Wexford v Offaly NHL 11.03.2012
Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:29 pm
With all the football focus going on, there’s a not insignificant NHL tie in Wexford Park this weekend – a quick return to the South East following the Walsh Cup tie there last month.
While the Yellowbellies had an experimental side that day, they will be eager to lift themselves off the canvass after going down to a Loughiel-less Antrim in Belfast in Round 1. My hunch is they are eyeing up this tie given the added spice of a LHC QF clash and our poor record in Wexford Park.
Ollie Baker should be getting the players heads right and focusing on building on a solid opening performance against Leix. If we are to progress to a LHC final we need to get into the business of building momentum and putting good performances back to back and not nose diving to an defeat the next day out.
One of the things I liked about the team selection v Leix was the Morkam/Hannify/Horan half back which seemed to work well. Plenty see Hannify as wasted at 6 and that argument has some merit when you look at the options that could be open to us later in the championship. For me, it’s one of the most stylish half back lines in the country and potentially gives is a fulcrum around which the team can turn.
The half back line if probably the most important line in hurling, the launchpad for attack and the contest zone for puck outs. While none of the three bring fire and thunder to field, they are all natural athletes and hurl within themselves and most importantly have excellent hurling brains.
It remains to be seen what we might give up defensively with this combination but I believe it will deliver more in terms of the quality of service to the inside forwards who are developing nicely (Dooleys fitness and the re-assimilation of the Coolderry attackers into the squad). I remember Horan in particular was very impressive in LHC outing v KK in Portlaoise a few years ago, hovering up ball and delivering quality clearances without pulling a nasty stroke or getting involved in the physical stuff.
I wasn’t in OCP v Leix and going on the reports our, big-man / small-man midfield combo broke even. I’m not aware of any similar midfield pairing in the country and it made me think was Ollie ‘Lomu’ following his own template from his playing days of combining a huge physical presence with a tigerish partner with an engine to mop up the breaks a la Colin Lynch?
I’m torn as to whether between Bergin is more useful to the side at 14 or 11. He seems to have gotten out of the habit (or the tactic has been discontinued by the new management) of playing the breaking ball over the last man. He was very impressive when taking control of proceedings in the 2nd half of the LHC v Dublin last summer when moved out to 11. While he has been doing fair damage at 14 in the last few games we all know the white heat of summer hurling is a different proposition entirely. We haven’t had an out and out talisman at 14 since Padraig Horan and it would be nice if Bergin could nail down that role but the jury’s out.
Surprised to see Rory Jacob on the bench for Wexford , thought he might be the kind of player who would cause David Kenny some trouble. First time in a few years OY won’t be seeing Stephen Banville in the Wexford line-up which they won’t mind one bit.
A 4-5 point win for us – que some abuse from the vulture-like Townman afterwards when I’m wrong!
While the Yellowbellies had an experimental side that day, they will be eager to lift themselves off the canvass after going down to a Loughiel-less Antrim in Belfast in Round 1. My hunch is they are eyeing up this tie given the added spice of a LHC QF clash and our poor record in Wexford Park.
Ollie Baker should be getting the players heads right and focusing on building on a solid opening performance against Leix. If we are to progress to a LHC final we need to get into the business of building momentum and putting good performances back to back and not nose diving to an defeat the next day out.
One of the things I liked about the team selection v Leix was the Morkam/Hannify/Horan half back which seemed to work well. Plenty see Hannify as wasted at 6 and that argument has some merit when you look at the options that could be open to us later in the championship. For me, it’s one of the most stylish half back lines in the country and potentially gives is a fulcrum around which the team can turn.
The half back line if probably the most important line in hurling, the launchpad for attack and the contest zone for puck outs. While none of the three bring fire and thunder to field, they are all natural athletes and hurl within themselves and most importantly have excellent hurling brains.
It remains to be seen what we might give up defensively with this combination but I believe it will deliver more in terms of the quality of service to the inside forwards who are developing nicely (Dooleys fitness and the re-assimilation of the Coolderry attackers into the squad). I remember Horan in particular was very impressive in LHC outing v KK in Portlaoise a few years ago, hovering up ball and delivering quality clearances without pulling a nasty stroke or getting involved in the physical stuff.
I wasn’t in OCP v Leix and going on the reports our, big-man / small-man midfield combo broke even. I’m not aware of any similar midfield pairing in the country and it made me think was Ollie ‘Lomu’ following his own template from his playing days of combining a huge physical presence with a tigerish partner with an engine to mop up the breaks a la Colin Lynch?
I’m torn as to whether between Bergin is more useful to the side at 14 or 11. He seems to have gotten out of the habit (or the tactic has been discontinued by the new management) of playing the breaking ball over the last man. He was very impressive when taking control of proceedings in the 2nd half of the LHC v Dublin last summer when moved out to 11. While he has been doing fair damage at 14 in the last few games we all know the white heat of summer hurling is a different proposition entirely. We haven’t had an out and out talisman at 14 since Padraig Horan and it would be nice if Bergin could nail down that role but the jury’s out.
Surprised to see Rory Jacob on the bench for Wexford , thought he might be the kind of player who would cause David Kenny some trouble. First time in a few years OY won’t be seeing Stephen Banville in the Wexford line-up which they won’t mind one bit.
A 4-5 point win for us – que some abuse from the vulture-like Townman afterwards when I’m wrong!