tullamore v clonkill

[leinsterman]

well lad's how do you think this one will go it's in mullingar as well. if it was birr they were playing i say no problem.
but it will be hard for tullamore to get a win. clonkill are not a bad side won allireland two year's ago. best of luck to
tullamore anyway if they get the win it will be ballyhale in the final. i think the final would be in tullamore. as birr went
to nowlan park the last two year's. that would bring a big crowd from offaly two o'connor park

[bula bula]

Was a little bit surpised that Clonkill came through the game today but they will be a tough nut to crack for Tullamore. A lot will depend on whether Tullamore are just content with the county title or are hungry enough to push themselves on a bit more. It is definitely the easier side of the draw though and a win would give more confidence to a team on a roll and riding on the crest of a wave. The break is not ideal but Kevin Martin will have kept them ticking over. Should have enough to win by a couple but would not be surpised at all to see Tullamore turned over either.

As for the final, it will be Ballyhale but only if they get over Ballyboden first. Also I may be wrong but I am pretty sure I seen somewhere that the final will be in Nowlan Parkif it works out that Tullamore and Ballyhale meet.

[leinsterman]

are you sure if it is a bally tullamore final it will be in nowlan park. birr went there last year's final plus the semil final
the year before. they can't have 3 home game's in a row against the same county, don't think it work's that way.
birr went to parnell park last year because ballyboden came to tullamore for the 07 final. birr had to play the 08 final
in nowlan park because we got the 07 final. so if tullamore win's and bally win they have to come to o'connor park.
not that coming to o'connor park will worry ballyhale shamrock's they would play it in geashill if you wanted to.
so it would be unfair if a offaly club have to go to nowlan park for the third year in a row.

[The Magpie]

I could be wrong about this, but I don't think it has anything to do with where previous games were played (i.e. last year, year before, etc). The draw appears to have been made without any respect for who might win the various County Championships - and long before then anyway.

If this really is the case, Tullamore will NOT have home advantage for a Leinster Final, should they get there:

1. Oulart-The-Ballagh (WX) v Ballyhale Shamrocks (KK)

01.11.2009
Wexford Park
2.30pm

2. 1 v Dublin
15.11.2009
Wexford/Kilkenny
2.30pm

3. Clonkill (WH) v Clough/Ballacolla (LS)

01.11.2009
Mullingar
2.30pm

4. 3 v Tullamore (OY)
15.11.2009
Mullingar/Portlaoise
2.30pm

CRAOBH FINAL: 2 v 4 29.11.2009
TBA


That reads to me that the team that wins Match number 4 will NOT have home advantage in a Leinster Final.

[turk]

Kevin Martin as newly appointed Westmeath hurling manager will get a good chance to get a close look at some potential county panelists!

[Frank Mcguigan]

Best of luck to Tullamore at the weekend , It will be very tough for them to get themselves back motivated after such a historic victory but for the good of hurling in the county heres hoping that they do.

[Lone Shark]

Experience of provincial competition is huge at club level, and it was for that reason that I backed Clonkill to win yesterday. (http://betdiary.com/kevinegan/2009/10/2 ... s-weekend/ for those who suspect I'm spoofing!) The standard in the All Ireland intermediate club is very decent and they did really well to win it, and Tullamore will have it all to do against them in Mullingar. That said I would rate Tullamore as a better team than Clough-Ballacolla, and there's no danger of the Westmeath men being underestimated now, so I'd perhaps give a tentative nod to Tullamore. It'll be a real test for Tullamore at 6 and 11 though - Mitchell and Murtagh are two very classy hurlers who would be capable of playing at a much higher level.

[Lone Shark]

Just seen the odds up on PP at 11/4 Clonkill and 1/3 Tullamore. I won't be backing against an Offaly team, but that's very short - would expect it to be much closer than this.

[leinsterman]

I Think this will be a close game. clonkill are not bad i had a feeling they would beat clough-ballacolla on sunday.
you have to remember it's club hurling not county. and the westmeath hurling crowd get behind their team's in mullingar.
jasus i was there at walsh cup or league game's and you think it was the all ireland they were in. they don't like offaly either.
so tullamore will want to start well and keep them quiet. you would'nt want to give them a good start you could be in trouble.
but i think if tullamore play like they did against birr they will win i hope. because if birr were playing them the score board would
run out of number's best of luck to tullamore anyway and don't let them beat ye.

[Kemo Sabe]

this game isnt on till sunday week .i have to be honest and say im a bit worried about this game .there is no doubt that tullamore are a better team than clonkill but alot will depend on how tullamore approach the game .if we go in with the same drive that we had against birr and kk we will win but anything less could result in an embarrsing exit .its a good thing that there has being the few weeks between this game and the county final because it would have being very hard to come down from that high .it will be strange going in as favarates but lets hope the lads can do the business .tullamore to win by 4 or 5 points .

[Bord na Mona man]

If you look it one way, Clonkill or any other Westmeath club team wouldn't beat Birr.
However the dynamic is different now for Tellamore.
They got through Offaly with backs to the wall heroics, now they are facing into a game that they should won.

The mindset will be different. The great teams in sport know how to win games without having to empty the tank. Hopefully Tullamore can win the game without ever needing to hit the panic button.

[turk]

Hi, just a question on this - Newstalk reported on Thursday that Kevin Martin resigned as Tullamore player manager. Presumably he will still be playing but is there a new coach, or is he training them as long as they remain in the competition or what is the story here?

[leinsterman]

he would have to still play with them anyway. he won't be able to do anything with westmeath untill 2010.
couldn't see him walking away now tullamore only 60 mins away from a leinster final

[Lone Shark]

The closer it gets to this game the more I think that this will be a game that Tullamore will do really well to come out of. A game under your belt is a huge advantage to have, not to mention getting to play the game at home, and the confusion over the Kevin Martin situation can't be helping matters either. I know that at this stage of the year the team essentially manages itself in that the game plan has been established, little or no man management is needed with players all keen to do well, but even so it can't be helping.

It'll be a very different test for Tullamore, as BnaM man has pointed out, and one which I think they'll do very well to pass.


Incidentally, I wonder will it be a factor that Ballyhale will be waiting in the final? With all due respect to either Clonkill or Tullamore, but neither of those teams would have the slightest chance of turning over Shamrocks. Realistically this is a match to get to a final, with little or no prospect of winning I wonder would that affect the mentality at all going into Sunday?

[TheManFromFerbane]

... but neither of those teams would have the slightest chance of turning over Shamrocks. Realistically this is a match to get to a final...

Oh Sharky, when will you learn