Offaly v Limerick NHL 24/03/2012

[kinnittyman]

If Colin Egan will work it'll be in the half forward line. Can't see him being a long term option at 14.

No idea what the story is with Derek Molloy. I thought he'd become a go to guy this year in the half forward line.

[Plain of the Herbs]

You're not wrong there. I think they see themselves as the fourth 'traditional power' after Kilkenny, Cork and Tipperary.

That is the tone of the two books compiled by Henry Martin in recent years. Particularly the second one, where there's an excuse for every single year from the inception of the GAA up to date. Poor lambs, the second book implies they could have won about 95 All-Irelands by now,. Only for, well, . . . themselves, really!

Nothing like a good conspiracy theory. Or 95!

Maybe it's the guys on anfearrrua, but I always associate an inherent arrogance with Limerick hurling depsite the fact that there is no basis for this whatsoever. When we gave them a good trimming down there in a qualifier a couple of years ago there was no recognition of how well we hurled, only a declaration that their weaknesses led to our victory. Sickening really.

[ballinamereman1]

is Derek Molloy hurt to i rather him fullforward than Egan! Egan is good in the air to be fair to him but Molloy is a better score getter.

Yes derek Molloy is getting an operation on his groin in the upcoming days.. he'll be gone for 2 months..

[Deadandgone]

A draw match to nite. Dooley with last min peno. He missed another one. Have to beat clare next week end now.

[townman]

just back well got out of jail should be the headline but we had the chances to kill the game early in the first half Quaid
pulling off some great saves we should have scored 2 more goals in the first half.

the problem we have all this league and in every game so far is offaly have no midfield none tonight our halfforward line stayed on the bus
i lost count on how many puck outs that Limericks midfield or half back line were on there own to catch the puckout and not an offaly jersey in site.

Ger Heailion turn the game when he came on got the goal made the other for his clubmate Mahon, fair play to Shane Dooley for scoring the pen as he missed
one before hand but we would be lost without his scoring tally saying that he did miss a few few but that will happen.

midfield has to be fixed and quick i don't care bring Joe Brady back into centreback move Hanniffy to centre field give Kevin Brady a shot
Dylan Hayden is still out so maybe with the Coolderry players back Ollie Baker will be able to change a few poistions in the side.

i would have took the draw when Limerick 6 points up in the second half but fair play to the players they stuck at them with subs Coughan and Tommy C arroll
and Healion and James Rigney for a small man he is a great bit of stuff and again tonight took a few hits.

so the draw was like a win in the end so i was happy enough leaving the stand with the other 20 fans from offaly which brings me to say offaly support is brutal
fcuk me their was more fans from waterford on the way out than offaly but somethings will never change.

Clare next weekend and we need a win here thats if the slaneysiders don't get a shock win on sunday i can't see that but you never know
i think if we beat clare Limerick will have to beat Antrim by 20 points or something to tip us out of the league final place.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Has the collapse against Wexford taken more out of that team than we thought?

That was poor tonight, with the exception of the first 15 minutes. Moving Bergin to centre-forward, and then to full-forward, knocked any rhythm out of Offaly. An exchange of fcuks between Horan and Dooley that was audible to anyone in the open stand put the tin hat on it. Offaly couldn’t cope with Graeme Mulcahy’s pace.

Limerick managed to avoid Rory Hanniffy for most of the second half. James Rigney went from midfield to wing-forward before being replaced. On the other hand, switching Morkan to the left and Franks to the right knocked Limerick out of their second-half stride.

Ger Healion has a name as something of a mullocker, rightly or wrongly. Tonight, his pass to pick out Conor Mahon for a crucial goal was just sublime. I know Phoenix who posts here sees something classy in Ger. In that move tonight, he could have barged, then he could have shot, but time seemd to freeze and he played a beautifully weighted 15-yard stickpass to Mahon who had stolen in behind the cover. Shades of that goal against Galway in Portlaoise.

Healion should start at 14 the next day. A full-forward line of Dooley, Healion and Ryan has potential. Hard to know after that. Tonight was a poor performance.

[Deadandgone]

Why move horan and rigney from the wing back positions. I said it before the match mid field is prob area. We could try shane kelly and david franks in mid field as they play very well with their clubs. Joe brady would be destroyed at centre back. Maybe centre foward and bring others into play. He is very good at that.

[townman]

Why move horan and rigney from the wing back positions. I said it before the match mid field is prob area. We could try shane kelly and david franks in mid field as they play very well with their clubs. Joe brady would be destroyed at centre back. Maybe centre foward and bring others into play. He is very good at that.

we are getting destroyed at midfield anyway, so i think Brady would hold his own in this division move Hanniffy to midfield with Horan and Rigney each side of Brady
i think Paul Cleary and Dylan Hayden are two big lose out of the squad at the moment as Hayden would hurl midfield and Cleary centre or fullback.

Shane Kelly got a 8 week ban over the westmeath game should be up by now, what about Barry Harding at midfield fast enough and has a good strike of the ball
would Cathal Parlon do a job out there or if Kevin Brady was to come back in to the panel.

i think we have to do something about our midfield before the championship we have been outhurl there in all games this year and we are not doing anything about it.
Horan is a number 7 and leave him there that where i think he does his best hurling.

Colin Egan could be another opinion for midfield he can catch a ball he is fit can score he is just another opinion .

[GreatDayForTheParish]

That was a worryingly poor Offaly performance last night. Unlike Wexford two weeks ago, we must not let the final scoreboard conceal the fact that for long periods of the game last night we were hopeless. The forward play, particularly in the second half, was some of the worst seen by an Offaly front six in a long, long time. When you're sitting in cold in the openside it makes for a chastening night.

The team as it started was:

James Dempsey

Chris McDonald
David Kenny (C)
Stephen Wynne

Derek Morkan
Rory Hanniffy
David Franks

James Rigney
Diarmuid Horan

Joe Bergin
Conor Mahon
Brendan Murphy

Shane Dooley
Colin Egan
James Mulrooney


A few points:

1: The forward play last night was atrocious. Even when we were on top for the fist 20/25 mins a succesion of chances and possession was squandered. The only way to describe the second half was utterly horrendous. Was there any point scored from play in that second period? From the delivery from the defense, to the ability of the forwards to win possession, to creating space and finally to putting the ball over the bar - all aspects were lamentable.

2: Only one forward from the starting six scored a point from play (Brendan Murphy with two). That's just not good enough.

3: Of the above forward six, only Shane Dooley, Joe Bergin and Brendan Murphy should be considered for the championship.

4: When a teams supposed 'not very skillful, not able to score but can win ball' forwards are incapable of doing even that, it requires a serious re-think of what a forward six are all about. Compared to Limerick and their ability to create space, use pace (Grame Mulcahy, Conor Alis) and clip points from a variety of positions, Offaly were at nothing persisting with route one tactics that they were incapable of utilising.

5: When the labouring efforts of some were viewed last night and their inability of the forward six to score points from play, players that can, quite simply, put the ball over the bar from 40 yards out are required. Dylan Hayden, Brian Carroll and perhaps Cathal Parlon are now needed as a matter of urgency. How players like that that have shown ability, perhaps inconsistently, in that past, can be on the receiving end of not insignificant amounts of criticism while players that have never impressed at county level and only rarely at club level can be given chance after chance purely because the can apparently 'win ball' is a continuing mystery to me.

6:Tom Carroll replaced James Mulrooney with 15 or so to go. By this stage, it may be worth giving him a starting berth. So too Sean Ryan who with his pace and direct running brought a badly needed threat to a forward line that had been stagnant up until that point. It was this very directness that resulted in the final penalty. Played in the right system with the right instruction and given the right ball, Sean Ryan could do damage in a full forward line. With the clocks forward and the weather outside, his time is coming.

7: For a player with his undoubted ability, Shane Dooley is utterly infuriating to watch from open play. Some of his efforts to win ball and indeed score from open play were atrocious, bordering on the downright lazy. Ignore the newspaper headlines, his contribution to the scoreboard from play is not just good enough. He's capable of much much more.

8: Ger Healion mixed the good with the bad when he came on. The pass to Conor Mahon was exceptional however as was the subsequent finish. Despite this, he is however not the answer lacking the mobility to make an impact at this level. We know this from experience.

9: Questions over midfield too with Diarmuid Horan and James Rigney both starting well but fading out as the game progressed. The moving of James Rigney to wing forward prior to his substitution was nonsensical as was the moving of the on form Brendan Murphy from wing forward to midfield. Del and Rigney should surely be considered for the wing back positons and, given how short we are up front, perhaps now is the time for Diarmuid Horan to be given a chance in the half forward line. His pace, skill and scoring ability are valuably needed.

10: Considering the pressure they were under for long periods of the game, the back six performed reasonably well, conceding few frees. The pace of Grame Mulcahy and Conor Alis did however cause significant problems. The standouts were David Kenny, Del and Rory. Sean Coughlan replaced Stephen Wynne at corner back for the second half and can be happy with his performance.



Overall, this was a deeply disappointing performance. Limerick for their part are ok. Nothing more nothing less. They won't come within an asses roar of winning the All-Ireland. Another excuse will be needed come September.

Worryingly, with one league game left, questions now surround every line on our team. Injuries and Coolderry's success have been significant impediments in getting our best 15 on the pitch. Our year will rise and fall and how well or otherwise these questions are answered over the coming weeks.

[townman]

good point on bring Horan into the half forward line, just a question lads were saying how many Coolderry would get on the offaly side this year?
Watching the last few league games and the trouble we are in the forwards and midfield there could be 4 or more? .

[GreatDayForTheParish]

good point on bring Horan into the half forward line, just a question lads were saying how many Coolderry would get on the offaly side this year?
Watching the last few league games and the trouble we are in the forwards and midfield there could be 4 or more? .

Don't overreact. Carroll, Parlon, Ryan and Murray deserve the chance to prove their worth on the PANEL. No more or less, with the first two standing the best chance of making the team.

[backofthenet]

There should be about 7 coolderry players on the offaly panel this year. Joe & Kevin Brady, Brian Carroll, Cathal Parlon, Damien Murray, Eoin Ryan & probably even Kevin Connolly. I think im being conservative with that number to be honest as there are a number of others who have had a great year in the green jersey. Of the 7 id say an argument could be made for 3 or 4 to hold starting berths depending on their performances from here on of course.

Joe Brady was man of the match in most club games Coolderry hurled this year however I think for Offaly he is most likely to be utilised in the half forward line. The reasons why he should be included are very simple, he is a born leader, he competes very well for a high ball something which is a problem in offaly for clubs and county alike for some reason and he can create chances to break ball for the inside forward line. I would think a full forward line of Parlon, Ryan & Dooley would work well as long as Shane Dooley hurls from the front and uses his pace.

[Deadandgone]

Shane dooley is doin well from frees at the moment. Joe bergin would do the same. Needs to work on hit fitness can not get away from back men anymore. Gettin hooked and blocked. As for rigney and horan,they r our best wing backs at the moment. So leave them in the wing back spots. Del was workin well at mid field and the best game i saw mahon playin was v cork in a league match on no other than ronan curran. He destroyed him for most of the game and has barely played at 11 since.

[kingscounty]

have to agree with backofthenet joe brady has to be considered for the team and centre forward or full forward is where id like to see him play. He is a huge man who is great at winning high ball and a great man to lay a pass off. we need a big target man down the middle who will fight for dirty ball and add strenght to the forward line. we had no half forward line and mid field was poor, so parlon,murray,carroll , ryan all deserve a shot and all can score and create. midfield is very worrying because its a vital position where alot of ball has to be won and where scores are created, mahon for me along with kevin brady might work but they tend to fade in and out of games , shane kelly when back is an option to and hayden. healion did well when he came on last night and think he is better used as a sub than starting as he tends to tire in games where he starts, he makes more of an impact when he is run on with 10 or 15 mins to go where he can throw his weight around.

[Toxicity234]

i was in limerick last night.
good god how our backs keep the limerick forwards from beating us out of the park is something i'll never understand.
we should be very happy to have some very good defenders in the county.
our really problems were upfront last night. its not that we weren't winning the ball. Our Forward let the limerick backs clear way too much ball without any pressure.
Our half forward line won nothing. and worse fought for nothing.

Thankfully our subs worked well. Ger Healion at Full Foward had a big Game(and he was ahead of his man for every ball) and the only thing i would say was we didn't use him enough. The ball to pick out Mahon for his goal was awesome and i'm not sure who got foul of the peno, but who every it was he was heading for goal and there was no stopping him.

Tom Carrol picked up his first ball after coming on and didn't look just let fly and drop the ball in the square that ball lead to Healion goal.

Sean Ryan might not have got on the score sheet but he did some better he came on to the field and played like an good conner forward he was play within a yard of the sideline, none of this stand beside the Full Forward. This meant that Healion was getting one on one with the full back and Bingo.

the disalowed goal in the first half was a bit harsh as well i thought that Egan follow the ball in, but Egan didn't complain to much so i might be wrong.

I have to say that Shane Dooley did well to hold his nerve and put away the peno. but he need to a little work on his frees. i think we miss 4 and a peno last night.
i know a free taker will not score all of them but two 21 Frees should have being put over.

Work to be done if we want to beat Clare.