Offaly v Laois NHL Round 1 26/2/12

[townman]

good win job done but laois were brutal as i thought before the game if offaly didn't beat that laois team they are going nowhere fast
game over at half time besides the sent off offaly miss about 3 goals and should have been more ahead at the half time whistle.

best today were Diarmuid Horan who is a fine hurler great stickman Del Morkam, i also think Stephen Wynne has came on a lot this year
and is very sure on the ball Dave Kenny will never have a handy day as today as he was the spare man for much of the game in saying that
he had the upper hand on Tommy fitz when he was on him.

Centrefield just about broke even with laois the last 20 minutes laois won midfield and but Del was good when the game was there to be won
Brendan Murphy got great points today few wides but sure you won't get them all James Mulrooney done well took his goal well but missed
a easier one before that.

Shane Dooley still looks way off the pace and if fitter he could have score a few goals today but one did come off the crossbar still got his few points
Joe hurl well and got some nice scores to and made a few Sean Ryan got was it 4 points and when the ground gets harder he will be hard stop his touch
has also came on alot and he also set up a few scores.

as for lads saying there won't be to many Coolderry lads on the side Kinnittyman do you think Derek Molloy will or is a better hurler than Brian Carroll or Murray
jasus i can't see it he has been took off in the 4 games so far this year and wasn't at the races today i still think Carroll , Parlon, and Damien Murray will play
a part in the offaly forward line before the year is out.

Tommy Carroll also came on and got two good scores Colin Egan didn't get into it when he was brought on but in all fairness Matthew Whelean laois centre back is
a good hurler.

as for Willie Hyland and Mick McEvoy looking at it from the stand i thought they done their best to take James Rigney out of todays game, Rigney was beating Hyland
hands down in the first half with Hyland used his hands in pulling Rigneys faceguard, also Hyland also went to take James out of it with a elbow near the end of the first half Rigney
sidestep him and made a arse out of him and the ref gave a free in which was wrong.

anyway job done and wexford park is next they might have lost to Antrim but they will be well up for it in wexford park but i think we can get a result there and take the points
with a good start to the league and Coolderry in the all ireland theirs a great Buzz back in offaly hurling at the moment up the FAITHFUL...............

[kinnittyman]

Hypothetical question Townman:

Last minute Leinster Q-Final, Offaly down 2 points. High ball comes down, in around the square. Offaly are guaranteed to get a goal if a player goes up, catches it cleanly, breaks through two really physical challenges and gets a shot away. Of these four players who would give you the best chance of doing that all things considered...Cathal Parlon, Damien Murray, Brian Carroll or Derek Molloy?

And the referee was entirely correct in awarding a free against James Rigney after he sidesteped Willie Hyland as James caught the ball three times.

[Deadandgone]

Just on d molloy he is a diff type of player to carroll or murray. Every team needs a molloy a guy that will win dirty ball. Not on his game at the moment but that will come when he starts catchin high ball and he is totally a team player i saw him to day lookin to pass a ball when he could have scored him self.he just needs to stay out of stupid dust ups. As for dooley still un fit but when he gets up and runnin he will be a hand full. He could have scored 2.13 to day if every thing went rite. All in all a good team performance at least now they r findin one another with the ball. Keep it goin now

[DAF]

Every good team needs a few mullocker typr players to get anywhere Molloy wasnt great today but he is awkward to deal with and throws himself about and causes trouble for the opposition Conor Mahon is of the same mould and you need players like Molloy and Mahon to mix in with the stylish hurlers in order to win things.Look at Patrick Maher with Tipp isnt a particularly stylish or skilful hurler but he does a great job for the team

[townman]

Hypothetical question Townman:

Last minute Leinster Q-Final, Offaly down 2 points. High ball comes down, in around the square. Offaly are guaranteed to get a goal if a player goes up, catches it cleanly, breaks through two really physical challenges and gets a shot away. Of these four players who would give you the best chance of doing that all things considered...Cathal Parlon, Damien Murray, Brian Carroll or Derek Molloy?

And the referee was entirely correct in awarding a free against James Rigney after he sidesteped Willie Hyland as James caught the ball three times.

well answer to your first one would be Parlon who on this year form look Derek Molloy please god will get better as the year goes on but theirs nothing going right
for him at the moment in his game if he had ducks they would drown.

answer to your second one is that Hyland went into take James out of the game only for his quick feet but if he had to land that elbow on his chin where would the free
be it should have been a free out for hylands action to take Jame's Rigney out of it, anyway we won and thats the main thing

[Plain of the Herbs]

Bloggs is corrent, fares are set nationally by Central Council.

And the reason this division is labelled Division 1B and not Division 2 (as it should be) is so they can charge the Division 1 fare of €13.

I asked at the stile why there wasn't a lower price for the terrace and I was told I'd have to write to the County Secretary to get an answer.

As far as I know the admission prices are set nationally by the GAA

Finally, worth noting Shane Dooley scored 3 fine points, naturally and effortlessly, off his right-hand side.

[dubbiff]

Funny game. Sending off killed any slim Laois hopes. Having said that I felt the ref left some rough stuff go early on and Laois obviously felt they could take advantage and not get a red. In fact McEvoy only got a second yellow and the ref seemed unwilling to even give him that and the linesman stayed as far away as he could as well.

Rigney was correctly penalised for taking the ball off the hurl twice later but what footwork! Crowd got agitated when he got the slap late in the 2nd half but I saw nothing wrong with the Laois man pulling on a ball in mid-air. Rigney just got in the way is all. Definitely wasn't a yellow card offence but they were dog rough overall and I was waiting (hoping) for some Offaly player to flake back but it never came. Is that good discipline or are we just too nice?

Best for Offaly were Horan, Hannify, Murphy, Rigney and Ryan. Kenny was excellent but he was a spare man for most of the game. Molloy and Verney were poor enough. The backs cleared a sight of ball but a lot of it was rained down on the half forward line and mopped up by the Laois defence. Dooley and Bergin improved greatly when brought out of the full forward line.

Does anyone think we let Laois score too much? I know the result was never in doubt but they got a lot of free pucks and in fairness they took some lovely scores. We have a seriously talented half back line but I wouldnt call them the tightest markers with the exception of Rigney. And we should have scored a few more goals but the thing is looking at the two teams today Offaly will improve hugely as the conditions improve whereas Laois have a long way to go. With the right attitude and commitment and a rub of the green this year coul be interesting yet!

[townman]

On league Sunday on rte this evening when reviewing to Offaly game, Cyril Farrell finished by saying that "from a small playing pool Offaly will get 110% out of every player....."

Refreshing to hear that in fairness, and here's hoping for an honest and successful years endeavors for this team.

Cyril has always had a soft spot for offaly hurling and he knows his stuff, he also knows if we do get a bunch together and are train right
and everyone is pulling together we could rattle leinster in the next year or so, also Eddie Brennan came across well tonight also.

offaly game will be on monday night on TG 4 .

[townman]

Funny game. Sending off killed any slim Laois hopes. Having said that I felt the ref left some rough stuff go early on and Laois obviously felt they could take advantage and not get a red. In fact McEvoy only got a second yellow and the ref seemed unwilling to even give him that and the linesman stayed as far away as he could as well.

Rigney was correctly penalised for taking the ball off the hurl twice later but what footwork! Crowd got agitated when he got the slap late in the 2nd half but I saw nothing wrong with the Laois man pulling on a ball in mid-air. Rigney just got in the way is all. Definitely wasn't a yellow card offence but they were dog rough overall and I was waiting (hoping) for some Offaly player to flake back but it never came. Is that good discipline or are we just too nice?

Best for Offaly were Horan, Hannify, Murphy, Rigney and Ryan. Kenny was excellent but he was a spare man for most of the game. Molloy and Verney were poor enough. The backs cleared a sight of ball but a lot of it was rained down on the half forward line and mopped up by the Laois defence. Dooley and Bergin improved greatly when brought out of the full forward line.

Does anyone think we let Laois score too much? I know the result was never in doubt but they got a lot of free pucks and in fairness they took some lovely scores. We have a seriously talented half back line but I wouldnt call them the tightest markers with the exception of Rigney. And we should have scored a few more goals but the thing is looking at the two teams today Offaly will improve hugely as the conditions improve whereas Laois have a long way to go. With the right attitude and commitment and a rub of the green this year coul be interesting yet!

yes i to was waiting for someone to flak Hyland or McEvoy who were dog rough at times, but i don't think we were to nice i think we played with our heads we lost two big games the
last two years because of lads getting sent off Dan Currams 2010 Galway draw game and Molloy last year again Dublin the score board is where you hurt a team.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Not much point saying to much about that today, Laois were rancid.


My worry about a Rigney, Hanniffy, Horan half back line lies not in their ability but in the balance of the team generally. Asides from the fact that Morkan, in my view, is easily the best wing back in the county, all of those three could play very effectively elsewhere. To load them all into the half back line at the expense of other players seems senseless.

Both Hanniffy and Horan could play brilliantly anywhere from midfield up while Rigney could be very effective as a defensive midfielder. As big a fan of Rigney as I am, there is always a slight worry that some day he may be physically dominated at wing back. Although, in fairness, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.




As for the Coolderry debate, I agree with Kinnittyman - sort of. The only place Coolderry may contribute players to the Offaly team will be in the forward line or perhaps Parlon at midfield. My view on how irrelevant club competitions are to the inter-county scene is, by now, well articulated. Thus, it may very well be the case that no Coolderry players make the team come summer. However, Ryan, Carroll, Parlon and Murray are deserving of places on the panel. No more, no less. After that, let them prove their worth in training and in the few league games they may play. I, and others, will be watching closely.

All of those players, on form, could contribute something to the cause, so in that regard I would be slightly less dismissive of their chances that Kinnittyman. However, form is a fickle thing and I am mindful of the less than average displays those players have produced at club and county level in the past. Time will tell.




Haven't anything about Cleary beyond it's perhaps ankle related? I too would to see him given a chance to sink or swim at full back, thus releasing David to centre back and Rory to midfield or centre forward. However, until he's fit the management probably have little choice but to continue with the David-Rory axis.

Anybody heard anything Dylan Hayden? His class is needed for midfield and beyond.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Additionally, has Brian Watkins left the panel? A pity if he has. From underage, he's always seemed to me as a player with the class to make it on the inter-county stage. A corner back berth may well have been within his reach this year.

[Deadandgone]

Yea watkins is good but does not like the hard graft of trainin. You have to be able to go through anything to make it at inter county level. Hayden. Franks parlon carroll murray will be on the team

[Jack The Lad]

Molloy will come good by the summer for sure his ball winning ability and all round work rate are vital to the team after Dooley and Bergin hes the next forwards name I'd be writing down. Murray Carroll and Parlon all on the starting team? Very hard to see it. I'd like to see parlon getting a few games to prove himself and try nail down a starting position. Sean Ryan looked very sharp and he could prove to be a big addition this year. Its a pity about Brian Watkins I really thought he would make the starting 15 if he applied himself properly. A good start to the league yesterday even if laois were very poor.

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Good start and I like the way Offaly are at last trying to find their men when the option is on.

Today, yes, thought we allowed Laois a lot of uncontested shots at goal, I would fear against the other teams in the league we dont tighten up.

Poor enough in Midfield, Brian Dunne cleaned up for Laois, (reckon he pucked around 4 good points), Mahon was disappointing.
Laois had it in for Rigney and the sending off was well deserved, thought the ref was very lax early on. He wanted to let it flow, but unfortunately you cant do that with Leix, they lost the run of themselves a bit.

We hit some great scores, but would agree with a lot of posters in that Molloy's first touch was shocking, Verneys was nearly as bad and he is a grafter but not really up to this level, would have liked to see Watkins there for a game or too, but if he wont put in the work???
Bergin, Sean Ryan and Murphy were the pick of the forwards.

Lot of work to do but was happy leaving yesterday.

Again though the County board leave a lot to be desired, all thats needed in the programme are the teams and upcoming fixtures. Match report covering 2 pages from the shield final was shocking to see. Really need to get the act together on this. To be honest €13 should entitle you to a programme also.

But onwards to Wexford next week, doubt i'll make it, might save the money for the trip to Limerick!

[llkj]

Always good to get a win to start the league.

Regarding the Coolderry lads making the team/panel, it seems a little strange to me when lads talk about them having to prove themselves. Of course they have to prove themselves, the same as every other player on the panel, but they shouldn't be punished for getting their club to an All Ireland final.
Also, speaking of proving themselves, I think there are 7 or 8 Clareen lads on the county panel now and there have been around that many of them for the last couple of years. When you consider that it is half a club team getting inter-county training all year, you would have to expect them to make a move this year in the club championship, as we have been hearing about them 'coming' for some time now.