Murky old damp Monday morning it may be – and another bloody Monday too lest we forget – but there’s plenty in the papers and online this morning to take your mind off all that. More than one of this morning’s match reports feature this cracking picture (by Sportsfile’s Stephen McCarthy) of Ger Cafferkey caught in a gorilla’s embrace by the Donkey Ayter’s Pearse O’Neill.
Leading off with the nationals, we have to start (even though it’s not really a national title at all) with the Examiner. I was looking forward to reading a contrite Corkonian essay on yesterday’s events in de paper but, as it turns out, it was our own Mike Finnerty who did the honours for them in this regard. Ah feck you, Mike, you didn’t sound contrite at all. Meanwhile, the Times and the Indo both headline Jason Doherty’s important contribution to the win.
Needless to say, the Mayo Advertiser was once more first out of the traps yesterday evening and Colm Gannon then added to this by way of post-match audio pieces with both James Horan and Aidan O’Shea. Feeling all competitive, like, RTÉ rose to the challenge with their match report combining the printed and spoken word. It’s a pity the same effort wasn’t shown in their league highlights programme on TV last night, though – their utter lack of interest was so palpable you just wonder why they bothered and Bernard Flynn’s thirty seconds of “analysis” on our game was a fair distance the Ratoath side of risible. A great big fail, as online luvvies are wont to proclaim.
Where was I? More reports: GAA.ie (which includes a great photo of a very determined-looking Alan Dillon), Cork GAA, Hogan Stand, Setanta, Breaking News, Sports News Ireland (where they provide a match tracker showing who scored what and when) and Club Mayo Dublin. That’s the lot for now, until the local accounts start to appear during the week. Nothing yet either in the recently established Cork GAA Blog but I’ll keep tracking that one too to see what the lads there have to say for themselves. And, of course, there’s always the post-match fat to chew over at gaaboard.com.
Have a good Monday, y’all.
Just had a quick look at the tables and all in all we did well. The much hyped Dublin have conceded a 95 point total which includes 6 goals. The maligned Mayo defence conceded 97 point total including 10 goals. However the difference between the two teams is a miserly two points.
On the credit side Dublin scored 14 goals but hey Mayo are second in the goal scoring department with 8 goals!. Down, the All Ireland finalists have conceded 8 goals. They have scored 92 points and conceded the same.
So despite the media and indeed our own misgivings, we have done quite well. The plus side of this is that with a bit of remedial work defensively and getting a ball winning midfield spot on, we might be on the road to a better place.
looking around your news links WJ I also see the clubmayo site has a bit of a run down of significance of next weekends matches and Mayo have still a bit of influence on how things end up – not least the fate of our neighbours Galway.
First and foremost they have to win against the Dubs but if they do (and don’t rule it out) and Cork beat Aramgh (very likely) then we can complete the trio of results that can save them by beating Monaghan. Much as they are our arch rivals and not taking away from the fact that they had a woeful league up til yesterday I think it would be best for Connacht football if they stay up. Would be tough on Armagh though were they to go down.
good to see 4 of the top 10 on facetheball.com coming from our mini league
Good going alright – I’ll post an update on the mini-league later on or tomorrow. There’s a bit of a shake-up at the top to report.
A win on Sunday and we could finish Division 1 in fourth place. Between a new management team and the bringing on of new players, this is a much more satisfactory outcome than last year’s league. Well done to James Horan.
Slightly off topic but I me beginning to find Gaelic Football very painful to watch with the ridiculous amount of handpassing that goes on. The Dublin/Down match was like a game of basketball with all the handpassiing that went on. There has to been some rules put in place to get the Foot back into football. It is now getting unrecognisable to the game that used to be played. The way it is going you could now win a match without kicking a ball(apart from the goalie) at all with the ridiculous rule of allowing hand pass points. I talked to a few Kilkeny hurling people today who stayed for the first half of the football match in Croker. They could not get over the packed defences and all the handpasses and were very glad to leave at half time.
Surely there has to be a limit to the number of hand passes allowed in a match. While they are at a rule should also be put in place where at least 4 forwards have to be in the oppostion half at all times. No Hand pass points either. Anyone else with an opinon on this?
Agreed facetheball. Problem is that last year the managers went spare when an attempt was made to get guys to actually fist the pass. Today’s game is about not giving away possession and the surest way is to pass it to death.
Martin McHugh suggested that the teams should be reduced to 13 a side and that with an emphasis on kicking would weed out a load of heavy breathers that currently have the game choked up.
When Donegal won the 1992 All Ireland final their full back never kicked the ball once. But I cannot see the managers wanting to change. For them it would mean nearly having to invent the game all over again. Still I am for change.
Packed defences have to be stopped as well ontheroad. It’s killing the game as a spectacle. Down pretty much decided not to kick the ball at all on Saturday night when they looked up see 13 Dublin players in their own half. Cork’s whole game is based around it. It’s Puke football as the great man himself would say.
James Horan’s willingness to experiment has paid off handsomely. I was arguing for a long time that we should be patient with AOS and I admire JH for sticking with him.
I also have a feeling that, despite poor performances and a general distain against him, Tom Parsons has more in him than we are getting right now. In a spirit of further experimentation in the Monaghan match would it be worth trying him in defence – CHB or FB? David Brady proved a very effective FB on one famous occasion – you can never tell what might happen (for good or ill) until you try it out.
I agree with that statement on Parsons – I too think he is a fine player with brilliant athleticism and the natural muscle, height and pace needed for this level. Having said that he has drifted down the pecking order dramatically.
I don’t see the point in changing him to suit a position in the defence. Personally I believe a defence should be a unit who know each other very well and which should be tinkered about with very lightly (especially at this stage in the year).
I would start Parsons along with Kilcullen at midfield for the Monaghan match. Leave AOS on bench and change it if needs be early in the second half. It would give him a last chance to prove himself prior to the championship.
id give parsons a shot in the backs for sure. I wouldnt be his first time he played here mind you….he played wing back against longford last year when he came on ad did quite well as it happpened. its certainly worth a try before getting rid of him altogether.
Where does Parsons play for his club ?
Does he play in defence there – if he did at CHB or FB then ok. I would agree there is some merit and justification in what you say.
But if not then he has no experience playing defence other than that farcical Longford encounter.
Gary Ruane as an example regularly played midfield with Moy Davitts but that didn’t stop him being a very good IC corner back. At club level your best players do tend to play in central positions but in many cases are adaptable enough to play in corners at a higher level.
I dont think by putting parson in defence is going to make him a better player at the moment i think he needs to be challanged about he isnt certain to be playing in the starting fifteen like previous years. HE needs to get his head right and attitude for the game at moment he is lacking in this area. Why should other players like killcullen and o shea loose out sheamus should have a go in midfield this week with killcullen stick with similar back line for to gel as a unit and take shape . Vaughan can get a run out if things are going well in the second half and forwards the same introduce varley and campbell during the game. Give o connor another chance experience for championship .
I can’t see why we’d want to give Tom another run-out on Sunday. He’s been given plenty of chances over the course of the league – including yet another Croke Park start – and he’s done nothing to merit another appearance on Sunday. With AOS out injured for the weekend (and assuming Ronan is still out, though I’m not sure about this) I’d say play Seamus O’Shea or Jason Gibbons there instead. And what’s the logic in trying Parsons out in the backs? For all his talent (and he has bags of it for sure), we don’t even know if he can play there and he’s certainly never shown any aptitude for defending while playing in midfield of late. Also there are loads of others who have had a few runs in the backs (such as Cathal Hallinan, Ruadhri O’Connor, James Burke and even Chris Barrett) who would be ahead of him in the queue there. For now I’d say that Tom is, at best, facing a protracted period on the bench.
This would be my team.
1) David Clarke Ballina Stephenites
2) Tom Cunniffe Castlebar Mitchels
3) Alan Feeney Castlebar Mitchels
4) Donal Vaughan Ballinrobe
5) Richie Feeney Castlebar Mitchels
6) Peadar Gardiner Crossmolina
7) Lee Keegan Westport
8 Tom Parsons Charlestown Sarsfields
9) James Kilcullen Ballaghaderreen
10) Kevin McLoughlin Knockmore
11) Alan Dillon Ballintubber
12) Jason Gibbons Ballintubber
13) Aidan Kilcoyne Knockmore
14) Alan Freeman Aghamore
15) Jason Doherty Burrishoole
Subs: Robert Hennelly; Ger Cafferkey; Chris Barrett; Aidan O’Shea; Cillian O’Connor; Barry Moran; Enda Varley; Mark Ronaldson; Seamus O’Shea; (others)
What? No Keith Higgins???
Yup – No KH: Given the weekend off along with Andy, AOS (just saw WJs post there injured) & Ronan McG. Wouldn’t even ask them to travel.
And Gardiner at centre back? The lad cannot defend and at thirty plus he aint gonna get better.
Again yes. Same as T Parsons. Last chance to justify his selection as part of the panel. Ger Cafferky is on the bench and can be brought in at HT (or any time) if required.
Or if you want you could switch it another way and move Donal V out to there (or someone else).
Way I see it this is a nothing game so its time for lads on the edge to push on or be pushed out. But also its the last competitive opportunity to check out what sort of cover we have for key positions.
He’ll probably be playing for the hurlers against Monaghan that day. In one of the GAA’s more bizarre scheduling decisions, the hurlers are due to play their Division 3B match against Monaghan at Clones at exactly the same time that the footballers square off in Iniskeen. Even Keith’s fans would have to concede that he can’t line out for both sides this coming weekend!
Interesting team, JPM – I think Cunniffe and Dillon (both hamstring as far as I know) could be doubtful as well so a bit more experimentation may be needed. What about young Reilly at 2, Hallinan at 4, Vaughan instead of Gardiner at 6, SOS instead of Parsons at 8, Campbell at 10, Cillian O’Connor at 11 and McLoughlin 12, with Varley at 13 instead of Kilcoyne?
As a manager I would always start with my best available 15. I would start Parsons and Gardiner for their experience – both have several years IC championship experience at the top level. This does not mean they cannot be subbed if they don’t perform. For me it’s last chance saloon with guys like this and their performances would dictate their futures.
As for Tom Cunniffe and Alan Dillon – if they are both unfit to tog out then your selections come into play with either Reilly or Hallinan at other CB.
I’m not sure about CHF. I don’t know much about either Campbell or O’Connor. Its a pivotal position – one I used to play in. Generally they’res very little space and you have to be cute as well as very tough from my own battle memories (becasue you’re going to get it dished out from most CH backs).
Ideally I would prefer a good distributor there someone who can drop late into midfield, mix it if needs be, along with ability to turn and attack directly into his opposite opponent. CHBs don’t like someone with a change of gear who can run at them. They know if they get inside generally its a score and it puts the fear of God into them.
By the way I do have Jason Gibbons playing and would be expecting him to contribute in midfield as well.
Your choice of Varley instead of Aidan K is a tough call. I would pick AK because he has the experience and also because he would be playing inside his fellow clubmate Kevin McG. In my mind their should be better communication as a result.
Overall I know you can argue that lads will never get experience if they are not tried but personally I would start with my most experienced 15 and work off that.
Note: I would be a Trap fan !!
Shame McGarrity and a few others were not fit for Sunday. Personally I would have liked to experiment with the following. Not long left now until London.
1-David Clarke
2-Eoghan Reilly/Tom Cunniffe
3-Alan Feeney
4-Keith Higgins
5-Richie Feeney
6-Donal Vaughan
7-Kevin McLoughlin
8-Aidan O Shea
9-James Kilcullen
10-Alan Dillon
11-Seamus O Shea
12-Andy Moran
13-Alan Freeman
14-Ronan McGarrity
15-Jason Doherty
Tall and strong spine there.
sorry to differ WJ but I think Cillian’s spot is in da red zone inside the 21