Re: Leinster Club Championship
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:19 pm
I went to see Bennettsbridge v Wolfe Tones in the All-Ireland Intermediate club semi-final on Saturday. I wasn’t disappointed. A wonderful standard of hurling, despite the wind, rain and heavy going – in fairness St Rynagh’s had their pitch in very good condition, weather considering.
Bennetsbridge’s overhead fetching was superb, winter conditions and all. They contested the rucks ferociously, their layoffs were top quality, both in the execution and the support play (the way they continually ‘looped’ around the ball-carrier in a circular motion is evidently something they have practiced well) that rarely saw a man left isolated. Shamrocks (the Rahan-Mucklagh one) had first hand experience of Bennettsbridge last year and if anything, Bennettsbridge have moved to another level. They’ll easily win the All-Ireland – how they do at Senior level in Kilkenny next year will be very interesting.
Wolfe Tones were a decent side but didn’t, couldn’t match Bennetsbridge’s quality and were on the back foot even before they lost their full-back who departed, apparently carrying an injury, after about 20 minutes. They contributed to a fine game with their strength, athleticism and fitness, traits you’d associate with Clare hurling anyway. That said, playing with seven defenders and five attackers in the first half when they had the wind behind them was crazy, and they were in arrears at half-time.
€10 well spent. If anything though, it showed (again) how far Offaly have fallen behind with the rest of the hurling world having brought hurling to several new planes in the last 15 years or so, and I doubt I’ll see such quality hurling at an Offaly venue for the remainder of this year.
Bennetsbridge’s overhead fetching was superb, winter conditions and all. They contested the rucks ferociously, their layoffs were top quality, both in the execution and the support play (the way they continually ‘looped’ around the ball-carrier in a circular motion is evidently something they have practiced well) that rarely saw a man left isolated. Shamrocks (the Rahan-Mucklagh one) had first hand experience of Bennettsbridge last year and if anything, Bennettsbridge have moved to another level. They’ll easily win the All-Ireland – how they do at Senior level in Kilkenny next year will be very interesting.
Wolfe Tones were a decent side but didn’t, couldn’t match Bennetsbridge’s quality and were on the back foot even before they lost their full-back who departed, apparently carrying an injury, after about 20 minutes. They contributed to a fine game with their strength, athleticism and fitness, traits you’d associate with Clare hurling anyway. That said, playing with seven defenders and five attackers in the first half when they had the wind behind them was crazy, and they were in arrears at half-time.
€10 well spent. If anything though, it showed (again) how far Offaly have fallen behind with the rest of the hurling world having brought hurling to several new planes in the last 15 years or so, and I doubt I’ll see such quality hurling at an Offaly venue for the remainder of this year.