Two more reports on yesterday’s game to check out, if you haven’t already done so: this one from the redoubtable Spailpín and this detailed one from No One Shouted Stop! The latter has my sympathy in relation to the traffic as, given my short trip back to the metropolis from Newbridge, yesterday was an easy one for me. It’s these “home” fixtures that I find a bit more difficult.
The Indo’s match report has a quote from Johnno, who describes that nightmare opening spell as a “collective malaise” but then pays tribute to the lads for turning the situation around. I didn’t hear the radio piece that An Spailpín refers to (where Johnno was fretting about our points difference) but, like An Spailpín, I’m equally mystified as why Johnno didn’t bring on a few fresh legs if the intention was to keep up the tempo till the end.
I don’t think it’ll matter all that much, in fact, because, by my calculations, if we avoid getting stuffed in either of our two remaining games, we’ve probably done enough already to retain our Division One status. Laois are on one point with a -17 points difference and they now face Donegal away (which they’re likely to lose) and Kildare at home (which they’ll probably win). They’re likely to end up with three points at most and, even with five, their points difference deficit against us (they’re twenty behind us at this stage) looks too large. Kildare travel to Kerry next Saturday night (where they’re almost sure of a hammering) and they then play Laois (which they’ll probably lose as well). They could reach seven points but, realistically, five is all they can hope for. They’re sixteen points behind us on points difference at the moment and the Kerry lads are likely to increase that deficit sharply next weekend so, even with five points, they’re unlikely to overhaul us as well. We still need to avoid getting beaten out the gate by both Galway and Tyrone but, if we do (even if we still lose both narrowly) we should be okay.
Obviously, though, the best option for us is to keep winning ourselves and Sunday’s encounter with Galway is likely to be a tasty one. Their eye for goal is impressive and, while our backline looks better now than it did a few weeks ago, Kildare’s opening barrage yesterday demonstrated that our problems aren’t over there yet. We may need another big return from our full-forward line to stay in the hunt at McHale Park next Sunday.
Strange old game indeed WJ, yah had a lot of time to think about it on the way home and plenty time to scribble down a few things on the programe sitting on main street newbridge for what seemed to be an eternity and on that subject what a programe it was fair play to the guy who put it together, if you have only flicked though it have a good read, some great stuff in it.
Galway now this week, Salomn has those boys firing right now, still though as we all know it’s a flick of a coin against them come any game no matter who’s playing the best.
Were still very leaky at the back and galway seem to be doing very well up front with Joyce and Meehan this season and a much better performance at the rear will be called for.
Even though you’ll be there and you wont see it, I got a new phone last week which allows you to blog straight from it and am going to try it out the next day and post instant updates as the game goes on. If it works out, I’ll use it for the U21 final on Wednesday week against the Rossies, to keep you up to date if Mad West don’t cover it.
I’m already looking forward to the Galway game, in a number of respects. They’ve a good backline so it will be interesting to see how we get on offensively, especially the full-forward line. It took us a fair while to get going against Kildare and a similar early shut-out (if Galway are racking up scores at the other end) could lead to Salthill 07 redux.
Midfield, obviously, will be crucial and Ronan and Tom Parsons will have their hands full with Bergin and Cullinane. If we don’t at least break even here, we’ll be in big trouble.
Joyce against Howley should be a fascinating tussle. I fancy Howley to win that one – not too many opponents have come steaming down through the middle since he took up occupancy there.
Keith will have to be given the job of tracking Meehan and no better man for the job. Meehan’s scoring record against us isn’t great, but he’s done plenty of damage to us all the same – remember his pass for Bane’s second goal last year? He’s deadly from placed balls but can hit woeful wides from play – one late on against Derry was an absolute shocker. With Keith stuck like glue to him, he won’t enjoy too much time to tee up his shots.
Good luck with the new phone – it sounds like the job alright. I need one with voice recognition combined with blogging software and some kind of hands-free video uploading – that way I’d get all my posts done before I finish the long trips back to the capital!
I’ll be there on Sunday (trying to spot those undercover stewards – they’ll probably stick out like the Special Branch lads used to do in the old days) but won’t make it to the U21 final and I won’t be in Omagh either so those updates could come in very handy.
All the best
WJ