Excellent result for Birr yesterday. Obviously Shefflin and Cha being out was a huge blow to Ballyhale, but Birr rolled back the years with some of their hurling. Traditional Offaly defending in hooking and blocking was very important as well. Ballyhale missed chances at a vital time, but in fairness to Birr, they looked by far the more competent team from about 10 minutes into the second half. Great stuff out of the likes of the Whelehans, Niall Claffey, Rory Hanniffy and Dylan Hayden. Ballyboden will be a different kettle of fish in the final, they'll be mad enthusiastic, fired up and keen, but I hope Birr can go on now and win an unlikely Leinster.
Is the tide turning, or at least ebbing? With Birr, and the Under 21s , that's two wins in a row for Offaly teams against Kilkenny teams. Small acorns and all that.
When and where is the final AZ?
Didn't get to see the game. Hopefully the highlights will show a decent bit of it tonight. Ballyboden seem to have their tails up and will give Birr their fill of it, but I fancy Birr's know how to get them over the line, but by no more than 2-3 points.
I think the final is in two weeks time. Not sure location? Possibly Portlaoise.
was brian Whelehan's son playing yesterday?
Aside from Rory Hannify and Hayden is there any young blood on the Birr team who will be pushing for places on the Offaly team?
It seems like Birr are still relying heavily on the old guns and long term thats no benefit to Offaly.
Rory Hanniffy was Offaly captain this year. He's been around a good while.
Dylan Hayden and Sean Ryan would appear to be the most likely, although there are a couple of others. Having said that, Birr have changed a lot. They are a young team really, all over the field apart from the likes of Brian Whelehan, and probably his two brothers. Gary and Rory would be next experienced, but the likes of the Pilkingtons, Joe Errity, the Cahills etc are all gone from that team. It's essentially a new Birr team.
very enjoyable match, Birr worked their arses off, almost every Shamrocks player in possession had two men flying towards him - blocking him down. Mighty stuff, didn't think Birr could keep it up all match but they did and totally deserved their win. Encouraging result for Offaly. good for Leinster to have an Offaly v Dublin final againt his year. Boden will have to up their game in a big way to match Birr, who are infinitely more experienced at this level.
A very enjoyable game given the time of year and the rain we had over the weekend. Both teams played good hurling but Birr fully deserved their win. Their defense was totally on top in the second half and some of the quick direct hurling was a joy to watch. It's a while since I've seen so many ground strokes in a senior match but it worked well for them.
Was Brian Whelehan's kid playing?
I thought the other year he was on the Birr team but didn't hear any mention of him Sunday. Anyone know?
A great result for Birr indeed, the whole thing, including the build up on TG4 was very enjoyable - Pajo is some legend with the psych games.
Before the match - "If this were the old Birr team we wouldn't be worried about coming down here to Kilkenny to play the All-Ireland champions on their home field....but this new team..."
And afterwards - "I told the lads at halftime I respect Kilkenny hurling...except on the pitch, we respect no one on the field...we're Birr!"
Brilliant, some fine fine play, and hard hitting, great impact from Whelehan junior too.
Great performance from Birr who really deserved their win, their half back line was outstanding and provided a real platform for them particularly in the 2nd half. Novel pairing in the final now and despite Birr's victory I'm sure Ballyboden would rather be facing them than Ballyhale simply as many of the Boden lads would have no fear of offaly hurling given the recent success of dublin underage hurling in the past five years or so.
Interesting macth up - is the Leinster final fixed yet? If so where and when.
Was Brian Whelehans kid playing
He was on the subs bench. Don't think Whelehan jnr came on though.
To be fair to Ballyhale the loss of two allstars to injury imo cost them the game.
What's Whelehan jr like ? Any good ?
Aaron Whelehan is a promising young lad, no more no less. He's been on Offaly U16 and minor teams, but he's going to have to suffer the unfair comparisons that all sons of great players face. If he's left alone he may well make the Offaly senior team, but it's too much to expect him to have the career, or impact, his father had (and is still having).
Really looking forward to this one, think boden could cause Birr a few problems but they'll need to play for the full 60 unlike the last two rounds. Expect Birr to win but not by much hopefully.
Tayto - where and what time is the macth on Sunday?
Sunday in Tullamore, not 100% sure what time throw in is set for.
Birr still have it all to do today. Ballyboden will be no walk over and I expect a tight game. Hopefully the weather won't ruin the game.
It just seems to me that Ballyboden are crusing at the minute and are ultra confident - I think they'll really put it up to Birr - conditions are going to be atrocious whih kind of makes it a lottery.
Again fair play to Birr - they won the title but what a comeback by Ballyboden - fair dues to them as well.
Who knows what would have happened - the piece of skill and brain power when Whelehan crossed the ball over to the full forward instead of taking the point was really the turning point. I thought the referee had his hands full in the 2nd half.
Ballyboden had a great 2nd half but probably weren't just good enough. Tough but that's the way it goes.
A couple of dreadful refereeing decisions cost them though. It's quite extraordinary the lengths some country officials will go to give Dublin teams nothing when playing down the country. I think Boden left it behind them. I didn't think Birr had scored enough at half time and if Boden had of kept their heads a little bette in the second half they would have won by 2/3 points-instead they panicked a little bit and showed their inexperience. However the referee should have penalised Mullins with a 65 for persistence slowing of the puck outs instaed of booking him and a clear 65 in the end to Boden was waved wide. Instead of Nicky Brennan handing out grants to the Greedy elite maybe he could do something about the standard of officialdom because thta was very poor yesterday.
Either way Portumna's to lose can't see anyone stopping them before yesterday's two finals and having watched them i still can't.
Well done to Birr, as Sid said yesterday no-one would have thought they'd be lifting the trophy this year after the Ballyhale game last year. Ballyboden deserve great credit for a rivetting encounter despite the conditions. They played with great determination and no little skill and the game was theirs for the taking.
About 10 minutes into the second half, when Boden had knocked 5 points off Birr's 9 point half time lead, they looked favourites to power on and win in it. However Birr dug in hard and managed to slow down their scoring rate. It was some relief when Birr got the two break out scores, when they had been reeled back to a one point lead.
Ballyboden were naive in the first half in not slowing down the game more. Birr didn't take full advantage of the wind despite the scoreboard, as they had only hurled well in patches. Also boden could crowded their backs better early on. It took Keaney too long to start sweeping behind the half back line.
Some good performances for Birr from Paul O'Meara in the first half, though he got a dunt in the head and didn't seem as lively in the second. Simon Whelahan rolled back the years with a hard working performance. Rory Hanniffy also covered huge yards, made mistakes but still keep hounding. Niall Claffey also looks at home at full back and Verney looks a good prospect for Offaly seniors.
Ultimately Sid's setting up of the goal was the difference between the sides. A 6 point half time lead would have wiped out within 10 minutes with the gale that was blowing.
Quote from: INDIANA on December 03, 2007, 09:37:11 AM
A couple of dreadful refereeing decisions cost them though. It's quite extraordinary the lengths some country officials will go to give Dublin teams nothing when playing down the country. I think Boden left it behind them. I didn't think Birr had scored enough at half time and if Boden had of kept their heads a little bette in the second half they would have won by 2/3 points-instead they panicked a little bit and showed their inexperience. However the referee should have penalised Mullins with a 65 for persistence slowing of the puck outs instaed of booking him and a clear 65 in the end to Boden was waved wide. Instead of Nicky Brennan handing out grants to the Greedy elite maybe he could do something about the standard of officialdom because thta was very poor yesterday.
Either way Portumna's to lose can't see anyone stopping them before yesterday's two finals and having watched them i still can't.
I doubt if many from Ballyboden would blame the ref for yesterday's defeat. Perhaps it was a 65, but on the other hand boden got a couple of soft frees from where I was watching, when their players went to ground very easily. Twice Keaney got frees for bulldozing into a crowd of players with no intention of putting the ball onto his stick. The Birr backs were enraged at these decisions and hence in one case the ref moved the free to straight in front of the goal.
Swings and roundabouts ultimately.
Hurling shouldn't be played this time of year, the munster final was possibly the worst game of hurling I've seen in a long time. That aside, a favourite gripe re hurling refs was able to manifest itself again yesterday, both games saw the refs play 2 minutes injury time - wtf game were the refs watching? In the Munster game, the ball was in play for about 5 mins of the final 15, I just can't understand how they can't sort out a system like the ladies use. Why will hurling refs in particular not play anything like adequate injury time??
I thought the referee probaly should have played 3 minutes of injury time in the Birr match given that he had to book Mullins for time wasting, in fact in hindsight it was very clever by Mullins as he was slow at hitting the ball out then the ref actually stopped him for about a minte to warn then book him. with no advantage for Ballyboden
Both teams deserve credit for serving up an enthralling game, especially when compared to the Munster final played in similar conditions. I have heard the comparison earilier in the week of Birr with Crossmaglen and certainly yesterday added to the credibility of this statement. Birr know how to grind out the result without playing as fantastic as they have done.
In the first half the ref played less injury time than he should have, he had indicated 3 minutes, there was another minute long stoppage after that and he still blew the whistle early.
I think Mullins took just long enough with the puckouts that it wasn't blatant, but it wasn't too quick either. Ballyboden could have done the same in the first half, but didn't.
I think the best team won, certainly the shrewdess team won. Birr deserve immense credit for winning the leinster championship but then they are the best club hurling team of all time, and Padjoe is a very shrewd manager, what exactly is the system Birr play now
Very enjoyable game, shame it couldnt be played in conditions like today but credit to both sides for a very entertaining match.
Well done to Birr, they certainly were cuter when playing against the wind, some very deliberate fouls and the like, the sort of stuff boden will have to learn to do at this level. Hard luck to Boden, heartbreaking to lose by a point like that, but credi to birr they got those vital two scores when they were looking in real trouble. The goal created by the wily old fox was the difference ultimately.
aye fair fcuks to birr hi, u no they dug deep, and despite all the controversy over there win over ballyhale they came out on top.
great ambassadors forr the gaa club scene