National hurling league Round 1

[ziggysego]

Allianz National Hurling League Division 3A

Sligo 3-10 Tyrone 1-20

[stevecw]

Carlow going well, tips hat to stevecw.

Ah yes it was a good win today against a very impressive Meath side. Was a really good standard for a Div 2 game. Nothing in it for most of the match. We were 4 points up at HT, but a really clever free from about 25 yards out hit the net for Meath at start of 2nd half, caught our lads totally unawares. They like most of us in the crowd thought he'd just tap it over the bar.
That brought Meath to within a point, then they got next 2 to go 1-11 to 1-10 up. I was fearing the worst at that stage. But we sent a sideline cut from 45m out over the bar, top class score..that levelled it & then Carlow just played great stuff for next 15/20 mins & hit 1-5 without reply. That won us the game. Both sides had penos saved in last 10 mins but made no difference in the end. 2-15 - 1-13 win following on from the draw in Down should mean we get top 2 & a place in that restructured Div 2 next year. Next games are v London, Derry & Armagh all should be easy enough wins.
Its bottom 2 in 1A & bottom 2 in 1B + top 2 in 2A & top 2 in 2B (Us + 1 other!!) next year. That will be a good standard league to be in, even if we might struggle. But need to be playing the Dublins, Offalys, Antrims if we want to make that breakthrough into that group just below the top tier.

[johnneycool]

Pull hard,
            did you make it to Ballycran? How did the team fare?

Stevecw, i wouldn't write off Derry just yet. If they can get their dual players on board they will be hard to work with. Good result for yous yesterday all the same.

[Franko]

Steve I wouldnt get carried away - just remember that the derry team who you are predicting an "easy enough win" against beat you by 17 points in the league last year.  I wouldnt be talking about dublin offaly and antrim just yet.

[Pull Hard Hes No Relation]

Johnny,
          Down were brutal in the 1st half although in fairness to Armagh they harried and chased everything during that period. Big Kieran had another good game and cleared a lot of ball with Armagh moving 4 different men on him although once again he needs to move the ball quicker.

Full back line have to be happy with no goals for the second consecutive match but delivery from the half backs will have to improve as we continue to hit too many hail mary shots.

Midfield dominated when they got into the game although the concern is that Down have now started every slowly in their past two matches,do that against Meath and it could be lights out.

Dule came into it when he moved off McCormack who was bossing him physically in the tight confines of Ballycran but he really opened the shoulders in the second half as did Conor Woods which was pleasing. I really rate Conor and its good to see him get a chance. Ciaran Coulter a vast improvement on Emmett and surely has to start the next day while James did rightly when we came on but hard to judge really as the game was over at that stage.

Big Magic returning will give us a more physical and potent threat in the full forward line which is badly needed. All in all not a bad display but we need to be out of the blocks V Meath the next day in what is shaping up to be a promotion play off- not discounting Derry but expect it to be a straight play off between Down,Carlow and Meath for promotion with Carlow looking good after their win against Meath. How costly will that last minute free in Ballycran prove before the year is out.

[stevecw]

Steve I wouldnt get carried away - just remember that the derry team who you are predicting an "easy enough win" against beat you by 17 points in the league last year.  I wouldnt be talking about dublin offaly and antrim just yet.

I remember too well what happened v Derry last year. But our whole league campaign was a joke last season..we lost to Derry, Meath & Wicklow. Only beat Armagh by a point & then somehow drew with Laois after all that!
Last year was a nothing year for Carlow hurling, the manager had been there too long...so he was got rid of. This year there is a fresh approach, new manager, training harder & according to the lads i know on the team its so much better than what went before.
So im not getting carried away, i know too well that out of the remaining games, its the Derry one that could be the one we slip up in. Was very surprised to see Derry lose to Meath in Round 1 by 20 points!! What happened there??  Its just judging by that score & knowing that we should be able to take London & Armagh anyway, thats why i think we have the hard work in this division done already.

[Bacon]

Fair play to Carlow. I've always thought they were in an ideal location to progess in hurling. It's only a couple of mile for coaches from Kilkenny to travel over and help out.

Did Carlow take advantage of the new rule allowing weaker counties to select guys from stronger counties? I think Meath have a lad from Tipp. Any others?

[milltown row]

antrim have taken this new rule on board, sure they have a load of boys from County Belfast

[johnneycool]

antrim have taken this new rule on board, sure they have a load of boys from County Belfast

They certainly have in the over 40's hurling team anyway.

[Guillem2]

I think Down hurlers are using that rule.  Didn't they take McGarry from Fermanagh?

[Two Hands FFS]

What way does relegation work this year?

Is it 8 teams in division 1 next yeat??

[johnneycool]

I think Down hurlers are using that rule.  Didn't they take McGarry from Fermanagh?

No, McGarry is living in Portaferry 

[stevecw]

Fair play to Carlow. I've always thought they were in an ideal location to progess in hurling. It's only a couple of mile for coaches from Kilkenny to travel over and help out.

Did Carlow take advantage of the new rule allowing weaker counties to select guys from stronger counties? I think Meath have a lad from Tipp. Any others?

No we haven't used that rule at all. All players on the panel are locals. Much prefer it that way.
Meath had Eoin Breslane (spelt wrong im sure!) from Tipp last year, but he doesnt seem to be involved this season. Wasnt part of the panel sunday in carlow anyway.
Kildare last year also had 2 Tipp guys on the team, not sure if they still have them this year.

[stevecw]

What way does relegation work this year?

Is it 8 teams in division 1 next yeat??

Yes its 8 teams in Div 1 & 8 in Div 2 next year. Next years division 1 will be top 4 in 1A & top 4 in 1B.
Division 2 will be bottom 2 in 1A & in 1B, along with top 2 in 2A & in 2B.

[stevecw]

This hurling league thread has died off recently for some reason!
But with 1 round of games left in 2B which most of us here were talking about, its very interesting. Derrys win v Down yesterday, leaves it wide open for any 2 from 3 of Derry, Down & Carlow to get the promotion to new Div 2 & into semis.
From a Carlow point of view i was raging that Derry won yesterday, if they hadn't we were promoted & in semis already.
Now we have to get a point off them in final game next week to make sure. Im fairly sure that at home we are well capable of winning that game, we've done well in the league this year so far. Even yesterday we left off about 7 of the regulars and still beat Armagh by 11 pts. Would be disaster to throw it all away by losing next week, but Derry do seem to be getting their act together after that crazy 20 pt defeat to Meath in round 1. And im sure the hammering we got in Derry last year will be in the Carlow players minds.
Looking forward to it, should be a great game with so much to play for.