Hurler's performances being cast in a dimmer light?

[Lone Shark]

Again I'm not really in a position to judge, seeing as I wasn't able to be in Ballycran yesterday, but on paper at least two of today's results seem to have taken the shine off our optimism from last week. First and foremost we struggled up in Down, failing to polish off a team that Clare absolutely hockeyed last week. I accept they are tough to beat at home, and they had eight Ballygalget lads fielding which makes some difference, and for good measure it's a hoor of a trip for our fellas to get up that far which can be tough on the soul, but even allowing for all that, it certainly will have brought a few people back to earth.

And also last week we were rightly thrilled with a draw against Cork - and now this week a good but not spectacular Waterford team shorn of a good few of their main players went to Páirc Uí Chaoimh and put 25 points past them, winning by four in the process. Maybe Cork really are that poor at the moment, and a long way off the pace? Possibly we really should have beaten them last week, and not in the sense of based on the match, but based on how poor they are right now?

Me thinks Wexford in two weeks might be a bit of a rude awakening yet - here's hoping otherwise though.

[Kevin]

I don't profess to know as much on a day to day or overall as most any of the posters out there. I agree that beating Down by 4 points is a bit disappointing, but I can imagine them being whipped into a fury for a home match against us. I can see a scenario where Cork are just getting organized and are not ready for prime time. My thinking is that we have 3 points from the league so far and that is a positive thing. The league is going have plenty of inconsistencies so it will be hard to gauge progress in real terms.

I think we will be properly motivated in 2 weeks for the game against Wexford. Five points for our efforts int he league would be really nice at that point. We shall see.

[Bord na Mona man]

Sure didn't Enda McEvoy rate Down ahead of Offaly!

This was always going to be a tricky fixture.
Down getting most of their players back, Offaly having got a decent result against Cork.
An away game off the beaten track.
Remember Down suffered a backlash from Clare over Loughnane shooting priests!

Offaly generally don't do well against Ulster opposition.
Remember we traditionally don't relish handing out the kind of pastings that Tipp, Clare and Kilkenny take glee in handing out to less successful counties.
We play to win the points rather than trying to psychologically wound the opposition for years to come.

Wexford is the make or break game in the league.
Cork will have recovered and should beat the Strawberry pluckers in a few weeks.
If we can beat Wexford, then we'll be in with a good shot of getting through, even if we lose to Waterford.