National Hurling league round 2

[cicfada]

Cheers for that, Dublin. Are Waterford any good or not? No fecking idea at this point

Hey deis...long time no read!!
Hard to say  how good Waterford or indeed Galway are at  this stage!! We will see in the Summer  I guess. A big gamble on davy's part resting the more senior lads and Galway have to find a  few forwards to help JC out!! The draw is not bad for Galway in Leinster and Waterford would be playing the winners of Cork v Tipp v Limerick...assuming they get over Clare themselves  of course!! A good league campaign is vital to both teams. galway play Tipp next of course in Thurles!! Should be interesting!

[INDIANA]

Cheers for that, Dublin. Are Waterford any good or not? No fecking idea at this point

Hey deis...long time no read!!
Hard to say  how good Waterford or indeed Galway are at  this stage!! We will see in the Summer  I guess. A big gamble on davy's part resting the more senior lads and Galway have to find a  few forwards to help JC out!! The draw is not bad for Galway in Leinster and Waterford would be playing the winners of Cork v Tipp v Limerick...assuming they get over Clare themselves  of course!! A good league campaign is vital to both teams. galway play Tipp next of course in Thurles!! Should be interesting!

How many of those senior players will start for Waterford this year? Bar Mc Grath, Kelly and Mullane I would be surprsied if any of the others missing make the first 15. I think a lot of the current players will be playing. Those 3 though would make a huge difference to any side.

[lilpaulie85]

Tony Browne will be brought back in aswell so i would think wil Eoin Murphy. Maybe not till the championship tough. The team playing at the moment need more games under their belt to improve plus alot of them will need to improve their strenght in the tackle. Some very promising players on display in the waterford team at present and with all the older heads due back it should provide competition for places throughout the season.

[orangeman]

Liam Sheedy pushed Cody along the sideline today in a confrontation.


That would be a fair auld scrap I'd say.


Who would you put your money on ??

[imtommygunn]

Dunno about that. We don't know what Cody said and he looked mighty peeved too so it wasn't like he had won by riling him up.

[orangeman]

What about getting Cody and Sheedy into a ring in Croke Park, get a few auld boxers like Dunne, Mc Closkey and boys like that as the undercard, fill the place and raise a few yoyos for the teams training funds ?? Of course Cody and Sheedy would have to cut a cut as well.


Croke Park might only charge around €800,000 for use of the facilities - cut price rate for the GAA !   

[INDIANA]

Tipp needed that win yesterday badly. But they needed most of their choice 15 to do it. thats the reality and Cody won't be too unhappy missing half his team yesterday. Tipp need to find some depth somewhere. Sheedy looked a bit silly to be honest- shouldn't be putting himself under that strain for a league game. No-one in Tipp will remember that game if kilkenny beat them in the championship. But from morale's point of view Tipp needed to win and they did.
Still think Galway are the team most likely to beat Kilkenny.

However Kilkenny have a problem in the sense their is no long-term replacement for Henry. Henry was DJ's replacement. Who's Henry's? Shefflin is 50% of what makes kilkenny unbeatable and they aren't the same without him. I would have expected Kilkenny to have a  replacement by now and I think its going to make them more beatable n the years ahead.

[AZOffaly]

I think Noel Hickey is another one that's tough to replace INDIANA. I don't think it's coincidence that last year was probably the closest games Kilkenny had in the 4 in a row, with Dublin, Waterford, Galway and Tipp all being well in games with them. Dublin apart the rest scored on them, and I think Noel Hickey's absence had a lot to do with that. Brian Hogan is grand, but I think he's a hurler. Noel Hickey can hurl, but he is the ultimate guardian of the square.

[orangeman]

I think Noel Hickey is another one that's tough to replace INDIANA. I don't think it's coincidence that last year was probably the closest games Kilkenny had in the 4 in a row, with Dublin, Waterford, Galway and Tipp all being well in games with them. Dublin apart the rest scored on them, and I think Noel Hickey's absence had a lot to do with that. Brian Hogan is grand, but I think he's a hurler. Noel Hickey can hurl, but he is the ultimate guardian of the square.

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Couldn't agree more - Hickey just gets her out of there and up the field. Hard nut.

[heffo]

Noel Hickey can hurl, but he is the ultimate guardian of the square.

Whats the latest on his injuries - I heard a while back that he'd be back towards the end of the league but rumours persist that he's had a further breakdown - hope he makes a full recovery...top class full back..

[Asal Mor]

Yes and  of course the last time they lost in the championship Hickey was missing, and Niall Healy scored a hat-trick at full - forward. I wish him well but it's hard to imagine he will be able to regain his former magnificence.

[AZOffaly]

Noel Hickey can hurl, but he is the ultimate guardian of the square.

Whats the latest on his injuries - I heard a while back that he'd be back towards the end of the league but rumours persist that he's had a further breakdown - hope he makes a full recovery...top class full back..

I think he was on the bench on Sunday.

[bottlethrower7]

he was. Hes back and injury free now, and all he needs is to bring his hurling up to speed.

It remains to be seen what Cody has in mind longer term for full back. Tyrell is going so well at 6, and its hard to drop Hogan, so Hickey might just find himself crowded out.

[INDIANA]

he was. Hes back and injury free now, and all he needs is to bring his hurling up to speed.

It remains to be seen what Cody has in mind longer term for full back. Tyrell is going so well at 6, and its hard to drop Hogan, so Hickey might just find himself crowded out.

No comparison between Hogan and Hickey in my view. Hogan is a fine hurler but Hickey is different league. I don't think kilkenny will win this year without Hickey- nearly cost them the all-ireland last year.

[Reillers]

Cork team for the KK match..



The Cork Senior Hurling team to play Kilkenny in the Allianz National Hurling League on Sunday, March 14th at 2.30pm in Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be as follows:



   1. Donal Og Cusack - Cloyne
   2. Shane O'Neill - Bishopstown
   3. Eoin Cadogan - Douglas
   4. Shane Murphy - Erin's Own
   5. John Gardiner - Na Piarsaigh
   6. Ronan Curran - St Finbarr's
   7. Brian Murphy - Bride Rovers
   8. Tom Kenny - Grenagh
   9. Cathal Naughton - Newtownshandrum
  10. Ben O'Connor - Newtownshandrum
  11. Mark O'Sullivan - Dripsey
  12. Niall McCarthy - Carrigtwohill
  13. Kieran Murphy - Sarsfields (Captain)
  14. Aisake O hAilpín - Na Piarsaigh
  15. Patrick Horgan - Glen Rovers

Subs:
Anthony Nash - Kanturk
Conor O'Sullivan - Sarsfields
Sean Óg O hAilpín - Na Piarsaigh
Michael Walsh - Kildorrery
Graham Callanan - Glen Rovers
Jerry O'Connor - Newtownshandrum
Michael Cussen - Sarsfields
Paudie O'Sullivan - Cloyne
Luke O'Farrell - Midleton

Eh..that team. While it's great to see that mid pairing..the rest..some major problems.
And even the bench is poor. No Egan, no Ray Ryan, no Cian McCarthy, no Chris Murphy, no O Leary, hopefully he's just being rested after the Fitzgibbon Cup. But really like.

But some of the decisions are a bit strange. Hoggie still lost up at corner forward..Shane O Neill still in the corner, Gaa at 5, Curran at 6 again, Brian Murphy on the wing yet again ffs. ..Niall mc ahead of Cian mc and Aisake ahead of Cussen. That's a bit of a joke. There's no way he should be in there aheadof Cussen. And Niall Mac against Kilkenny ahead of Cian McCarthy..what's the point like ffs.
Like there are positives. While there are some strange decisions sub wise, Mike Walsh and Luke O'Farrell are on the panel Mark O'Sullivan at centre forward is a plus. As it having the Newtown boys eventually back.

I'm worried about that half back line, can't see it holding. It's a tad bit suicidal to be fair. Sure fingers crossed. I thought that we'd give them a right go, but now..with that team. Was looking forward to going to the match..now dreading it a bit. You're asking for trouble with that team.

But wait and see I suppose.