DRUMCULLEN THROUGH TO LEINSTER FINAL

[Plain of the Herbs]

Yup, the Leinster GAA site confirms it.
http://leinster.gaa.ie/fixtures/upcomingfixtures.asp

A little Dicky bird tells me the Drumcullen game is on Sunday week the 19th, anyone confirm this?

Thing here is that the All-Ireland semi-final is the last weekend in January. Another option is to play it a fortnight before that, the weekend the Munster winners play the England representatives in the quarter-final.

[black and red exile]

And I guess the blasted weather will play a part too. THANKS POTH.

[midfield]

any word on if the match is going ahead today?

[townman]

No its off again sometime in jan it will be on i suppose.

[black and red exile]

Jan 16th in Rath, providing of course this weather doesn't fuck it up yet again

[Plain of the Herbs]

Two telling moments which decided this Leinster Final, both in the first ten minutes.

The first, when Nicky Lalor fielded a long free on his own 20m line but was caught in possession when surrounded, and gave away the free which Owen McGrath pointed.

The second, when the Lockes right wing-forward burst through. He went for the goal but the shot was weak enough. The ball spun off Alan Mannion’s hurl however, and over the goal-line.

John Lockes dominated possession throughout, they were first to everything, did all the hurling, and Drumcullen’s technique in the tackle was very poor throughout. No use complaining to the referee when you’re pinged for putting your arm around a lad’s neck, as happened several times.

Even with the wind in the first half, Drumcullen struggled to create scoring chances. All four points came from frees and I can’t recall them hitting many wides. The Lockes full-back line was tremendous throughout. Many of the Locke’s scores came from frees too, though in their case they hit alot of wides from play in the tricky diagonal wind.

Drumcullen maybe should have brought Harry Ryan outfield much earlier than they did.

Five points down at the break, Drumcullen competed much better after the restart but they were never in with a shout of reeling in the arrears. The match got more mullocky as it wore on. Too many late tackles, about 8 or 9 yellow cards issued. Lockes hit over some fine scores and missed plenty too.

The highlight from a purist’s point of view was Lockes’ second goal. Corner-back Michael Gordon brilliantly fielded and drove a mightly clearance downwind. When it landed, the forwards gained possession, split the defence and the left corner-forward finished well.

Drumcullen well beaten throughout. Still, the 25th ranked team in Kilkenny beating the 13th ranked in Offaly is well within logic.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Drumcullen well beaten throughout. Still, the 25th ranked team in Kilkenny beating the 13th ranked in Offaly is well within logic.

Drumcullen weren't merely beaten today, they were hammered.

To be blunt though, Drumcullen are, by any standards, a poor club team.
Deficiencies in the Intermediate grade in Offaly have long since been highlighted so winning it is a sign of nothing really. This years intermediate final was of a desperately poor standard. Unlike Walsh Island in the football in 2009 or countless examples in other counties, Drumcullen didn't win it because they are a young team on the rise. Instead they merely won it because they were the best of a bad bunch that is populated mainly by B teams from senior clubs.

Where Drumcullen really stand will be decided by how they fare in Senior Championship 2011. With the underage section of the club still non-existant, I expect them to be involved in the turkey shoot for relegation.

[townman]

Drumcullen well beaten throughout. Still, the 25th ranked team in Kilkenny beating the 13th ranked in Offaly is well within logic.

Drumcullen weren't merely beaten today, they were hammered.

To be blunt though, Drumcullen are, by any standards, a poor club team.
Deficiencies in the Intermediate grade in Offaly have long since been highlighted so winning it is a sign of nothing really. This years intermediate final was of a desperately poor standard. Unlike Walsh Island in the football in 2009 or countless examples in other counties, Drumcullen didn't win it because they are a young team on the rise. Instead they merely won it because they were the best of a bad bunch that is populated mainly by B teams from senior clubs.

Where Drumcullen really stand will be decided by how they fare in Senior Championship 2011. With the underage section of the club still non-existant, I expect them to be involved in the turkey shoot for relegation.

here hang on a minute there as a birr man and a offaly man you should take back your comments on Drumcullen, they were again a good strong kilkenny club
team today they had two hurlers that won the minor with kilkenny last year. why is it in offaly we have to stick the knife into clubs that try to do there best
where are you from great dayfor the parish i don't think your club was ever in a lenister final if so you should know better than to run down a small club
well done Drumcullen.

[alltheway]

GDFTP< You must have been some hurler in your time...

[Long John]

The match got more mullocky as it wore on. Too many late tackles, about 8 or 9 yellow cards issued. Lockes hit over some fine scores and missed plenty too.

Very suprising to hear Drumcullen getting involved in late tackles when a team is getting the better of them. I have very little sympathy for them. I saw them at their nastiest a couple of years ago against Tullamore and I'll never forget the tuggary of both their players and a complete nut job in the stand who went onto the sideline to start trouble with young water carriers. I believe he was the father of one of Drumcullens best fowards. Hard to warm to them after that.

[backofthenet]

It seems like Drumcullen were well beaten by all accounts.

If what townman says is true, in fairness 2 kilkenny minors could definately be a handful for most intermediate clubs.

As I said earlier in the thread I think Drumcullen are favourites to go down. Nicky Lawlor is a fine hurler but at centre back he will be exploited like Joe Brady is with Coolderry, except he doesnt have the likes of Kevin Brady or the Corcorans to help him out.

Conor Gath is a stand out player at intermediate level, but at senior level he will be handled by most full back lines, Harry Ryan the same if he is played in the forwards. John Cashin is only an average midfielder. So after that I cant see any team losing to them at senior level to be honest, and there would be quiet a few intermediate teams that could have beaten them last year.

[Lone Shark]

Surely it has to be some way worrying though that what was the best team in the third league in Kilkenny, theoretically their 24th/25th best team, so comprehensively dismantled Offaly's 12th/13th best team? Of course we can't expect to mark them man for man down the order as they have more depth, however this was a home game for Drumcullen and played in winter conditions, which surely would have suited a hardier, more experienced side as they were.

And by all accounts, this was a hiding.

I saw very few intermediate hurling games this year so I didn't like to judge on the strength of the final, but surely the signs are on it that it's time to reduce the size of the senior championship and try and make each grade that bit more competitive? If this is genuinely where Drumcullen are at (and there is little evidence to the contrary - it's not like they beat anyone remarkable on the way here) and they are genuinely the best of the teams that took part in the 2010 intermediate championship (again, no real argument from anyone I think) then we have a huge problem.

In fairness to the footballers, whoever wins our intermediate and junior championships are usually competitive once they go into Leinster. I wouldn't say the standard is brilliant, but generally it's not bad. Our intermediate champions haven't beaten the junior champions from Kilkenny even once in the ten years of that competition, and I don't think they've beaten anyone from Wexford either.

[townman]

Surely it has to be some way worrying though that what was the best team in the third league in Kilkenny, theoretically their 24th/25th best team, so comprehensively dismantled Offaly's 12th/13th best team? Of course we can't expect to mark them man for man down the order as they have more depth, however this was a home game for Drumcullen and played in winter conditions, which surely would have suited a hardier, more experienced side as they were.

And by all accounts, this was a hiding.

I saw very few intermediate hurling games this year so I didn't like to judge on the strength of the final, but surely the signs are on it that it's time to reduce the size of the senior championship and try and make each grade that bit more competitive? If this is genuinely where Drumcullen are at (and there is little evidence to the contrary - it's not like they beat anyone remarkable on the way here) and they are genuinely the best of the teams that took part in the 2010 intermediate championship (again, no real argument from anyone I think) then we have a huge problem.

In fairness to the footballers, whoever wins our intermediate and junior championships are usually competitive once they go into Leinster. I wouldn't say the standard is brilliant, but generally it's not bad. Our intermediate champions haven't beaten the junior champions from Kilkenny even once in the ten years of that competition, and I don't think they've beaten anyone from Wexford either.

lone shark its no suprise we are miles behind kilkenny in all grades of hurling for the last ten years

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Surely it has to be some way worrying though that what was the best team in the third league in Kilkenny, theoretically their 24th/25th best team, so comprehensively dismantled Offaly's 12th/13th best team? Of course we can't expect to mark them man for man down the order as they have more depth, however this was a home game for Drumcullen and played in winter conditions, which surely would have suited a hardier, more experienced side as they were.

And by all accounts, this was a hiding.

I saw very few intermediate hurling games this year so I didn't like to judge on the strength of the final, but surely the signs are on it that it's time to reduce the size of the senior championship and try and make each grade that bit more competitive? If this is genuinely where Drumcullen are at (and there is little evidence to the contrary - it's not like they beat anyone remarkable on the way here) and they are genuinely the best of the teams that took part in the 2010 intermediate championship (again, no real argument from anyone I think) then we have a huge problem.

In fairness to the footballers, whoever wins our intermediate and junior championships are usually competitive once they go into Leinster. I wouldn't say the standard is brilliant, but generally it's not bad. Our intermediate champions haven't beaten the junior champions from Kilkenny even once in the ten years of that competition, and I don't think they've beaten anyone from Wexford either.

That's pretty much the point I was making, albeit framed in a more eloquent and perhaps less abrasive manner.

No one can deny that Drumcullen were worthy winners of Intermediate Championship 2010. However that's exactly what makes yesterdays comprehensive beating all the more worrying. That a club, backed by no underage success of any nature in the last 30 years could win that division so easily so soon after being relegated is surely a bad sign of the strength in depth of Offaly hurling.

Given the continued dominance of the intermediate grade by Senior 'B' teams, it of course follows to reason that senior in Offaly should be reduced to 10 teams, thus making the intermediate more likely to be won by a 'real' team and hopefully ensuring a more competitive Offaly representative in the Leinster Junior Championship.

GDFTP< You must have been some hurler in your time...

here hang on a minute there as a birr man and a offaly man you should take back your comments on Drumcullen, they were again a good strong kilkenny club
team today they had two hurlers that won the minor with kilkenny last year. why is it in offaly we have to stick the knife into clubs that try to do there best
where are you from great dayfor the parish i don't think your club was ever in a lenister final if so you should know better than to run down a small club
well done Drumcullen.

Juvenile, puerile comments. For all ye know I'm a All-Star hurler from a 'club that was in a Leinster final'. Or I'm Joe Soap. What matter. The argument stands on its merits, the source is inconsequential. Should anyone disagree with my comments then so be it, in fact I welcome it as it is what this board is about. But let the ensuing debate be framed upon the issue at hand and not based on idiotic schoolyard insults. Hoganstand for that muck.

[alltheway]

I just take issue with all this rough house play that seemed to happen. Drumcullen were beaten soundly by a better team, granted they didnt hurl to anywhere close to their ability. But to accuse them of resorting to thuggery is simply false and untrue. One match where tempers flared against tullamore shouldnt always have to be highlighted. Yesterdays game was quite physical, however there were no maliced, ill timed strokes or anything of the sort. Lockes, should have been a man down in the first have, a yellow card to there full back for a handle of the hurl into Ray Gath's 'tender spot' and minutes later a wild pull on Conor Gath, where the referee called the player out for what seemed like his second yellow, however, after much begging from the player he went to the umpire who said he didnt see it and the player was left on.
I am not saying it would have changed the outcome, however, I feel that to brand Drumcullen and paint them in this negative light for bad behaviour is simply uncalled for.
They were beaten by a team, that in my opinion if they produced that performance yesterday again would beat many of Offalys senior team. All offaly teams are now a long way off the standard. Defeat yesterday, Coolderry failing against Raharney, Minors v Westmeath. etc. Rounding on Drumcullen is quiet unfair here, given the bigger picture.