Hurling Qualifiers fixtures
The details of the Hurling Qualifiers fixtures have been announced.
Liam McCarthy Cup
June 30th
Round 1
Group 1A
Antrim v Clare, Casement Park
Laois v Galway, Portlaoise
Group 1B
Dublin v Cork, Parnell Park
Limerick or Tipperary v Offaly, Gaelic Park/Thurles
July 7th
Round 2
Group 1A
Antrim v Laois, Casement Park
Clare v Galway, Cusack Park
Group 1B
Dublin v Limerick or Tipperary, Parnell Park
Cork v Offaly, Pairc Ui Chaoimh
July 14th
Round 3
Group 1A
Galway v Antrim, Pearse Stadium
Laois v Clare, Portlaoise
Group 1B
Offaly v Dublin, Tullamore
Limerick or Tipperary v Cork, Gaelic Ground/Thurles
What was the logic for devising these two groups? To deliberately give Galway an easy ride? To give Antrim their only possible chance of an Ulster rep in the Quarter Finals?
Group B has (or will have) all four losing semi-finalists from Leinster and Munster.
Group A has the two beaten first round losers, i.e. proven to be "inferior" to their conquerors in Group B. Then there's Galway, who are "unproven" at all. Finally there's Antrim, who have beaten London and Down.
No matter what "Lip-Service" is paid to helping up the teams outside the "Big 8", it's draws like this that prove the real priorities and powers are otherwise focussed.
Quote from: The Biff on June 18, 2007, 06:47:06 PM
What was the logic for devising these two groups? To deliberately give Galway an easy ride? To give Antrim their only possible chance of an Ulster rep in the Quarter Finals?
Group B has (or will have) all four losing semi-finalists from Leinster and Munster.
Group A has the two beaten first round losers, i.e. proven to be "inferior" to their conquerors in Group B. Then there's Galway, who are "unproven" at all. Finally there's Antrim, who have beaten London and Down.
No matter what "Lip-Service" is paid to helping up the teams outside the "Big 8", it's draws like this that prove the real priorities and powers are otherwise focussed.
Hang on though. Offaly and Dublin hardly proved much in getting to a Leinster semi-final. Dublin got straight in and Offaly only had to beat a terribly inexperienced Laois team.
Galway were always due to meet the losers of the Clare v Cork game so we could have had Cork if they slipped up and nobody anticipated the unrest in the Clare camp before the Summer.
Antrim IMO are as good as Dublin and not a million miles from Offaly. Clare even in their current state are probably better than both of them.
One thing you could say is that the two losing Munster semi-finalists should be maybe kept apart.
Antrim IMO are as good as Dublin
not ahope mate- i know they beat us in the league - but on a neutral venue we'd take them by 8/9 points .
You have to admit galway get a soft draw every year. guaranteed to make the last 8 every year despite underachieving for the last 15 years
Quote from: INDIANA on June 18, 2007, 07:43:42 PM
Antrim IMO are as good as Dublin
not ahope mate- i know they beat us in the league - but on a neutral venue we'd take them by 8/9 points .
Yes but they still beat you in the league so to say you'd beat them no bother by 8 or 9 points anywhere else is a tad arrogant don't you think? Besides if you met them in the qualifiers there's a good chance you'd have to go up and play them on their home patch like we have to do.
Quoteguaranteed to make the last 8 every year despite underachieving for the last 15 years
We've also reached two All-Ireland finals in the past six years. Considering that Waterford for example still haven't even reached one yet despite being years on the road shows you how difficult it is to win an All-Ireland. Don't get me wrong though we probably should have done better than that.
not trying to be arrogant-it's my honest opinion.
I just look at galway-and they don't help themselves- been invited into the leinster championship and they turned their noses at it. They would get more games- and would know more baout their team before the knock-out stages- as it happens i think galway will go into an all-ireland quarter final having learnt absolutely nothing- because that is the softest draw for them in years- to the extent i'd give antrim chance of making the last 8 with clare up shit creek at the moment.
Indanamajaysus how can Offaly be away to both Tipperary/Limerick AND Cork?? For fcuk's sake, our only home tie is against Dublin?
How are these fixtures arrived at? Rubbish.
Limerick or Tipp should be away to Offaly, as should Cork. Dublin should be at home to Offaly and Cork. Cork should be at home to Limerick/Tipp.
Quote from: INDIANA on June 18, 2007, 08:40:44 PM
not trying to be arrogant-it's my honest opinion.
I just look at galway-and they don't help themselves- been invited into the leinster championship and they turned their noses at it. They would get more games- and would know more baout their team before the knock-out stages- as it happens i think galway will go into an all-ireland quarter final having learnt absolutely nothing- because that is the softest draw for them in years- to the extent i'd give antrim chance of making the last 8 with clare up shit creek at the moment.
To be honest I don't think Clare will be that bad and I expect it will be tough for us to go down to Ennis and beat them there. I think we'll just about manage it though.
Clare have a banana skin in going up to Antrim alright but I think they'll be too strong in the end for them.
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 18, 2007, 08:45:20 PM
Indanamajaysus how can Offaly be away to both Tipperary/Limerick AND Cork?? For fcuk's sake, our only home tie is against Dublin?
How are these fixtures arrived at? Rubbish.
Limerick or Tipp should be away to Offaly, as should Cork. Dublin should be at home to Offaly and Cork. Cork should be at home to Limerick/Tipp.
The two weaker sides in each group should have two home games.
In our group both Antrim and Laois have two home games which is only right.
That's what I thought the situation was. Or in some weird parallel universe are Offaly better than either Limerick/Tipp or Cork.
Remember Limerick beat them by about 18 points in the relegation playoff.
I don't think we are 18 points worse than Limerick, but we are certainly, on paper, at least 3rd, if not 4th best in that group.
The draw is certainly as close to perfect as Antrim could have dreamt of , however, and its a big however we will still be big underdogs against Clare and even the Laois game is eminently loseable for us, they relegated us two years ago. As for Galway away it will just be a nice weekend in the west during the July holidays.
By the way Indiana when was the last time Dublin beat Antrim by six or seven on any pitch? We have not lost to Dublin in the league for a good few years now.
Quote from: INDIANA on June 18, 2007, 07:43:42 PM
Antrim IMO are as good as Dublin
not ahope mate- i know they beat us in the league - but on a neutral venue we'd take them by 8/9 points .
Based on what, exactly? The two counties are about level, taking into consideration Antrim thoroughly outplayed Dublin (who were missing some players, as were Antrim) in the League at Casement Park
I suppose you've three perceived weak teams, Dublin, Antrim and Laois and two groups, so one group will always have a 'weaker section' even though the biffo's could be lumped in there as well although they did give Laois a thumping.
In reality though Galway, Clare will come out of one group and Cork plus the losers of Limerick/Tipp the other but it'd be great to have the odd upset once in a while.
i genuinely think antrim have a chance against clare in casement.
clare are missing griffin-carmody-nugent-quinn etc. i don't see where the clare scores are going to come from and with casement abit of a fortress for antrim i think this is the best chacne they are ever going to get. I know from on the ground in clare they are in absolute disarray.
That's true Indiana. Clare are very scattered at the moment, and would be prime for an upset. I just don't think Antrim are good enough to take the chance. I'd say Clare will win by 4 or 5 points.
Quote from: INDIANA on June 19, 2007, 11:02:33 AM
i genuinely think antrim have a chance against clare in casement.
clare are missing griffin-carmody-nugent-quinn etc. i don't see where the clare scores are going to come from and with casement abit of a fortress for antrim i think this is the best chacne they are ever going to get. I know from on the ground in clare they are in absolute disarray.
Hammering the diddymen from Down in Casement is one thing, Clare even minus the 6 or 7 players that you mention is a whole new ball game. I'd of more confidence of Antrim getting one over on Clare if they'd got them last up in Casement as the Antrim lads would be more used to the higher pace and physicality of real senior inter county hurling. To step up from the mismash of an Ulster final to playing a Clare team with a lot to prove to themselves is just too much in one go IMO.
Im dissed with Galway's draw.. :( They are better off swapping places with Tipp IMO, get a serious run out agin' Cork and a good test from the other 2 would be alot more beneficial..
I'd swap with you GY Joe :D
Any word of the Clare team for Saturday?
The Clare team will not be named until Saturday. I'll be up in Belfast for the weekend. Will any of the regular posters be in Casement Park. What sort of a crowd to youse get for a game like this?
Quote from: johnneycool on September 30, 1973, 09:12:50 AM
Hammering the diddymen from Down in Casement is one thing,
:D :D
that would make you an arse man then johnny?
I agree with JC. Games like these aren't the norm for Antrim. Clare will be ready and not taking this game lightly. Clare by 10. I will be pleasantly surprised if I'm wrong
I dunno lads, if the spread is big I might have a nibble at Antrim to cover. Clare are at their best when on a cause, and I don't think Antrim figure highly on their rage-o-metre
FFS Skull get behind the team and stop being so pessimistic. I too dont think Antrim will win, but i am hopeful that they can put up a good performance. I have seen them in training and they are going well. 4-5 points in it at most.
Maybe if there were more Dunloy men on the team???
Clares trip to Casement has banana skin written all over it, should be very interesting.
Fear the worst from a Cork backlash this weekend in parnell park but it'll be great to see the langers in town, expect it to be busy. We're still missing some key players and Cork are on a mission. Hopefully they'll be complacent but I cant see it with their "everyone is against cork" stuf.
Agree that the fixtures are a bit wierd, would prefer to play offaly at home then cork and tipp but hey, impossible to keep everyone happy.
Quote from: aontroim abu on June 28, 2007, 11:41:17 AM
FFS Skull get behind the team and stop being so pessimistic. I too dont think Antrim will win, but i am hopeful that they can put up a good performance. I have seen them in training and they are going well. 4-5 points in it at most.
Maybe if there were more Dunloy men on the team???
So your only 5-6 points less pessimistic than me a-abu. Hardly a world away from each other in a game of hurling? BTW me predicting the winning margin says nothing about how I will get behind the team on saturday. And to answer your last question ...no....I'd call it the same, but still hope I was wrong. I believe I'm being a realist rather than a pessimist but whether I'm one or the other will make no difference to the result on Saturday.
Dublin to be without the services of Liam Rushe for saturdays game against the rebels, massive blow....
Quote from: hardstation on June 28, 2007, 05:54:32 PM
Antrim to beat Clare
Antrim to beat Laois
Galway to beat Antrim
Clare to beat Laois
Clare to beat Galway
Galway to beat Laois
What a mess! :o
Hope you are right hard station but I think you may be counting your chickens too early
So Skull is being a pessimist because he thinks we will get beaten by 10 maybe? A realist i think. What form have we got to be impressed with by Antrim? A victory over the worst Down team in my memory, i just dont think we are used to that level of hurling in the summer time. You will always catch a team out in the league earlier in the year when teams are not going full pelt but Championship is a different kettle of fish. The bookies have Antrim at evens +7 pts, sounds about right to me.
Quote from: wickla on June 28, 2007, 07:11:28 PM
Dublin to be without the services of Liam Rushe for saturdays game against the rebels, massive blow....
The bould Rushe is missing for the minors on sunday v Kilkenny, a blow alright.
The seniors are missing Johnny McCaffery, Kevin and Derek O'Reilly through injury and Alan McCrabbe seems to be off the panel for some reason.
[altho there is rumour that he's back in the fold]
That's 4 of our top players out for the rebels.
It goes without saying but as we're still building a panel we need our top players to compete with the big guns, so sadly i think this'll be easy enough for Cork.
Still looking forward to it, hope we can get some change out of their fabled half back line, what a second senior game for Ross O'Carroll, just John Gardner to try and get to grips with! :o
Best of luck tot he lads, will be great to see Cork run out in the nell.
Galway team named by Loughnane. A couple of new faces?
C Callanan; D Joyce, D Cloonan, D Collins; D Hardiman, J Lee, G Mahon; E Lynch, D Tierney; A Kerins, D Forde, I Tannion; N Healy, E Cloonan, D Hayes.
who's that keeper? What happened to the ones they used in the league?
QuoteBest of luck tot he lads, will be great to see Cork run out in the nell.
Indeed. Raging I'll be missing this one but hopefully the dubs can put up a respectable performance
Yep, really looking forward to the Dublin-Cork game. I think its 1993 since I last saw them play in Parnell, that time in a league game. I recall Mossy Walsh marking his cousin, Jim Cashman, and doing a fine job on him.
Dublin will be punching above their weight tomorrow, but with absolutely nothing to lose, the should have somewhat of a 'devil may care' attitude and go out and see what happens. Thoughts of games against opposition like this are what everyone plays the game for. Everyone wants a crack at the best so see how they match-up, and while there could be a bit of daylight between the team on the scoreboard at full-time, Dublin can do themselves a lot of favours by putting in a performance.
I would be worried slightly about them though. They seem to be playing a little on the aimless side, as far as tactics go. Against Wexford, they packed their attack with high ball winners and were content to lob in high ball after high ball. As good as they are in the air, they'll not have come up against the likes of the Rock and Curran, etc.
I do slightly fear for them, but am hopeful, with the aid of a slightly complacent Cork, that they'll put up a good showing. The tails should be up too given the win by the 21s, and the impending Leinster final appearance by the minors.
Is the Dublin-Cork game on RTE live? It would be good to see Dublin put it up to them but I really can't see it.
I just found this. Paddy Power isn't often wrong.
http://www.rte.ie/tv/listing.html?date=1&channel=132 (http://www.rte.ie/tv/listing.html?date=1&channel=132)
The Saturday Game Live
Tomas Mulcahy and Peter Finnerty join Michael Lyster for coverage of the All Ireland Hurling qualifier round one clash between Dublin and Cork at Parnell Park
This weekend is make or break for Antrim and Offallys season. Both teams are underdogs but have a reasonable chance of surprising everyone. A win for either and an all ireland quarter final is a real prospect. Defeat and both sides are facing a relegation struggle and possible Christy Ring next year. Having seen more of Antrim it is clear that the management are going for youth and speed, they must be praying for a dry day. As for Offally they showed signs of revival against Kilkenny and are in the Leinster U-21 final having beat the cats. The qualifiers were set up precisly to allow teams like Antrim and Offally develop competitive teams, this weekend will let us know how each side is developing.