*Limerick GAA news/discussion thread*

zombieHanalei

Rightwing wrote: »

It's a poor result, but I agree with someone above, the league is a training camp, and should be treated as such by players, management and supporters.

I'd have to be paid to go a league match.

I disagree with that; but lets go with that; it's in our best interests to attain the highest possible standard of training camp. We shouldn't accept second best. It's akin to preparing for an Honours Level Maths exam by practising Ordinary level papers.

Rightwing

zombieHanalei wrote: »

I disagree with that; but lets go with that; it's in our best interests to attain the highest possible standard of training camp. We shouldn't accept second best. It's akin to preparing for an Honours Level Maths exam by practising Ordinary level papers.

Most agree with you, and I accept that. But where is 1A getting the likes of Galway ?

Fireball07

It is bad really. I do expect us to up our performances for the Championship, and we will win a few games. But will we win enough to win the All-Ireland? Hard to say.


If there are any positives to take, it did sound as if Tobin had an unbelievable game. It may "only be Offaly" but it was only an Offaly side who beat us and he was outnumbered inside throughout. Think he scored 0-4 from play and a good few frees too.

Bar that... the fact that we were down to 14 men and missing 6 or 7 starters means we do have a lot of potential for improvement, but we should be beating Offaly as Waterford & Wexford did.


I do think that losing Dowling meant we couldn't use Fitzgibbon as a 3rd midfielder as we possibly intended, but the players have to be told to play more heads-up hurling... no point landing high balls inside on small fellas. Make the smart decision on the pitch, it's essential.

zombieHanalei

Rightwing wrote: »

Most agree with you, and I accept that. But where is 1A getting the likes of Galway ?

Well in fairness they have come a lot closer to winning the All-Ireland in the last few years than we have as unlike us they have made it to the final. And their problems are a bit more deep rooted, serious divisions in terms of club rivalries and so on.

glasagusban

What is it with us and offaly??

Thoughts in no particular order:
Hickey went off injured, rolled ankle it looked like. Hope he's ok, he's too important to lose. Full back line was alright.
Half back line was mostly bypassed. Morrissey is probably our best back up option for a wing back but is a bit ponderous.
Hannon didn't convince at 6. Fumbled one short puck out from Nicky, was dispossessed, and the ball thrown over the bar. If wayne Mc did it there'd be lads here howling the roof down. Give him another chance by all means but we will probably have Wayne for summer.
Our mids are good but Browne had a nightmare shooting, he had a procession of dreadful wides in the last quarter which could have had us pushing back level.
Breen is no good as an inside forward. He needs space to run into, made good runs and eventually wasted possession a few times. And what was Dodge doing in full forward line at times? I know dodge has often been written off during the league and had great campaigns after, but he's 34 now and based on what I saw last year he hasn't 70 minutes in him. He's not a half back and I don't think he's a first choice mid or half forward.
Tobin :clap:
What the **** were management doing taking off our best forward (Tobin, he was excellent, may well keep Downes on the bench again this summer) and putting on Tom Morrissey when we were chasing the game a couple points down with a couple mins to go??
Cian Lynch won't ever dominate a one on one contest with his man, but he uses ball brilliantly, incredible vision and array of skills. He should start on summer, the faster the game the better for him. Still inclined to drop shots short when he shoots from distance.
Reidy chased down one lost cause ball and won a free when he had no right to.
Having seen Seanie O'Brien play corner back twice now I think he has done enough to convince that he is a decent sub option -as a corner forward.

Another fcking year if ****ing 1B.

zombieHanalei

Fireball07 wrote: »

It is bad really. I do expect us to up our performances for the Championship, and we will win a few games. But will we win enough to win the All-Ireland? Hard to say.


If there are any positives to take, it did sound as if Tobin had an unbelievable game. It may "only be Offaly" but it was only an Offaly side who beat us and he was outnumbered inside throughout. Think he scored 0-4 from play and a good few frees too.

Bar that... the fact that we were down to 14 men and missing 6 or 7 starters means we do have a lot of potential for improvement, but we should be beating Offaly as Waterford & Wexford did.


I do think that losing Dowling meant we couldn't use Fitzgibbon as a 3rd midfielder as we possibly intended, but the players have to be told to play more heads-up hurling... no point landing high balls inside on small fellas. Make the smart decision on the pitch, it's essential.

Tobin played very very well.

Lynch has the talent but needs to develop his decision making/hurling intelligence. Sublime stickman but can hold on to the ball too long before being swallowed up by a gaggle of defenders. He'll learn that as he goes along but this year may be a little soon for him.

McNamara wasn't even named on the subs so he must have been injured.

Lot of players unavailable, we've had rotten luck in that aspect this year but I don't really feel that's an excuse for today. Dowling is a huge player for us, 70 minutes with 14 men is a big ask for any team. Fought well for three quarters but faded out of it as game wore on. Offaly made good use of the bench, plenty of fresh legs brought on when we started to tire. Our bench was relatively weak.

Nail on head in last paragraph there, Dowling red card completely threw the game plan out the window.

Not sure as to extent of Hickey's injury but he looked a worried man going off. Leave Hannon at 6 for Laois and league QF. Laois now nothing more than a challenge game. Kilmallock boys surely available for the quarter final?

As it stands, there'll be no All-Ireland this year.

Trips to Tullamore and Portlaoise next year and a glamour home tie against Antrim. Jesus.....

Mehapoy

zombieHanalei wrote: »

Lads, this is a major blow. You can make all the reasons to justify 1B as not being all that bad as you like, but the simple fact of the matter remains now that we are going to begin our sixth straight year out of the top division next year. Think about what that says about where we stand.

I'll say a bit more about the game later when I've had a chance to digest it all, but it's very foolish of any player to get sent off that quickly into a match for a dirty stroke like that. Completely throws the game plan out the window, we coped well for 50 minuted but we waned from there on. For a ten minute spell we hit wide after wide while Offaly hit a bit of a purple patch.

Very frustrating, it's not as if they weren't forewarned, Offaly have knocked us out of 1a now two years in a row...Waterford, in transition, and a developing Wexford beat them easily enough...I know we were missing a few but tactically TJ seems to be behind the 8 ball...all in all we shouldn't be beaten at home by Offaly, hope it's a kick up the ass for the panel and management as a whole...as a supporter it seems like the best plan is to ignore limerick until about May cos that when the panel think the season starts...

Rightwing

It's got nothing to do with Offaly, Only a fool would think they have something over us.

If Dowling got sent off in the 1st min v Waterford or Wexford, we'd be losing those matches too.

thinkstoomuch1

zombieHanalei wrote: »

Tobin played very very well.

Lynch has the talent but needs to develop his decision making/hurling intelligence. Sublime stickman but can hold on to the ball too long before being swallowed up by a gaggle of defenders. He'll learn that as he goes along but this year may be a little soon for him.

McNamara wasn't even named on the subs so he must have been injured.

Lot of players unavailable, we've had rotten luck in that aspect this year but I don't really feel that's an excuse for today. Dowling is a huge player for us, 70 minutes with 14 men is a big ask for any team. Fought well for three quarters but faded out of it as game wore on. Offaly made good use of the bench, plenty of fresh legs brought on when we started to tire. Our bench was relatively weak.

Nail on head in last paragraph there, Dowling red card completely threw the game plan out the window.

Not sure as to extent of Hickey's injury but he looked a worried man going off. Leave Hannon at 6 for Laois and league QF. Laois now nothing more than a challenge game. Kilmallock boys surely available for the quarter final?

As it stands, there'll be no All-Ireland this year.

Trips to Tullamore and Portlaoise next year and a glamour home tie against Antrim. Jesus.....

Mcnamara has been getting treatment for a leg injury the last few weeks and missed this game
Speaking of injuries one key forward for yere minors team play cork next month struggling with an injury also

Fireball07

Yeah, Wayne, Condon and Downes were all in the commentary box.

Mehapoy

Rightwing wrote: »

It's got nothing to do with Offaly, Only a fool would think they have something over us.

If Dowling got sent off in the 1st min v Waterford or Wexford, we'd be losing those matches too.

Plenty of teams win with 14 men in fairness, yes it would disrupt the game plans but that's why management should be have alternatives depending in circumstances, if we've any expectation of being in the shakeup for an AI we've a right to expect to get a result from a home game against Offaly, Antrim or laoise, no matter what the way the game pans out...Kilkenny wouldn't be blaming going down to 14 on being beaten at home...

Fireball07

Mehapoy wrote: »

Plenty of teams win with 14 men in fairness, yes it would disrupt the game plans but that's why management should be have alternatives depending in circumstances, if we've any expectation of being in the shakeup for an AI we've a right to expect to get a result from a home game against Offaly, Antrim or laoise, no matter what the way the game pans out...Kilkenny wouldn't be blaming going down to 14 on being beaten at home...

In fairness, I've never heard of a team winning when down to 14 for 70 minutes.

And KK did get hammered by Dublin in Nowlan Park, after going down to 14, then to 13. It wasn't the only reason they lost but was a contributor to the margin.

It is a big ask... moral is- don't get red cards.

zombieHanalei

thinkstoomuch1 wrote: »

Mcnamara has been getting treatment for a leg injury the last few weeks and missed this game
Speaking of injuries one key forward for yere minors team play cork next month struggling with an injury also

Cheers. Don't know if you've following this thread of late but care to give an outsiders view on the importance of (or lack of?) of being in 1B?

Do you feel 1B had any adverse effect on Cork last year (although the Munster campaign would suggest a resounding NO)? And do you feel it (our prolonged stay there) is harming Limerick?

Vanolder

I'm very confident for the summer. I've seen enough to be happy about, we are in great shape for the summer ahead and finally have a good panel to choose from. We can up the training now and have a hop off a 1a team in a couple of weeks and build from there. When we beat Clare the remainder of our Munster games will be at home... It's all falling right for us.

zombieHanalei

Vanolder wrote: »

I'm very confident for the summer. I've seen enough to be happy about, we are in great shape for the summer ahead and finally have a good panel to choose from. We can up the training now and have a hop off a 1a team in a couple of weeks and build from there. When we beat Clare the remainder of our Munster games will be at home... It's all falling right for us.

Please elaborate? What specifically has changed? How exactly have we gone up another level?

thinkstoomuch1

zombieHanalei wrote: »

Cheers. Don't know if you've following this thread of late but care to give an outsiders view on the importance of (or lack of?) of being in 1B?

Do you feel 1B had any adverse effect on Cork last year (although the Munster campaign would suggest a resounding NO)? And do you feel it (our prolonged stay there) is harming Limerick?

Munster championosp I don't mean insult great competition of old but it's a mickey mouse of an event imo now and league far more important as you get competitive games in the tail end st the very least

I have no doubt and said it many times cork thread last year it was disaster for us last year as the comfort zone of easy games, lazy attitude intensity wise going through motion v Laois and offaly and wexford meant cork way off pace in the knock out v tipperary and thus Waterford in the opener in munster and as result cork were destroyed in all Ireland semi final
I am totally against idea division two doesn't affect teams and even darragh cimmede in football said no team lower division will win all Ireland so in hurling it's imo no way of happening

I firmly believe and alway said it here limerick had hurling won all Ireland but they need add a tactical selector
Cork need to do the same and landers may be it but jury is out but limerick added nothing in this area imo from last year

You must win the big games,and judge each game at face value
Like with cork I feel that beating clare and Dublin we can't get carried away as the key kilkjenny game we lost so questions remain but I do feel cork are ahead others and level with some but an all Ireland huge ask with out a full back
If changes were made limerick could become better but worry imo for limerick is changes won't be made

There is talk league format was be reviewed in 2016 but I'm not sure if it's at the start of next year league or after it but limerick could if changed find themselves up in the top stage and if it happened then while it's by default they would deserve it as they were unfair wronged a few years ago by changing of league but tonight can't be brushed off as not significant imo as there is huge work to be done as ist three games showed this league and even antrim game by all accounts limerick were not top game either
While you can't peak for the league imo totally you have to have form as you can't just enter championship imo turn it on

homeofhurling

Mehapoy wrote: »

Plenty of teams win with 14 men in fairness, yes it would disrupt the game plans but that's why management should be have alternatives depending in circumstances, if we've any expectation of being in the shakeup for an AI we've a right to expect to get a result from a home game against Offaly, Antrim or laoise, no matter what the way the game pans out...Kilkenny wouldn't be blaming going down to 14 on being beaten at home...

offaly have better hurlers than limerick always had, didn't they give yea Joe McKenna

citykat

Mehapoy wrote: »

Plenty of teams win with 14 men in fairness, yes it would disrupt the game plans but that's why management should be have alternatives depending in circumstances, if we've any expectation of being in the shakeup for an AI we've a right to expect to get a result from a home game against Offaly, Antrim or laoise, no matter what the way the game pans out...Kilkenny wouldn't be blaming going down to 14 on being beaten at home...

Eh cough cough. I think that's exactly why we were beaten by Dublin. We weren't playing well up to the sending off but it sure as s**t didn't help our cause.

Is it possible that Limerick were a bit over confident today? I've seen Offaly play Championship the last two years and they were probably the worst IC team I have seen in that time. 15 v 15 and no over confidence, LK would murder Offaly home or away.

As for being in Div 1B, bar the less glamorous ties, I wouldn't be too concerned. LK will be a contender this year.

homeofhurling

thats bull**** limerick could never hurl offaly, limerick got beaten in the 2007 final, yet offaly and they were as poor in 2008 as they are today still hurl limerick out the gate in 2008 in there home ground.

homeofhurling

citykat wrote: »

Eh cough cough. I think that's exactly why we were beaten by Dublin. We weren't playing well up to the sending off but it sure as s**t didn't help our cause.

Is it possible that Limerick were a bit over confident today? I've seen Offaly play Championship the last two years and they were probably the worst IC team I have seen in that time. 15 v 15 and no over confidence, LK would murder Offaly home or away.

As for being in Div 1B, bar the less glamorous ties, I wouldn't be too concerned. LK will be a contender this year.

LK a contender this year they are saying that since 1974

zombieHanalei

"homeofhurling"; you still haven't explained how literally nobody replying to or disagreeing with a post you once made here constitutes you being "laughed out of it"?



Funny how some people who haven't posted on this thread for weeks/months all of a sudden came out of the woodwork last night.... I wonder why.....

Browney7

Causes for concern Losing to Offaly who let's face it will be doing well to win a match in the championship this year. Losing Dowling no doubt would have given the Offaly lads a huge lift and they knew they'd a chance. We needed to kick ahead early and to keep going. Always was going to be trouble down to 14 but Clare were able to draw with Wexford last year with 13 men for most of the second half And were able to kick on yesterday against Dublin with 14.

What concerns me is that when it comes to must win games that are there to be won we're very vulnerable. Dublin league final 2013, Clare 2013, Offaly 2014, KK 2014 and now Offaly again.

Great to see a few I told you so's coming in who were strangely quiet before the game. Internet must have been down I suppose.

@TTM I enjoy your posts (last point not aimed at you btw) but sometimes feel you're susceptible to a bit of confirmation bias - using evidence to suit your point but pretty much ignoring anything contrary to it. The Wexford example for instance, you were confident all along they'd beat us and Dunne being a good manager and I'm sure if they did you'd use it to suit your argument but dismiss us beating them as being lucky and saying no more really. It's hard to put much stock on the waterford result considering the forwards we had out that night (If you took Harnedy, Lehane, Cadogan and to some extent hoggie away from Cork I reckon they'd struggle too). That said, we threw away a winning position that night

Alarm bells are ringing for me though after last night. I'll reserve judgement till after we play Clare in May when we will have our first 15 fit and playing.

HillFarmer

thinkstoomuch1 wrote: »

Munster championosp I don't mean insult great competition of old but it's a mickey mouse of an event imo now and league far more important as you get competitive games in the tail end st the very least

I have no doubt and said it many times cork thread last year it was disaster for us last year as the comfort zone of easy games, lazy attitude intensity wise going through motion v Laois and offaly and wexford meant cork way off pace in the knock out v tipperary and thus Waterford in the opener in munster and as result cork were destroyed in all Ireland semi final
I am totally against idea division two doesn't affect teams and even darragh cimmede in football said no team lower division will win all Ireland so in hurling it's imo no way of happening

I firmly believe and alway said it here limerick had hurling won all Ireland but they need add a tactical selector
Cork need to do the same and landers may be it but jury is out but limerick added nothing in this area imo from last year

You must win the big games,and judge each game at face value
Like with cork I feel that beating clare and Dublin we can't get carried away as the key kilkjenny game we lost so questions remain but I do feel cork are ahead others and level with some but an all Ireland huge ask with out a full back
If changes were made limerick could become better but worry imo for limerick is changes won't be made

There is talk league format was be reviewed in 2016 but I'm not sure if it's at the start of next year league or after it but limerick could if changed find themselves up in the top stage and if it happened then while it's by default they would deserve it as they were unfair wronged a few years ago by changing of league but tonight can't be brushed off as not significant imo as there is huge work to be done as ist three games showed this league and even antrim game by all accounts limerick were not top game either
While you can't peak for the league imo totally you have to have form as you can't just enter championship imo turn it on

You still think Cork will give Waterford a hammering in the first round?

I think the fact that the top 4 in division 1b get into quarter finals is better than finishing wiht no game if you finish just above regulation playoff in 1A.

Look I'd prefer 1A obviously but I don't think 1b is as bad now because they still have quarter final games.

paddy no 11

Browney7 wrote: »

Causes for concern Losing to Offaly who let's face it will be doing well to win a match in the championship this year. Losing Dowling no doubt would have given the Offaly lads a huge lift and they knew they'd a chance. We needed to kick ahead early and to keep going. Always was going to be trouble down to 14 but Clare were able to draw with Wexford last year with 13 men for most of the second half And were able to kick on yesterday against Dublin with 14.

What concerns me is that when it comes to must win games that are there to be won we're very vulnerable. Dublin league final 2013, Clare 2013, Offaly 2014, KK 2014 and now Offaly again.

Great to see a few I told you so's coming in who were strangely quiet before the game. Internet must have been down I suppose.

@TTM I enjoy your posts (last point not aimed at you btw) but sometimes feel you're susceptible to a bit of confirmation bias - using evidence to suit your point but pretty much ignoring anything contrary to it. The Wexford example for instance, you were confident all along they'd beat us and Dunne being a good manager and I'm sure if they did you'd use it to suit your argument but dismiss us beating them as being lucky and saying no more really. It's hard to put much stock on the waterford result considering the forwards we had out that night (If you took Harnedy, Lehane, Cadogan and to some extent hoggie away from Cork I reckon they'd struggle too). That said, we threw away a winning position that night

Alarm bells are ringing for me though after last night. I'll reserve judgement till after we play Clare in May when we will have our first 15 fit and playing.

Great post

paddy no 11

Seriously disappointing.

F'ing 1B for another year.

Not sure what to make of it all. Cant add anymore to what ye've already written, just have to wait and see. Beating clare in the first round is not the objective for me, the AI is. Just hope the management have the same plan.

redlead

paddy no 11 wrote: »

Seriously disappointing.

F'ing 1B for another year.

Not sure what to make of it all. Cant add anymore to what ye've already written, just have to wait and see. Beating clare in the first round is not the objective for me, the AI is. Just hope the management have the same plan.

That's delusional thinking for a county with Limericks talent. The Clare game should be the priority and then the next game after that.

Rightwing

homeofhurling wrote: »

thats bull**** limerick could never hurl offaly, limerick got beaten in the 2007 final, yet offaly and they were as poor in 2008 as they are today still hurl limerick out the gate in 2008 in there home ground.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I'd be suggesting that is Offaly's AI for the year. Well done to them.

Enjoy it.

zombieHanalei

Still pi55ed off at last night, just going to try and forget about it and move on. I wonder what kind of a line up we'll see next weekend then?

Aaron Murphy HAS to start, would be very unfair on him not to get a game in the league.

Hopefully Hickey hasn't picked up a medium/long term injury but even if he is fit I'd rather rest him, no point in playing Russian roulette with his fitness.

Start Sean O'Brien in one of the corners. I suppose we don't really have any other options for the full back line but I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Cathal King and Seanie O'Brien on the corners with either McCarthy or Walsh in the middle. Both McCarthy and Walsh have played every minute of the campaign so no harm to rest one of them ahead of the quarter final the following weekend.

Leave Hannon at 6, it wasn't exactly a comprehensive performance by him yesterday, made one or two errors but he did better overall than Wayne has so far this year in that position; and I'd leave him there for the quarter final too. Ideally we go into the quarter final with Hannon having had two successive games at centre back behind him and the quarter final against top opposition would give us our answer as to whether it's worth keeping him there going forward.

I'd leave the half back line intact next weekend.

Rest one of Browne and Ryan; give Fitzgibbon a game at midfield.

I'd stick with Lynch and Breen on the half forward line. I'd have rested O'Grady but maybe not with Dowling suspended? Tobin has to start. And maybe throw on Reidy and Morrissey with him.

Unless Laois beat Wexford today this game doesn't matter at all; if Laois win then next weekend actually becomes a must win, if Laois lose we're through. Promotion is dead, we are in quarter final mode now, we'll have the Kilmallock lads back, and hopefully the likes of Condon/Downes/McNamara back as well. We've had setbacks in terms of injury and availability issues, but we should be fairly close to having everyone available for the quarter final so we'll see where we are then, no excuses not to perform in that game. (Provided we get that far of course, I know Laois winning their two remaining games is unlikely but you can never take anything for granted...)



Hopefully the footballers can give us something to be happy about today but the relative form of both Limerick and Fermanagh points to only one outcome today

Rightwing

zombieHanalei wrote: »

Still pi55ed off at last night, just going to try and forget about it and move on. I wonder what kind of a line up we'll see next weekend then?

Aaron Murphy HAS to start, would be very unfair on him not to get a game in the league.

Hopefully Hickey hasn't picked up a medium/long term injury but even if he is fit I'd rather rest him, no point in playing Russian roulette with his fitness.

Start Sean O'Brien in one of the corners. I suppose we don't really have any other options for the full back line but I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Cathal King and Seanie O'Brien on the corners with either McCarthy or Walsh in the middle. Both McCarthy and Walsh have played every minute of the campaign so no harm to rest one of them ahead of the quarter final the following weekend.

Leave Hannon at 6, it wasn't exactly a comprehensive performance by him yesterday, made one or two errors but he did better overall than Wayne has so far this year in that position; and I'd leave him there for the quarter final too. Ideally we go into the quarter final with Hannon having had two successive games at centre back behind him and the quarter final against top opposition would give us our answer as to whether it's worth keeping him there going forward.

I'd leave the half back line intact next weekend.

Rest one of Browne and Ryan; give Fitzgibbon a game at midfield.

I'd stick with Lynch and Breen on the half forward line. I'd have rested O'Grady but maybe not with Dowling suspended? Tobin has to start. And maybe throw on Reidy and Morrissey with him.

Unless Laois beat Wexford today this game doesn't matter at all; if Laois win then next weekend actually becomes a must win, if Laois lose we're through. Promotion is dead, we are in quarter final mode now, we'll have the Kilmallock lads back, and hopefully the likes of Condon/Downes/McNamara back as well. We've had setbacks in terms of injury and availability issues, but we should be fairly close to having everyone available for the quarter final so we'll see where we are then, no excuses not to perform in that game. (Provided we get that far of course, I know Laois winning their two remaining games is unlikely but you can never take anything for granted...)



Hopefully the footballers can give us something to be happy about today but the relative form of both Limerick and Fermanagh points to only one outcome today

KK could quite easily be relegated, and sure then 1B will be the place to be!

I'm for Wexford to go up, even though Waterford look to be the best team in this division.

Twoman Fullbackline

Funny to see posters from other counties coming in here to stir away after last night, keep up the good work lads. ;-)

I wouldn't get too worked up over last night's result. Between playing the entire game a man down and a spell of woeful wides when the game was in the melting pot in the second half, we contrived to lose a game we really should have won, as Offaly were limited enough for a lot of the game but hit a purple patch when we lost our composure and couldn't hit a wide if they tried.

The starting front 6 this year will probably be composed of at least 4 big men who are well able to win their own ball, Dowling, Downes, Breen, Hannon, GOM all gunning for places. When Dowling was sent off last night we were really lightweight up front with Tobin, Lynch and Fitzgibbon all playing. We had next to nothing on the subs bench also. What would concern me was that there was no plan B as regards ball into the forwards - we played some low ball into David Breen against Wexford but last night there was little of that - some crossfield ball which didn't really work out and a lot of aimless balls lobbed in on top of the spare Offaly man. A lot of this is down to the half-back line - Hannon did no worse nor no better than Wayne Mac would have, but I was expecting at least some better deliveries out of him. I would at least give him another go in the position because it is a trouble area for us and if we focus on this area I think it is the key to transforming us this year. I've been mostly impressed with Dan Morrissey this year but his distribution lets him down badly at the moment. The more you look at it, I think we may end up seeing Gavin O'Mahoney at wing-back again this year, as he is very good at delivering the ball forward.

Sean Tobin was a big positive for the night, well able to win his own ball and was very accurate from frees and play. Fitzgibbon wasn't as good as against Wexford, but is probably the best forward we have to spray the ball around, he has great awareness of what is around him in play. I have my doubts that Lynch will start this year - Tony Kellyesque flicks and skills at times, but he has a problem at the moment with taking too much out of the ball and running into trouble. Donal O'Grady had a very good first half, best hurling he has played all year, but faded in the second half, I think he'll struggle to make the starting fifteen. However it is a 20 man game, what we saw last night was the midfield fading as we headed into the last 20 minutes, come championship if you had Paudie O'Brien/Donal O'Grady to bring on and pick off points, that's where you use the panel.

It nearly goes without saying these days, but Richie McCarthy was once again majestic last night. Hopefully Séamus Hickey's injury isn't too bad, he would obviously be a big loss. Seanie O'Brien will presumably get a full run the next day out. Is there any hope of Richie English, Alan Dempsey or Tom Ryan being added to the panel in the next few weeks? We are crying out for more bodies in defence at the moment.