Ulster Senior Football Club Championship 2012

[emmetryan]

I was in Armagh today for a thriller that didn't look like it was going to be one. Here's my tactical take on Kilcoo's win over St Gall's http://action81.com/blog/?p=6455

[EC Unique]

Fair play to Cross they are some outfit. We were good value for our half time lead but they raised the bar in the second half and blew us away. A couple of their players that got yellows were lucky they were not reds as they should have been but thems the breaks. Good luck to them in the final. Will take a serious team to trouble them over 60 minutes..

[yellowcard]

quote author=theticklemister link=topic=21444.msg1176357#msg1176357 date=1353273137]
THEY COULD PLAY THIS GAME AT KILCOO, IT WON MATTER ONE FCUK

And cross know the way, played a challenge match in sept there
[/quote]

If you are referring to Kilcoo beating Cross in that challenge match, then I think the reason why lies in those 3 words. Prepare for the onslaught.

[gallsman]

Very disappointing performance today and dreadful to throw it away having been three points and a man up with 10 mins to go. Kilcoo fully deserved their win as any team that foregoes the number of opportunities we did today can't expect to win. Should have bee out of sight bu half time.

CJ and Pollock got no change out of the full-back line with Karl the only one of the three to really hit form. Pollock's decision making was very poor at times. Kilcoo's pace up front hurt us a lot and at times we were very slow to close people down.

Disappointing not to get another crack at Cross, but no complaints whatsoever.

[ONeill]

Seems like Kilcoo adopted the Donegal defensive system and Galls couldn't break them down, shooting from distance.

Disappointing for Galls as I think they could've taken Cross this year.

[DuffleKing]

Have to say i'm not as convinced as most seem to be of a cross canter. Any time i've seen Kilcoo they've been very difficult to break down. Massive work rate, good markers at the back, numbers behind the ball and in serious shape for counter attacking. Think they'll be able to hold the cross attack reasonably but not sure they've enough quality up front to win an ulster club

[yellowcard]

Ability wise there are probably at least 2 clubs in Down with better players than Kilcoo, but McCorry has developed a clearly defined game plan that works for them and you can't blame him for that.

I can't see Kilcoo scoring more than 8 or 9 points against Cross and there is no way that they will hold Cross to that tally. Kilcoo have done remarkably well getting this far but Cross always find a way and will win this by 5+

[Gold]

Johnny hanratty is a modern day dara o se. Loves the physical stuff more than any player I've seen in ages. Cute too, pulling down players when he beat. Laughed when he finally got a yellow in last few minutes. Would love to have him on my team

Jamie Clarke is pure class

[ONeill]

A couple of things - watching Cross today, I think they're slightly weaker than before. Errigal scored 0-8 in the first half. I know Cross turned the screw in the second half and kept EC scoreless for the majority of it but an awful amount of that had to do with ridiculous decision making by some of the more prominent EC players. Many of Cross's scores came from such errors.

Secondly, despite what happened in Cross and Casement in the last two years I think man-for-man there's not much between them. Gall's will never admit it but I think everything was geared towards nailing them this year - keeping their heads for once. Maybe I'm overestimating Gall's.

[yellowcard]

A couple of things - watching Cross today, I think they're slightly weaker than before. Errigal scored 0-8 in the first half. I know Cross turned the screw in the second half and kept EC scoreless for the majority of it but an awful amount of that had to do with ridiculous decision making by some of the more prominent EC players. Many of Cross's scores came from such errors.

Secondly, despite what happened in Cross and Casement in the last two years I think man-for-man there's not much between them. Gall's will never admit it but I think everything was geared towards nailing them this year - keeping their heads for once. Maybe I'm overestimating Gall's.

I always thought St Galls would struggle against a defensive team and Kilcoo are very frustrating to play against. Individually St Galls would have much better players than Kilcoo and arguably even Cross but if they don't get to play the football they want they tend to lose their discipline. Would St Galls have beaten Cross? I highly doubt it but I'd say they will be sick tonight that they didn't at least get the chance. Themselves and Ballinderry have been great club teams but they are probably past their peak now and unfortunately for both of them they could never quite get the measure of Cross. No shame in that though, many have tried before and since and failed.

[Captain Obvious]

Seems like Kilcoo adopted the Donegal defensive system and Galls couldn't break them down, shooting from distance.

Disappointing for Galls as I think they could've taken Cross this year.

What's your reasoning behind that? Cross have battered them the last two times.

He should have played safe like the rest of us and tipped Cross for another Ulster title.

[ONeill]

Agree that last year was set up for an ambush but their luck was shite in terms of injuries - before the game but more importantly in the warm up.

I don't think the team are that old, are they? Kieran McGourty seems be be balding badly but beyond that? What age is Sean Kelly?

[ONeill]

If so, they should be in their prime-ish years now.

Kieran must be well into his 30s.

[johnneycool]

Some result for Kilcoo. For non-Down people, Kilcoo isn't even a cross-roads; it is a church, shop, 2 pubs at either end and a football club. What a club. No hurling, no rugby and definitely no soccer. To get to an Ulster final is some achievement; I suppose the Loup would be a fair comparison- Kilcoo do field 3 senior teams and I reckon there would be very few men between 18 and 40 who haven't played for the club at some stage. Their underage commitment in Down has been the stuff of legend for the last 10 years. Cross are likely to be too strong but the Magpies don't do fear. Fair play to Mc Corry - no time for him but would love to see them do it.

Good result for Kilcoo

I played my first ever adult hurling game in Kilcoo as a 15 year old, changing in the back of a container which doubled up as their changing rooms, must have been mid 80's, they haven't hurled in years, but I think they do field in the camogie now.

Is Big Eoiney McEvoy still about the place? He'd have followed the hurling a good bit.

[Milltown Row2]

I have never walked away from a game more disappointed than that, the amount of possession we had in that game up till they had a man sent off was unreal. They played like we did a few years ago, when not in possession work like fook to get it back. We overplayed and instead of shooting from distance we took the ball into their defence!!

We had many chances to stretch our 3 point advantage, but the goal came at the right time and we couldn't, despite leveling before the end, of getting back in front. On that showing I am glad we aren't playing Cross. I'm sure the lads are really disappointed with themselves. The 15 lads that started the game should have been good enough to win by 7 points or more.

I was surprised at how much bigger we were to Kilcoo, they are a small outfit, certainly very fit but I still feel we lost this match rather than them winning it, no sour grapes by the way and good luck to them.