Tipperary 2-17 - Offaly 2-13

[Offalyhurling07]

If you think Joe Bergin has been hard done by... what about Teehan? No rewards for training all year with John McIntyre. And his not the only one... several other lads have been fecked around by the management. If you ask me the confidence in this team is non existent because of the management. Offaly have all the ability except they don't hurl together and all the lads are afraid of losing their position! The last three years have been a joke... ask any player they'll will say 'get rid'!

[Plain of the Herbs]

Joseph Bergin is a superb young hurler who will have a long career in an Offaly jersey if he can, hopefully, stay injury free.

While he had an excellent 2006 hurling full forward, I reckon his skill, physique and scoretaking potential will see him play most of his hurling further outfield. He will probably end up as another Rory Hanniffy varying between midfield, wing or centre forward and full forward, often as required in the same match. He hurls centre back for Clareen and may also, like Rory, wear the green, white and gold number 6 at some stage in his career. He certainly has the hurling for it.

[Offalys Future]

You're deferral to other members of the Offaly forward line smacks of "Ok, so Bergin isn't playing well...but no one else is either!".

I couldn't be arsed dodging around the houses at this stage. If you think Bergin is playing well, or is operating close to his potential, then fine. I personally don't think so.

You name me an Offaly forward that can hold his head up after playing well against kilkenny and Tipperary?

What are you talking about, i never once said Bergin was playing well, all i said was that he should be playing full forward because at intercounty senior level that is where he plays his best hurling.

Maybe you should be arsed in reading all the text instead of making comments like that.

[Bord na Mona man]

If you think Noel Hickey not clearing the ball is adequate full forward play, then fine.
Personally I don't think either performance at FF was up to scratch as he never looked likely to get possession of the ball. A manager has to take action quickly.
45 minutes is too long to leave someone in a position when every ball that goes in is won by the opposition. If they haven't been playing well for a good few matches, then it would want to be a strong piece of intuition to believe that someone is going to rediscover their form in the middle of that game.

I believe it was right to move Joe outfield against Tipp as at least he gave another option under the puck out. Unfortunately it didn't work out.

[Offalys Future]

Lets get something clear here,

you said
"
but he wasn't even getting close enough to pressure his man clearing it. Against Kilkenny it was something similar. "

And i answered that Noel Hickey only cleared one ball.
In 3 championship games, Joe bergin has played less than thirty five minutes at full forward for Offly the position that he hurled very well in last year and received an allstar nomination.
Thats all i'm saying

[Bord na Mona man]

Against Kilkenny, Joe was at least under the ball, but having it broken away from him, or caught by his man. Against Tipp he wasn't getting close enough to where the ball was landing and Tipp were getting away uncontested clearances.

A full forward's primary job is to get the ball and score or lay it off. Noel Hickey wouldn't have been too worried that he cleared only one ball. His job was to stop, spoil, frustrate whoever he is marking and to that end he succeeded.
Hickey was never a Brian Lohan or Diarmuid O'Sullivan for letting fly with big booming clearances anyway. He is more than happy to lay it off, or break it out of danger to a colleague as he wouldn't be the greatest player for making space for himself and clearing.

If a credible full forward performance is stopping your man from personally applying the final clearance to a broken down attack, then the bar is low.

Anyway, I have no ambition to knock Joe Bergin as he believe he is a super player and has a great future. It's unfortunate that he has been dragged into this debate by someone who is hell bent on blaming John McIntyre for everything under the sun.

[Offalys Future]

In 3 championship games, Joe bergin has played less than thirty five minutes at full forward for Offly the position that he hurled very well in last year and received an allstar nomination.

Hell Bent on blaming John McIntyre for everythig under the sun?

See we had the discussion about Joe Bergin i told you the facts and you cant take it.
As for John Mcintyre - as a intercounty manager he has been a failure. He hasnt a clue.

And i havent blamed him for everything again if you had taken time to read my posts you would see that the county board, club trainers and players have to take responsibility too.

If they do we will have a chance of winning something at senior level again, if not then we wont

[Bord na Mona man]

We're not going to agree on this one.
Hopefully Joe plays well tomorrow and gives Diarmuid O'Sullivan plenty of it.

[Offalys Future]

Hopefully so

[Plain of the Herbs]

Offalys Future,

You've obviously reviewed a recording of the Tipperary match, whereas I'm relying on memory from the actual game. As you've seen that recording and obviously made notes accordingly, can I ask you please to comment on three things from that match:-

1. Who was primarily responsible for the wides, especially those hit to the right of the posts in the second half? ( the hurlers now, not the management)

2. Who was responsible for the scoreable frees conceded (I've my suspicions here as I've noted in earlier posts)?

3. The performance of the referee, in general terms. It's often one gets carried away with the referee's performance during a match only to see on a recording that he actually did a fair job. Last year's Leinster Football final being a case in point.

Thanking you in anticipation.

[Offalys Future]

Offalys Future,

You've obviously reviewed a recording of the Tipperary match, whereas I'm relying on memory from the actual game. As you've seen that recording and obviously made notes accordingly, can I ask you please to comment on three things from that match:-

1. Who was primarily responsible for the wides, especially those hit to the right of the posts in the second half? ( the hurlers now, not the management)

2. Who was responsible for the scoreable frees conceded (I've my suspicions here as I've noted in earlier posts)?

3. The performance of the referee, in general terms. It's often one gets carried away with the referee's performance during a match only to see on a recording that he actually did a fair job. Last year's Leinster Football final being a case in point.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Got to watch the game but didnt get it to keep.
What i can tell you is that

1. Hernon gave away 4 frees
David Kenny 2.
David Franks 2
Paul Cleary 2
Ger Oakley 1
Brendan Murphy 1

2. Shots that went wide
Brendan Murphy 2
Brian Carroll 1
Joe Begin 2
Gary Haniffy 1

3. The ref
He didnt do a bad job to be honest.
If you look at the Offaly/Kilkenny game, kk management gave
out about the ref but in the rules all the frees he gave, were frees.
Its the same with this game, any time there was a free an Offaly player
had fouled the man.
The frustrating thing is that refs arent consistent, i have been to some
of the munster games this year and refs have not blown and some
have blown for similar offences.

In my opinion its a huge problem within the GAA in both hurling and football and if something isnt done about this i can see a referee getting seriously hurt.
Too much is at stake now and too much time and money is put in and spent on intercounty teams for refs to be this inconsistent.
Dont get me wrong the referees job is tough but i think the sooner the GAA look at having full time paid referees the better for players, management, referees and spectators.