Leinster club hurling and football 2013

[True Red]

great theme tune.....'thank you for being a friend......down the road and back again.....'

[Plain of the Herbs]

Carrickshock will be a big ask for K-K, should both reach the Leinster semi-finals. The spine of their team is, on paper, formidable. There's quite a number of county men in the side, and a few ex county men too, as well as fellas who played underage for the county. There's parallels with K-Ks about Carrickshock in that they should have won their first title some years ago but for one reason or another didn't get over the line, most notable losing a County Final to O'Loughlin Gaels a few years ago that they were expected to win. Carrickshock may well take off now that they've the Ballyhale (neighbours, something tells me) monkey off their back.

And a first-time County champion winning Leinster is not unheard of, is it? Last year?

Ballyboden play their County semi-final in Parnell Park tomorrow (Thursday) night, which will reveal how they are fixed as the clocks go back.

On the face of it, while their draw isn't as tough as last year, there is an absence of strong contenders out there and they should be looking at retaining Leinster at the very least. Oulart were pushed right to the wire by Ferns last year and they certainly aren't any better than last year, while the one team that looked very ominous - Ballyhale Shamrocks - have been eliminated. Carrickshock will be expected to account for Clara but they wouldn't be elite in a Kilkenny context, while Clara are definitely very ordinary, I've seen them firsthand. Ballyboden are back in good form and they'll cruise to a Leinster final I expect, they could be the toughest challenge KK will face between now and next Spring.

And we'll whisper it quietly, but there's nothing extraordinary in Munster or Galway either. POTH commented on the Galway SHC replay between St Thomas and Portumna, I was there too and I was equally underwhelmed. KK have a great chance to do something special in the next five months.

[Slieve Bloom Man]

Just back from Parnell Park tonight Dublin hurling semi-final(s). I missed the first game which was supposed to have been a good match. Lucan Sarsfields defeated Craobh Ciaran by 4 points. Lucan were winning by 6pts at half-time. Craobh had got it back to 2pts and had the momentum when they had a man sent off. It was harsh according to lad I was talking to.

2nd game Ballyboden ran out comfortable winners over St. Brigids. It wasn't a great game of hurling by any stretch. Ballyboden had wind advantage in first half. St. Brigids played an extra man in defence to try contain Boden. Daire Plunkett (ex Dublin panelist) fulfilled the role and he didn't do too bad-he got on a lot of ball. St. Brigids started off furiously determined and got into their more illustrious opponents faces from the off. Brigids scored 1-01 early in the game and this set up the first half nicely. As the game wore on Boden settled into the game with Paul Ryan doing well from play and frees. Boden then went ahead with a very good goal from Shane Durkin. However for next 10 mins Brigids hung in there well but vitally missed a lot of scoring opportunities themselves whereas throughout the game Boden were more economical with possession- Conor McCormack the exception as he wasted a few good chances. John O Loughlin (Laois footballer & ex county hurler) did some great work winning possession and running at Boden defence only to ruin it almost every time by poor finishing or not laying off the ball in time. According to a Brigid's lad he only went back hurling in August-pity as he defintely has ability in small ball code too. Boden defence did look shaky when they were ran at. However they gobbled up nearly all the long ball with Malachy Travers as spare man at the back. Just few mins before half-time Boden full forward wearing no. 25 struck for their second goal to put them 5 pts up. This was a killer blow to Brigids who had worked so hard in 1st half. Brigids got 1 more point before half-time while also missing an easy free. Think it was 2-08 to 1-07 at half-time(maybe 2-07 to 1-06.)

First few mins of 2nd half Brigids were hanging in there but eventually Boden threw off the shackles and started hitting good long range points. They ran out easy winners in the end 2-17 to 1-09. Conal Keaney much better in 2nd half than he was in the 1st. Paul Ryan, Shane Durkin and Stephen Hiney all played well. Hiney actually looks in great shape. He has lost some of that bulk/muscle that I think was slowing him down in the last couple of years. I was also impressed by Niall Mcmorrow-played midfield and is a young Dublin panelist. Gary Maguire dealt with all high balls very well. But Boden will need to improve if they want to win Leinster-they did what they had to do tonight. Almost all Boden players had played county at some level whereas Brigid's maybe had 4/5 who played for Dublin at some level(no big names tho), O Loughlin-Laois and Ruairi Dunbar from Carlow. Alan Nolan made 1 super save in 1st half. Paul Winters ex under 21 player was very lively for Brigids just a pity he hit a few wides as well. He had leukemia couple years ago and was in a serious situation with it. So the fact that he was playing a county semi-final for his club tonight is a success story in itself.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Yer man's first yellow card came early on when he was hurling full-back. He held his marker as he gained possession but the forward shook off the challenge, the referee played an 'advantage', the point was scored and then the referee showed the yellow card to the defender. There had been a few fouls in that region and it might have been his second offence - if it was then the referee was correct, if it was his first then he was incorrect.

The second yellow came when the full-back had been moved to left half-back. Lucan puckout, the ball was still rising when yer man deliberately pushed his opponent in the back. Got spotted - second yellow. I don't think he could complain really.

That said, the referee was atrocious and he got worse as the match progressed. Missed, or ignored, blatant fouls and was most inconsistent.

I thought it was a terrible game myself.

Just back from Parnell Park tonight Dublin hurling semi-final(s). I missed the first game which was supposed to have been a good match. Lucan Sarsfields defeated Craobh Ciaran by 4 points. Lucan were winning by 6pts at half-time. Craobh had got it back to 2pts and had the momentum when they had a man sent off. It was harsh according to lad I was talking to.

I didn't know that about Paul Winters. From his build he looked 18 or 19 and looked to me to have potential.

Paul Winters ex under 21 player was very lively for Brigids just a pity he hit a few wides as well. He had leukemia couple years ago and was in a serious situation with it. So the fact that he was playing a county semi-final for his club tonight is a success story in itself.

[blinkers]

My worst nightmares have come through. Lone shark has tipped tullamore as part of a double in the offaly independent. We are defo in trouble now. Ha ha ha. Suppose he has to get it right at some stage. I think tullamore will do it. Best of luck to them

Allez les bleus.

[corner back]

I think Damien Fox is training Lucan

[atomic]

I think KK will no longer be competing in the Leinster IFC to concentrate on the SHC with Shamrocks to take there place in the football

[llkj]

I think KK will no longer be competing in the Leinster IFC to concentrate on the SHC with Shamrocks to take there place in the football

Is that permitted under the rules? I thought you had to have the winning team represent the county, or a clubs first team that went the furthest if a clubs 2nd team win?

[turk]

Carrickshock are out!

I repeat, Carrickshock are out. Clara will represent Kilkenny.

[Bord na Mona man]

Carrickshock are out!

I repeat, Carrickshock are out. Clara will represent Kilkenny.

The path is being cleared nicely for K-K.
Firstly Ballyhale being taken out by Carrickshock and now Clara taking Carrickshock out of it. Oulart will be sharpening the knives now.
Could this end up being the 3rd year in a row where the Offaly champions win Leinster without having to beat the Kilkenny champions?

[timber]

KK have to just focus on getting over camross and a dog fight next weekend. KK have the better hurlers but this is muck and dirt time of the year.

Any reports from the blues game in Louth? A bit of trouble at it according to the papers. Tullamore lost a few players to injury early in the game?

[Plain of the Herbs]

There's a Junior match on the pitch before K-K v Camross too.

AIB Leinster Club JHC 2013
Sunday, 3rd November 2013
O’Moore Park (12.45pm) - Shanahoe (LS) v Lisdowney (KK)

KK have to just focus on getting over camross and a dog fight next weekend. KK have the better hurlers but this is muck and dirt time of the year.

[blinkers]

Disappointing end to a great year for tullamore football. Injuries caught up with us in the end too many lads not 100% coming into the game. Newtown are a decent enough team who had alot more cuteness in drawing frees and the ref bought them all day. The ref was shocking and tullamore got no easy frees wheresas newtown blues got them all day. The decision right at the end when tullamore had 21 yard free in when two points down and a newtown player and Michael Brazil tangle he then decides to throw ball up but blows the full time whistle without throwing the ball in really incensed tullamore. A newtown player was punching stephen egan on the floor and steohen didnt hit back but yet he booked both players. And near the end a newtown player close lines a tullamore player it was a shocking tackle but only gets a tick.

Its a bit easy just to blame the ref but in truth we just were not good on the day we only played well for 10 mins at the end of the first half when nigel bracken scored a great goal. But newtowngot 2 handy points just before half time. Tullamore did just not play well enough to win the game in the second half. We just lack a bit of experience to grind a result out.

No doubt the players and management learnt alot from this game and will be back next yr a stronger team. With our second team playing intermediate next yr its a great learning ground for younger players to move onto the senior team. So while its very disappointing to lose and the players were gutted afterwards they have come a long way.

Allez les blues.

[kinnittyman]

Took a trip down to Pearse Stadium yesterday to take in the Galway final and to say I left underwhelmed would be quite the understatement. While the conditions were heavy the actual weather held up well so it was disappointing to see such a poor game being offered up. It was if a just about average team i.e Portumna were playing a below average team i.e Loughrea.

At half time things were all square at 0-11 to 2-05 with Joe Canning (free) and Andy Smith (finished with 1-4, floating between half and full forward lines) netting the Portumna goals. With the wind at their backs in the first half Loughrea really needed to be going in ahead at the break and while Paul Hoban and Jamie Ryan in the forward line showed some nice touches at times it seemed fairly obvious that their scores would dry up against the wind. Johnny Coen stared wing forward and scored a point and hit a wide and was then placed in full-forward where he was starved of ball. This was a very poor tactical call by the Loughrea management. Eugene McEntee easily got the better of his duel with Johnny Maher.

Portumna took over in the second half and won the half 1-07 to 0-03 with Ollie Canning at wing forward showing great vision and awareness of all the things going on around him. Damien Hayes got Portumna's third goal but his celebration where he through his hurl 10 metres up in the air was both uncalled for and dangerous.

There was the occasional late and dangerous tackles throughout the game but in the context of what has gone before with these two teams it was nothing major.

Just on Joe Canning, in the first 20 minutes (he played midfield for the entire game other than the last 5 minutes when he hurled behind his full back!!) he got one possession of the ball, won one free and conceded one free. Then from then until half time he got on the ball more and scored two excellent points from play. After half time the game more or less passed him by. His free taking was average. Portumna are going to need more than 10 minute cameos from Joe if they are going to win the All Ireland. I’d be amazed if they do to be honest and I think the winners will come from the Leinster champions / Loughiel semi final.

[Slieve Bloom Man]

The Kilkenny county final on Sunday was shown (deferred coverage) on TG4 and it wasn't great either. But we do have to take the conditions into account. Players were constantly losing their footing and slipping (same thing was happening in Mayo football final.) I knew the result before I had watched the game -having heard snippets on the radio and I took from the reports that Clara were a little fortunate to win. After watching it then I thought Clara actually shaded it and deserved the win which is a shock considering the wealth of intercounty experience in the Carrickshock ranks. Clara had Lester Ryan in midfield who was brilliant, former county panelist Conor Phelan and couple of Kilkenny underage players whereas Carrickshock had David Franks, John Dalton, John Tennyson, Michael Rice, Richie and John Power(another brother Jamie but didn't ever see him on an underage team.) Carrickshock beat Ballyhale Shamrocks in the semi-final, played a couple ofinals over last few years and it is over 60 years since the won the Tom Walsh Cup. They were hot favourites. However Clara were relegated in 2011 but then went on to win Intermediate league and championship in Kilkenny in 2012 follow this up with the Leinster and All Ireland intermediate crowns. This season they won the senior league and now championship. That is 6 trophies in a row - some achievement.

Throughout the game Clara's workrate was savage but they were hugely dependent on frees. Their freetaker-think his name is Keith Hogan (brother of Brian) was very accurate. Clara had wind in first half and led by 3 pts going into injury time but slipped up to allow Brian O Donovan in behind the defence and finish nicely to the net. So having done most of the hurling and having played with the wind Clara found themselves level at half-time. This was also an element of luck with Carrickshock's first goal too. Carrickshock did lead for most of 2nd half but it was always very close. 3 mins of normal time to go Carrickshock are 2pts up and Clara win 21 free in. Up steps Lester Ryan to take an Anthony Nash style free and bury it to the net. Brave call. Ryan then scores an excellent pt from midfield, Carrickshock pull one back from a free before a Clara sub finishes game off with a pt for Clara to win by 2.

Imagine Clara celebrated well on Sunday night but I think they will very quickly become focused on Oulart the Ballagh this weekend. Oulart the Ballagh have a fairly good track record against Kilkenny teams albeit nearly always playing them a week after Kilkenny county final. Oulart will fancy their chances again and should be favourites but Clara are a young team with no fear so it definitely could go either way. Game being shown deferred on TG4 this Sunday- hopefully Kilcormac Killoughey will go on to meet the winners.