Minor Hurling Team vs Carlow 2008

[Lone Shark]

Michael Mulrooney (Birr)
Brian Mulrooney (Seir Kieran)
Sean Coughlan (Seir Kieran)
Chris McDonald (Brosna Gaels)
James Roddy (Birr)
Brian Harding (Birr)
Paddy Rigney (Na Fianna)
Conor Duffy (Rynaghs)
James Sullivan (Rynaghs)
Gary Conneelly (Rynaghs)
Some lad from Ballinamere Durrow whose name I can't remember - apologies!
Aodhan Keeley (Kinnitty)
Tomás Carroll (Seir Kieran)
Eanna Murphy (Seir Kieran
Tomás Bolger (Birr)

Obviously most of this wouldn't mean that much to me - feel free to digest and analyse, those who would be in the know.

[green&white]

Eanna Murphy full-forward is similar to what has happened with most of our big men over the last few years.. start out in the backs and slowly revert to full-forward! He's an excellent sticks-man, good pedigree, but like all the young lads need more consistency.
Tom Carroll is an exciting prospect.. our answer to Eoin Kelly IMHO. Hoping to see big things from him over the years!
Sean Coughlan at full-back is a surprise when he mostly plays his hurling at midfield or half-forward line!
Barry Harding is a fine hurler and came on for Dylan Hayden in the All-Ireland, so is obviously progressing nicely. We'll need him to lord it really!
James Sullivan is another exciting prospect, full of heart, skill and running for a small man! I'd rate these four hurlers very highly but if we have enough around them I'm not sure! Bolger, Roddy, Conneely, Keeley are good hurlers, but good enough only time will tell!
The one worrying factor I have over these young lads is their committment off the field. A major indicator of society today! But as far as I know Johnny P has made sure to nip that in the bud, saying he knows exactly when lads excuses are genuine or not! And more importantly knowing when a lad isnt turning up in the finest of health. I've haeard great reports about Johnny's trainin, but like all amangers will not be judged until C'ship results.
Must say I know nothing about Carlow, but if we are getting tot he stage when we are losing to them, we realy are in crisis!

[beirut]

What's the bench like?

[Lone Shark]

No idea - all I got was the team.

[Bord na Mona man]

What's the bench like?

Down in Carlow, it's one of those clear perspex dugouts with wooden seats!
Sorry, couldn't resist!

[Plain of the Herbs]

I don’t know an awful lot about the relative merits of either side’s 2008 minor hurling vintage but there’s a caveat here.

Carlow hurling is on the crest of a wave at the moment, particularly at underage. Bagenalstown CS recently won the Leinster Senior Colleges ‘B’ competition while Tullow VS reached the Vocational Schools final for the first time, being pipped by Johnstown VS in that final. Carlow are probably at the stage Offaly were in during the early to mid seventies.

In contrast, the Offaly schools did particularly poorly this year. Birr CS had probably their worst year ever, the combined Banagher Schools made no impact in the Leinster VS championships while Kilcormac VS also bombed.

Add to that Carlow being at home (I think – shows how much I know!) and the fact that they will carry a certain belief into the match reduces this to a fifty:fifty encounter in my view.

A Carlow win wouldn’t surprise me, though obviously I hope Offaly can get their campaign off to a good start.

I sometimes feel the belief weaker counties carry into matches against Offaly stems back to the Semi Final loss to Antrim in 1989. The ensuing guard of honour was the signal for all weaker teams to walk through our county. Offaly’s style also makes them vulnerable when they’re not hurling at full pelt. I’ll go into this in more detail at a later date.

[Lone Shark]

I sometimes feel the belief weaker counties carry into matches against Offaly stems back to the Semi Final loss to Antrim in 1989. The ensuing guard of honour was the signal for all weaker teams to walk through our county. Offaly’s style also makes them vulnerable when they’re not hurling at full pelt. I’ll go into this in more detail at a later date.

I' m intrigued as to how you would link the 1989 guard of honour to subsequent weakness. I was very young at the time so didn't really know what was going on, but in hindsight I would have seen it as a nice gesture and no more than that.

[royalblue]

Hi

Royal blue first time posting a message.Saturday's game will be interesting have seen Carlow playing Westmeath in Minor league and are a formidable side. Carlow beat this Offaly team at U16 Level two years ago.Offaly's panel is a young one with many players underage again next year but have good hurlers like Harding,Duffy and James Sullivan i reckon if Offaly get stuck in they will win.

[Lone Shark]

Hi

Royal blue first time posting a message.Saturday's game will be interesting have seen Carlow playing Westmeath in Minor league and are a formidable side. Carlow beat this Offaly team at U16 Level two years ago.Offaly's panel is a young one with many players underage again next year but have good hurlers like Harding,Duffy and James Sullivan i reckon if Offaly get stuck in they will win.

Welcome aboard - the more the merrier.

I'd be hopeful of the above all right, but it is a very inexperienced team - only two from last year's minor team which is a huge turnaround. I think the X factor is the forwards - we're fielding a lot of lads there who seem to be defensive or fielding forwads rather than scoring forwards. We might find 2-15 (or some such tally needed to win) a bit hard to come by in those circumstances. Still, I suppose 1-10 to 0-11 would do if we just got the year off the ground in the right fashion.

[Bord na Mona man]

I sometimes feel the belief weaker counties carry into matches against Offaly stems back to the Semi Final loss to Antrim in 1989. The ensuing guard of honour was the signal for all weaker teams to walk through our county. Offaly’s style also makes them vulnerable when they’re not hurling at full pelt. I’ll go into this in more detail at a later date.

I think POTH has a point here.
Offaly don't have it in the psyche to go out and try and bury a non traditional county.

This is why Offaly have gotten pipped unexpectedly at various times by not going at full tilt.
Antrim '89
Dublin '91
Clare '95

There have been some mighty scares too:
Meath '96
Laois '97
Derry '00
Meath '02

and plenty of other uncomfortable finishes.
Offaly are notorious for easing up when the game looks won, or just not being 100% fired up.

In Tipp they take pleasure in a bludgeoning, seeing it as more than a win. Anything that helps towards re-establishing the old order that they crave is a bonus.
Kilkenny and Cork are a bit more laid back, considering how they could Lord it over most.
Galway have a greater tendency to run up ignorant scorelines, when they get a chance.
They'd still be bursting for goals instead of laying up for points long after the game has been won.

The likes of Antrim, Down or Dublin always feel they have a chance against Offaly, with some historical foundation too.

[Lone Shark]

I agree with all that, I'm just not sure how the guard of honour really makes any difference? Surely once the hurling is done it's done?

[royalblue]

I agree with all that, I'm just not sure how the guard of honour really makes any difference? Surely once the hurling is done it's done?

By Offaly giving Antrim a Guard of Honour it showed we respected them for beating us,this give hope to other weaker counties also after being involved with the underage teams in the County a number of years i am only realising what Martin Buggy told that by playing the weaker counties its only teaching them to beat us this have being true off Dublin lately Carlow,Antrim.

[midfield]

When is the match on ?- presume its Dr.Cullen park?? Is the match on Radio 3?

[uibhfhaili]

Awfuly 1-9 Carlow 2-11

[beirut]

No players from Shinrone, Skenagh, KK, Tullamore, Lusmagh, Belmont, Drumcullen, Coolderry etc on the team...... seems a bit dodge to me.....