Clare V Wexford Div II Final

Evil_Clown

V


Allianz GAA Hurling National League Roinn II Final 2010 - Final

An Clár V Loch Garman

Time: 5 00 PM, Venue: Semple Stadium, Thurles

Referee: Johnny Ryan

Really looking forward to this game, its a pity that one team has to lose and spent another year in div2 cos both should be in div1 if the GAA structured the hurling league properly. This game is arguably more important to these 2 teams that a championship game imo.
Is Rossiter def out for Wexford ??

Hope Clare can shade it with Ryan doing the damage

cruiserweight

From todays Indo

http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/model-prima-donnas-betray-heroes-of-96-2155002.html

COLM Bonnar's revelation that some young hurlers in Wexford had rejected his invitation to join the county's senior squad sent me reaching for Tom Williams' book 'With Hand and Heart', which was published in late 1996.

It was a joyous time for Wexford as they celebrated a first All-Ireland hurling title for 28 years. That overdue success had, according to Williams, "restored self-belief and made everyone in Wexford once again proud to be part of an old and noble county, a place where unspoiled and unpaid young hurling men had unselfishly given their time and effort to play the best field game in the world, brilliantly and skilfully".

Indeed they had. For years they endured frustration and disappointment, plus disparaging jokes (Why did the crocodile swim away from a man wearing a 'Wexford for the All-Ireland' T-shirt? Because even a crocodile wouldn't swallow that) but they never allowed their resolve to be diluted and were finally rewarded in 1996.

Imagine how they must feel now when they hear that a section of a brave new generation, who as youngsters dreamed of being like Martin Storey, Liam Dunne, Tom Dempsey and Co, couldn't be bothered trying their luck with Wexford.

Bonnar asked some of them but they weren't interested. It seems playing in Division 2 is beneath their noble station. Us playing in Division 2? Really, who do you think we are? Carlow? Hang on, didn't Carlow beat Wexford in the league some weeks back? Indeed they did. The reason Wexford are in Division 2 is because one win from five in 2008 left them outside the top flight when the league was restructured, and they failed to win promotion last year.

They lost out to Offaly in the Division 2 final 12 months ago and are facing a similar showdown against Clare on Sunday. Bonnar claims that if Wexford lose and head for a third successive season in Division 2, it will have such a demotivating impact on players that even some seasoned campaigners will be questioning if it's worth it.

Bonnar wants Division 1 expanded to include the likes of Wexford, Clare and Limerick, all of whom have been hit with relegation in recent seasons. He believes that a format which is suited to football is being applied to hurling and that it's having a seriously negative impact on teams who are struggling to squeeze into the top eight.

He's right. Teams like Wexford, Clare, Offaly, Limerick and Laois would be better off playing the top guns every year rather than finding themselves in Division 2 which offers only one escape chute per season.

The 12-team Division 1 system (divided into two sixes) applied up to 2008 but it's now similar to football, with only the leading eight in the top flight. Unlike football, there's a wide variation between Divisions 1 and 2 (bottom end) in hurling. Besides, it's two-up, two-down in football and one-up, one-down in hurling.

Bonnar's argument that hurling should operate off a system which is carefully tailored to meet its particular needs is logical. Unlike football, where the gap between top and bottom isn't as wide, hurling needs to be calibrated with great precision to avoid mis-matches, while at the same time giving all counties a chance to compete at a level which helps their development.

Slotting eight counties into Division 1 and then restricting access/exit to one team per season will always lead to an uneven Division 2, made up of some counties who are quite close to the top eight and others who are some way off the pace. Neither group benefits from the current format.

Bonnar's unhappiness with the system is understandable in terms of hurling's broader interest but it still beggars belief that there are players in Wexford who won't join the county panel because the team is in Division 2. If they think they're that good why not join up and win promotion? Then again, if a player doesn't deem it a sufficiently high honour to wear the county jersey irrespective of what division they're in, he could hardly be relied on to have the necessary fibre or character to cope with pressurised situations. Frankly, Bonnar is better off without players of that mentality.

George O'Connor is doing a fine job as Regeneration Hurling Officer for Wexford and hopes are high that his work with youngsters will bear fruit on the inter-county fields in due course.

Meanwhile, Wexford will be seeking promotion on Sunday without the assistance of some players who think Division 2 is unworthy of their silken skills.

God, wouldn't you love to let O'Connor and the 1996 boys loose on them for a while.

league double would be superb feat for rebels

It may not have quite the same status as an All-Ireland double but winning both League Division 1 titles will still be quite an achievement if the Cork hurlers deliver on it next Sunday.

It has been done only once in the 84-year history of the competitions and, yes, Cork were the dual winners. They had home advantage on the double in 1980 as the footballers beat Kerry and the hurlers beat Limerick in a replay in the finals at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

However, Cork's dominance didn't carry into the championships where the footballers lost the Munster final heavily to Kerry and the hurlers were beaten by Limerick. It's difficult to envisage anybody beating Cork footballers easily (if indeed at all) while it stretches credibility to breaking point to expect Limerick hurlers to make any progress in Munster.

adrian522

I hate this sese of entitlement from wexford especially. They are in division 2 becuase they got releated and deserve to be there. Oncwe they prove to be the best team in division 2 they will be promoted.

They cant claim they are too good for division 2 because they clearly are not. for hurling to thrive there needs to be competition outsilde the top division and not this little cosy group of the same teams with no chance for teams like Laois, Carlow, Kildare, Antrim etc.

The current league structure is fine as it means teams have to show respect to the league and also gives teams like Dublin something concrete to aim for - i.e Maintain division 1 status.

tatoo

Yes , but as against that the old system of division one , containing twelve teams in two six team groups , if it was still there would see Clare , Wexford , Laois and Carlow all playing division one hurling , and that could only be beneficial to the promotion of the games in those counties .

conf101

Have a bad feeling that Wexford will mess this one up and end up facing into a third year of division 2 hurling!

Orizio

tatoo wrote: »

Yes , but as against that the old system of division one , containing twelve teams in two six team groups , if it was still there would see Clare , Wexford , Laois and Carlow all playing division one hurling , and that could only be beneficial to the promotion of the games in those counties .

...and then we'll see Laois and Carlow getting hammered weak in weak out by the likes of Kilkenny and Tipperary, making the league a farce.

The league is fine as is, although it should be two up two down.

cruiserweight

Loads of injury problems for Wexford

http://www.wexfordecho.ie/news/story/?trs=mhojsnmhcw&cat=sport

THE WEXFORD hurlers’ efforts to win next Sunday’s National League Division 2 final against Clare are being undermined by a deepening injury crisis.

The freshest blow to an already long list of casualties came in Sunday evening’s loss to Cork in a challenge (4-19 to 0-17) when Keith Rossiter was forced off with an ankle injury after twenty minutes.

That is a particularly unwelcome development considering how his clubmate and fellow key defender Paul Roche has been out for three weeks with a groin complaint. Midfielder Colm Farrell emerged as another serious doubt for the Thurles showdown against Clare after he was forced off with a hamstring strain during the HWH-Bunclody’s intermediate footballers’ championship win over Craanford on Friday at Farmleigh.

The medical room is also occupied by PJ Nolan (shoulder), Andrew Shore (knee), Willie Doran (elbow) and Tomás Waters (groin), leaving selectors Colm Bonnar, Eamonn Scallan, John Barron, Tom Mullally and Conor Power with a major headache to contend with as they try to sort out a 24-man squad for their bid to make amends for last year’s League final defeat to Offaly.

“We simply have to be sure that the 24 we pick are actually going to be okay and capable of contributing on the day because there is no doubt that we will have to use 20 players on the day if we are going to have any chance of winning this game,” says Bonnar, who was delighted to see Darren Stamp return from injury in the Cork match.

“Darren got through it okay. We gave him 40 minutes and then replaced him with Ciarán Kenny. It is definitely a great boost to have Darren back in action.”

Bonnar was reasonably happy with the overall showing in that work-out against Cork, enthusing that “we were very competitive.

Okay we shipped four goals, which couldn’t be helped with the two towers Cork had inside (Ó hÁilpín and Cussen), and once Keith Rossiter had to go off we were in trouble there. But the lads got stuck in and they did well enough.”

Wexford produced an heroic fight-back to force a 2-19 to 1-22 draw in the group encounter against Clare on March 14th last, when recovering from a ten-point deficit at one stage in that Ennis showdown.

“That game obviously shows us the mountain we have to climb,” Bonnar suggests. “We were ten points down before we got into that game and Clare had also missed two goals in that spell when they were absolutely on top.

“So we are very conscious of the need to get into Sunday’s final from the word ‘go’, because Clare are a very fit and physical team we cannot afford to give them the lead again.”

tatoo

Orizio wrote: »

...and then we'll see Laois and Carlow getting hammered weak in weak out by the likes of Kilkenny and Tipperary, making the league a farce.

The league is fine as is, although it should be two up two down.

So you're saying that Laois and Carlow are better off in division two ??

They wouldn't be playing Kilkenny and Tipp week-in week-out , and depending on how the groups were drawn they might not have to play either of them . They both fared pretty well against Wexford and Clare this year .

cruiserweight

Wexford team for Sunday named

Wexford (SH v Clare): 1. Noel Carton, 2. Paul Roche, 3. Keith Rossiter, 4. Ciarán Kenny, 5. Richie Kehoe, 6. Darren Stamp, 7. Malachy Travers, 8. Harry Kehoe, 9. Colm Farrell, 10. Andrew Shore, 11. Eoin Quigley, 12. Diarmuid Lyng, Capt.13. Rory Jacob, 14. Stephen Banville, 15. Peter Atkinson

Orizio

tatoo wrote: »

So you're saying that Laois and Carlow are better off in division two ??

They wouldn't be playing Kilkenny and Tipp week-in week-out , and depending on how the groups were drawn they might not have to play either of them . They both fared pretty well against Wexford and Clare this year .

Yes - it doesn't seem to be doing them any harm. And in particular Wexford need to realise they are exactly where they belong.

cgarvey

Here's to a Clare victory! I like the current division format. Clare/Wexford are exactly where they deserve to be, and can have no complaints (even if Clare over-reacting in the media on relegation).

With this format there's room for a few poorer teams to be playing with the big boys. No absolute whipping boys (Limerick is an exception this year), and every match having the potential to be a spectacle. Nobody learns anything from KK beating Laois 2-31 to 0-5, so the Div 1/2 separation is a good idea, I think. Work for promotion, and get your reward. Don't and you probably are going to be a bore to watch against Div 1 opposition anyway, so no loss!

Clare|v|Wexford
Philip Brennan|1|Noel Carton
| |
Pat Vaughan|2|Paul Roche
Cian Dillon|3|Keith Rossiter
Domhnall O'Donovan|4|Ciarán Kenny
Brendan Bugler|5|Richie Kehoe
James McInerney|6|Darren Stamp
Partrick Donnellan|7|Malachy Travers
| |
Nicky O'Connell|8|Harry Kehoe
Brian O'Connell (c)|9|Colm Farrell
| |
Sean Collins|10|Andrew Shore
John Conlon|11|Eoin Quigley
Jonothan Clancy|12|Diarmuid Lyng
Diarmuid McMahon|13|Rory Jacob (c)
Darach Honan|14|Stephen Banville
Colin Ryan|15|Peter Atkinson
| |
Donal Touhy|16|
Conor Cooney|17|
Gerry Quinn|18|
Fergal Lynch|19|
Alan Markham|20|
Mark Flaherty|21|
Barry Nugent|22|
Martin Murphy|23|
Eamon Glynn|24|

Diabhal Beag

Slow enough start so far. Neither team look great.

soccymonster

The cat fight between Darach Honan and the wexford lad was interesting anyways.

Not many scores at all and a few disappointing wides moreso from Clare.

Orizio

Complete ****e.

Caco

Slightly boring alright, maybe that goal will add a bit of a spark to the game! That second commentator on TG4 is painfully boring too!

Orizio

What do you think of Deftones' newest Caco?

DylanS09

Caco wrote: »

Slightly boring alright, maybe that goal will add a bit of a spark to the game! That second commentator on TG4 is painfully boring too!

I wish I could understand the commentators!:(

Orizio

DylanS09 wrote: »

I wish I could understand the commentators!:(

Its just 'this is ****e' over and over again as gaeilge.

soccymonster

DylanS09 wrote: »

I wish I could understand the commentators!:(

I can.
But the goal was well hit.
Hopefully the second half will be more....eventful.

dotsflan

do clare have the wind in the second half?

DylanS09

Tg4 just lightened my mood by showing Limerick lose another AI!

Orizio

DylanS09 wrote: »

Tg4 just lightened my mood by showing Limerick lose another AI!

Which one was this, there has been so many...

DylanS09

Orizio wrote: »

Which one was this, there has been so many...

Uhhh.........
1973!:(

soccymonster

DylanS09 wrote: »

Tg4 just lightened my mood by showing Limerick lose another AI!

DylanS09 wrote: »

Uhhh.........
1973!:(

They won it that year???

Anyways, 2nd half !

DylanS09

soccymonster wrote: »

They won it that year???

Anyways, 2nd half !

Yeah!Only noticed that now!!
Can't remember what year they showed so!
My bad!:o

Orizio

Wexford are the better hurling team, but Clare have the nicer jerseys.

soccymonster

Orizio wrote: »

Wexford are the better hurling team, but Clare have the nicer jerseys.

Why am I laughing at this?

The amount of wides by wexford in a row like is crazy!
And thank god, a goal! Some sorta score.

DylanS09

Wel that was a stupid goal to give away!

Diabhal Beag

I wish I had cocaine to get through this load of bollocks.

Caco

soccymonster wrote: »

The amount of wides by wexford in a row like is crazy!

Now Clare are doing the same!

soccymonster

Caco wrote: »

Now Clare are doing the same!

And now wexford are doing it again! :pac:

Daysha

G'wan Wexford.

Caco

Finally starting to get a bit exciting!

Danno

Well done WX. Delighted to see them go up.

cruiserweight

Just in from watching the football in the pub, sounds like a crap game but happy with the result

Bottleopener

cruiserweight wrote: »

Just in from watching the football in the pub, sounds like a crap game but happy with the result

A win's a win at the end of the day . Division 1 next year will be good for the lads

tatoo

cgarvey wrote: »

Here's to a Clare victory! I like the current division format. Clare/Wexford are exactly where they deserve to be, and can have no complaints (even if Clare over-reacting in the media on relegation).

With this format there's room for a few poorer teams to be playing with the big boys. No absolute whipping boys (Limerick is an exception this year), and every match having the potential to be a spectacle. Nobody learns anything from KK beating Laois 2-31 to 0-5, so the Div 1/2 separation is a good idea, I think. Work for promotion, and get your reward. Don't and you probably are going to be a bore to watch against Div 1 opposition anyway, so no loss!

Clare|v|Wexford
Philip Brennan|1|Noel Carton
| |
Pat Vaughan|2|Paul Roche
Cian Dillon|3|Keith Rossiter
Domhnall O'Donovan|4|Ciarán Kenny
Brendan Bugler|5|Richie Kehoe
James McInerney|6|Darren Stamp
Partrick Donnellan|7|Malachy Travers
| |
Nicky O'Connell|8|Harry Kehoe
Brian O'Connell (c)|9|Colm Farrell
| |
Sean Collins|10|Andrew Shore
John Conlon|11|Eoin Quigley
Jonothan Clancy|12|Diarmuid Lyng
Diarmuid McMahon|13|Rory Jacob (c)
Darach Honan|14|Stephen Banville
Colin Ryan|15|Peter Atkinson
| |
Donal Touhy|16|
Conor Cooney|17|
Gerry Quinn|18|
Fergal Lynch|19|
Alan Markham|20|
Mark Flaherty|21|
Barry Nugent|22|
Martin Murphy|23|
Eamon Glynn|24|

The huge gap in skill levels , intensity and pace of the game between the division 1 and division 2 finals demonstrates the level to which Clare and Wexford have dropped ,
of course they deserved to be in division two under the current format , but do you really believe either made progress or even consolidated their position by playing division two hurling ?
Hidings for both in the championship loom large .

grenache

Phillip Brennan - what in the name of Jehovah were you at for the winning goal? You really dont expect that sort of casual clumsyness from an inter-county keeper, perhaps the softest goal we will see all year. Clare's second goal was equally as calamitous from a Wexford point of view. Keith Rossiter at full back wouldn't be inspiring confidence in me. His bumbled attempts to clear the ball were bettered only by Brennan's. Wexford deserved their win but neither of these teams will be seeing Croke Park this year.