Club Hurling championship

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
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Lone Shark
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Lone Shark »

Doon Exile wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 9:16 am
Lone Shark wrote: Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:38 pm You'd have to imagine David King will be in the mix. Probably was the best player on the field today as well, but it would be a fairly cruel form of torture to ask a Coolderry lad to go up and collect a man of the match award and smile for pictures with sponsors in the middle of the celebrating Rynaghs players and supporters.
Man of the match is man of the match regardless. I think most players would accept it irrespective of result and nothing cruel about it.

David King was very good. Not saying Brian Carroll was outstanding or anything but he was the pick of the Coolderry forwards notwithstanding he was on one of the best hurlers in Offaly in Ben Conneelly.

Who got motm by the way?
Most players would accept it, because most players are good human beings who would want to act graciously, and I'm sure David King would have been exactly like that - but that's not the same as saying they would genuinely appreciate the gesture. There wasn't a lot between them, Matthew Maloney certainly put in a very good hour's work, so I wouldn't call it a hugely contentious decision or anything.
Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

greenairfield
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by greenairfield »

poor final by all accounts you would be worried for Offaly this year and who they have to face in the league

faitfulfollower
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by faitfulfollower »

I just duck in and out of this website from time to time, am from football country myself and got great joy from the U20s, but am quite surprised when I see comments after club football matches and hurling, especially co finals. The football was full of praise for Rhode and Tullamore to different degrees over the two games and rightly so, while the first comment on the hurling was 'worst final ever played (obviously from someone who has seen all the hurling finals that have been played in Offaly), and 'not a forward on show', followed by opinions on who was man of the match etc. Regardless of the standard, both teams gave their absolute best, it was probably never going to be a classic with conflicting styles, but it was exciting and went to the wire with bodies being put on the line. Fair play to Coolderry who were brilliant all year and such a proud club with players who give it everything for the jersey, and who could have won this game, and fair play to Rynaghs who for some reason never seem to get credit on this platform, to do 3 in a row is fair going in the modern era. Well done to all the club players who gave their best all year to achieve the holy grail in whatever level or code they were at. RESPECT!

Fairplayalways
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Fairplayalways »

I would agree with almost all of the above, Rynaghs do seem to somewhat ignored to some degree regardless of their sucess, but I think probably compared to football, hurling doesnt really get the same amount of posts in some regards, for instance all last week I watched and not one poster came on even discussing the senior A final until I put up a post towards end of the week, the senior B final was getting a fair airing most of last week, so progbably it goes to show in fairness what clubs post on here etc. and maybe Rynaghs and Coolderry supporters just dont do this forum in general. Without going back searching I did not someone said on some post that "Rynaghs wont be too worried about the Leinster club championship" and I was disapointed in such a post. I am sure Rynaghs will go out to do well in the provincial club, and I have to say on the ground I detected the "ah we are not pushed about the Leinster Club" among Rynaghs supporters over the years, and I cannot for the life of me understand such an attitude, surely with the sucess Birr have had and Kilcormac and Coolderry reaching Club AI knockouts in recent times that Rynaghs would be bursting to match if not go one better, although piling sucess of Birrs degree together would be a fair ask. The football final got great coverage two weeks ago before and after the game on this forum, yet the hurling seems to be a slow burner for real debate. I suppose it probably is down to not many users from both areas (and I am not saying there are no users from the cubs involved on here) but I just think if the clubs involved dont blow their own trumpets, every other poster on here is more general, as I said fair play to the Senior B hurling teams for a good blast on the forum on their final. Hopefully Rynaghs will give the club a good rattle regardless of the possibility of meeting the Kilkenny champions, that in itself should be a fire to light under any Offaly team and try and take Noreside scalp..yes its a tough tough ask, but we shouldnt accept defeat before a ball is pucked...hard luck to the loosing teams on Sunday...

seany123
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by seany123 »

You're probably right most hurling folk probably couldn't be bothered following this site, and you wouldn't blame them when you see some of the comments. Hard luck Tullamore Footballers at the weekend, it was harsh having to play after Sen B hurling Sat. Still a great year with underage football success, and the ladies, so well done.

Fairplayalways
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Fairplayalways »

ah the majority post fair enough facts etc..I wouldnt be down on anyone...some codes and grades seem to be very strong on here where as Senior A hurling for example would be there or thereabouts discussion wise...

Plain of the Herbs
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Sometimes you gotta win ugly

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

And that’s how it was for St Rynagh’s and Clodiagh Gaels last weekend. Hard to know why the Senior final should be of such poor quality. Was it the tension of the occasion, the conditions (I was on the terrace and sheltered from the north wind, which may have been a factor in the shooting, particularly into the Park Avenue goal), it was cold and in fairness it’s November.

It was probably best summed up in the quotes given by Conor Clancy to the media afterwards when he said “To be very honest I thought we weren’t clinical enough. There was a huge battle in or around the middle third, there was contact, there was hits, there was lads getting on the ball. We definitely had as much ball as Coolderry, but we kept racking up the wide count, we kept taking bad options, whereas Coolderry were showing their experience, popping the ball out to the man in the best position. They had very few wides in the second half, but they seemed to make us pay every time we came up, whereas we took bad options.”
Full article here: https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/sport ... o-win.html

Was it the worst final ever? For many, 1983’s final is the marker for the worst, but that’s for the serial battles on the pitch, five sent off. But it’s hard to think of one worse. A series of long puckouts followed by contests for possession, with little fluency throughout. Untypically Coolderry began to get some passing moves together as the second half developed, all the while St Rynagh’s attempts fell further and further from the posts. The inability of either side to score from beyond 40 metres was a factor, and the crowded middle third made it more difficult to move the ball quickly to the scoring zone. And a lot of the ball, when it did go in, was of poor quality and favoured the defender.

Winning arm wrestles such as last Sunday’s has not been a hallmark of that St Rynagh’s side, going all the way back to their underage days. That includes 2008’s Minor final in which many of them lined out. In 2019, Birr had done their best hurling during the first 20 minutes and had little to offer thereafter, while the Shannonsiders led from start to finish in 2020’s final. So last Sunday was a defining moment for that team. It lays down a marker that they know how to win. The mark of any winning team.

The team looks settled now, it’s hard to see anyone stepping away over the winter either. Only four starters are over 30. They had a bench that can make an impact. If Ken Hogan stays, (and why wouldn’t he?), it’s not inconceivable that they will do five in a row.

A word on the goal. At the time it appeared to be a ‘pushover try’ of a goal. It took me about six views on the video to see the finish, but the reality is it was a quality finish. A real hurler’s goal, and something to please young and old alike.


At least on Saturday Clodiagh Gaels and Tullamore could blame the wet day for the disappointing game.

For me, Clodiagh Gaels broke every convention of hurling, and got away with it. One such convention is that you bring your half-forward line well outfield to leave room for your full-forward line. So I could scarcely believe it when the Killeigh side placed their three half-forwards on the opposition ’45 for their own puckouts. And I was shocked when they moved half-back Joey Keenaghan up beyond halfway. And it probably says more about Tullamore that they were unable to capitalise on the space the winners left for them. Again it was a series of long puckouts and contests for possession. The ball must have been crying out for mercy.

Tough on Shane Dooley too, a sideline cut is a low percentage shot even for a hurler of his undoubted quality. Still, he got a great connection on it and it can’t have been far away from the post.

Clodiagh Gaels scored something like 0-3 in the 30 minutes between the two water breaks, but they found reserves of courage in those decisive last ten minutes and shook the boys in town.

Sometimes you gotta win ugly.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Fairplayalways
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Fairplayalways »

Unfortunately I could not make the final, and did hear that it a poor fair hurling quality wise and concur with POH on all above, was it the worst final since 1983 or so?...dont know about that, quality wise was poor, scoring wise, yeah poor going by the live commenatry on MR3 facebook page and going by that and POH, yes the quality was poor. Just looking back through former finals since the early 1980's many which I was in attendance.2005 Birr 0-15 Coolderry 0-05, 2001 Birr 0-11 Rynaghs 0-10, 2000 Birr 3-21 Clareen 1-09, 1994 Birr 0-08 Clareen 0-07 and 1992 Rynaghs won by a point from memory...that said we have to say Birr and Clareen would have been at the peak somewhat for some of those games, so while the closer games may have been low scoring, in some of the forementioned games, the hurling quality would have been pretty good (nostalgia a great thing you will agree) but there were some woeful onesided games too, so were they good finals..we would think not probably...finals will be remembered for the finishes too, and no doubt Sundays A final will be just that, many will forget the poor quality of the majority of the game...good points above in fairness...it was a very different final that we all expected...

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Lone Shark
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Lone Shark »

Reading some of the posts on here, it's as if people are taking it as some sort of slight on the people of St. Rynagh's and Coolderry that the county final is being described as a poor game. Nobody is going to stand here and argue for the right to be abusive or insulting towards either individuals or clubs, but it's not unreasonable to say that it was uninspiring stuff, with lots of mistakes and very little by way of standout attacking play.

We all know that these clubs and these players can hurl - they've proved it in this championship, in recent championships, and down the years. But if we can't call it out when players or teams fail to fire, then the praise, when it comes, is meaningless.

Equally, it's all very well to say that St. Rynagh's will be focussed on Leinster and will want to replicate the achievements of the likes of Birr before them, but the fact is they've had two Leinster games in recent years and been well beaten in both of them - and now they're almost certainly going in to play Ballyhale Shamrocks. If they can start by being reasonably competitive, ideally keeping it to a single-figure margin, that in itself would represent progress. When you look at Clough-Ballacolla this evening, Laois club hurling has clearly moved on to another level. Just to get that far would be a decent day's work for Offaly sides right now.
Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

biffinbanner
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by biffinbanner »

finals are finals.winning is all that counts. im sure rynaghs are not bothered. we celebrated well in 85 after beating galway in a very bad all ireland final !!

Fairplayalways
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Fairplayalways »

ah its not criticism of either of any club involved in any of the finals (from me anyway), just stating/repeatinng what the commentors were saying and whast some attendees were reporting back..yes getting to to be competitive is certainly the minimum aim our county representives should have, hopefully we wont bow out as tame as other years at provincial level at least. Looking at club games on TG4 over the last while and the bar is pretty high, some club teams out there would be a test for most intercounty teams outsided the top 5 or 6 hurling counties (I have made this point before) we cannot on one hand accept we will be beaten by the clubs from counties outside Kilkenny for examply in Leinster Club, yet expect to pick up points in next years National League against counties outside the top 2 or 3, these counties have the clubs (in Leinster anyway) that we are saying we must be at least competitive against..we cant expect to beat them at county level if we are accepting we are only aiming to be competitive against them at club level....interestingly I came on an old midlland tribune from September 2020, and the heading on the back was "Birr march on as Coolderry bow out" and Birr had beaten Coolderry by 3-19 to 0-11 (17 points) and one has to applaud Coolderry for bouncing back into a final this year, which they will no doubt know they left behind them. Best of luck to all counties in their resective club championships.

private joker
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by private joker »

Who do rynaghs play in leinster?

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Winners of Ballyhale Shamrocks v Mount Leinster Rangers, who play on Sunday.
private joker wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 10:27 pm Who do rynaghs play in leinster?
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Henry1
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by Henry1 »

Junior A final was a decent game by all accounts especially in the conditions on the night.Replay in Birr on Sunday might be one to go to.last competitive game of the year.

private joker
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Re: Club Hurling championship

Post by private joker »

When are clodaigh gaels out in leinster?

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