Eoin Kelly???

premierstone

Just thought id ask for everyones views on the whole Eoin Kelly affair that seems to have been relatively ignored by the press does anyone agree with me that Babs is really playing with fire here and that it is really an insult to wexford that will surely only serve to motivate them more?

cruiserweight

Well Babs insists the player is still slightly injured. If it is a close game, then I would say he will come on but otherwise he won't play. I would doubt that the Wexford guys need motivation, given what has been said and written in recent months, it is their last chance to prove people wrong. But hopefully this means Tipp are overlooking Wexford and looking at a the semi's.

premierstone

Thats what worries me at the end of the day its ann all-ireland Q/F and your best 15 should be out on the field. The medics have cleared Kelly infact he was fit for the Cork game and is on record as sayin he is 100% i was talkin to someone who was at the tipp training last sunday and he was on fire now i know that Babs likes a flutter but i really think this is one hell of a gamble.

People will say ''ah sure if were in trouble we can always bring him on'' problem is that if you allow a team like wexford who have great pride and will be hurting these last few weeks to get ahead of you and get a head of steam up it can be very difficult to turn it around even with Eoin Kelly.

Personally i think this runs alot deeper than people realise. Babs loves Tipp hurling we all accept that but Babs loves been the centre of attention aswell been the main man so to speak so what has he done so far as Tipp manager - 1. appointed two selectors that he knew wouldnt question any of his decisions - the preverbial yes men
2. Then follows up by dropping one of the top goalkeepers in the country
3. And not happy with this he then drops the best forward in the country

Its as if he is trying to prove that he and he alone can bring success back to Tipp, could you imagine the public outcry in Kilkenny if Brian Cody dropped Henry Shefflin.

cruiserweight

What is the general feeling in Tipperary at the moment? I get the impression that after the Limerick games it was doom and gloom, and now after the Cork game it is optimism.

If Tipp win it won't matter who did or didn't play. But if you can keep Eoin Kelly fit and healthy and ready for the next game (if you have one), then there is no harm in resting him. As for Cummins, I heard that the reasoning behind him being dropped was that Kennedy has better distribution from puck outs. Although it is off topic, I always thought that Cummins was slightly overrated anyway.

rebs23

A lot of people from Tipp say that the team plays better without E.Kelly. I know it seems strange but apprantly the view is that they gel better and work harder if he is not playing. Only recounting whats been said to me.

premierstone

There is definitely alot of optimism about after the cork game especially as it was achieved without Eoin and Paul Kelly, Diarmuid Fitzgerald, Cummins, Curran, Shane Magrath, Woodlock etc. theres a feeling now that we actually have a panel which was missing for a long time, personally id be a little more cautious at the end of the day we couldnt beat Limerick in 3 attempts and beat a Cork team who clearly had their minds on something else and b4 they realised they were in a game it was too late, if we had beaten Cork in a knock out game then yes i would be very optimistic.

The cummins theory on the puck outs doesnt really stand up. iv heard that theory aswell but there is absolutely no difference between kennedy's and cummin's puckouts - one is an experienced player with an all-Ireland and two all-stars and the other is a rookie from the u-21's - would have thought it was a no-brainer myself but that Babs for you - predictably un-predictable!!

Zzippy

Eoin Kelly's a great player, and the Tipp team would surely benefit from him playing on Sunday. However, I don't think its Babs trying to be Babs. Kelly was injured in the qualifier against Dublin, and even though he was cleared for the Cork match, it still would have been a risk playing him, in a match they didn't have to win, as they had qualified already. Much worse to play him then and aggravate the injury and have him missing for the knockout games.

Tipp beat Cork in a great performance, and as with a lot of teams, the ethic is probably to stick with a winning team - reward players in possession of the jersey who give good performances.

I'm sure Kelly will play a good part of the game, if not the whole match. Remember, the team thats picked in the programme doesn't have to start... it could be just mind games on Tipp's part :rolleyes:

monosharp

premierstone wrote:

Just thought id ask for everyones views on the whole Eoin Kelly affair that seems to have been relatively ignored by the press does anyone agree with me that Babs is really playing with fire here and that it is really an insult to wexford that will surely only serve to motivate them more?

Didn't seem to hurt them against Cork

Ah no seriously, Eoins nowhere near full power/fitness all year. Theres absolutely no point playing a less then fit kelly now only to **** him up completely for the next match where he MIGHT be back to full fitness.

I don't think its in any disrespect to Kelly, i'd say even if Tipp were facing Cork/Kilkenny Babs wouldn't start him at the moment.

monosharp

premierstone wrote:

Thats what worries me at the end of the day its ann all-ireland Q/F and your best 15 should be out on the field. The medics have cleared Kelly infact he was fit for the Cork game and is on record as sayin he is 100% i was talkin to someone who was at the tipp training last sunday and he was on fire now i know that Babs likes a flutter but i really think this is one hell of a gamble.

You have to admit premierstone, Kelly was not firing on all cylinders all year even before the injury.

Personally i think this runs alot deeper than people realise. Babs loves Tipp hurling we all accept that but Babs loves been the centre of attention aswell been the main man so to speak so what has he done so far as Tipp manager - 1. appointed two selectors that he knew wouldnt question any of his decisions - the preverbial yes men
2. Then follows up by dropping one of the top goalkeepers in the country
3. And not happy with this he then drops the best forward in the country

Its as if he is trying to prove that he and he alone can bring success back to Tipp, could you imagine the public outcry in Kilkenny if Brian Cody dropped Henry Shefflin.

Ah now theres absolutely nothing wrong with John Leahy as a selector, hes a man that knows his hurling and i think your being very hard saying he wouldn't question Babs.

monosharp

cruiserweight wrote:

What is the general feeling in Tipperary at the moment? I get the impression that after the Limerick games it was doom and gloom, and now after the Cork game it is optimism.

If Tipp win it won't matter who did or didn't play. But if you can keep Eoin Kelly fit and healthy and ready for the next game (if you have one), then there is no harm in resting him. As for Cummins, I heard that the reasoning behind him being dropped was that Kennedy has better distribution from puck outs. Although it is off topic, I always thought that Cummins was slightly overrated anyway.

Cummins wasn't the best for puckouts but he was clearly a better shot stopper then Kennedy.

premierstone

I disagree monosharp i think there is plenty wrong with John Leahy as a selector the man was an absolute genius of a hurler no doubt about it but even as a player his decision making and behaviour on the field were questionable to say the least and as for his credentials as a selector he was manager of Mullinahone for one season and it ended in a farce.

Dont get me wrong i have nothing but admiration for John as a player but player/selector are two completely different things.

Erin Go Brath

If Eoin Kelly is fit he should be playing. Its madness to leave him out. :eek: He's one of the best hurlers in the country.

Tipp would want to be careful, Wexford mightn't be the pushover they expect. They did decent in the league. The massacre that was the Leinster Final can only motivate Wexford to get the finger out. Defintely if Tipp get cocky and start leaving out their best players, they are just asking for trouble.

Mushy

Well it showed against Cork that, when they had to channel the sliotar through different parts of the forward line, it served them well. In the Limerick matches, he was closely watched, and didnt play that great in all honesty. Tipp proved against Cork they can cope without Kelly, fit or not, so why not go the same way again? The opposition dont know how the sliotar will come into the forward line, therefore making it harder for any affirmative plan against them.

I dont think its a case of them taking Wexford lightly, its more just going along with what has already worked.

premierstone

Erin Go Brath wrote:

If Eoin Kelly is fit he should be playing. Its madness to leave him out. :eek: He's one of the best hurlers in the country.

Tipp would want to be careful, Wexford mightn't be the pushover they expect. They did decent in the league. The massacre that was the Leinster Final can only motivate Wexford to get the finger out. Defintely if Tipp get cocky and start leaving out their best players, they are just asking for trouble.

Spot on Erin that was exactly the point i am making if theres one person who can come on here and in all honesty say that Eoin Kelly is only the seventh best forward in Tipperary - assuming his first sub - then fair enough but i doubt it unless its someone whos been on mars for the last 7 years!! Its quite simple its a KNOCKOUT match you put out ur best 15 no arguements.