Offaly v Cork, SHC qualifier, 25/6/2011

[townman]

That was a typically over-sensitive response from a Corkonian I have to say.
The idea that the same players in Wexford jerseys would instill less fear in the Offaly camp is surely a nod to Cork's proud history and the mental block that can place on the opposition, but it wouldn't be like a Corkman to not find slight wherever he can.
Do you think you'll be able to take the chip off your shoulder for the match so that the spectators behind you might have a chance to see the pitch, Turenne?

Long John, I hate to say it, but given this Offaly side's recent poor disciplinary record, it would be practically negligent for any team facing them to not be on the wind-up and try and take advantage of any reaction.

have to say if offaly had kilkenny jerseys on them saturday the arse would fall out of cork like last year, as for turenne saying Joe Bergin is windy and then saying that he could
have success again Cadogan shows he is talking through his bum.

as for Cork have to say this is one of the poores sides they have had in years tipp only had to hurl for 20 minutes
and won well. they should win been at home but if this was in croker or thurles i think we could have a repeat of 2000 semil-final win.
but cork like ourselfs are down at the moment and are way behind tipp and kilkenny when it comes to winning the liam mccarthy

[Scorpio]

I see Turrene has caused bristles to rise, but all the hype and talk has clouded the true nature of things on both sides.

First of all, if Cork don’t get a good start, I think they could be in trouble, because Offaly know how to hurl and their forwards know how to score. Some of our own forwards are still untested for consistency and the team as a whole has still not left the short passing game behind them, not enough quick ball goes into the full forward line and when they come out to get it, it’s put in over their heads! It’s all a bit of a mess sometimes, and if they don’t get it right on Saturday, they might find themselves embarrassed – not to mention the supporters! Offaly hurlers flourish on causes and the present fracas with their county board may well be a blessing in disguise and a curse to Cork. We’ll see on Saturday.

Secondly, Cork are a lot better than people outside the county give them credit for; some players are developing nicely and there are a few younger, exciting players appearing in the u-21 squad. However, minor was a true disaster for us this year, but we’ll have to wait until next year before we discover if this is a true downward trend. I don’t think it is.

I was in Thurles and I can tell you that Tipperary were worried at one stage of the game. After Cork drew level they had several chances to go ahead, but spurned them. Then Tipperary had chances and took them and then they got the last goal. Goals don’t always win games but they certainly won this one. There was an idea going the rounds afterwards that Cork weren’t too unhappy with the loss, giving how well some of the new players performed. I don’t know where that was coming from, because any time we loose to Tipp, it’s a disaster, plain and simple and nothing to be proud of. We have now met Tipp four years in a row in the first round of the Munster championship, and I don’t know if it will be five-in-a-row next year, but I’m looking forward to it, and a bit of revenge!

[Plain of the Herbs]

There’s hope here, y’know.

James Rigney’s involvement in the O’Connor Park of the locked gates standoff is the sign of a team who are planning on being involved in the championship for a few weeks yet. Whatever about the rights and wrongs, the team and management seem united on this.

If it was a ruse to distract Cork it probably came a week too soon – Cork were still concentrating on Laois at that stage. Still, that Cork had their backlash last weekend against Laois is for the better for Offaly. Nothing like a big win to knock the edge off a team. Because, deep down, Cork don’t believe they are going to be put to the pin of their collar by Offaly.

Nothing like a good row in the camp to bring the best in Offaly. Part of the problem in recent years is that there hasn't been a row in the camp in years. Probably not since the Whelahans fell out with McNamara before the Limerick match in 2003. Remember how the three lads came back to help Offaly win that match, and win it well.

Rory Hanniffy’s return from injury is a bonus though Éanna Murphy being forced to leave the field this evening probably offsets that. Hanniffy will probably slot straight back into centre half-back now. With Brian Carroll back, Cathal Parlon will be expected to start instead of Derek Molloy now, meaning a reprieve for either Parlon or Daniel Currams who might have been the one to make way for the returning Hanniffy. A fully fit Joseph Bergin out at centre-forward would be just the job.

I wonder would Brian Carroll start at midfield as he did against Dublin. Carroll would be a good man to win breaking ball. He could also get a settling score or two from distance. It would also put Jerry O’Connor onto the back foot. Offaly will need Conor Mahon to wire into Pa Cronin.

The recording of the Cork v Tipperary match the team were to watch that day was an interesting one. Unusually for Cork there was alot of breaking ball to be had, as there was in the Offaly v Dublin match just earlier that day. Breaking ball would be manna from heaven for Offaly.

Offaly can’t afford to allow Cork to dominate possession and to weave their passing patterns. Offaly also need to plan whether to follow Niall McCarthy and Ben O’Connor when they drop deep, or to let them off. Alot of the space Cork make in attack comes from both wing forwards and corner forwards dropping deep. David Kenny should do okay on Paudie O’Sullivan too. And Offaly have a physical advantage over Cork in alot of positions.

Sometimes an away venue can be beneficial too. Offaly do best with that ‘we gotta front up here’ attitude they showed against Dublin. And against Limerick a few years ago. Playing at home brings a pressure of expectation that Offaly don’t thrive on at all. Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a big pitch with alot of space to be exploited. There can be alot of space if Offaly can get low ball to a corner-forward isolated one-on-one with a corner-back.

Offaly’s travel arrangements will speak volumes of their state of mind. Travel in a fleet of cars as they did before, and they can forget about it. Travel by train, where they can stretch out and walk around, and Offaly might be in business.

Fully focussed on the job in hand, Offaly are well capable of causing an upset.

Here’s hoping.

[puzzled]

Eanna Murphy is ruled out of the game saturday after picking up an injury last night in Dublin,maybe not such a wise decision to move the game back a day! The extra day probably woulnt have been enough for him to get back but who knows!

[puzzled]

Offaly team to play Cork
1 James Dempsey
2 A N Other
3 David Kenny
4 Stephen Egan
5 Dylan Hayden
6 Rory Hanniffy
7 Derek Morkham
8 Daniel Currams
9 Colin Egan
10 Brian Carroll
11 Joe Bergin
12 Conor Mahon
13 Shane Dooley
14 Ger Healion
15 James Mulrooney

[In the long grass]

I heard Chris McDonald is lining out...

[Kevin]

Great to have Rory back so soon. Hope he has recovered completely. Do not know too much about recovery time for those injuries, but he seems to be back very quickly.

There is nothing to lose here. I hope we really rip into them. We might not be at our best, but neither are Cork. Cork know it too. If we can confirm some of the doubts they have about themselves early, it could be an interesting afternoon.

COME ON OFFALY!!!!!!

[Plain of the Herbs]

I doubt the extra day would make a difference, but I'm only guessing. It looked a bad injury and he wasn't able to put any weight on it as he was helped from the field. To be left there sitting on the ground for a quarter of an hour was inexcusable. Surely Dublin, with all their millions, could have organised a stretcher to carry the lad to the dressing room.

Eanna Murphy is ruled out of the game saturday after picking up an injury last night in Dublin,maybe not such a wise decision to move the game back a day! The extra day probably woulnt have been enough for him to get back but who knows!

[Plain of the Herbs]

My favourite part of the build-up - Kevin's

COME ON OFFALY!!!!!!

hope you're keeping well, lad!!

[townman]

I doubt the extra day would make a difference, but I'm only guessing. It looked a bad injury and he wasn't able to put any weight on it as he was helped from the field. To be left there sitting on the ground for a quarter of an hour was inexcusable. Surely Dublin, with all their millions, could have organised a stretcher to carry the lad to the dressing room.

Eanna Murphy is ruled out of the game saturday after picking up an injury last night in Dublin,maybe not such a wise decision to move the game back a day! The extra day probably woulnt have been enough for him to get back but who knows!

thats Dublin and Parnell park for you why bother when he is not from Dublin, remember the way they looked after Finbarr Cullen up there a few year's ago after losing
his teeth from a box from behind by a tramp who now sits and talks on the sunday game well did, also the under 21 footballers i think it was had to fight for their life
a few years ago in parnell park fair play to big John Ryan from Shannonbridge that beat what was on the field and what came out of the stands as well .

have also been in the stands over the last few year's as Birr have hurl there with certain club's throwing bottles from the stand onto where the Birr sub's and tranier were
never liked the sh.thole of a place. just the last thing why have offaly to go to parnell park everytime we play Dublin, bad enough going to nowlan park the last few year's
but we never get a home game in the under 21 anymore not saying we would have won if we had a home game, but we would have a better chance if we had them matches
in Birr up the faithfull.

[sean1976]

just the last thing why have offaly to go to parnell park everytime we play Dublin, bad enough going to nowlan park the last few year's
but we never get a home game in the under 21 anymore not saying we would have won if we had a home game, but we would have a better chance if we had them matches
in Birr up the faithfull.

or even better again townman, didnt your own clubman johnny pilkington drag the dubs to mountbolus for a minor championship game a couple of years ago?? bring them somewhere they will have difficulty finding, where the crowd would be almot spilling onto the field of play!! i have to say that was a stroke of genius that day!!

[sean1976]

just the last thing why have offaly to go to parnell park everytime we play Dublin, bad enough going to nowlan park the last few year's
but we never get a home game in the under 21 anymore not saying we would have won if we had a home game, but we would have a better chance if we had them matches
in Birr up the faithfull.

or even better again townman, didnt your own clubman johnny pilkington drag the dubs to mountbolus for a minor championship game a couple of years ago?? bring them somewhere they will have difficulty finding, where the crowd would be almot spilling onto the field of play!! i have to say that was a stroke of genius that day!!

[Plain of the Herbs]

Getting back on topic . . .
One thing I forgot to say when posting last night . . . I was impressed with how Offaly reacted when Ryan O'Dwyer started that row in Croke Park during the second half. The fellas directly involved got stuck in, reinforcements arrived, and no-one took a step backwards. Justin McCarthy often used the mantra "don't start a row, but don't walk away from one either" when realting stories of going to 'war' in his excellent book Hooked and that's what happened here.

[townman]

just the last thing why have offaly to go to parnell park everytime we play Dublin, bad enough going to nowlan park the last few year's
but we never get a home game in the under 21 anymore not saying we would have won if we had a home game, but we would have a better chance if we had them matches
in Birr up the faithfull.

or even better again townman, didnt your own clubman johnny pilkington drag the dubs to mountbolus for a minor championship game a couple of years ago?? bring them somewhere they will have difficulty finding, where the crowd would be almot spilling onto the field of play!! i have to say that was a stroke of genius that day!!

so good you done it twice

[Lone Shark]

or even better again townman, didnt your own clubman johnny pilkington drag the dubs to mountbolus for a minor championship game a couple of years ago?? bring them somewhere they will have difficulty finding, where the crowd would be almot spilling onto the field of play!! i have to say that was a stroke of genius that day!!

I got more phone calls that week asking me where the hell Mountbolus was......and it's not easy to describe how to get to, even if you do know it well.