Re: Offaly Under 20s hurling 2024
Posted: Mon May 13, 2024 1:24 pm
TG4 have yet to confirm which game is being shown on TV Wednesday.
However, their coverage states a start time of 7:25 and as the Offaly game is at 7, it seems Galway V Dublin will be shown.
Seems like a massive missed opportunity for TG4.
I'd imagine Offaly V Kilkenny will be shown on TG4's YouTube page.
All the more reason to pack out Tullamore.
You would hope a massive crowd would be worth a few points to our lads.
Offaly have opened as 6/4 outsiders with The Cats as 4/6 favs.
Alarm bells may start to ring on Noreside if they fail to get a result against another 'minnow' after the draw against Carlow on Saturday.
Dan Ravenhill will be a loss and I don't know if we have the bench to make a big impact in this game.
Marcas Dalton was the first sub used against Laois, having only joined the panel a few weeks ago. Very athletic and a good option but lacking the hurling, in the mould of Cormac Egan.
Next in was Alex Kavanagh who is the most obvious replacement for any of our inside forwards.
Eoin Burke came in on the half forward line for Spain.
Our last 2 subs were Taaffe and Larkin who are both bona-fide corner backs.
Cathal King's most natural spot is corner back, where he is hurling very well for the seniors. We could do with him there against Kilkenny for a man marking job, as Mahon and Miller both struggled at times against Laois, however I think he will be left at midfield.
I'm expecting big games from our half back line, 3 of the most natural and athletic backs on the ball that I've seen in quite some time.
Conor Doyle was quiet last week and hopefully he comes on for that, having been out of competitive action for a good while.
Doyle, Bourke and Rigney are key to this game. No team has ever been able to live with Offaly when the 3 of them are winning puckouts and start running at a defence.
Does anyone know if Diggy Hand is injured again? I note he is only on the extended panel.
On the Kilkenny side, you'd be forgiven for wondering how some of these lads are u20, given how long their names are on the go.
Jeff Neary from Graigue Ballycallan lines out at corner back, having captained St Kierans to All Ireland glory this year. He lined out at centre back, even as a 5th year when Offaly Combined Schools beat them to Leinster in January 2023.
Killian Corcoran of Ballyhale is at full back. He won a spot on the All-Ireland Club Hurling Team of the Year in 2022-2023 in his first year at club senior hurling.
You'd imagine one of these two will pick up Screeney.
Centre back is Bill Hughes of Bennettsbridge who captained the DCU freshers side to the All Ireland final this year. He lined out for his club at centre back throughout last year as they lost by 3 points in the semi final to eventual champions O'Loughlin Gaels.
Killian Doyle of Emeralds from Urlingford lines out at midfield (joint St Kierans All Ireland winning captain from 2023 with Harry Shine). He will be eager to atone, having been sent off against Carlow in the Leinster Championship at the weekend.
He's partnered by captain Cillian Hackett of Dicksboro, who have dominated all the way up through the underage ranks in Kilkenny in recent times.
Niall Shortall lines out at wing forward. The only other Ballyhale player on the panel along with Corcoran. He started the 2023 Club all-Ireland in place of the injured Adrian Mullen.
On the other wing is Kilkenny's star forward Gearoid Dunne of Tullaroan. He was a sub in last year's Senior All Ireland against Limerick and featured throughout the league for Kilkenny. He scored 4-2 against Laois in the group stages of this u20 Championship.
Harry Shine of Dicksboro lines out at corner forward. Probably the most well known of this team and one who has long been talked about as Kilkenny's next star, without yet hitting those heights. I'd expect Ruairi Kelly will track him.
Full forward Marty Murphy brings something that this Offaly side simply does not have: sheer size (with the stickwork to match). He hails from Tullogher-Rosbercon, who won an All Ireland Intermediate final this year and is shaped in the mould of clubmate Wally Walsh, standing well over 6 foot. He scored 2-3 against Wexford in the group stage. He also scored 1-3 against Carrig-Riverstown in a Leinster club semi final last December. Ben Miller seems the obvious choice to try and quell his influence.
There are a few more lads I haven't mentioned such as Ted Dunne (Graiguenamanagh), Joe Fitzpatrick (Dunnamaggin) and Paddy Langton (Young Irelands) who I'd expect to feature. Hard to know where lads are at given it is so long since Kilkenny's last game.
They beat Laois 6-14 to 1-13 and beat Wexford 4-21 to 2-14 (including 18 wides for Kilkenny).
I make it 6-7 lads from this year's team who played in last year's Leinster semi-final loss to Wexford.
I make it about 8 who played for Kilkenny in the 2021 Leinster minor triumph.
Kilkenny are deservedly favourites, with their various triumphs across club and school all Irelands and at underage with Kilkenny.
Our lads have a fighting chance and I'm sure they will give it everything as always.
Up Offaly!
However, their coverage states a start time of 7:25 and as the Offaly game is at 7, it seems Galway V Dublin will be shown.
Seems like a massive missed opportunity for TG4.
I'd imagine Offaly V Kilkenny will be shown on TG4's YouTube page.
All the more reason to pack out Tullamore.
You would hope a massive crowd would be worth a few points to our lads.
Offaly have opened as 6/4 outsiders with The Cats as 4/6 favs.
Alarm bells may start to ring on Noreside if they fail to get a result against another 'minnow' after the draw against Carlow on Saturday.
Dan Ravenhill will be a loss and I don't know if we have the bench to make a big impact in this game.
Marcas Dalton was the first sub used against Laois, having only joined the panel a few weeks ago. Very athletic and a good option but lacking the hurling, in the mould of Cormac Egan.
Next in was Alex Kavanagh who is the most obvious replacement for any of our inside forwards.
Eoin Burke came in on the half forward line for Spain.
Our last 2 subs were Taaffe and Larkin who are both bona-fide corner backs.
Cathal King's most natural spot is corner back, where he is hurling very well for the seniors. We could do with him there against Kilkenny for a man marking job, as Mahon and Miller both struggled at times against Laois, however I think he will be left at midfield.
I'm expecting big games from our half back line, 3 of the most natural and athletic backs on the ball that I've seen in quite some time.
Conor Doyle was quiet last week and hopefully he comes on for that, having been out of competitive action for a good while.
Doyle, Bourke and Rigney are key to this game. No team has ever been able to live with Offaly when the 3 of them are winning puckouts and start running at a defence.
Does anyone know if Diggy Hand is injured again? I note he is only on the extended panel.
On the Kilkenny side, you'd be forgiven for wondering how some of these lads are u20, given how long their names are on the go.
Jeff Neary from Graigue Ballycallan lines out at corner back, having captained St Kierans to All Ireland glory this year. He lined out at centre back, even as a 5th year when Offaly Combined Schools beat them to Leinster in January 2023.
Killian Corcoran of Ballyhale is at full back. He won a spot on the All-Ireland Club Hurling Team of the Year in 2022-2023 in his first year at club senior hurling.
You'd imagine one of these two will pick up Screeney.
Centre back is Bill Hughes of Bennettsbridge who captained the DCU freshers side to the All Ireland final this year. He lined out for his club at centre back throughout last year as they lost by 3 points in the semi final to eventual champions O'Loughlin Gaels.
Killian Doyle of Emeralds from Urlingford lines out at midfield (joint St Kierans All Ireland winning captain from 2023 with Harry Shine). He will be eager to atone, having been sent off against Carlow in the Leinster Championship at the weekend.
He's partnered by captain Cillian Hackett of Dicksboro, who have dominated all the way up through the underage ranks in Kilkenny in recent times.
Niall Shortall lines out at wing forward. The only other Ballyhale player on the panel along with Corcoran. He started the 2023 Club all-Ireland in place of the injured Adrian Mullen.
On the other wing is Kilkenny's star forward Gearoid Dunne of Tullaroan. He was a sub in last year's Senior All Ireland against Limerick and featured throughout the league for Kilkenny. He scored 4-2 against Laois in the group stages of this u20 Championship.
Harry Shine of Dicksboro lines out at corner forward. Probably the most well known of this team and one who has long been talked about as Kilkenny's next star, without yet hitting those heights. I'd expect Ruairi Kelly will track him.
Full forward Marty Murphy brings something that this Offaly side simply does not have: sheer size (with the stickwork to match). He hails from Tullogher-Rosbercon, who won an All Ireland Intermediate final this year and is shaped in the mould of clubmate Wally Walsh, standing well over 6 foot. He scored 2-3 against Wexford in the group stage. He also scored 1-3 against Carrig-Riverstown in a Leinster club semi final last December. Ben Miller seems the obvious choice to try and quell his influence.
There are a few more lads I haven't mentioned such as Ted Dunne (Graiguenamanagh), Joe Fitzpatrick (Dunnamaggin) and Paddy Langton (Young Irelands) who I'd expect to feature. Hard to know where lads are at given it is so long since Kilkenny's last game.
They beat Laois 6-14 to 1-13 and beat Wexford 4-21 to 2-14 (including 18 wides for Kilkenny).
I make it 6-7 lads from this year's team who played in last year's Leinster semi-final loss to Wexford.
I make it about 8 who played for Kilkenny in the 2021 Leinster minor triumph.
Kilkenny are deservedly favourites, with their various triumphs across club and school all Irelands and at underage with Kilkenny.
Our lads have a fighting chance and I'm sure they will give it everything as always.
Up Offaly!