Cork AUL 2007/08

[littleman]

Ya,Caulfield gave some of the younger lads an oppertuinity to show what they can do.Did very well considerin it was a derby game an all.Got 4 could have been more.In fairness to the Villa keeper he was top class,Bett's played very well for the Villa to but the Gratts were carvin out chances at will.

Dont know about the big pitch suitin Leeside.Afew years ago when they had fitter and qiucker players maybe.Its goin to suit the Gratts to have space to play ball and on a good surface too.Grattan will be at full strenght for Sunday and these are the big games you want and need to win in the league.

[bellavistaman]

I'd fancy grattan, think there **** hot what i seen from them, what a team. Hows pa sull doing for them littleman.

[bogwarrior]

Littleman were u sticking up for Kinsale earlier?!? I've read it and re read it and it seems to me u were!! Sure we'll take it when it comes along.

Cant see leeside getting a result on sun morning tho.. wud be great if they could but doubtful. All this talk about the big pitch but Grattan fancy themselves as a passing team too so dont think that will be any advantage to leeside. Hopefully a cracker but deep down i think there'll be only one result

[littleman]

Sorry if I seemed sympathetic to the Kinsale boggy.Could'nt be further from the truth.I was just being realistic about their last 2 results and the fact that even though I dont rate them as a footballing side they are effective.I think Bella said their just big hoofers and that just about sums them up for me.

Their a big side who try to dominate games by being physcial and unless you match the physcial approach your done for.At home especially they play their pitch really well. The small pitch suits them because they can hoof balls into the box all day.

[thirdeye]

Littleman were u sticking up for Kinsale earlier?!? I've read it and re read it and it seems to me u were!! Sure we'll take it when it comes along.

Cant see leeside getting a result on sun morning tho.. wud be great if they could but doubtful. All this talk about the big pitch but Grattan fancy themselves as a passing team too so dont think that will be any advantage to leeside. Hopefully a cracker but deep down i think there'll be only one result

i think everyone in cork should be greatful to kinsale begrudgingly or not for keeping the flag flying for years. their achievments cannot be overestimated. they for me will be the team to beat this season in cork football. they have the experience and know how and no shortage of ability either. they play a certain style but it's silly to call it hoofing....theres a method to their play and they have some good individuals to finish teams off....

[Shilts]

Sorry if I seemed sympathetic to the Kinsale boggy.Could'nt be further from the truth.I was just being realistic about their last 2 results and the fact that even though I dont rate them as a footballing side they are effective.I think Bella said their just big hoofers and that just about sums them up for me.

Their a big side who try to dominate games by being physcial and unless you match the physcial approach your done for.At home especially they play their pitch really well. The small pitch suits them because they can hoof balls into the box all day.

I don't think that Kinsale could've won 4 of the last 5 Premier leagues (2nd last year) if all they did was hoof the ball long.
Derek Varian, who got 5 goals at the weekend (8 in 2 games), could never be described as a centreforward who wins a lot of ball in the air... so a long ball game couldn't be successful with him playing. He hasn't got many headed goals to my knowledge. Derek McCarthy who won an FAI Intermediate Cup medal with Avondale last season is the best player in the AUL and could never be described as a 'hoofer'.

The successful teams will play to their own strengths and their opponents weaknesses. The good teams will mix up their play and not do the same thing all the time. Otherwise they become predictable. For instance, Wilton United take an age to get the ball into the box, their passing game looks pretty but hasn't been that successful over the last few years because, in my opinion, they don't mix it up enough. Leeside are guilty of this at times also.

Grattan play a passing game also but their surprise element might be gone to some extent this year as teams become more familiar with their style of play. For instance get tight to them in midfield (don't give them space to pick out passes... don't push out too far against JPs speed and be aware that he wants to back into the centrehalf all the time to create mistakes (shout for fouls from the 1st minute when this happens).

Generally, regardless of styles of play used, the team with the best players will win the league and good luck to them.

[littleman]

Well done shilts,credit were credit is due on your post,Fair points .I'd argue with you on Mr Mcarthy but you'd expect that from me no doubt.This season should be a belter and I'm lookin forward to a lot of games played between good sides,Hope im not dissapointed.

Bella ,Pa Connors is playin very very well at the minute.Got a great taste success last year and Pa is gunning for it again this year.By the way he was actually called into the Irish Junior team to play Scotland away next weekend but miss's it because of his holidays.

[thirdeye]

shilts some valid points tho i think you over simplify how to play grattan...i think getting tight in midfield is something you have to do in any game....also when i have watched grattan there is a lot more to them then jp...i have seen games where it's not happening for him but someone else steps up and does the business...his partner up front is a special player.... i think they are willing to work as hard as the opposition and have better players then most when they have the ball...however i still think kinsale will have that hunger to push them over the line

[littleman]

I dont think myself that its going to a 2 horse race this season.A hell of a lot depends on the individual cup runs of the 3 or 4 sides expecting to challange.If some one gets knocked out of the big cups early it leaves them to concentrate on their league form and try to rack up points.

A good cup run means you might not play a league game till Feb.By then squads will be thining and thats whan your B players can push you on.Kinsale and Grattan got the majority of their points when they won their respective titles from Feb to end of May,mostly against sides with nothing to play for except to fulfill their fixtures.

You easily need 20 players on your first team squad to get you to Feb with the added knowledge that you hava 5 or 6 bodies on the B side capeable of coming on board.Thats where I see the likes of Kinsale and Ballypheane struggling.Kinsale lost players through injury last year and were forced to go to extreme lenghts to get by as we all know.The same could very well happen again.Grattan only entered their first team in the Fai and the Mjc last season and that allowed the management the full 2 squads to choose from for those cups.Also a lot depends on the Oscar Traynor manager and who he decides he wants from each team.2 or more players allows a team a free weekend and a chance to recharge their batteries so to speak,an added bonus.

The International players(hopeully)away on duty could also allow for free weekends mid season.John Paul and Pa were called up but I think their a couple of others playing with some of the other sides worth a call up as well and hopefully the attention Grattan drew to the AUL last year will be extended to more sides in the Premier.Their are lots of factors that will play a big part in how the season pans out this year in what promises to be a cracking season.Best of luck to all.

[Shilts]

shilts some valid points tho i think you over simplify how to play grattan...i think getting tight in midfield is something you have to do in any game....also when i have watched grattan there is a lot more to them then jp...i have seen games where it's not happening for him but someone else steps up and does the business...his partner up front is a special player.... i think they are willing to work as hard as the opposition and have better players then most when they have the ball...however i still think kinsale will have that hunger to push them over the line

Have to agree with you there 3rdeye. I did oversimplify how to play grattan and its not easy to get tight on good players especially as Grattan can often outnumber teams in midfield... but I didnt oversimplify as much as those who called Kinsale a pack of hoofers, did I?

[rebelrover]

should be a good game alrite, one we need to win really but we'll have our work cut out......hopefully il get a run and im lacking match sharpness to be honest. Do u play with grattan littleman?

[littleman]

Now now shilts,by sayin hoofers we don't mean that their just a side who kicks the ball in the air non stop.Kinsale have a type of play that their good at,physcial rather than more of a footballing build up.They are a fine big side and by nature are goin to seem imposing when your playin against them.Some very very good players but for the football purists Grattan or Ballypheane and even Wilton offer a better team to watch..Its just a different style to what the Gratts or Bally would play.They perfer to play the ball more and try to work oportuinitys for their strikers by way of playing football.

I'm not a fan of Kinsales particular style but it dose work for them.Nobody is sayin their ****e just that some of us prefer to play the ball through the team rather than their own approach

[callyno3]

Now now shilts,by sayin hoofers we don't mean that their just a side who kicks the ball in the air non stop.Kinsale have a type of play that their good at,physcial rather than more of a footballing build up.They are a fine big side and by nature are goin to seem imposing when your playin against them.Some very very good players but for the football purists Grattan or Ballypheane and even Wilton offer a better team to watch..Its just a different style to what the Gratts or Bally would play.They perfer to play the ball more and try to work oportuinitys for their strikers by way of playing football.

I'm not a fan of Kinsales particular style but it dose work for them.Nobody is sayin their ****e just that some of us prefer to play the ball through the team rather than their own approach

Yawn!! Change the record Littleman/ Hooper.
Calling Kinsale hoofers is disrespectful to a club and team alot of whom have up to 4 Premier league medals! Grattan must feel the need to have a hoofer in thier side seeing as they tried to sign a Kinsale player .
I don't think either You or Bella have seen enough of Kinsale to pass judgement on their "footballing syle" They are a big team but the players are playing because they are good enough not because they are big!!They can play a bit too.
Grattans run in the Fai last year brought them up against some sides like Pike who were far better footballers than them but Grattan more than matched them with effort and failed to let them settle on the ball and beat them (with a little bit of hoofing
Kinsale lost their best hoofer/player last year and lost another 4/5 through injury and other reasons so Kinsale were not at full strentgh from before christmas last year. With the exception of a few injuries Kinsale are close to full strentgh again.
Springfield were good value for their win against a Kinsale side in what was supposed to be a poor game (didn't see it myself). But Bella labelling them as hoofers is laughable from a very average springers side.
Littleman you need to take off those rose tinted glasses and realise that Grattan do ot play "Total Football" they are well able to mix it and hit balls over the top for JP to chase as well.

At the end of the day it is Junior Football that is played in the AUL and it is all about winning!
On a final note Leeside played the best footaball in the league last year from what i saw!!( sometimes to their detriment).

[bogwarrior]

Football Purists?!! You're having a laugh surely! Now i'm equally unqualified to comment on the Grattan style of play as some of you are on the Kinsale style (though that doesnt seem to deter you) -i saw two games last season - Kinsale/Grattan home and away and was left distinctly unimpressed and hard done by. No doubt Littleman will feel different but Kinsale should of won the home game and were full value for their draw despite an awful refereeing performance in the away fixture. A severely understrength Kinsale at that. The 'total football' play i have heard so much about (mostly from u littleman) failed to materialise on both occasions. Now obviously this Grattan team have something special about them after a tremendous effort last season - but the lack of respect people are giving to this Kinsale team is wrong and could blow up in their face. Remember it is Kinsale who have set the bench mark - 4 leagues in a row not to be sniffed at. Out of cork every year in the FAI with a last 16 appearance 3 years ago.

I agree with Callyno3 above - Leeside were by far and away the best footballing side that i saw last year however were guilty of over playing it.
It should be a great game on sun morning which i hope to see. Perhaps the much lauded football ability of Grattan will finally rear its head for the bogwarrior!!

As for Bella!!! Take your one nil win and treasure it! Cant see it happening again for a while

[thirdeye]

i have to agree as previously stated that to trivialise the achievements of a very powerful, talented kinsale side is nothing short of stupidity/short sightednesss and not a little ignorance. i'm sure that grattan as a team are very aware of the threat posed by kinsale and others for that matter. and in fairness to grattan players i haven't heard any reports of big headedness or cockiness. as you say how could there be after one season compared to a sustained period of success by kinsale. alas there will always be some who only see their own club and are blinkered to the rest. my money is on kinsale to sweep the boards this year in cork. to finish tho i watced the game in leeside at the end of last season and grattan totally outfootballed leeside on the nite.

[le tizz]

did grattan not score all of their goals against kinsale last year from set pieces (a late goal from a corner against 10 men in kinsale and a corner and 2 pens up in hollyhill against a 10-men), kinsale got 3 cracking goals from open play the same night as i remember, who's the hoofers littleman ??

[bellavistaman]

You or Bella have seen enough of Kinsale to pass judgement on their "footballing syle" Springfield were good value for their win against a Kinsale side in what was supposed to be a poor game (didn't see it myself). But Bella labelling them as hoofers is laughable from a very average springers side.

Granted i havent seen enough of them but this a football forum we talked about the match and i said they hoofed, i said judging on todays game there a team of hoofers, which they were, on the game, im not goigng to go to all of kinsales game to study there brand of football, i judged them on the one game i saw, simple, make no appologies, i dont care about any prem teams its only my own team i interested in. Obviously i was wrong since there being backed so much here, apologies, but against us they obviously had a really bad game.

As for Bella!!! Take your one nil win and treasure it! Cant see it happening again for a while

Gladly, and obviously unless we draw them in the cup.

who's the hoofers littleman ??

It was me that called them hoofers not him.

And calling us a average springers side isnt going to bother me either lads. Nobody in the aul is world beaters lads, just a game of ball and whoever said its all about winning no matter what way is dead right,

[le tizz]

think that got blown out of proportion a bit and apologies all round if it seemed to be getting heated, if thats the way they played then fair dues for calling it, and fair play if the springers try to play beautiful game !! we've heard that bally have brought a bit of a reputation with them, has anyone seen much of castleview and/or kanturk, patsy must be a loss to the 'view, did they recruit many for this year, i think park could be dark horses this year, a good fit side with a few ball players, the bogball hurts them when the season comes round tho, anyone notice the fai results from limerick, pike hockeyed some crowd 14-0 after 65 mins (match blown up), gratts could do everyone a favour by culling a few big names for the rest of the cork teams, lookin forward to the result on sunday morning and a few match reports from different sides of the fence, could be a taster for the year to come, too hard to call, all important 1st goal could really count, weather sposed to be ok so no excuses really, good luck littleman

[bellavistaman]

You know yourself, or do you, that when your underdogs against the team with the biggest rep in hole opf aul, you want to win at all costs, and i was expectin them to attack at the start and us not to cope with the pace, but they were totally different to my expectations, dont get me wrong by god we can hoof as well as anyone when we want to, just thought it to be inadequate from a team like kinsale.

Played castleview twice last year, they have few nice clever players to be fair, but well beatable attimes, but i get a feeling they could well upset one or two big teams this year, fancy them to stay up, and kanturk are a cute team, very good sweeper hes very quick and they have a big Centre Forward who will do damage with the heskey factor, but dont really have too much worry bout kanturk, but who knows what signings happened where? Ballyphehane are class act though IMO. ?Now theres a team who i can say played football for 90 mins the 3 games we played them, even the game where the beat us 1 nil last min, played football right up to the goal didnt get desperate at all.

[le tizz]

didnt mean to be taking sides, besta luck to leeside too (rebelrover and co.) any injury concerns from either side or is it gonna be a full squad battle of the giants ?? its being built up as the best 2 footballing sides in cork aul head to head so should provide plenty of interest from near & far, i reckon the best of the oscar traynor team will be from here for this year too, kinsale should be looked over again seeing as they have no ball players, the oscar team did "just fine" without them last year and the aul are probably happy with that, good to give fellas who've won nothing a chance rather than overhyped muscle from the seaside, the LSL will be shaking !!