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Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 1:47 pm
by True Red
I know this is a hurling league thread but I'm going to dive in here.

I think it is important to be aware that Strength & Conditioning is only one part of the fitness pie.

My take on it, for what its worth, is that fine tuning the body in the gym with a combination of a structured weights programme to the individual, with instruction on proper lifting technique, along with a range of explosive based exercises (used to be called calisthenics, they might call it something differently now) is only one aspect of fitness for GAA. The above type of training is useful in being able to give and take a belt, tackle aggressively, maintain possession while been tackled, win breaks around midfield etc.

My big issue with Offaly football teams the past few years (poster above refers to the Kildare qualifier game and he is spot on, OY were out of petrol in the end game) has been the relative deficit in ability to cover ground in games. There is a reason its called the Gaelic ATHLETIC Association. Its one of the biggest pitches of any team sport in the world and you have to be fit to cover that ground. I've watched the current Dublin team live a few times in the past few years, and while yes they have an exceptional goalkeeper who can stick it on a postage stamp and they also use Cian O'sullivan as a sweeper in front of their defence, the running that this team does, both on and off the ball, is phenomenal. I'd say the minimum ground covered by each player is at least 10 km (6 miles). Some lads I have seen togged out for Offaly in recent years wouldn't drive 6 mile, never mind run it.

While the merits of the current S & C GDA for offaly have been discussed above, I'm positive the guy is well qualified, and is doing good work and more luck to him. But how come we cant be as aerobically fit as the current Dublin team? Put ability and player availability to one side. Is it possible to be as aerobically fit as them, match them stride for stride in terms of running? I would argue strongly that of course it is.

I'm assured that the new football manager is working hard on this aspect of things in the current football setup. I look forward to the results.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:03 pm
by timber
Fitness levels have been poor with our county teams for 20 years or more compared to other counties. We had a lot of very skilful hurlers and naturally bigger men back in the 90s and early noughties which allowed them be more competitive. Now we don't have as skilful hurlers or footballers, we don't have many naturally big guys in either code and the fitness levels are now way off where other counties are. You wont get near a Dublin county panel unless you can move and are willing to move.

It's only a mickey mouse example, but I know a lad who trained with the county hurlers back in the early noughties. He'd admit himself he was a panellist and not first 15 contender with some good players there. He left the panel basically because he said he was never as unfit for his club playing senior football and hurling. His club and college performances had dropped off in his time with the county. He said his club senior footballers would of trained 10 times harder than the physical running that was done with the county hurlers. That's back in the early noughties but I suspect nothing has changed looking and having played against a lot of county players over the years.

Obviously Mike Mac was a different story altogether from what I heard. He ran the guts out of lads. Maybe to the detriment of other areas but he did work hard to get lads fit.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 5:55 pm
by Plain of the Herbs
Just on this, and it is a good point. I get the impression Offaly's underage was still lagging far behind at the time of Liam Hogan's radio interview (which I think was 2017), LH makes a point about the level 1 and level 2 qualifications in Offaly not being on a par with other counties. Since then, there has been a noticable increase in courses taking place. Since the turn of the year there are courses taking place on in goalkeeping and defending. There have been information nights for underage club coaches on physical training for U13s an the like. Now, I can't comment on whether they are being attended, or the information is being delivered to the clubs, or what. So really, the clock was reset at 2018.

Then, there are those who think underage development is about winning Leinster and All-Ireland Minors. It is not. It is about developing young hurlers and footballers to prepare them for adult inter-county games in the middle of the 21st century. On grounds of population alone, Offaly cannot compete with Kilkenny and Wexford in hurling, or Kildare and Meath in football, never mind Dublin. And that is to Offaly's advantage, for coaches can develop players as individuals rather than be under pressure to deliver titles.
Fairplayalways wrote:...this whole " neglected underage" issue is very true, but I am listening for the last number of years that its only now we have the structures in place, which we have to accept is the situation, but WHEN is all this going to bare fruit? 2010 is now 9 years ago, players who were 13/14 then are now 22/23 and surely have had access to "modern" training over the last 9 years...

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 9:31 am
by LooseCannon
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Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2019 12:27 am
by kingscounty
Good luck to the hurlers tomorrow I can’t attend unfortunately, hard days work ahead keep the faith till the end no matter what, represent yourself, your family and your club with pride and leave all on the pitch !!

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2019 2:14 am
by Plain of the Herbs
Amen to that.
kingscounty wrote:Good luck to the hurlers tomorrow I can’t attend unfortunately, hard days work ahead keep the faith till the end no matter what, represent yourself, your family and your club with pride and leave all on the pitch !!

A few thoughts on Offaly v Carlow.

Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 5:26 pm
by Plain of the Herbs
The pressure is all on Carlow here. They are the Liam MacCarthy ranked team, they are at home, their qualification for the quarter-final is in their own hands (we can assume Leix will not get a result in Donnycarney), they drew with Galway and now they need to build on it. However, the qualities that get you over the line for a win are very different to the qualities required to run a top team close.

As for Offaly:-
Ben Conneely’s presence will make a huge difference to the defence;
Niall Houlihan is settling well into the full-back role and was quietly impressive against Galway;
Kevin Dunne is a good worker and can pick a score, but the Clareen man’s lack of height really marks him out as a midfielder rather that a half-forward;
A half-forward line of Shane Kinsella, Colin Egan and Paddy Murphy (not necessarily in that order) would offer ball winning potential as well as athleticism and the possibility of each scoring 0-1 or 0-2 per game;
Some day soon, a full-forward line of Dooley, Bergin and Connolly will score three goals.

And that’s all. Sunday will very much have next weekend’s relegation final in mind.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:21 pm
by LooseCannon
The team to face Carlow.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 12:21 am
by old yellar
A Carlow perspective... So it comes down to this! Really looking forward to sundays game as from our side of things it has the potential to be a huge day for hurling in our county. A win would not only keep us safe but the prospect of a q final would be great from a supporters point of view as it would be our first arrival at the top table - ye ve be there plenty of times! We are no way taking the result in the walsh cup as any indicator of how things will go on sunday. Indeed that day ye hit a lot of wides which could have got ye the win. We re carrying a few injuries to key men and we didnt seem to use our panel as much in the league so we didnt rotate too many so a lot of lads have little niggles. Our strengths - i think we ve a good man marker in our full back line who ll do a good job on any forward going, a hard working midfield, 2 (maybe 3 depending on our team selection) good ball winners in the half forward line who are big men (who ll line up against 3 of my ex students!), a good free taker and 2 sharp inside men who havent hit the net yet in the league but can cut loose.. Sounds good eh?! My worries - i think we ll need to hit the net to win which we havent yet, we over play the ball a bit around the middle and it has cost us in all games with the concession of scores, and we ve given away a lot of stupid easy frees which are punished in the modern game. i cant see a lot in it. I think the bookies have us at 4/6 which is no value, ye at 13/8 which is tasty. It ll hopefully be a cracker and may the best team win. Theres certainly no talk of liam mccarthy v joe mcdonagh status etc etc in our county. Far from it. We certainly arent arrogant given where we re coming from! Anyhow status will make no odds at 2pm sunday when the ball is thrown in and bertie nevins finest is swinging at a 100 mile an hour! Safe travelling to all those coming down to the game. Am looking forward to the chat!

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:28 pm
by Buttons
Assume the relegation final is in a neutral venue Portlaoise or is it in Tullamore with Offaly having played 2 home games and Carlow having had 3.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:35 pm
by LooseCannon
Buttons wrote:Assume the relegation final is in a neutral venue Portlaoise?
Tullamore, I believe.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 10:16 pm
by bracknaghboy
A significant win for 3 reasons.

1. It guaranteed home advantage next week for the relegation game.
2. It stopped the rot. That's the first win for Offaly since 25th of February 2018. First win in 14 matches.
3. It leaves Carlow asking all sorts of questions about themselves. I said here a few weeks back that the draw with Galway was the worst thing that could have happened to them. Pressure in sport is a funny thing. When a team is trying to make the breakthrough the last thing they need is hype around them and this is exactly what happened after the Galway game. Despite all the talk they have failed to win a match and only scored 1 goal in 5 games.

The job is far from done. It'll be a real battle next week. If Offaly can get a good quick start then those questions will re-enter the Carlow heads again but if they get a proper foothold in it then who knows. Massive game for both teams and one not to be missed. One team trying to hang on for dear life and another trying to show are to be taken seriously as a top tier county.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:30 pm
by DaniaBuckingham
Carlow are a Leinster area and in this way have each legitimate to play in the Leinster Senior heaving title, regardless of what Galway, or Munster flinging big talkers, safeguard. I don't consider any individual calling for Waterford to be prohibited from flinging's high level after 2008's All-ireland extreme, nor should there have.

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 4:30 pm
by biffinbanner
what the fuck is that about?!?!

Re: NHL Division 1B 2019

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 4:51 pm
by LooseCannon
biffinbanner wrote:what the fuck is that about?!?!
I blame Putin.