dodgy, need to win remaining four games, Kildare to beat Clare & Tipp & hope Tipp slip up as well. 

That said, Westmeath were much the better team yesterday, their shooting let them down in a big way. The Tipp keeper must have topped their possession stats such was the amount dropped in to his arms. There was a crazy amount of wides as well as we were shooting from outside our comfort zone. We were dominant in the middle third in the first half but didn't work scoring chances close enough to goal and got caught for a breakaway goal. The positives were the work rate in the middle third and the return of Paul Sharry to his best position. John Connellan was very good inside too, when he got the ball. Good to see Paul Greville back on the field and Kieran Gavin would be a huge addition to the team, badly needed in the back line.

Can't really argue with that, we have an absolutely shocking record last 5 years or so after 3 week break. Both teams were very poor yesterday, westmeath were taking stupid shots all day. Our midfield is a big problem area having said that as bad as Maloney was he still kicked 3 crucial points in the 2nd half. Our half forward line was poor too, we made it simple for the sweeper, nobody was making selfless runs to take his attention and allow ff line to make space, lonergan came on before ht and made a massive difference, Philly Austin was a massive loss. There are a few on the team and panel who simply aren't up to it . Brilliant draw in the end, 3 points down in the 2nd half and dug deep to snatch draw. Next two games will be crucial to our promotion hopes now, need to get the rustiness from yesterday out of our game, shocking amount of turnovers from both teams

[sligoman2]

Tough loss yesterday but again scoring confined to a few players.  Heard we missed a goal chance at the end.  Well done to Offaly who held on for a win with 14 men.  Need a win v long does this week to ease the fears.