CORK V OFFALY 13/02/2011.

[black and red exile]

If Dennis Walsh was able to choose an opponent for his opening fixture of the league then there is no doubt Offaly would be that opponent. After being at the UCD and Carlow games I have noticed a real sense of doom amongst the very small band of supporters that have been at both games, I have spoken to well respected Offaly men last Saturday in Carlow who claim Offaly are in for one serious pasting on Leeside this coming Sunday and as much as I hate to be such a gloom merchant myself I find it very hard to disagree with them. Last Saturday in Carlow Offaly were absolutley shocking, every aspect of their play was so poor that you would wonder did some of these guys ever hold a hurl in their lives, they made Carlow look like Tipp at times and how Offaly didn't lose this game after 70 mins will remain a mystery.
I wouldn't be overly familar with Cork, no doubt hurling experts POTH and GREAT DAY FOR THE PARISH will have the facts and figures of Cork's strenghts and weaknesses but as a supporter who will be in the lions Den on Sunday and as much as I hate to admit it I can see us getting a hammering and a half, I just pray the beating isn't too severe to destroy any brittle confidence before the rest of this very tough campaign kicks in.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

As you were 12 months ago, Offaly's primary goal for this league campaign is to ensure survival in Division One.

Despite last year's 'reasonable on paper' defeats to Galway and Tipperary, Campaign 2011 begins under a cloud of negativity. Another year of underage hammerings with seemingly minimal interest for improvement from the County Board, Coolderry's loss to Raharney and Joe Dooley's 'will I, won't I' with the County Board for a couple of months (and his eventual staying) have all served to weaken the moral of the Faithful's hurling faithful.

That not withstanding, for the second year in succession we've been handed the best draw possible to achieve aforementioned survival with Wexford, Dublin, Galway and Waterford all due to visit Tullamore. Analogous to the visits of Limerick and Dublin last year, it goes without saying that both the Dublin and Wexford (pity Oulart lost) games are the big ones. Fellow relegation candidates, at least one of those games must be won. As for Galway and Waterford, I wouldn't send out the bench just yet. Consistently inconsistent, especially during the league, there is no reason either of those two can't be turned over. I'd be much more confident of the latter happening if those games were in Birr, some nice league results against Cork, Waterford, Tipp and Wexford were had in St.Brendan's Park during the middle of the last decade.

As starting fifteens go, Offaly's trained and selected correctly is potentially very good. That is perhaps what is most grating about the current management, their utter mishandling of a team capable of far, far more. Tactics, training and selections; are all poor, antiquated and completely unsuitable to the modern game. Last year's 'competitiveness' was made in spite rather than because of Joe Dooley, only the addition of Francis Ford to the set up this year offers any hope of meaningful improvement.

More comment will come when the teams are released but Cork's, and the approach to the league, will garner much interest. No player can logically go from an automatic starter one year to being completely dropped off the panel the next, thus Denis Walsh's treatment of Sean Og certainly contained ulterior motives, probably a case of the dressing room only being big enough for one of them as opposed to Walsh looking towards a new generation. Nonetheless with an ageing and deteriorating team, Cork need to to start blooding new players. William Egan, Ray Ryan, Eoin Dilon and Lorcan McLoughlin are but a few who could be used this Spring. Cork's experimentation could thus be Offaly's opportunity. Even if Cork go with the familiar, what reason to fear it? Cork submitted to Kilkenny last August as tamely as any team in the last five years while the performances of their front six in both games against Waterford last year were among the worst ever seen from a Cork attack.

Anyway, we'll know more when the teams are out.



P.S: Thanks for the compliment Black and Red Exile, unmerited though it is. POTH on the other hand writes great stuff for a man with such a crippling disability - being from Lusmagh.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Just on this point . . . one of the legacies of the past that this Offaly team continues to carry is that, even when they don’t let a heavy defeat upset them, and they are able to move on to the next match.

Two instances – they had a terrible NHL opening last year, going to Cork (though putting up a decent show) before going to Kilkenny, again showing up relatively well. Also, last Summer they went to Cork to play a challenge match against the locals. They sustained a heavy defeat yet gave it loads against Galway in Croke Park seven days later.

One thing about Sunday’s match – Pairc Uí Chaoímh is built in a swamp. Check the match is going ahead before ye travel.

I just pray the beating isn't too severe to destroy any brittle confidence before the rest of this very tough campaign kicks in.

[black and red exile]

Thanks for the tip about the Pairc POTH, BUT I will already be down there for Valentines from Saturday, it would be a whore if the game was called off due to the poxy weather

[Plain of the Herbs]

The Corkies line out as follows: -

Anthony Nash; Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers), Eoin Cadogan, Shane Murphy; John Gardiner, Mark Ellis (Millstreet), Ray Ryan; Jerry O'Connor, William Egan; Tom Kenny, Pa Cronin, Cathal Naughton; Ben O'Connor, Paudie O'Sullivan, Pat Horgan.

Subs: Martin Coleman, Eoin Dillon, Conor O'Sullivan, Ronan Curran, Brian Murphy, Lorcan McLoughlin, Cian McCarthy, Niall McCarthy, Kieran Murphy (Sars).


Not much by way of experimentation there. A new corner-back and a new centre-back from Millstreet which is deep in football territory. Other than that, Tom Kenny lining out at wing forward is as radical as it gets.

[bracknaghboy]

Plenty of scoring options for Cork with that lineup and more on the bench as well. Our backs will be under pressure for most of the 70 minutes but they are used to that at this stage. It may not be a bad thing ......as long as the score doesn't get out of hand I'd have no issue with backs getting a good workout in this type of match at this time of year. Would like to see us winning every game possible but realistically a good showing here will suffice and there are more winnable games ahead.

[black and red exile]

In modern day hurling the battles with the half back and half forward lines are crucial with the winning and losing of games, Gardiner is a legend forever in Cork hurling, Ryan is fairly handy himself, this guy from Millstreet is I imagine totally unknown outside Cork, I'm taking a wild guess in thinking that our half forward line could very well be something like Brian Carroll and Cathal Parlon starting on the two wings with Joe Bergin at No 11, in which case that would give Offaly a decent chance of at least breaking even in this sector, that rebel half back line doesn't look half as frightening with Gardiner's two pals Sean OG and Ronan Curran not there

[Bord na Mona man]

It's hard to know if the pitch of Pairc Ui Swamp will help or hinder Offaly.
The glue like conditions may keep the scoring down early on, but it will also drain the legs of player and they'll feel it in the closing stages.

Cork will most likely throw on three fresh (and decent-ish) forwards near the end too.
About 2-16 to 1-11 I suspect.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Plenty of scoring options for Cork with that lineup and more on the bench as well.

Not picking on you Bracknagh boy, more something of a similar ilk one would hear 'on the doorstep'.

I wouldn't be too quick to build up the Cork players simply because 'they're from Cork so they must be good'. Its that kind of attitude to the traditional powers that seeps through to a panel of players and contributes to where we are today. Granted there are some big names among that Cork forward line up (O'Connor, Naughton and Horgan) but I still can't forget how utterly useless they were as an offensive unit in the Munster Finals last year. That ignominy was followed by nothing special against Antrim and then capitulation against Kilkenny. That said, Horgan is the class act among them, he'll take watching.

Time to forget about the colour of the jersey they wear and instead look at opposition players with the same critical eye as we would our own. That done, hopefully many will realise that the task ahead is eminently surmountable.

[Greenwhiteandgold]

Any work on the team for the match ??

[Turenne]

Plenty of scoring options for Cork with that lineup and more on the bench as well.

Not picking on you Bracknagh boy, more something of a similar ilk one would hear 'on the doorstep'.

I wouldn't be too quick to build up the Cork players simply because 'they're from Cork so they must be good'. Its that kind of attitude to the traditional powers that seeps through to a panel of players and contributes to where we are today. Granted there are some big names among that Cork forward line up (O'Connor, Naughton and Horgan) but I still can't forget how utterly useless they were as an offensive unit in the Munster Finals last year. That ignominy was followed by nothing special against Antrim and then capitulation against Kilkenny. That said, Horgan is the class act among them, he'll take watching.

Time to forget about the colour of the jersey they wear and instead look at opposition players with the same critical eye as we would our own. That done, hopefully many will realise that the task ahead is eminently surmountable.

That would be a great point if it wasn't for the fact that the offensive unit in last year's Munster Final was almost completely different then the one we have lining up on Sunday. Kenny and Naughton were playing midfield, Patrick Cronin was out injured for the year, and Paudie Sul was on the bench. On top of that we played a very different and predictable style of hurling, i.e. dirrect long ball on top of the square. The team picked on Sunday will at least try and play a shorter, more measured game.

As such, the highlighted point is a complete red-herring.

Ryan is fairly handy himself,

Ryan is rubbish. A tidy enough hurler, but small, ill-disciplined, and badly short of physicality. I would strongly suggest putting your best half-forward on him.

Anyway, I expect Cork to win by 5-10 points, but I wish Offaly the best for the year, I do think your team isn't quite as bad as people on here (although I'm sure ye know better) suggest, physical, hard-working but somewhat short on talent. Still, in championship hurling quite competitive (evidently Dooley largely doesn't care about the league)

[Bord na Mona man]

On top of that we played a very different and predictable style of hurling, i.e. dirrect long ball on top of the square. The team picked on Sunday will at least try and play a shorter, more measured game.

On the style issue. As I've said with Kerry and Donaghy and it applies to Aisaike or Cussen and Cork. Once team starts the gimmick of launching everything long and high, the intelligence starts to ebb out of their play. When it suddenly stops working, players' ability to pick out the right ball, or take up a good position has gone rusty.

Regardless of personnel though, I think Cork's lack of top notch forwards will be their biggest weakness this year. The likes of Joe Deane and Corcoran (probably tipped it for Cork in 04 and 05) just haven't been adequately replaced.

I don't think Offaly see this as a winnable game and already have an eye on the relegation matches later on.

[townman]

Plenty of scoring options for Cork with that lineup and more on the bench as well.

Not picking on you Bracknagh boy, more something of a similar ilk one would hear 'on the doorstep'.

I wouldn't be too quick to build up the Cork players simply because 'they're from Cork so they must be good'. Its that kind of attitude to the traditional powers that seeps through to a panel of players and contributes to where we are today. Granted there are some big names among that Cork forward line up (O'Connor, Naughton and Horgan) but I still can't forget how utterly useless they were as an offensive unit in the Munster Finals last year. That ignominy was followed by nothing special against Antrim and then capitulation against Kilkenny. That said, Horgan is the class act among them, he'll take watching.

Time to forget about the colour of the jersey they wear and instead look at opposition players with the same critical eye as we would our own. That done, hopefully many will realise that the task ahead is eminently surmountable.

i think tipp went into pairc Ui Chaoimh with the same mindset as you last year and look at the beating they got, i am going down to the match on sunday
morning and as long as i am going i can't recall an offaly victory down in the Pairc and i was first down there in the early 80's.

as for Cork they got to the waterford crystal cup final with players from there B team and done well again waterford in the final
i don't expect offaly to win on sunday and if we are not up to gear we could be in for a bad beating down there as there will be lads
out to nail down a marker to Denis Walsh from the off this year.

i hope some of our big guns like Brian Carroll, Bergin, and Dooley put in a shift on sunday we might not be that far off if we hurl well
i think we are missing a good few so that could be our undoing as offaly need everybody on board for us to get a result.
as for the Cork forwards last years game Pat Horgan went to town on us and will have to be marked tighter on sunday
with the likes of Cian McCarthy, Ronan Curran,Niall McCarthy, and Kieran Murphy on the Bench it will show you how strong cork are.

i know the were beaten well bye kilkenny in the semil-final last year but they could have won the two games again waterford in the munster final
they threw away the first game and they gave tipp a lesson in the first round they would have been a different kettle of fish if they were munster champion's.

as the Late Christy Ring once said Cork hurlers are like mushrooms they can come over night i for one would never write off a cork hurling team
as they have proved over the last 100 year's they are always there or there abouts.

[bracknaghboy]

Plenty of scoring options for Cork with that lineup and more on the bench as well.

Not picking on you Bracknagh boy, more something of a similar ilk one would hear 'on the doorstep'.
................ but I still can't forget how utterly useless they were as an offensive unit in the Munster Finals last year. That ignominy was followed by nothing special against Antrim and then capitulation against Kilkenny. .

Anyone could see last year that the Cork forward outfit was crippled by the crazy Cussen/Aisake combination. Cork abandoned the free flowing game that served them well for 10 years and were attempting to lorry the ball into big men, but the problem was the two lads were utterly useless but for one or two moments by Aisake. You might argue that they were lorrying the ball into Corcoran 7-8 yrs ago when he was on the edge of the square but Corcoran could win ball and distribute it intelligently and they didn't lorry to him half as much as they did to the two boyos last year.
Neither of these line out sunday so by default we'll see a return to a more natural Cork game.
Finally I stand over my comments about them having plenty of scoring options....Cathal Naughton, Pa Cronin, Pat Horgan and Ben O'Connor with Kieran and Niall McCarthy on the bench are evidence of this I believe.

[townblue]

cork by ten at least ....................sad to say it but cant see us even gettin close .. although i hope i am wrong