Christy Ring Cup 2007

[Lecale2]

No topic on this yet? Fixtures for this week:

All Ireland Christy Ring Cup Hurling Championship

Group 2A - Round 3

Ballycran 3.00 Down v Mayo Down

Pairc Tailteann 2.00 Meath v Kerry Draw


Group 2B - Round 3
Celtic Park 3.00 Derry v Kildare Derry

Arklow 3.00 Wicklow v Calow Wicklow

Meath have made a great start.

[johnneycool]

Have Meath not already drawn with Westmeath?

Eoin Brislane is certainly some addition to a team at this level.

Down have an uphill battle on their hands after getting beat by Westmeath and having to go away to Kerry.

They also might be hoping for the fog to descend on Portaferry as well when Meath come to town!!

[Dinny Breen]

Celtic Park 3.00 Derry v Kildare Derry

Are you serious Kildare are something like 1/4 for this game. Have the Kildare team been struck with a virus or something?

[Lecale2]

Derry will have a full team out on Saturady. Wait to you see Lone Shark cutting the odds when the teams are named.

[johnneycool]

If Carlow can put up a score of 3-13 against Kildare, it isn't beyond the realms that Derry could get a win up in celtic park!!

[Sky Blue]

It seems to me that the draw hasn't been seeded. Group A looks much stronger than Group B with 2 from Westmeath, Meath, Down and Kerry all capable of qualifiying for the play-offs. Mayo look a bit off the pace.

I'd be very confident that the winner of the competiotion will come from Group A. And they'll probably play the other Group A qualifier in the final. Despite the draw with Meath I think Westmeath will win Group A and go on to reach the final.
Down won't need fog on Strangford Lough to get the points off Meath this time. The crucial game will be Kerry v Down. The winner of that can go on to the final as well.

In Group B Carlow look like qualifying along with Derry/Kildare/Wicklow. Carlow upset Down last year in the semi final but I can't see anyone from Group B troubling the Group A Semi-finalists.

BTW - Good to have a hurling section. Those Tyrone/Armagh tossers do my head in.

[johnneycool]

BTW - Good to have a hurling section. Those Tyrone/Armagh tossers do my head in.

There are some decent hurling contributors from Armagh in particular so I wouldn't be inclined to use such a wide brush although you do have a point.

[SouthArmaghBandit]

Thank you Johnnycool 

[johnneycool]

Thank you Johnnycool 

I didn't have you in mind though bandit!

[treborstemme]

Great to have some decent discussion about hurling, particularly tier 2 hurling that doesn't get a look in.  The christy ring is a great competition now, and a challenge for all sides concerned.  I think as a Derry man, the game at celtic match should be a good one.  Although Kildare gave our lads a right hammering in the league, this new look, very young derry side are starting to gel and with home advantage should gave kildare a dam hard game.  Wicklow should beat Carlow in Arklow, but I definately wouldn't be surprised to see Carlow pulling out a result.  I think alot of the hype surrounding the Wicklow team, although welcome is slightly exagerated.  Westmeath, team to beat I'd say!

[Farrandeelin]

Regarding the Mayo v Down game, one can only say that will be a walk in the park for Down. So far, Mayo have succombed to Kerry and got hammered by Meath in which Meath outscored Mayo by 14 points to 1 in the second half. I'm not from a hurling area in Mayo myself (don't even know if there is a hurling area) but it's sad to see the Mayo hurlers going through the hammerings, especially after they nearly got to a Division 2 final last year. I reckon they will be competing in the Nickey Rackard Cup next season. ANd it's all the Co. Boards fault.

[treborstemme]

Talk about county boards!

Derry county board put Derry senior Hurlers on the plane to London on the morning of the match and flew them home on the same evening. Some members of the panel were apparently up at 5am!  Don't think this would happen footballers some how :: .

[johnneycool]

Ruairi McGrattan gets a starting berth in the halfbackline for Down. I'm not a big fan I have to say but he is a better option than Zelda who isn't fit and sharp enough for this grade anymore.
Simon Wilson also gets a start but in the half forward line. Because of his wrong grip, he's totally dependent on his right side and any defender worth their salt should work that out quite quickly. All the same , he is a strong f**ker and will win more than his fair share of ball and may add something to what is in general a lightweight attack. Mayo should be a win but some of the inadequecies of the Down team will be masked and found out in the tougher battle against Kerry the following week.

[Bacon]

What's the full team JC?

[johnneycool]

What's the full team JC?

I only got snippets last night at the club training.

I'm assuming that the team is almost identical barring those two changes I've mentioned.