Topics

Carlow v Laois
Winners v Antrim

Tipp v Wexford

The draw that Tipp and Wexford didn't want.
Find it stupid that we have to play Laois again a few weeks after playing them in Leinster. Still its nice to have avoided Tipp.

It seems to be the forgotten game of the weekend, but this one will be tasty. Carlow and Wicklow over the past 3 years have grown to hate each other, mainly over the whole Thomas Walsh affair.

I'm sure everyone knows the story with Tom leaving Carlow to join Wicklow, as soon as Micko arrived and as did Ballymore properties as a major sponsor to Wicklow. Suddenly Tom has a Wicklow address, as it happens living in a Ballymore property somehow!!

Anyway they did well with him anchoring their mf, especially in last years great run, beating all the Ulster sides in Aughrim.

But the money ran out and Tom's home was not free anymore, and so he had to go back to the parents in Carlow. He transfered back to his home club last year, and now is back with his native county.

As it happened the Leinster draw pits Carlow v Wicklow and with Walsh facing his teammates from last year it should add to this one!
Brendan Murphy & Tom in mf will give Carlow a huge advantage there. News that Wicklows quality corner back Hyland is probably out of Sundays game adds to my hope that we can beat them.

In recent challenge games we have bet Clare by 8 pts and London by 24, and confidence is high.

I am too used to losing 1st round games, but this time I reckon Carlow have enough to beat Wicklow. 7/2 with Paddy Powers on this happening is a great bet.

Maybe i am missing it, but i can't see a div 4 thread yet.
Funny what losing Antrim & Sligo to Div 3 does to the interest in Div 4!!! Last year was basically Sligo & Antrim posters & me...so makes sense there is none i guess!!

Div 4 has potential to be interesting this year. Ok Limerick should walk it with 8 wins from 8. If they have the interest which by all reports they will have, they'll be a class above the rest. So put them as promoted straight off.
But 2nd spot is interesting. Any 1 of Wicklow, Waterford, Clare, Carlow or Longford has a chance I think. I rule Leitrim out straight off as things there seem a mess, and yesterdays home loss to Waterford adds to that.

Wicklow have about 5 of their championship side missing, and the back up is not good at all. As proved in losing yesterday...so I rule them out of promotion race as Micko normally doesn't focus much on league.
Clare won v Wicklow, & have the Kilmurray club players to come back in maybe later in league. Will be a danger.
Longford lost away to Carlow yesterday, but still are one of the strongest sides in this div & can't be ruled out yet. Brian Kavanagh is prob best forward in this league an all star nominee recently..ok he got marked out of it yesterday, but will still do damage to teams.

Waterford are probably the most improved side in the country, good big side, and got the win in Leitrim yesterday. Would put them right now as 2nd faves to go up. A very underrated side side, esp by bookies. Made some nice money on the Waterford/Carlow double yesterday
As for Carlow well we are in a better situation than most years s we for once have a happy, committed panel. Its very very young, but talented. Good start yesterday in beating Longford. Away to Limerick on Sat night will be very tough. But even if we lose, its all about next one home to Waterford the week after as that is massive. Winner of that game I reckon will join Limerick in being promoted

The 2009 Christy Ring championship starts earlier that usual this year, with the 1st 4 games taking place on Saturday.

Down v Derry
Kerry v Mayo
Westmeath v Kildare
Wicklow v Carlow

Probably as usual not much interest in this, and the 2 faves Carlow and Westmeath don't even want to be in competition anymore!
But it should be competitive enough this year as there is only the 8 teams and Carlow, Westmeath and Down have a realistic chance of winning.

Best part of it this year is that the eventual winner gets automatic promotion to Liam McCarthy next year.

Carlow won CR last year playing 6 weeks in a row, including trips to Down, Mayo and Kerry. Then after winning final on sunday evening after extra time (and of course all the celebrating that went with that) were made play the play off game v Laois on the following Saturday despite requests to defer it for a week

At least this year after many complaints from Westmeath especially and also Carlow that play off is gone.

For this weekend i see wins for:
Down, Kerry, Westmeath & Carlow.

Anyone got any opinions on the Christy Ring Cup. It starts this weekend. Unlike the disaster that is the Tommy Murphy cup in football, the CR Cup has worked.
This year its hard to see beyond Westmeath once again. Champs in 2005 & 2007. Antrim walked it in 2006, when they were so much better than what was in it.
As for challengers this year Down, Carlow & maybe Meath but really thats about it for who might challenge but hard to see Westmeath despite their Leinster 2nd half hammering by the Dubs being beaten.
Shows there is still a big gap tho...Westmeath are easily best of 2nd tier, Dubs are near bottom of top tier..still the dubs hammer Westmeath.