Joe Brady

[Bord na Mona man]

4 in the onion bag yesterday!
Is he the new John Fitzgibbon, Nicky Rackard or DJ Carey.
Well maybe not yet. Still it's good for his confidence to be bagging goals.

The team selected had a better looking shape to it yesterday.
Surely Kilkenny shot their load yesterday against Wexford?

[Lone Shark]

By all accounts the disaster against Carlow was a reflection of what we've all seen too often in recent years - backs clearing the ball only for 90% of it to be tamely fought for and returned with interest straight away.

This is probably the thinking behind putting Gary Hanniffy and Joe Brady back up in the forwards, and to be honest on recent form, we're not losing too much by dropping Stephen Brown and Brian Carroll back to the bench. You'd like to think that with those two and Parlon and Rory up there we should in theory at least have as big a front six as there is in senior intercounty hurling.

Taking a step back, and a more measured view, you couldn't be happy with how things have gone under McIntyre so far. Oakley was doing fine at full back, even if he was never likely to become Brian Lohan, and now we have gaping uncertainty there. Kevin Brady was the form player in the county championship last year, but he still hasn't settled into any one position in the team.

I know O'Hara would have been suspended yesterday, but was there any reason why Ger was absent? I'd certainly have him over Martin Corcoran, Brown, or Neville Coughlan, all of whom got a run yesterday. Not having seen enough of Hoctor I don't like to judge there.

Also, it's not like Murphy to end up scoreless in a game like that. Himself and Rory are our two blue chip forwards, so you'd hate to see them out of form with only 8 weeks to go until we play Kilkenny. Anyone in Tullamore yesterday to pass judgement?

[Plain of the Herbs]

I was there, got drownded, learned nothing.
As I expected during the week, the lineout reverted to type yesterday.
The game turned in 5 minutes between the 20th and 25th minute when Kerry had 3 defenders yellow-carded. Prior to that, Offaly had shown some nice touches, got some nice scores but were laboured betimes too. Two goals from Rory followed, and had a nice lead built up by half-time despite having played into a strong breeze.

Interesting line-up. Teehan at full back was the first surprise. I wonder has this got Kilkenny's sea change in mind, where it now looks like DJ will be at 14, and not Hoyne as initially planned? McRedmond played himself off the team, getting vexed and OY leading by 30-something. John Hoyne would love to needle someone like that. Parlon is pushing hard for a starting place come June, and Brian Carroll did nothing when he came on to suggest he'll regain the 13 shirt.

I heard Oakley was abroad this weekend. Hoctor wasn't too bad though. Diggy was disappointing, though we can depend on him. Didn't realise Murphy was scoreless, he hurlid well though.

And the same question remains. Where are we going to find a centre back and a full back?
Intersting it was Brown who went to 6 when McRedmond was called ashore. Will be interesting to see who wears 6 against Meath on Saturday.

As an aside, does the postponement and refixture of DY v CW now mean the Div 2 final will not now be on the same bill as the Div 1 final on the Bank Holiday. I was lookng forward to that double header. As it looks like KK v CE for the main attraction, and the needle betwen the two, both on the pitch and in cyber-space, it would have been one to see.

Well done to the minors on beating Dublin on Saturday.

[Lone Shark]

I'd have no problem with Teehan at FB full stop, although I'd hate to think it was just to stop DJ. I think the day is long gone where he's the man to stop in the Kilkenny forwards, and anyway there's no point spending a league campaign figuring out a plan to mark a guy who Cody would move after fifteen minutes if it wasn't working out.

Nothing I've seen from McRedmond over the last few years, either for club or U21's would suggest he's up to that kind of role. Being honest I don't think Stephen Brown is either. I still think Joe Brady is the man (he's only 21, a bit young for people to be writing him off as future team leader etc.) and with a little bit quicker striking he could be as good as any CB in the country.

As you say Carroll has done nothing, for Coolderry, UL or Offaly to suggest that he should start in the summer. Parlon is the man in possession, and will stay that way.

I didn't realise that CW/DY game was refixed. I was hoping it would be midweek, like the Meath derby, but that's probably not feasible where a 500 mile round trip is involved. Where and when is it going on now?

[Loughers]

When is this refixed for?

[Bord na Mona man]

A great showing from Joe Brady on Saturday against Carlow.
He was getting, or setting up all our scores at the start of the match.

Obviously the standard of opposition is a big factor. It will be interesting to see how he performs with Noel Hickey trying to dismember him in June!

4 goals conceded is not good though. I still think Oakley is the man for full back.

[Treasurer]

*deleted*

[Lone Shark]

He looked very good against Carlow, largely because his often slow striking of the ball was not challenged, and as such he got his shots off - he is quite accurate, and I certainly don't recall him having a wide to go with his 2-4. Needless to say against Kilkenny he could catch any amount of high ball but not be able to lay any of it off. All that said though, he'll be a very different challenge for Noel Hickey, and all things going well we could have a few scores on the board before Hickey figures out how to play him.

There is a great track record of big full forwards making hay in hurling in recent years - Begley in Limerick's comeback from nowhere against Waterford a few years ago, Dan against Clare last year and Paul Shelley on several occasions for Tipp. If Joe could match up to the exploits of any of those we'd be quite happy.

Regarding the full back slot, I think it's very hard on Oakley not to be playing. Granted the timing of his holiday was unfortunate, but he still seems to be a better option for the full back slot than anything else we've seen. Enda McEvoy summed up Ger best in his Leinster Final preview last year - every game Ger looks like a weak link waiting to be cleaned out - and two years later we're still waiting for it to happen.

He always seems to get something in the way, though not necessarily a hand or a hurl like you'd expect, but something nonetheless. The Teehan/Oakley/Franks line is a good line, and should be left as such. We have enough issues in the half back slots without creating problems in the full back line as well.

[Bogman]

Joe's catching and distribution have impressed me this year. He's using his height & heft a lot more and catching rather than batting. Even at full back earlier on in the year he was taking the time to pick out a good pass. He's playing even better up front and is playing a lot better at full forward than he did last year. Most Improved Player, no question.

I'd like to see his brother Kevin tried at full back or centre back. Maybe it is too late this year to give him a run in a central position but he has the class for either position. Kevin is a fine defender and has plenty of size & scope. He didn't play so well for the Under-21s at full back last year but I'd forgive him that - it was around the time he was losing his Senior place to Sid. He deserves to be part of our Championship team!

[Lone Shark]

I'd like to see his brother Kevin tried at full back or centre back. Maybe it is too late this year to give him a run in a central position but he has the class for either position.

I'd say neither position is decided, and centre back in particular I would think is wide open for the likes of Kevin Brady. I think Niall Claffey would be physically dominated in that role, and Kevin would have the good hurling in tight spaces to effect clearances. I'm not sure I'd love him at full back though. Bring back Oakley!!!

[Flatcap]

hickey handled big dan fine last year. hard to see brady causing him any more trouble then.