LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
leinsterman
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by leinsterman »

OFFALY Team for Sunday

1. Brian Mullins (Birr)
2. David Franks (Carrickshock)
3. Paul Cleary (Birr)
4. Mick Verney (Birr)
5.James Rigney (Kinnitty)
6. David Kenny (Belmont)
7. Derek Morkan (Shinrone)
8. Rory Hanniffy (Birr)
9. Kevin Brady (Coolderry)
10.Daniel Currams (kk)
11.Joe Brady (Coolderry)
12.Derek Molloy (Shamrocks)
13.Brian Carroll (Coolderry)
14.Joe Bergin (Seir kierans)
15.Shane Dooley (Tullamore)

its a good side the best we have at the moment it should get the job done.

allstar2010
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by allstar2010 »

No real surprises there, let's hope the get the job done...

backofthenet
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by backofthenet »

Im liking the look of that team, especially the half forward line, i really think this is a line we have been cleaned out in too many times, brian carroll is definately not at his best on the wing and really doesnt compete under the dropping ball but with him and dooley in the corners we should have a threat from both sides.

biffoabroad
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by biffoabroad »

Best of Luck to the lads this weekend. I think we could have a bit of a decent run this summer and perhaps take a few middle tier scalps, and a real shot at a Leinster with this squad in the next 2/3 years.

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Time, tide and championship wait for no hurler and so another campaign gets underway at the weekend. Some hurlers await their debut, for others it will be their last campaign, some will burst on the scene while some will fade out for whatever reason. A whole web of intrigue is about to be spun over the next three months.

Offaly’s selection is along expected lines. Michael Verney is rightly picked at corner back. James Rigney will thrive at wing back. Rigney is fiercely competitive in the air and despite the short stature the Kinnitty lad will not be found wanting under the dropping ball. A half back line of Rigney, Kenny & Morkan is worth going to see.

No surprise either that Kevin Brady is midfield. We’ll see alot of breaking ball around joe Brady’s channel, with the younger Brady, Hanniffy & Currams contesting this. Derek Molloy, restored to the wing, will offer Brian Mullins an occasional alternative. Dooley & Bergin will stand behind their men, hoping to score goals from long balls coming in.

Of course it could all go pear shaped. With much breaking ball it could well be Antrim who gather those breaks. Certainly Antrim will get their hands on the ball more often than they will against any other county. As is often the case, the ten minutes immediately before half time will either make or break Antrim. Offaly will open up a lead during the middle of the first half. It is between the 25th & 35th minutes where Offaly have tended to at their most slack and where Antrim have discovered that inner belief against Offaly previously.

Talk locally of a cakewalk is extremely dangerous. Last years encounter can be discounted too. Antrim were content to secure their top level status in nocturnal DRA hearings. If fact, of the 4 relegation candidates only Offaly were willing to ensure survival on the pitch.

Because Offaly are unlike other counties in that they do not seek to control the game through monopolising possession, Antrim will always have a chance. Hence the need for Offaly’s workrate always to be at 100%. Anyway, should a win for the team ranked 12 over the team ranked 9 or 10 (depending on your view of Dublin) shake the world? Not in the least.

GreatDay is right to note 2006, when Offaly came off a far better league campaign, had their resilience tested in the Portlaoise floods only to flop twice in a three week period against Wexford & Limerick. This Offaly team are still unproven at summertime hurling. They won’t prove themselves in Parnell Park on Sunday either, that will come later in the year if it is to come at all.

Scores decide matches – Offaly should hit the high teens, Antrim shouldn’t pass the low teens. Take Offaly to win but with doubts raised.




It wouldn’t be springtime without Galway being talked up as All-Ireland contenders. This year more than most, given what was reported as a stunning NHL final performance against Cork.

The video says otherwise. The match was played at typical NHL final pace, far from championship intensity. Contrary to legend, Cork had as much of the play that Thurles evening as Galway had, and but for some scoreable wides the Southerners could have been at least level at half time. Galway struggled under their own low-trajectoried puckouts for long spells in that first half as Cork drove through Callanan’s puckout only to repeatedly miss the target.

Leading by four points at the break, Galway thrived under Cork’s puckout for ten minutes after the resumption and three points in as many minutes put them 7 ahead. Cork gave up the ghost after that and the game had fizzled out with more than 15 minutes remaining, during which time Joe Canning was starved of possession.

Indeed, Joe Canning had to wait almost 20 minutes to receive his first ball, from which he drew a good save from Donal Cusack. Ger Farragher is a good outlet for scores from distance (something Offaly could do with) but the upshot is that Canning watches from the ‘D’ at the ball flying overhead. My opinion is that anyone recommending Galway on the basis of the NHL final is deluded or is building Galway up for an inevitable fall.

Galway made much of the evening time and venue for the NHL final. Surprisingly little is made of Saturday’s time and venue, 7pm in Kilkenny. It may be the home of hurling but the bus journey from Galway will be a long one, particularly for the likes of John Lee (Mellowes) & Ger Farragher (Castlegar). Wexford won’t have that problem though they apparently have much to improve on. Still it’s better to go in requiring improvement, and with scope to do so, rather than have it already done.

An underdog, maybe two, possibly but hardly three, will win over the course of the weekend. Nowlan Park is the most likely scene of a favourite falling. I take Wexford to win!

Hard to know what Cork will do. They came close enough to Tipperary last year and things seem to have settled in the camp. Tipperary need to move on from last year but it’s very difficult to simply pick it up again, nine months on. They may well be looking to peak later in the year, while Cork will have targeted this one. Cork wouldn’t be the first NHL finalists to blaze a trail after seemingly having nothing to offer in a NHL final either. Waterford in 2004 spring to mind. Oh, and they fell to Galway in the league final that year. Hmmm!

It’s not the end of the world for the loser who should make the quarter finals through the back door at least (unless they draw Galway in the first round!). I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cork win!
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Offaly team for Sunday, with number of previous championship appearances in brackets.

Brian Mullins (29)
David Franks (30)
Paul Cleary (19)
Michael Verney (7)
James Rigney (8)
David Kenny (11)
Derek Morkan (2)
Rory Hanniffy (31)
Kevin Brady (25)
Daniel Currams (4)
Joe Brady (25)
Derek Molloy (11)
Brian Carroll (32)
Joe Bergin (16)
Shane Dooley (11)
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

GreatDayForTheParish
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by GreatDayForTheParish »

From the get go, I've always felt that Wexford represent very,very dangerous for opposition for Galway. All too easy to discount (Division 2, won shag all since 1996, repeated hammerings from Kilkenny), Wexford remain one of those teams capable of pulling out a 'fire and brimstone' performance. That's a poor generalisation I know but the thought persists. In many ways it's set up perfectly for the yellow bellies, Galway have no psychological hold over them, confidence is high after the Division 2 final and you can be sure that once the hay is saved and the strawberries picked, the Wexicans will travel in droves to Nolan Park. That and the fact that have Gizzy Lyng on their team, a hurler I have enormous time for. Galway on the other hand risk being over confident, eyes already set on a Leinster final date with KK.

Caveats aside I still expect Galway to prevail but a tight one or a even a Wexford win wouldn't shock me. As for Galway, I don't think it delusional to regard them as All-Ireland contenders. Say what you want about the League Final, they still won it. Were it Kilkenny, all would be waxing lyrical. Of the injury hit team that imploded against Waterford, this years Championship 15 shows many changes. Their weakest line remains the half-forward three, a set combination still has not been decided upon. Still with Canning, Collins, Lee (if he starts!), Farragher and Canning Jr, Galway have enough potential and quality to deservedly rank alongside Tipperary as contenders in chief for Kilkennys crown.

allstar2010
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by allstar2010 »

Plain of the Herbs wrote:Offaly team for Sunday, with number of previous championship appearances in brackets.

Brian Mullins (29)
David Franks (30)
Paul Cleary (19)
Michael Verney (7)
James Rigney (8)
David Kenny (11)
Derek Morkan (2)
Rory Hanniffy (31)
Kevin Brady (25)
Daniel Currams (4)
Joe Brady (25)
Derek Molloy (11)
Brian Carroll (32)
Joe Bergin (16)
Shane Dooley (11)
how does Morkan have 2 appearances if he is only making his debut??

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Bord na Mona man
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by Bord na Mona man »

allstar2010 wrote: how does Morkan have 2 appearances if he is only making his debut??
2 substitute appearances.

leinsterman
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by leinsterman »

allstar2010 wrote:
Plain of the Herbs wrote:Offaly team for Sunday, with number of previous championship appearances in brackets.

Brian Mullins (29)
David Franks (30)
Paul Cleary (19)
Michael Verney (7)
James Rigney (8)
David Kenny (11)
Derek Morkan (2)
Rory Hanniffy (31)
Kevin Brady (25)
Daniel Currams (4)
Joe Brady (25)
Derek Molloy (11)
Brian Carroll (32)
Joe Bergin (16)
Shane Dooley (11)
how does Morkan have 2 appearances if he is only making his debut??
came on again Cork and Antrim last year.

tipptopper25
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by tipptopper25 »

offaly hurling... dont make me laugh.... i think the last time yee under-estimated antrim they beat yee.... this will be first of your two championship matces this year, first round of leinster championship and first round of the qualifers....

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turk
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by turk »

tipptopper25 wrote:offaly hurling... dont make me laugh.... i think the last time yee under-estimated antrim they beat yee.... this will be first of your two championship matces this year, first round of leinster championship and first round of the qualifers....

Ha ha ha! Excellent!


Wee will watch out for that so.

leinsterman
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by leinsterman »

tipptopper25 wrote:offaly hurling... dont make me laugh.... i think the last time yee under-estimated antrim they beat yee.... this will be first of your two championship matces this year, first round of leinster championship and first round of the qualifers....
well if the cats were in munster ye wouldn't be munster champions either they would do what clare done to ye in 1997 bet ye in munster and all ireland
i suppose they bet tipp in two finals last year, so run off back to the premierview and wonder what might have been last year.

the only ones who will be in the qualifers will be tipp after Cork bet tipp on sunday . :lol:

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Before this tit-for-tat nonsense goes any further; take it off to Hogansty or somewhere . . . ye know where it is.
leinsterman wrote:
tipptopper25 wrote:offaly hurling... dont make me laugh.... i think the last time yee under-estimated antrim they beat yee.... this will be first of your two championship matces this year, first round of leinster championship and first round of the qualifers....
well if the cats were in munster ye wouldn't be munster champions either they would do what clare done to ye in 1997 bet ye in munster and all ireland
i suppose they bet tipp in two finals last year, so run off back to the premierview and wonder what might have been last year.

the only ones who will be in the qualifers will be tipp after Cork bet tipp on sunday . :lol:
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Daingean Exile
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Re: LSHC 30th May Offaly v Antrim Parnell Park 3:30pm

Post by Daingean Exile »

Plain of the Herbs wrote:Before this tit-for-tat nonsense goes any further; take it off to Hogansty or somewhere . . . ye know where it is.
Tip-for-tat is more appropriate I reckon. I overheard a conversation between two Tip hurling fans the day before the All-Ireland last year. One said to the other we'll(Tip) have to stop this 2 goals in a minute bullsh*t. What happened the next day? - 2 goals in a minute by Kilkenny killed off the Tip challenge. They knew it was going to happen but they still couldn't stop it. If tipptopper there is anything to go by (what's he doing here?) Tip don't have the intelligence to stop Kilkenny's 5 in a row bid. The main challenge to that lies elsewhere methinks.

Anyway, looking forward to the match tomorrow. Vital that Offaly don't take Antrim for granted, they've been caught out like that before. Just this season in the league they were lucky to beat a Limerick B selection by a point in Tullamore. They should win this game with a bit to spare, so long as they're minds are on the job.

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