Gaa 2009

[Superhoops]

Superhoops, how is Pat McWalter doing for Wicklow?...

Playing well at RHB. Great engine, gets forward a lot and works well down right hand side with JP Dalton/Leighton Glynn

The draw for next week:

Antrim v Kerry
Kildare v Wicklow
Galway v Donegal
Limerick v Meath or Roscommon

Dates, times and venues to be announced on Monday.

We beat Kildare last year but they have definitely improved under McGeeney. It will be tough, but at least we know what to expect.

[DeLorean]

It was a poor effort at a penalty and they really should have taken their point as there was plenty of time left. Could have understood going for a goal with 2 minutes or less to go.

I havent got the stats but I am sure there are more penalties missed in GAA than scored, especially in the senior county game (there have been a number this year: Kerry v Cork, Wicklow v Westmeath, Louth v Tipp, Sligo v Kerry).

Most county teams now have big 6 foot plus keepers these days and the target area/distance is much more challenging in GAA than soccer. In GAA the goal is 6.5m wide by 2.5m high and the kick is taken from 13m out. In soccer the goal is 7.3m wide by 2.4m high and the kick is taken from 11m out.

I heard a year or two ago that there was a 50% success/failure rate. I think Sligo had to go for the goal. They were down by 2 points and it was the 66th minute. If they took the point and lost the game they'd never forgive themselves. It was an awful attempt though. Only a short run up which never inspires confidence and why would you kick it high? Surely with a keeper that size he'll find it difficult to get down quickly so keep it low and hard, like Donncha O'Connor in the Cork Kerry replay.

It's a Mayo speciality! We'll also probably go on a fantastic run now only to get walloped in the final!!

He had a t shirt displaying 'RIP Michael Jackson'!

What a clown

[gilberto_eire]

We were beyond terrible yesterday, if we put in a 3rd performance like that i think that should be the end of Sammon and a considerable portion of this squad.

To play so bad and claw it back to a level game and then to not alone give away a stupid free but to let them take it short is beyond disheartening. If i was a football manager i'd drop players who give away free's like that, how often does a player kick a point from play if he's been pressured?, by giving the free you might aswell kick it over the bar, it's a game that requires more discipline then others and it really annoys me to see players gifting a game away by needlessly fouling.

The players don't even seem capable of stringing two or three short passes together, constant fumbles and bad passes. Also runs off the ball and on the ball were beyond terrible. I think Mortimors first point sums up my point(we had a line ball and it was kicked back towards our goal and right into the hands of Mortimor who put it over ...truly pathetic)

Every time one of our players got on the ball he had a Mayo man glued to him pressuring him, but when Mayo had the ball not alone were they given plenty of time to make their decisions on the ball, they were even allowed reclaim possesion when a player fumbled it (pretty easy)

The decision to play Armstrong out the field was another poor one, he's a similar player to Meehan and needs to be in the full-forward line, he can't create opportunities, he takes them

Only two players to turn in credible performances were Bergin and Nicky Joyce(although he should have buried that goal chance, and never should have tried kick that free from his hands in the last 5mins, it was too far out)

Serious question: Why can't a county the size of Galway, with all the footballing tradition in it, find midfielders , it's been over 5yrs now since Walsh retired and no-one has come along, Bergin is doing his best in there but small lads like Conroy/Coleman aren't physical enough, this can be highlighted by a moment in the second half: Conroy jumps and catches a lovely ball, comes down and the ball is immediately knocked from him, and Mayo regain possession... that doesn't happen against 6''+ midfielders..... we have the worst midfield in the country...fact

[DeLorean]

by giving the free you might aswell kick it over the bar, it's a game that requires more discipline then others and it really annoys me to see players gifting a game away by needlessly fouling

Very true. I felt the same way about the Cork hurlers in the first half Saturday night. Galway couldn't buy a score from open play but were profiting from pointless fouling, mainly from Cork's half forwards and Canning was banging them over from all distances.

[gilberto_eire]

Very true. I felt the same way about the Cork hurlers in the first half Saturday night. Galway couldn't buy a score from open play but were profiting from pointless fouling, mainly from Cork's half forwards and Canning was banging them over from all distances.

I don't think it's as crucial in hurling though, as a player can put it over from further out a lot easier swinging a hurl, also a hurl would have a bigger sweet spot to make an accurate connection, but in football it's very difficult to put the ball over from anything over 30 yards from play for even the top players.

On that hurling game, i was there and the ref was a joke in the first twenty minutes, some of the frees he gave Cork were disgraceful.
After that though he gave an equal amount(we got some soft ones, but so did Cork) but tempers were getting flared at the start of that game in relation to some of the free's he gave Cork(and lack off ones for us)

Looking forward to the game next weekend, at least the hurlers(this year) are resembling a team unit, unlike their footballing counterparts

[Superhoops]

I heard a year or two ago that there was a 50% success/failure rate. I think Sligo had to go for the goal. They were down by 2 points and it was the 66th minute. If they took the point and lost the game they'd never forgive themselves. It was an awful attempt though. Only a short run up which never inspires confidence and why would you kick it high? Surely with a keeper that size he'll find it difficult to get down quickly so keep it low and hard, like Donncha O'Connor in the Cork Kerry replay...

And on target In the first Kerry v Cork game, the Gooch hit it low and hard all right but put it wide. In Wicklow's game against Westmeath, Tony Hannon missed a penalty, hitting more less exactly the same way that Kelly did on Saturday, shoulder height against a big Westmeath goalkeeper who made an easy save.

[Superhoops]

Fixtures for next weekend:

Saturday 25th July
Round 3 Qualifier
Meath v Roscommon - Navan - 7pm

Round 4 Qualifiers
Galway v Donegal - Sligo - 5pm on RTE2
Kildare v Wicklow - Portlaosie - 7pm on TV3

Sunday 26th July
Round 4 Qualifier
Antrim v Kerry - Tullamore - 3pm

[DeLorean]

On that hurling game, i was there and the ref was a joke in the first twenty minutes, some of the frees he gave Cork were disgraceful.
After that though he gave an equal amount(we got some soft ones, but so did Cork) but tempers were getting flared at the start of that game in relation to some of the free's he gave Cork(and lack off ones for us)

Even if Cork did get soft frees, which I don't believe they did, they weren't exactly vital. Cork scored 0-7 in the first half, all from play. Galway scored 0-8, 0-6 of which were from frees. A good shot of them were from little things around Galways half back line, maybe they were frees, but they were soft and costly. Not sure what soft frees you're referring to Cork getting but presumably it was just backs coming out with the ball. Thought the ref was ok, better than most. That Westmeath fella Barry Kelly is the pits altogether.

[gilberto_eire]

Even if Cork did get soft frees, which I don't believe they did, they weren't exactly vital. Cork scored 0-7 in the first half, all from play. Galway scored 0-8, 0-6 of which were from frees. A good shot of them were from little things around Galways half back line, maybe they were frees, but they were soft and costly. Not sure what soft frees you're referring to Cork getting but presumably it was just backs coming out with the ball. Thought the ref was ok, better than most. That Westmeath fella Barry Kelly is the pits altogether.

It wasn't just soft free's i was referring too, he gave some to Cork alright, all from long distance though and luckily Gardiner missed two of them, he also let the Cork defence away with a lot in the early portions, as i said it was only in the first 20 odd minutes, was grand after that.

Looking forward to next weekend, the footballers are going to have to improve massively, need to be a lot sharper, and cut out all the soft turnovers and get tighter to their men.
If history has taught us anything about championship football, it's that the team/teams that lose in their provincial championship usually come on the most by the 1/4's stage, it's possible we can do it, but we need to up our game considerably

The hurlers chances are a lot better and these extra games will stand to us.

If we beat Waterford, KK could yet find themselves disadvantaged in the semi's with there low intensity final and considerable length of time off. They are there to be beaten, we probably should have won in Tullamore, twice we went 5 points up and eased off, also Hynes wasn't fit and had to make way for the poor Tierney who cost us a number of scores.

They are a dirty team and concede a lot of free's and if we can get a goal or two and not drop the heads like we did a few weeks ago we can beat them.

Would love if we could take a title this year, it's been too long now

[DeLorean]

It wasn't just soft free's i was referring too, he gave some to Cork alright, all from long distance though and luckily Gardiner missed two of them, he also let the Cork defence away with a lot in the early portions, as i said it was only in the first 20 odd minutes, was grand after that.

You really do have the Galway blinkers on in every aspect. The Cork backs were completely on top in the first half without really needing to foul, as were the Galway backs. Most of Galways frees came from their own 65 or right out on the sideline. Like I say, many of them were softish, but probably correct. As for Gardiners two misses, at least one of them was a 65 if not both. Cork's best spell of the game was the first 20mins, are you sure your frustration wasn't just making you see things a bit hazey? I've watched it again since and really can't understand your point of view. In fact, if anything I felt Cork got softer decisions for them in the second half and it kept them in the game.

Looking forward to next weekend, the footballers are going to have to improve massively, need to be a lot sharper, and cut out all the soft turnovers and get tighter to their men.
If history has taught us anything about championship football, it's that the team/teams that lose in their provincial championship usually come on the most by the 1/4's stage, it's possible we can do it, but we need to up our game considerably

Can do what? If it's beat Donegal I agree but if it's win the All Ireland I think you're away with the fairies a little bit. If they do make it to the quarters, which is a big if, they will probably be the 6th favourites out of 8 (at best).

They are there to be beaten, we probably should have won in Tullamore, twice we went 5 points up and eased off

Didn't see the match but find it hard to believe ye eased off. It's just not that easy to finish KK off.

They are a dirty team and concede a lot of free's and if we can get a goal or two and not drop the heads like we did a few weeks ago we can beat them.

Ah please, don't jump on the KK are a dirty team bandwagon, it's completely unjustified and a bit pathetic. This was just created by a couple of bitter managers and the media to give other teams an excuse, and maybe a bit of hope that they're not great soley because of workrate and skill. Man, I'm from Cork so it would be the easiest thing in the world to jump on that bandwagon but it's utter sh!te. Same rubbish that Kerry fans go on about Tyrone cos they can't take their beating. Man up I say.

[gilberto_eire]

Ah please, don't jump on the KK are a dirty team bandwagon, it's completely unjustified and a bit pathetic. This was just created by a couple of bitter managers and the media to give other teams an excuse, and maybe a bit of hope that they're not great soley because of workrate and skill. Man, I'm from Cork so it would be the easiest thing in the world to jump on that bandwagon but it's utter sh!te. Same rubbish that Kerry fans go on about Tyrone cos they can't take their beating. Man up I say.

I didn't actaully mean ''dirty'' in the same sense you were thinking , i meant they give a lot of free's away, they gave us a bucketload, and Dublin kept in touch with them due to McCrabbe's free taking.

But i'll touch on the point since you make it, they should have been reduced to 14 against us, Tommy Walsh with two bad challenges, one a dangerous pull and then a few minutes later he dragged down one of our players who was through on goal. Yes it goes around hurling circles that they are a dirty team(in the way you taught i meant) and i can't say personally if that's true or not, but i just read this piece last night, and sure we'll just let someone who's played against them have their say.....

Rushe condemns Kilkenny tackling


Rising Dublin hurling star Liam Rushe has added his weight to claims that Kilkenny are being given more leeway by referees than others by describing some of their tackling as "dangerous".

http://www.hoganstand.com/Hurling/Ar...aspx?ID=114909

Just going by our game this year alone, i'd agree, they should have finished with 14, but we were the ones who did in the end(but that was also a justified sending off)

[Superhoops]

...Can do what? If it's beat Donegal I agree but if it's win the All Ireland I think you're away with the fairies a little bit. If they do make it to the quarters, which is a big if, they will probably be the 6th favourites out of 8 (at best).....

Unless they get some benefit out of playing extra qualifying games as has happened with others teams before (Kerry and Tyrone) it is hard to see either Galway or Kerry coming through and winning it. IMO Tyrone, Dublin and Cork are well ahead of the others. I'm still not convinced by Mayo. Although it grieves me to say it, I think Kildare could be the dark horses this year if they can build on their performance against Dublin and beat the mighty Wicklow of course

...Ah please, don't jump on the KK are a dirty team bandwagon, it's completely unjustified and a bit pathetic. This was just created by a couple of bitter managers and the media to give other teams an excuse, and maybe a bit of hope that they're not great soley because of workrate and skill. Man, I'm from Cork so it would be the easiest thing in the world to jump on that bandwagon but it's utter sh!te. Same rubbish that Kerry fans go on about Tyrone cos they can't take their beating. Man up I say......

This is dead on. Apart from the fact they are from Leinster, I have no connection with Kilkenny and therefore don't carry any loyalty to them. However, anyone who enjoys watching hurling has to marvel at how much better they are than the rest. Yes, they are hard, that's the way Cody has moulded them. Their training sessions are reputedly harder than most games but when you have 30+ players competing for 15 places there is no quarter asked or given. Tommy Walsh has the odd reckless moment but they are not a dirty team.

[DeLorean]

Just going by our game this year alone, i'd agree, they should have finished with 14, but we were the ones who did in the end(but that was also a justified sending off)

Some days the breaks go your way but I honestly don't believe there's any favouritism towards KK. Surprisingly I still haven't seen that Tommy Walsh incident but I accept the general consensus is that he should definitely have walked. I wouldn't feel too hard done by though as John Lee should have undoubtedly got a second yellow the last day for cynically hauling down Timmy McCarthy when he was past him.

As for Rushe's comments, I wouldn't take any notice. Sounds like he's just playing a bit of a psychological game with the referees. Any comments I've heard from Cork players over the past few years is that they play to the limits, which they're entitled to do.

IMO Tyrone, Dublin and Cork are well ahead of the others. I'm still not convinced by Mayo

I'd be very slow to rule Kerry out. If painful memories have thought me anything it's that one decent performance in Croker can reignite their season. They do look a spent force at the minute though. Cork are capable of flopping on the big day as are Dublin. Tyrone are the stand out team for me and all of their big players are playing well. I don't think it's just a case of who's better than who anyway, some teams play well against various systems and it could come down to this. For example Mayo seem capable of putting it up to Tyrone but get destroyed by Kerry. Kerry will be underdogs in their Q/F unless they are playing Mayo and I can't help thinking this will be a very dangerous time to play them. Hope I'm wrong naturally enough.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Kerry have been notorious slow starters in recent championship campaigns. Admittedly this year is slower than others but I still expect them to be one of the main challengers. Needless to say they'll need to get their act together.

No side in the championship this year looks flawless. True Tyrone have looked effective in every game so far but I'd say Mickey Harte would have preferred a tougher run in Ulster than the one his charges got. Dublin meanwhile have gotten the supposedly necessary 'tough game' they craved yet still have plenty of weaknesses. Cork meanwhile have the skill but have yet to show the consistency required to go all the way.

After that, while I could see Kildare in the semis with the right draw, their full forward line was closed down far too easily by the Dublin defence in the second half. True the scores kept coming but if you look at where they scored from, then there's a big issue there which I see being exploited at the business end of the season.

Mayo is a story all of its own that tells of promise and woe in large quantities.

[shakermaker1982]

It's a tough championship to call this year. Tyrone are favourites but I just don't see them winning it this year. I tipped them last year but I've got a funny feeling about 2009. Like Stu alludes to I think they might be a little undercooked because it has been a walk in the park for them so far. Last year they bucked their ideas up after a close run affair with Mayo in the qualifiers and never looked back. They'd need to pair Kerry in the Q Finals to get their eye of the tiger back!

Cork blow hot and cold for me and seem to suffer from the Croke Park syndrome in the same vein as Mayo do. Dublin? Who knows. Do they have the forwards to kick the points? They create plenty of chances but always seem to wilt under the pressure when the going gets tough. Kerry appear dead and buried but I'd say there is still some life in the old dog left. They must surely start improving or else the rumours about the camp being in disarray are true. If they can grind out a win against Antrim, get paired up with Dublin in the Q Finals they could be on their way........Mayo are Mayo. I'll just go with the flow. Semi Final spot should be the target and if they can achieve then anything else is a bonus.

[gilberto_eire]

Can't see all the optimism behind Kildare tbh, i've been reading over on ''Hogan Stand'' for a few weeks now and people were tipping them and putting them in their top 5 in the country rankings

They beat Offaly and Wexford, and as a Roscommon man said on HS, they beat one of those teams too, but there not been tipped for anything bar defeat, i didn't see the Leinster final but from what i read on it they didn't do much there either so can't see why everyone thinks there the bee's knee's this year

...... if they have a chance of winning it, then there's a very good chance of Sam coming West this year. I'd love a Galway-Mayo final

[paul_oshea]

hopefully the Mayo-Galway game was exciting enough for Pat Spillane......nearly blew it with a crazy last 5 minutes but I'd take any sort of win against Galway. What time is the draw tonight?

I hear Sligo were unlucky against Kerry yesterday. With no setanta I'm relying on web streams so didn't get round to watching that one yesterday.

iraqgoals have all of them.

Are setanta still in the states?

[DeLorean]

I'd say Mickey Harte would have preferred a tougher run in Ulster than the one his charges got

Tyrone made light work of their Ulster campaign alright but I'd put that down to how good they are. If any other team had reached the Q/F's having beating Armagh and Derry it would be considered fairly decent preparation.

Cork blow hot and cold for me and seem to suffer from the Croke Park syndrome in the same vein as Mayo do

I don't believe in this Croke Park syndrome all that much. Granted Cork and Mayo have had a few disasterous outings there but I'd put it down to the fact that Kerry were on another planet to them. Cork and Mayo have won as many matches at Croker than most over the last few years they just haven't been good enough to go the distance. Only Kerry have actually beaten Cork in the Championship since Fermanagh in 2004, the draw having been very kind to them in that period, avoiding Armagh, Dublin, Tyrone, etc.

Can't see all the optimism behind Kildare

There a big difference between Roscommon scraping by Wexford in a replay after a 20 pt defeat to Mayo and what Kildare have produced. They beat Wexford and Laois by as much as any team would have been expected to beat them and the Leinster Final was probably the game of the year so far, against one of the favouites to win it. This is a huge improvement on where they were two years ago and they have built steadily on the progress made last year. They are obviously going in the right direction but I wouldn't imagine they'll have enough to go much further.

[Superhoops]

....
There a big difference between Roscommon scraping by Wexford in a replay after a 20 pt defeat to Mayo and what Kildare have produced. They beat Wexford and Laois by as much as any team would have been expected to beat them and the Leinster Final was probably the game of the year so far, against one of the favouites to win it. This is a huge improvement on where they were two years ago and they have built steadily on the progress made last year. They are obviously going in the right direction but I wouldn't imagine they'll have enough to go much further.

I might be clutching at straws hoping and praying for a Wicklow win but there are aspects of the Kildare/Dublin game that come to mind:
- they played against 14 men for three quarters of the game and only for about the 15 minutes immediately after the sending off did they capitalise on this
- Earley is a formidable player but his midfield partner Flynn was poor enough against Dublin and they had to use the half back Conway or the full forward Donnelly as an extra midfielder on several occasions. (I seem to remember he was lurking around midfield when Brennan had his swing at him)

Walsh and Stafford can hold their own their against any midfield pair and apart from the fact that Conway may not be fit, I don't think Kildare will be able to take a man from the half back line to shore up midfield as Wicklow's half forward line of Glynn, Hannon and Dalton is probably their strongest line. I have no doubt that Ciaran Hyland can shackle John Doyle and if Wicklow's half back line of McWalter, McGrath and Hayden can hold Kildare's half forwards, then we should be in with a shout.

A lot of ifs there, but the more I think about it, Wicklow have a great chance.

[Hibernian]

It a close call but think the dublin hurlers will be making at least a semi final appearance this year when they beat Limerick this weekend