Hurling final replay, Saturday 7th October

[Plain of the Herbs]

And lo, the hurling final for 2006 ended in a welter of excitement that I’m sure not even Coolderry could dream was possible at the three-quarter mark of last Sunday’s proceedings. At that stage it was difficult to see Coolderry even registering a score into the far end during the second half, such was their difficulty in breaking past the Birr halfback line. Gradually though, Coolderry’s own halfback line came more into the game where the clearances from this sector bypassed the wall on the opposing 45. Playing with a seventh defender and two up front and in slippery conditions suited to defending, Coolderry went from hopefully chasing the game to almost complete dominance.

The replay is fixed for this Saturday, the 7th. But why the rush? The winners aren’t due to hurl in the Leinster championship until mid-November which is a sizeable gap to fill and potential challenge matches will be getting scarcer by the week as clubs exit their respective championships.

How the replay will go depends largely on two issues- psychological and tactical. Birr’s emotion will have been one of relief. Certainly, Michael Lyons, the Birr selector, was very pleased to have snatched the late equalised when interviewed on the GAA2006 programme onTG4 on Monday night. At the same time Coolderry chief Joe Tynan appeared like a man who’s home had been burgled. Sometimes the destiny of replays can be decided by a team’s collective demeanour before they leave the dressing room. At this stage, an effective debriefing can be worth more than a week of spieling. Remember Clareen in 1995 who led all the way in the final, only to have favourites St. Rynagh’s snatch a draw with a last gasp goal. All seemed lost – again. Yet they returned a week later and went on to a famous win.

Tactically, both teams will be studying the video intensely this week. Coolderry won’t make the mistake of starting Kevin Brady at midfield again. He’ll start at 6. Perhaps Masterson who replaced David Dooley will start. Martin Corcoran may start at midfield. I’d keep Cathal Parlon in reserve and introduce him later on. Brian Carroll surely won’t be as ineffective again? I’d be inclined to start Fergal Parlon on Brian Whelahan, with Murray in the corner. Murray was lost for long stages, although he got some flicks in late on keeping the ball away from Whelahan which contributed to Coolderry’s recovery. A dry day would enable them puck the ball out all the way to Joe Brady as preferred by them.

It’s fair to say Dylan Hayden will start on Saturday. But who will he replace? Many Birr people felt Paul O’Meara should have been retained, he being a worker. Otherwise they don’t have many options on the bench. Errity and Franks are defenders. Neil Rogers perhaps? Other than that the outfield subs are all very young. Will Birr be tempted to restore Brian Mullins to the goal? Mark Mulrooney acquitted himself well making some good second half saves when Coolderry went chasing goals. It would have been unfortunate if that ball that spun from his hand had gone inside the post. Neither team controlled their own puckouts. Perhaps Mullins’ hand injury would require an extra week as he didn’t look comfortable striking the ball during the half time break.

The general consensus is that Birr will go on to win now. Favourites, replays and all that. But having considered the above I feel Coolderry have most to improve on. They lined out the wrong team, underperformed for the middle thirty minutes, recovered to hurl with a tremendous intensity during that second half. Perhaps we could look back on last Sunday as the day this young team grew up.

To win they’ll have to do what they’ve never done before- win a replayed county final. They’ve lost the three they’ve contested. Birr have won two from three replayed attempts. Coolderry will also be mindful of the last replayed encounter between the two, five years ago now, when Birr opened up mercilessly.

The winner will be the ones best equipped to graft in the trenches for the win. Birr still look to have more aces in the pack, more matchwinners in the forward line though some stars will have to perform for the full hour and O’Meara and the Corcorans form a solid line. Look at how Gary Hanniffy stood up to the plate and planted the equalised on Sunday. It will be another low scoring game which gives both a chance. And we could all do without the torrential rain which fell before the start. Coolderry still stand a great chance of making history. To do so, they'll need to reproduce that intensity shown last sunday- and some more- which they're well capable of. Birr still look the safer bet though- favourites, replays and all that.

[Lone Shark]

I really can't understand why they're hurrying this so much. We have a senior final this week, and intermediate final next week, why not leave it two weeks? The winners would still have a fortnight to prepare for their outing in Leinster, and there would be a lot more time for it to be built up as a big occasion. It makes no sense at all.