[chatjunkie]

Originally Posted by Fireball07

Beat Offaly 0-25 to 0-20 in a challenge match today.

I wasn't at it but it seemed like a very experimental side. Murphy was in goals, Geary at full-back, Hickey at centre-back (good to see him back), Tommy O'Brien in midfield and Niall Maher at centre-forward. O'Brien scored 4 points from play, Dowling got 10 in total.

Don't know what the Offaly team was, but I'll try and find out what the performance was like. Good to see he's trying other options anyway and good to see Downes and Hickey getting starts.

E

How did Geary go at full back?

[The Lopper]

Originally Posted by chatjunkie

E

How did Geary go at full back?

I was at it, and to be honest it wasn't a game where either full-back line was overly tested. I'd worry about Geary at 3 on a hard pitch with a pacy full-forward line, especially when if Richie McCarthy was also there, as was the case on Sunday.

Best on the day were probably Hickey at 6, Dowling at 12, Allis and Tommy O'Brien in midfield and Sean Tobin when moved out to the wing.

[calvin_zola]

is that the youngest of the Tobin borthers? is the older fella still on the panel, Pat i think his name is?

[Fireball07]

Originally Posted by The Lopper

I was at it, and to be honest it wasn't a game where either full-back line was overly tested. I'd worry about Geary at 3 on a hard pitch with a pacy full-forward line, especially when if Richie McCarthy was also there, as was the case on Sunday.

Best on the day were probably Hickey at 6, Dowling at 12, Allis and Tommy O'Brien in midfield and Sean Tobin when moved out to the wing.

Good stuff, nice to hear news from it.

I've always liked Tommy O'Brien, good to hear he played well. I'd love to see him get some time in the Championship.

I heard Tom Ryan had a good game?

We definitely need to get our full-back line sorted.

Originally Posted by calvin_zola

is that the youngest of the Tobin borthers? is the older fella still on the panel, Pat i think his name is?

No Pat's retired/dropped.

Seanie is the best of them anyway. Great eye for a goal, good work rate.

[calvin_zola]

Originally Posted by Fireball07

No Pat's retired/dropped.

Seanie is the best of them anyway. Great eye for a goal, good work rate.

ah right, Pat was a good sub, used always ruffle a few feathers when he came on, is seanie about 25? i went to college with one of them, think his name was kevin though...

[Fireball07]

Originally Posted by calvin_zola

ah right, Pat was a good sub, used always ruffle a few feathers when he came on, is seanie about 25? i went to college with one of them, think his name was kevin though...

Yeah but I think his contribution grew less and less as years went on.

Nah Seanie is younger, about 22. He was overage for the U-21s last year by a month.


Kevin also played for Limerick a few years back. Fairly talented but he was rumoured to be a bit of hothead and he was droppped off the panel and never made it back on.

[calvin_zola]

Yeah Kevin is the guy im thinking of

[Fireball07]

Martin Kiely reckons Geary is the best option as full-back for the Championship.


I'd always worry a bit about him there though, the years are catching up with him and he's always had injury problems. Probably at fault for a couple of goals in last year's quarter-final, I think we'd have gone through otherwise. Definitely not the quickest, though he's always been extremely strong in the air.

[premierstone]

Originally Posted by Fireball07

Martin Kiely reckons Geary is the best option as full-back for the Championship.


I'd always worry a bit about him there though, the years are catching up with him and he's always had injury problems. Probably at fault for a couple of goals in last year's quarter-final, I think we'd have gone through otherwise. Definitely not the quickest, though he's always been extremely strong in the air.

He's very slow alright but the likelihood is for the Tipp match he will be marking either Buggy O'Meara or Eoin Kelly so pace wont really be an issue, Seamus Callinan would be the only possible FF we would have where pace would be an issue.

[Fireball07]

Originally Posted by premierstone

He's very slow alright but the likelihood is for the Tipp match he will be marking either Buggy O'Meara or Eoin Kelly so pace wont really be an issue, Seamus Callinan would be the only possible FF we would have where pace would be an issue.

That's true...and I wouldn't fancy Richie McCarthy being faced up with Kelly either.

Hickey proved last year that he's not a full-back and shouldn't be played there. Same with GOM. Leaving Condon. The 3 corner-backs in the full-back line could work, all tight man-markers. I'd want Condon to be watching Kelly in any case.

[washman3]

Agree with you. i would go for 3 corner backs too. but maybe Richie Mac could come good in the championship?? is it too late to try Geary at full forward? surley he would have fared better than what we had V Clare in league final. Limerick tend to run at opposing backs now but when we could'nt do this V Clare our option of a long hoof to full forward didnt exist either due to a lack of a ball-winner. Geary is one of the best "high catchers" i've ever seen and would cause problems at 14. but father time has caught up on him legs-wise and for that reason i would'nt like to see him at No.3 Just my opinion BTW...

[Fireball07]

Originally Posted by washman3

Agree with you. i would go for 3 corner backs too. but maybe Richie Mac could come good in the championship?? is it too late to try Geary at full forward? surley he would have fared better than what we had V Clare in league final. Limerick tend to run at opposing backs now but when we could'nt do this V Clare our option of a long hoof to full forward didnt exist either due to a lack of a ball-winner. Geary is one of the best "high catchers" i've ever seen and would cause problems at 14. but father time has caught up on him legs-wise and for that reason i would'nt like to see him at No.3 Just my opinion BTW...

Well Richie Mac is the best club full-back in the country, but I'm not sure whether he's good enough for intercounty. I'd say he probably will be picked considering Allen persisted with him throughout the league. I'd just worry about him against someone like Kelly.

I definitely wouldn't put Geary at full-forward...I know he's well able to catch a ball but I don't think he'd have the necessary movement or ability to take scores under pressure from backs, he's never played forwards for the country team. Downes should be full-forward imo, he's coming back into form, he's well able to win his own ball. And he should be flanked by Tobin and Mulcahy who are also able to win their own ball. Tommy Quaid isn't strong enough imo.

[liammur]

I see Ciaran Carey has resigned from the county set up, big loss and all but ruins the championship before it has started.

He is very critical of the set up.

[Fireball07]

Originally Posted by liammur

I see Ciaran Carey has resigned from the county set up, big loss and all but ruins the championship before it has started.

He is very critical of the set up.

That's a big shock and not great news.


Doesn't ruin the championship per se, but it hints that all is not well which is disappointing. I thought we'd got over that stuff.

[Takkies1974]

if they lose in four weeks or fall away like they did against Thomond then Ciaran will be vindicated. However if the team win then his action will be looked on as stupid and childish. I for one think like Ciaran that ther the unfittest team ive seen for some years, a team of beefys if you will