2014 WALSH Cup

[townman]

well off to a winning start but this was January hurling, heavy ground and very cold, offaly were very poor in the first half a point after 15 minutes from Kevin Connolly got us off the mark with points from
peter geraghty and Sean Cleary and Bergin from a free, Toxicity Kevin Brady might have told Connelly
were to be as you say, but i was puzzle how he got the whole game, we were hurl out of it at midfield
and Kevin wasn't at the races he got a yellow card after 10 minutes for a chop on Antrims Stephan McAfee and i am sorry with has not the pace for inter county hurling anymore.

Damien Kilmartin and Barry Harding came on and we won more ball with theses subs with both scoring when they came on. the two Geraghtys were good with both scoring Kevin Connolly done ok scored as well unlucky not to get a few more a dry day he needs to. the backs were good with Rigney back to his best, god only knows why Baker didn't have him in last year anyway thats history thank god.

Danny Kelleher done well fullback but leave the frees alone Danny Del Morkan came into it in the second half and scored a great point. Brian Watkins was great at number 6 clear a lot of ball got in great hooks and blocks hope he stays with it now and doesn't go AWOL, i think Sid might get the best out of him. Joe Bergin was abit hit a miss and got it hard to get into it but it is january after all but came good in the last 20 minutes. the thing that please me today was we were behind well today but came back and finished well and hurl till the end and with a bit more luck could have won by more. Sean Gardner was fullforward today but if he had ducks today they would have drowned it was that kind of day for him, my opinion his not a fullforward but it is the Walsh cup and thats where you try things anyway a wins a win next sunday Galway come to town will be a big step up from Antrim, but at least its another good game to get before the league gets under way again laois. hope to see a few changes for next sunday and give the whole squad a run out.

[Toxicity234]

Townman. When we were 6 point down I was looking around the Field for Leaders. Two stood out in the Offaly team. Rigney and Brady. They were the only two talking in the Offaly team. The team was full of young lads on they first day out. Rigney was talking and encouraging all around him all afternoon.
Brady Stats for the Second half were very good as well. he won 6 turnover, 5 more than the whole Offaly team won in the 1st half. Set up 4 points. He gave away 6 ball most to the full back.
but apart from the hurling he was talking to the lads around him and got Walkins to hold his position and not come out the field which stop the Antrim full forward line for have any space. It also brought Walkins into the game as he was picking up the loose ball that the Offaly Full balk line wasn't winning and was in a much better position to take passes and short puck outs. He had Conneely cover the ground and going forward. He was on to the Offaly forward to spread out and create space.
My biggest problem with Brady yesterday was he didn't take charge in the first half. Brady may not be up to pace of inter county hurling but Antrim have being in training since the 1st week in Sept and Offaly have only have a manager for a little over 2 months. So Let get all our lads full fit and not write them off when they are playing lads that are miles ahead of them in terms of fitness.

[townman]

not writing any players off Toxicity i have nothing again Kevin Brady yes he is an old head and has gave 100 per cent for offaly the last 10 years, my point is his not fit for midfield maybe a halfback where i think his best poistion is, its not just yesterday last year again kilkenny and waterford in the championship he was out of place in midfield, if Galway get the same ball in the midfield as Antrim did next sunday we are in big trouble.

yes you are right we had alot of young players out yesterday and they done well, i'd also like to
see Damien Kilmartin get a full game he didn't get much time yesterday but when he came on he done well scored 1 point also came back into defence and took the ball off the Antrim man as he went on a run towards goal. i think we will see more changes next weekend with Kilmartin and Harding getting a start along with Tommy Carroll, what i do like under Sid is we seem to have a good panel we had alot of first team players missing and to come back in which looks good for later on in the year.

i know it was cold yesterday and it was only the Walsh cup but the support for the team was a joke an a insult to the players to see maybe 50 in the stand when they ran out Antrim got a bigger cheer
as they ran out, sad when Antrim can bring as many to away game as offaly can to an home game,
and dont give me this shit there would be more if it was in Birr,

[Plain of the Herbs]

Maybe Offaly folk are just more discerning when it comes to playing hurling in deepest winter.

i know it was cold yesterday and it was only the Walsh cup but the support for the team was a joke an a insult to the players to see maybe 50 in the stand when they ran out Antrim got a bigger cheer as they ran out, sad when Antrim can bring as many to away game as offaly can to an home game, and dont give me this shit there would be more if it was in Birr,

[townman]

yes your right POTH. wait till the league starts and you wont get a seat in the stand

[durra1]

Am I missing something here lads?

Regardless of personnel involved, the time of the year, the man and the dog in the stand or indeed the opposition, this was a six point victory after being 6 points down facing into half time.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling ... 09876.html

Given our history of second half fade-outs for the best part of a decade, anything which involves a turnaround on the positive side is to be shouted from the rooftops in my humble opinion.

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

I don't know Durra, what do you think you might have lost?

Good second half alright, lot of misplaced passes during the first half, Rigney in particular. But great turnaround to win the game by 6, albeit, with the help of a fortuitous goal.
Team can be happy enough with the outing, but fair to say that 1st half, looked like the Offaly lads had only stepped off the bus from Loughgiel and straight onto the field!
Will be a nice test against Galway next Sunday. Definitely would like to see Harding, Gilmartin start. Also would like to see 2 staying in the full forward line, or if they are going to roam out the field, dont hit the ball into the opposition full back line!

Great to see Rigney back to though! Great bit a stuff.

[Kevin]

Not Walsh Cup, but I saw a note stating that in Carlow tonight in a Senior Hurling Challenge it was:

Waterford 3-19 Offaly 1-19

[townman]

if so that was a good return for a january night 1-19, at least there are plenty of players getting
a run with maybe a few more next sunday.

[Kevin]

Yes, apparently 14 of the starters tonight did not play (or at least start v Antrim).

So the run out opportunities are being maximized.

[Toxicity234]

Waterford 3-18
Offaly 1-17

Waterford Team from last night.

Seanie Barry
Mark Wyse
Liam Lawlor
Noel Connors
Shane McNulty
Phillip Mahony
Kieran Power
Killian Fitzgerald
Shane Sullivan
Gavin O Brien
Seamus Prendergast
Pauric Mahony
Stephen Roche
Shane Walsh
Cormac Heffernan

Stole this from another website.

Any idea what the Offaly team was??

[townman]

no team named as yet that i seen, Galway will be missing a few but will still put out a good side
with a few from their minors winning team a few years as well as a few who are on the panel
the last few seasons.

its only the walsh cup and a win on sunday will be a great for this panel and for Sid and his backroom team, plus it could give us another good game again kilkenny who should get their season off to a win
before the league starts again Laois .

[Toxicity234]

Can't wait to See if this panel has improve again over the week.
Today game is a step up and the team Sid name is going to be very interesting.
last week game as interesting to see the young player be giving a run and we put up a good score line and again against Waterford 1-19 or 1-18 is a good score line for January.
Today I just want to see a game plan. a way of playing and that will make me happy.

[Killeighman]

Dan Kelleher, Dermot Mooney and Brian Watkins lording ball in that backline. Very impressed with the backs today

[townman]

Was delighted with the display again today came up a bit short near the end but this time of year its more about the perfomance than result and there was a lot of plus's today for offaly.

Sid picked the same 15 who started again Antrim and we had a way better first half display than last week with Kevin Brady and young Conneely doing well in midfield, the backs were outstanding with Danny Kelleher a rock at fullback and saw off the likes of Niall Healy and Jonathan Glynn during the 70 minutes, Watkins,Del, Dermot Mooney won all their battles, the reason why we did lose in my opinion was my MOTM James Rigney getting hurt hope its not bad we seem to lose our way after he left the field in the last 5 minutes.

up front great displays from newcomers Kevin Connolly 1-1 and Sean Cleary 0-3 Bergin from place ball's was unlucky to not get a goal in the first half hit the butt of the post and had a few bad wides in the first half from play, the Geraghtys done their best and will get better as the ground will get dry don't forget theses are all young lads and it will take a few years to be at their best.

forgot to mention James Dempsey who was brillant in goals made one outstanding save in the second half couldn't do much with the pen that Healy struck, his a top keeper.

we also had Brian Carroll back today came on scored a nice point,Harding,kilmartin,Mick Cleary also came on with Dave Kenny also back today didn't come on.

so thats the walsh cup over was happy enough with the two games bit of luck we could have been playing kilkenny next sunday. but there will be alot more days out this year and things are looking good with the effort been put in bythe squad.

roll on the league now with Sid having to cut his squad it will be a hard job as most of the new lads in have done great and deserve a run in the league, with alot more senior players to come back into the fold which looks good for the future. this time two years ago under Ollie Bakers first game Walsh Cup with suffer a bad defeat to westmeath we have come alot way since, also was on the terrace side today nearly die with the cold last weekend in the stand, but Whelehan was up and down the line giving praise to young hurlers telling players to be and what to watch for, unlike Baker who stood with his hands in his pockets in most games. i think give him and Troy and ger coughlan a few years and our young players a few years to get stronger we could be on to something at least we are heading the right way............