*Limerick GAA news/discussion thread*

Fireball07

I agree in theory about getting your best players onto the pitch, and I wouldn't be a huge fan of Hickey at centre-forward but you can see why Allen is doing it.


Our half-forward line has been cleaned out far too often against good sides. I mean against Kilkenny last year, both Hannon and Dowling were completely anonymous, and Breen for a big man doesn't win as much ball as you'd like. I wouldn't overly worry about Hannon, someone of his class will always cause problems.

But as far as I'm concerned, the other 2 positions are up for grabs. Dowling has the talent but he hasn't fully made the step up as a senior half-forward yet, he'll score plenty against weaker teams but needs to do more against the better teams. Breen is useful but will never be top class. Allis should be given more of a chance, I think, works very hard and has lots of pace. Downes is an option, but I prefer him closer to goal... maybe Niall Moran could be given a chance on the wing again? He can be a bit hit-and-miss but he's always been good to win possession and if he can use it properly, he could be a great player to have. But unless someone really puts their hand up, I think Allen will keep Hickey there.

mickmackey1

glasagusban wrote: »

Downes coming back to form, mulcahy moran and downes will be a lethal line come summer. As for Hannon, class. A few players to come back in and a few areas in need of work but plenty of positives to be getting on with. Hon Limerick!

Very encouraging, a few more performances like this will really cause the big boys to sit up and take notice; I just hope its not the reverse of the 90s: quality forwards, average backs - how about Clare though, seriously impressive...

glasagusban

mickmackey1 wrote: »

Very encouraging, a few more performances like this will really cause the big boys to sit up and take notice; I just hope its not the reverse of the 90s: quality forwards, average backs - how about Clare though, seriously impressive...

Clare were very impressive, they are going to have some unit of forwards. I think they'll be in munster final this year. I only wonder though, Davy has them hopping off the ground now, will they still be improving by championship, or will it be a repeat of last year where they were further developed than everyone else early in the season only to be overtaken come championship?

The most encouraging aspect of the win v Dublin for me (apart from the correct positioning and return to form of downes) is that we improved as the match went on and finished far stronger. As opposed to last year where we faded out of matches.

A good few negatives there that need work too though.

Fireball07

Another unnecessarily long match report from the football game against Tipp. Obviously I couldn't do one for the hurling because I wasn't there.

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/allianz-football-league-division-4-report-limerick-vs-tipperary/


I do tend to get carried away when writing, I'll admit. Not the best at editing my own work. I was impressed with Tipp though, thought Quinlivan was excellent, and hadn't been sure about him at senior level before that. Hannigan was also dominant in midfield and set up an awful lot of attacks.

For us, Collins and O'Connor were among our only bright sparks, though O'Riordan made some great interventions defensively too.



The U-21s are playing Cork on Wednesday night in the Gaelic Grounds..... don't hold an awful lot of hope out for them, but we'll see.

mickmackey1

Team to face Offaly on Sunday - Dowling dropped.

Nicky Quaid, (Effin), Alan Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh), Richie McCarthy (Blackrock), Stephen Walsh (Glenroe), Paudie O'Brien (Kilmallock)(Captain), Wayne McNamara (Adare), Gavin O'Mahoney (Kilmallock), Paul Browne (Bruff), James Ryan (Garryspillane), Declan Hannon (Adare), Seamus Hickey (Murroe/Boher), David Breen (Na Piarsaigh), Kevin Downes (Na Piarsaigh), Niall Moran (Ahane) and Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock).

paddy no 11

Hard to argue with 3 wins. Clearly Allen has a plan and has his 1st 15-20 players locked down.

Think we might like to see a bit more experimentation/tweeking of the team but its probably not going to happen.

Will be happy with another win if we can get it and a playoff against whomever.

glasagusban

Is Condon injured? In any event Dempsey should have played last week and good to see him in again. Is Allis fit to start yet or what?

paddy no 11

Didnt see condon on bench but allis is on bench alright. I guess we'd all like to see allis at half forward with hickey going to midfield for 1 game at least. Possibly swap hickey to half back and paudie to midfield.

Personally would like paidi at midfield purely because he scores from there, hickey wont, come championship every point counts.

jjjd

John Galvin named on bench for footballers according to the Limerick Post. Great to have him back.

Fireball07

Don't think there's any danger of Condon being dropped for big games, he's either being rested or has a slight injury. Good to give Dempsey another chance, was impressive against Carlow and I think he's a class hurler.

Also would agree that I'd like to see Hickey at half-back or midfield in some game, with Allis at half-forward but we'll see. Don't necessarily agree with Hickey not scoring from midfield, he scored a good few from there in 2009, and was impressive. O'Brien on form is probably a more natural score-taker though.



And great for Galvin to be back, what a player. Absolute legend.

Fireball07

Suppose I should post the team named for the football


U-21 players O'Meara and Treacy are out because of the football against Cork on Wednesday as well as Corbett, Sheahan and Neville. Brian Scanlon is injured, and O'Carroll and Coady are dropped (probably deservedly, neither were great the last day). Good to see Buckley back, Lavin is named at wing-forward but other players need to start taking responsibility in attack. Obviously, having Galvin and Kelly on the bench is a huge boost, even if they don't play.

Bobby O'Brien is back from his exams, and replaced Treacy which is grand anyway, Quaid replaces Coady, not much between them imo...and O'Dwyer comes in for O'Meara. He's a good defender, and it might give Lavin more freedom to attack. Although, not sure O'Dwyer has the same playmaking abilities as Lavin, he's really just an excellent man marker.

1. Donal O’Sullivan (Monaleen)
2. Damien Quaid (St. Mary’s/Sean Finn's)
3. Johnny McCarthy (St. Kieran’s)
4. Mark O’Riordan (Croom)
5. Lorcan O’Dwyer (Pallasgreen)
6. Paudie Browne (Fr.Casey’s)
7. Pa Ranahan (Ballysteen)
8. Tom Lee (Ballylanders)
9. Bobby O'Brien (Bruff)
10. Stephen Lavin (Adare)
11. Seanie Buckley (Dromcollogher/Broadford) (Captain)
12. John Riordan (Fr. Casey’s)
13. Eoghan O’Connor (St. Mary’s/Sean Finn’s)
14. Ger Collins (Monaleen)
15. Ian Ryan (St. Senan’s).

16. James Brouder (Mountcollins)
17. Mike O’Keeffe (Newcastlewest)
18. Cian Coady (Na Piarsaigh)
19. Andrew Lane (St. Senan’s)
20. Mike Sheehan (Fr. Casey’s)
21. Paul Kinnerk (Monaleen)
22. Seamus O’Carroll (Parnells London)
23. Stephen Kelly (Newcastle West)
24. Derry O’Connor (Fr. Casey’s)
25. John Galvin (Croom).




In the hurling the bench is:

Aaron Murphy (Hospital/Herbertstown), Shane O’Neill (South Liberties), Mark Carmody (Patrickswell), Cathal King (Na Piarsaigh), Conor Allis (Croom), Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh), Paudie Ahern (Kilteely/Dromkeen), Tommy Quaid (Effin), David Reidy (Dromin/Athlacca), Adrian Breen (Na Piarsaigh) and Sean Tobin (Murroe/Boher).

Adrian Breen scored 0-3 from play from midfield in the U-21 challenge game against Cork, and David Reidy scored 0-7, 0-1 from play. Carmody was playing corner-back and John Fitzgibbon also scored 0-3 from play.

But it's a strong bench, I think...Allis is a very good player, Dowling is someone who we hope will come back into form, I rate Breen highly, hope he makes the grade, Reidy is a handy forward, and I wouldn't be worried about bringing Tobin on at all, he's likely to get a goal. And then O'Neill is an excellent corner-back, and Murphy a fine keeper.

Fireball07

Beating London at half-time 1-7 to 1-2. Good to get our first goal of the campaign, John Riordan scored it. Seems to be a wider spread of scorers, Riordan's got 1-1, McCarthy scored 0-1 as well as Ryan, Collins, O'Connor. Conceded a penalty just on the stroke of half-time which is kind of disappointing, but we seem to be well in control.

Should kick on and win.

Fireball07

O'Neill in for Walsh, Allis in for Moran.... Hannon starting on the edge of the square.

Mulcahy point early on.

Fireball07

Bloody hell, Dooley has scored 1-3 without reply, goal from a penalty.


Losing 1-3 to 0-1.

EDIT: Another goal for Dooley! Losing by 8 :O


And we missed a goal chance just before that, and Hannon missed one earlier.

Rightwing

Fireball07 wrote: »

Bloody hell, Dooley has scored 1-3 without reply, goal from a penalty.


Losing 1-3 to 0-1.

EDIT: Another goal for Dooley! Losing by 8 :O


And we missed a goal chance just before that, and Hannon missed one earlier.

Not surprised, Allen don't know what he's doing, we're going nowhere.

Fireball07

I think that's a bit harsh, at times we play some good hurling and last year we were pretty impressive in the Championship, I thought.


Apparently conditions in London are absolutely terrible, but London have really come back, only 2 points in it now. 1-9 to 1-7....John Galvin is on. Couple of minutes left, hope we hold on.


Hannon just missed a 21 yard free, went for goal. Hannon's free-taking has been really poor, missed a good few. Might be the wind.

jjjd

Interesting to hear Limerick are wearing blue jerseys for the Offaly match.

Fireball07

Footballers only just held on in the end. Won by 1-9 to 1-8, London's comeback nearly caught us out, but we really stopped scoring in the second half, which is a bit of a worry.


Half-time in the hurling, we had the better of the second part of the second half, Offaly stopped scoring and started fouling a lot, it's 2-7 to 0-8 now, which is a manageable gap with a strong breeze. Shane Dooley has scored 2-5 of their 2-7...

Hickey seems to be doing well, working very hard. Hannon again seems to be making more of an impression at half-forward, involved more and sets up more chances. We've certainly started scoring more since he came out. Need to get better ball to Mulcahy and Downes though... GOM just prevented a goal, but our backline seems to be really vulnerable, Carroll and Dooley were getting through whenever they wanted. I think we'll win with the breeze, but something has to be done about the backline, we can't afford to give these goal chances away in the Championship.

paddy no 11

Cant believe richie was left go out to corner back and left O'Neill at full.

Hannon has to be on the half, end of. Waste of time at FF.

Poor calls from management, hope they dont cost us.




Well done footballers.

Fireball07

Hannon back at full-forward

Fireball07

Leading by 2 now, well on top in the 2nd half, should kick on unless we concede another goal.

Fireball07

Spoke too soon, Offaly got a goal :mad:

They're back in front by a point. I'd still expect us to win but not good...

Insect Overlord

Level again for the moment.

Rightwing

Insect Overlord wrote: »

Level again for the moment.

How long is left ?

Fireball07

Red card for Colin Egan.

Fireball07

5 mins left, Graham Mul's 4th point has put us 3 points up, Offaly haven't scored a point in the 2nd half.

Rightwing

Fireball07 wrote: »

5 mins left, Graham Mul's 4th point has put us 3 points up, Offaly haven't scored a point in the 2nd half.

Thanks, awful stuff from Offaly not to be able to score a point.

Fireball07

Win by 4, 0-21 to 3-8.

Completely dominated the second half, Offaly scored 1-1, the point from a free. Think we marked Dooley out of the game, and they had absolutely no attacking threat, and we seemed to just keep the points going over.


The leaking of goal chances has to be worked on though, if we give those chances to Tipp...or even to Dublin in the final, we'll lose.

paddy no 11

Well we're in the final

But the goals have to stop or it doesnt matter a jot what happens down the other end, cobett will get a hat trick at this rate.

Hard to tell if carmody done well or just the supply of ball dried up, either way o'neill should never have been at FB. Condon to come back in.

Allis and mulcahy seem to have gone well

Hannon at FF, just no

Cant start both breen and hickey.

jjjd

Two good away victories today. Weather not very good in London. Good to have John Galvin back. Good comeback in Tullamore in second half. In the hurling final now. Maybe football as well.