Provincial club championship

[redsetanta]

Rathdowney/Errill play St Rynaghs in a couple of weeks. The Rathdowney players spoke about their desire to do well in the competition in the interviews after winning the county final on Sunday. Laois clubs have a poor record in the competition over the past few years failing to win first round games. Winners of this game will play winners of St Mullins v Cuala.
KK and Wex winners yet to be decided.

[redsetanta]

Cracking game yesterday and a great advertisement for hurling in 'lesser' counties. Plenty of skill on show and a nailbiter til the end. Best of luck to St Mullins against the KK kings. Always the poor hurling neighbour but they will certainly put it up to Ballyhale. They'll need to have a plan for TJ though!

[Milltown Row2]

Cracking game yesterday and a great advertisement for hurling in 'lesser' counties. Plenty of skill on show and a nailbiter til the end. Best of luck to St Mullins against the KK kings. Always the poor hurling neighbour but they will certainly put it up to Ballyhale. They'll need to have a plan for TJ though!

While it was a very exciting game near the end I thought the shot selection and pass selections (or lack of passes) were very poor, the Laois team looked the better hurlers or better hurling team but the St Mullins lads never stopped, sheer intensity brought them over the line, the fielding was great at times to from both teams and both sharp shooters were bang on form.

Ballyhale will take some stopping, experience and tradition and quality hurlers tell you that they will be very difficult, but I'd have said the same thing against Cuala and they were dispatched by St Mullins, they don't lack belief that's for sure and MLR not that long ago managed to get through to the final..

The plan for TJ is simple, don't give away frees and have the most annoying fittest hurler on his toes the whole game and maybe that will reduce his influence in the game, its the other 13 outfield players then to look after

[Zooming around]

St Mullins are showing some resolve. They have now won the county semi final, county final, leinster quarter final and leinster semi final all by a point.

[marty34]

Cracking game yesterday and a great advertisement for hurling in 'lesser' counties. Plenty of skill on show and a nailbiter til the end. Best of luck to St Mullins against the KK kings. Always the poor hurling neighbour but they will certainly put it up to Ballyhale. They'll need to have a plan for TJ though!

While it was a very exciting game near the end I thought the shot selection and pass selections (or lack of passes) were very poor, the Laois team looked the better hurlers or better hurling team but the St Mullins lads never stopped, sheer intensity brought them over the line, the fielding was great at times to from both teams and both sharp shooters were bang on form.

Ballyhale will take some stopping, experience and tradition and quality hurlers tell you that they will be very difficult, but I'd have said the same thing against Cuala and they were dispatched by St Mullins, they don't lack belief that's for sure and MLR not that long ago managed to get through to the final..

The plan for TJ is simple, don't give away frees and have the most annoying fittest hurler on his toes the whole game and maybe that will reduce his influence in the game, its the other 13 outfield players then to look after

I thought it was an excellent game for mid-November.  Really open, high skill level and some great hurling.  Carlow hurling going well with only 4 senior team.

I read they played BS earlier in year in KK league and got a hammering.  But they've nothing to lose - heart and attitude count for a lot.

BS would give Joe Mc Donagh teams a run for their money - Reid is gone now but they've such an attacking outlet in Mullen, Reid and Cody.  Throw it into Colin Fennelly and he'll win a penalty.  Young team - I wonder what their average age is this year?

Where will final be? Portlaois or Wexford?

[Pearse Blue]

Does anyone know if the Leinster/Munster championships go to penalties after ET?

[Milltown Row2]

That was a brutal match! Not so much brutal to watch but the hits were intense! Maher was unreal, his point on the wing was outstanding. Though for me the best team lost

Tipp getting a club team over the line for once!

[marty34]

That was a brutal match! Not so much brutal to watch but the hits were intense! Maher was unreal, his point on the wing was outstanding. Though for me the best team lost

Tipp getting a club team over the line for once!

Best team won - scored 1-2 in a row in the second half to get back in it. Tit for tat after that.

Intense game in trying conditions.  Really enjoyed it.  Showed, like Rd/E V St. Mullins game, last week, the great value and entertainment in the club hurling championship.

Ballygunner will be very disappointed - very strong favourites to reach AI club semi-final once again and get a shot at St. Thomas'.  They'll be gutted especially with the new addition Hutchison adding greatly to their forward play this year.  He'll be a good addition to the Déise this year. They'll have to start over again but will be firm favourites to come out of Waterford once again.

Some year for Brendan Maher - especially coming after the year out.  An AI with Tipp, county and a provincial medal...so far!

[johnnycool]

That was a brutal match! Not so much brutal to watch but the hits were intense! Maher was unreal, his point on the wing was outstanding. Though for me the best team lost

Tipp getting a club team over the line for once!

Best team won - scored 1-2 in a row in the second half to get back in it. Tit for tat after that.

Intense game in trying conditions.  Really enjoyed it.  Showed, like Rd/E V St. Mullins game, last week, the great value and entertainment in the club hurling championship.

Ballygunner will be very disappointed - very strong favourites to reach AI club semi-final once again and get a shot at St. Thomas'.  They'll be gutted especially with the new addition Hutchison adding greatly to their forward play this year.  He'll be a good addition to the Déise this year. They'll have to start over again but will be firm favourites to come out of Waterford once again.

Some year for Brendan Maher - especially coming after the year out.  An AI with Tipp, county and a provincial medal...so far!

I'm with MR on this, the best team lost but playing on a bog of a pitch suited Borris more than Ballygunner but credit where it's due Borris kept digging in and fought for everything and Brendan Maher really now needs to be talked about in the same company as TJ Reid, Pat Horgan and Joe Canning.

This is my problem with winter hurling in general.

There aren't enough properly drained pitches in the country able to withstand the type of rain that's fallen recently and give lads a decent surface to play on.
Invest in 3 or 4 pitches in each province and drain them properly please GAA.

He's had some summer and his play in awful conditions

[marty34]

That was a brutal match! Not so much brutal to watch but the hits were intense! Maher was unreal, his point on the wing was outstanding. Though for me the best team lost

Tipp getting a club team over the line for once!

Best team won - scored 1-2 in a row in the second half to get back in it. Tit for tat after that.

Intense game in trying conditions.  Really enjoyed it.  Showed, like Rd/E V St. Mullins game, last week, the great value and entertainment in the club hurling championship.

Ballygunner will be very disappointed - very strong favourites to reach AI club semi-final once again and get a shot at St. Thomas'.  They'll be gutted especially with the new addition Hutchison adding greatly to their forward play this year.  He'll be a good addition to the Déise this year. They'll have to start over again but will be firm favourites to come out of Waterford once again.

Some year for Brendan Maher - especially coming after the year out.  An AI with Tipp, county and a provincial medal...so far!

I'm with MR on this, the best team lost but playing on a bog of a pitch suited Borris more than Ballygunner but credit where it's due Borris kept digging in and fought for everything and Brendan Maher really now needs to be talked about in the same company as TJ Reid, Pat Horgan and Joe Canning.

This is my problem with winter hurling in general.

There aren't enough properly drained pitches in the country able to withstand the type of rain that's fallen recently and give lads a decent surface to play on.
Invest in 3 or 4 pitches in each province and drain them properly please GAA.

He's had some summer and his play in awful conditions

JC, best team always scores more on the scoreboard - nothing else matters I'm afraid. Ballygunner are an excellent team but, like last's years semi-final in similiar conditions, they come out second best. In fairness though, BS are some club team.

As you say, dry sod and BG would destroy you but Ballyhale Shamrocks can destroy you in either condition - dry or wintery.

I agree with you on the point that it's a pity these games are not played in the summer on a good dry pitch.

[Milltown Row2]

Ballyhale has to work very hard throughout that game, the work rate from the Carlow lads was hard to fault, Kavanagh is some talent.

[johnnycool]

Ballyhale has to work very hard throughout that game, the work rate from the Carlow lads was hard to fault, Kavanagh is some talent.

Have S-Neil a chance against Ballyhale?

Hard to see anyone beating them now and I'll include Borrisoleigh in that.

[Milltown Row2]

Ballyhale has to work very hard throughout that game, the work rate from the Carlow lads was hard to fault, Kavanagh is some talent.

Have S-Neil a chance against Ballyhale?

Hard to see anyone beating them now and I'll include Borrisoleigh in that.

The game is in Newry so not too far for us to watch, that’s a bonus for S’neil.

Have they a chance? They are better now than past 4/5 years, outta football earlier than normal and from watching the game against a very talented but young Dunloy team I’d say their stick work was better than the team Ballyhale beat at the weekend. Physically they’ll match any team left, what they can’t afford to do is give the Shamrocks a start or an early goal.

S’neil were sluggish at the start v Dunloy and bar a great save could have found themselves in bother (though I thought they’d see it out)

Was impressed with their shooting also, so I think if it’s in the mix with 10 minutes to go then they have a chance

[Milltown Row2]

Both Ulster teams bate handy by their Kilkenny opponents today in Junior and Intermediate, was expos closer game in the Coleraine game but they weren’t great today.

[Milltown Row2]

Maher is some hurler! The rotation and tactics used stifled Thomas’s who missed too many chances.

S’neil really gave Ballyhale their full of it, and bar big Fennelly S’neil were the better team for a lot of the game!