Clare GAA Discussion part 2 , No Purple Jumpers Allowed !!

letowski

I also like that Diarmuid Ryan is finally (!) put in the half back line. And Aidan McCarthy too. You'd like to see those guys emerge as your long term starting wing backs.

Donnellan if he can come through after a strong season from Hayes last year can give us a young corner back duo too.

Very concerned about the half forward line again this year. Huge pity Duggan cant play (though I don't blame him in the slightest for staying in Oz)


Edit: I actually just realised thats Cian Galvin, not Colm Galvin at 8. I guess that just an intuitive mistake! But that's super to see him involved, a huge talent for us coming through imo.

Surprised Colm or his brother isnt on the panel. Also I was hoping to see Rodgers involved in some capacity.

bonzothedog

Clareman wrote: »

More fun and games down in the Bridge

https://www.facebook.com/718890624889855/posts/3689092951202926/?sfnsn=mo

Ah sure we're only jealous.

PeggyShippen

Clareman wrote: »

More fun and games down in the Bridge

https://www.facebook.com/718890624889855/posts/3689092951202926/?sfnsn=mo

They ll probably still win the County Championship handily enough.

Clareman

That's a very strong team for the first round of the league against Antrim, I would have liked to have seen a bit more experimentation, we know what the likes of SoD/TK can do, why not give someone else a run, especially TK. As for Conlon centre back, that just does not make sense, he's 31, our best forward 2 years ago, an All Star forward, why try to make a centre back out of him? Especially as we have a great centre back playing full back.

PeggyShippen

Clareman wrote: »

That's a very strong team for the first round of the league against Antrim, I would have liked to have seen a bit more experimentation, we know what the likes of SoD/TK can do, why not give someone else a run, especially TK. As for Conlon centre back, that just does not make sense, he's 31, our best forward 2 years ago, an All Star forward, why try to make a centre back out of him? Especially as we have a great centre back playing full back.

I'd agree with that. What's the point in taking Tony Kelly and Shane O Donnell up to Antrim . Where are the Galvins and young Rodgers. I thought he'd be close to starting this year. We shall wait and see. Iv great faith in Lohan but youd have to worry about the backs..they ll leak an awful amount of scores. You could see that half back line hurling plenty of ball and their men each getting 4 or 5 points each.
John Conlon centre back. Wow. Colm Galvin is centre back for Clonlara so Conlon doesn't even have that experience behind him. Why isn't he given a run out there? I hope it's a success but it's asking alot of Conlon at his age to adjust like that.

Figerty

PeggyShippen wrote: »

I'd agree with that. What's the point in taking Tony Kelly and Shane O Donnell up to Antrim . Where are the Galvins and young Rodgers. I thought he'd be close to starting this year. We shall wait and see. Iv great faith in Lohan but youd have to worry about the backs..they ll leak an awful amount of scores. You could see that half back line hurling plenty of ball and their men each getting 4 or 5 points each.
John Conlon centre back. Wow. Colm Galvin is centre back for Clonlara so Conlon doesn't even have that experience behind him. Why isn't he given a run out there? I hope it's a success but it's asking alot of Conlon at his age to adjust like that.

Kyle Hayes Wing back last year... the world of hurling has changed..

Drop a sweeper in and Conlon is the one taking the ball forward.

Clareman

Figerty wrote: »

Kyle Hayes Wing back last year... the world of hurling has changed..

Drop a sweeper in and Conlon is the one taking the ball forward.

Kyle Hayes is about 10 years younger than Conlon. I'm struggling to see how we're going to get the ball to bring it forward, looking at that setup it looks like we're going to bring the full & half back line back as much as possible to minimize the goal threats.

I think having Conlon at the edge of the square to take up a couple of backs while having TK/SoD rushing in to take the pass would be our best tactic, add Aron and Shanagher to that as a forwards threat and we have a forward line that would occupy a lot of teams, by bringing Conlon so far back we've no ball winners in the forwards so they'll be living off scraps.

bonzothedog

Ah jaysus lads go handy.. just a bit of experimentation. Why so serious?

Clareman

bonzothedog wrote: »

Ah jaysus lads go handy.. just a bit of experimentation. Why so serious?

It is was experimentation like seeing how we go without Kelly that'd be fine but this is an experiment to see how our best forward 2 years ago goes in a completely new position ~2 months out from Championship.

letowski

I think Lohan wants a strong spine to his team. We don't have a full back in the county so Cleary is the only feasible option. Davy Mc is brought to midfield to add size and athleticism thats badly required in modern intercounty hurling. Leaves very few options available at centre back.

The half back line was, to be quite blunt, absolutely atrocious against Waterford. All 3 players that started on that line are not playing. As bad as having little options in the half forward line is, as I've alluded to earlier, the Number 1 priority this season, was establishing a solid half back line. Like you cannot have what we saw against Limerick and especially against Waterford, lads allowed to solo for 40 yards, untouched, straight through the heart of the defense. You just can't at this level. Wexford was a outlier as we were afforded an extra defender by Davy's negative tactics.

Now whether Conlon can fix this is another question. but at least the half back line this weekend offers more size, athleticism and aerial ability. Its very important Lohan settles on a back 6 and goalie pre-championship. He didn't so that last year and he paid for it in the championship.

I don't know what to do with the half forward line to be honest. We have no centre forward. I think possibly Cian Galvin could play on one wing with Malone on the other side, When Davy Mc and maybe Colm Galvin returns.

Clareman

Lohan is in year 2 now so he shouldn't have much of an excuse for not knowing his team or style of play, last year we conceded from 45 to 45 in every game and outside of the Wexford game we were very poor, this year we have to be better, 10 points behind Limerick and 9 points behind Waterford was a fair reflection although with a fully fit Kelly we could have been closer to Waterford.

letowski

Clareman wrote: »

Lohan is in year 2 now so he shouldn't have much of an excuse for not knowing his team or style of play, last year we conceded from 45 to 45 in every game and outside of the Wexford game we were very poor, this year we have to be better, 10 points behind Limerick and 9 points behind Waterford was a fair reflection although with a fully fit Kelly we could have been closer to Waterford.

I think the challenge games between league and championship last year really scuppered Lohans plans. He went the league unbeaten last year and had a relatively settled back line. But apparently in the build up to the championship, Clare were getting hammered and conceding a raft of goals in particular. By the time the Limerick game came around, Tuohy was dropped in goals (who was very solid in competitive outings for Clare), Liam Corry and Aidan McCarthy were also dropped while Pat O'Connor was moved to the wing with Seadna brought into centre back. Only Cleary, O'Halloran and Browne retained their place, with the latter then also losing his.

I think Lohan knows his style of play, its a direct brand of hurling. But he needs to be more sure of who his key players are and where best to put them. Start establishing his team. If Conlon isnt going well at 6, he has to make that decision quickly and move onto another player. Not shoehorn in a centre back for his first outing in the position like what he did with Seadna against Limerick last year.

Really looking forward to the weekends hurling action. As a passionate Clare GAA supporter I would just hope that Brian Lohan is getting the required support from the county board rather than screaming and begging for the appropriate resources given to management and players.

It has been a dark and sorry time for Clare GAA where we have been all over the media for the wrong reasons. I have some opinions about what has happened that has been in the public domain over the last couple of months but I will keep my counsel for now due to reasons that we all know.

For now the focus is on the action on the field. We need to blood new players and Cian Galvin and Paddy Donnellan are the type of players that can breath new energy into a side that has become stale in recent times.

Can we deliver good quality ball to our forwards as our transition from defense to attack was launching aimless balls and the sight of Tadhg de Burca mopping up ball at the edge of the d was most annoying to watch at pairc ui Chaoimh last November in our Ill fated championship quarter final against Waterford.

Can we get increased scorers outside of Tony Kelly who was inspirational and Lazarus like in 2020.

Our defense has been leaking scores left right and centre throughout the last few seasons so the positioning of John Conlan in centre back is extremely interesting. If John can win that primary possession and play intelligent ball or lay the sliotar off to the onrushing player off the shoulder then he could be the answer to our long term issues at the back.

The big thing I’m hearing from the Clare panel this week is the huge emphasis on strength and conditioning since the return of inter county training and those aforementioned zoom calls earlier in the season, an area that has come for sharper focus given the success of limerick and the great work that Joe O Connor has put in with our friends down the Shannon.

Add in Colm and Ian Galvin and Paul Flanagan returning to the county panel is also a huge plus for Brian Lohan and the management. Overall I’m looking forward to the upcoming campaign and here’s hoping that we can make that trip of Croke Park a reality again, once the lifting of restrictions becomes a reality, all being well in the coming months.

Feenie

that time is shaping out well lads. Put Peter Duggan and Ian Galvin. back in the fray and by God we're back up there on hurling's main competitors. I can see some hope lads, I don't know about ye.
Maybe Conlon can fill that hole at 6, I'm open to the idea. Good to see fresh faces aswell on the starting 15.
I'm severally hoping Peter Duggan is available. He's an unreal guy and I think his presence would put us on par with Limerick or Tipp, we could seriously stand up to them. But if he can't plough on.

Clareman

You think 1 player would put us level with the All Ireland champions? Seriously?

Feenie

Clareman wrote: »

You think 1 player would put us level with the All Ireland champions? Seriously?

okay in fairness that was probably a bit far but he'd get us back up to that level, we'd have a better chance with him. He's a huge asset

Clareman

He'd add something alright but when we're conceding all the ground between the 2 45s it hard to see what 1 player can make, our problem last year were from 5 to 12, hopefully we'll solve these issues during the course of the league. In an ideal world we'd bring through a few players as well, last season we were completely reliant on TK and we were exposed when he was injured and we had no plan B

Clareman

I don't think Tony will be travelling on Sunday so that argument is put to bed.

letowski

Clareman wrote: »

I don't think Tony will be travelling on Sunday so that argument is put to bed.

I just noticed on the Clare GAA website that Mark Rodgers has been added to the matchday 24. Is that for Tony Kelly?

Good to see Rodgers travelling, hopefully he gets a run.

Clareman

I would have thought that the first round of the league against Antrim would have been the perfect time to bring in someone like Rodgers.

letowski

Clareman wrote: »

I would have thought that the first round of the league against Antrim would have been the perfect time to bring in someone like Rodgers.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Cian Galvin this year for Clare. Only still U19 but he is a top class talent. I think he is actually the heir to the center back spot, but obviously were not going to put a 19 year old in that position in his first year. He is a well rounded prospect I have seen come through for Clare in recent years.

Billy Ocean

Clareman wrote: »

I don't think Tony will be travelling on Sunday so that argument is put to bed.

better update the fantasy hurling team so...

letowski

PeggyShippen wrote: »

I'd agree with that. What's the point in taking Tony Kelly and Shane O Donnell up to Antrim . Where are the Galvins and young Rodgers. I thought he'd be close to starting this year. We shall wait and see. Iv great faith in Lohan but youd have to worry about the backs..they ll leak an awful amount of scores. You could see that half back line hurling plenty of ball and their men each getting 4 or 5 points each.
John Conlon centre back. Wow. Colm Galvin is centre back for Clonlara so Conlon doesn't even have that experience behind him. Why isn't he given a run out there? I hope it's a success but it's asking alot of Conlon at his age to adjust like that.

Colin Ryan spoke on the Sideline View that Colm had picked up a bit of an injury recently. Not sure how bad but it didn't sound serious.

Figerty

letowski wrote: »

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Cian Galvin this year for Clare. Only still U19 but he is a top class talent. I think he is actually the heir to the center back spot, but obviously were not going to put a 19 year old in that position in his first year. He is a well rounded prospect I have seen come through for Clare in recent years.

Seems a natual hurler, very impressed with him in the Under 20's last year. Carried a lot the team for a long time. Ran out of gas in the end but thats not a critiism. Clare were short a lot of players last year so the burdon fell on younger lads. He coped very well.

PeggyShippen

Figerty wrote: »

Seems a natual hurler, very impressed with him in the Under 20's last year. Carried a lot the team for a long time. Ran out of gas in the end but thats not a critiism. Clare were short a lot of players last year so the burdon fell on younger lads. He coped very well.

I haven't seen him play. He sounds a great prospect but it is asking alot for him to make a significant difference in his first year. Im usually positive about experiments but this John Conlon move is like something an Offaly or Westmeath would try.. really short of players type move. Hannon centre back is completely different. 1 he hurls there for his club for many years and he's an all round hurler. Conlon doesn't have his rounded game. Conlon has a different set of skills. Anyway I hope he does well . But I think Colm Galvin might do a job there if he's protected from having to mark a centre forward. Overall I think Clare are going the right way but we don't have the players Limerick have.. we don't have the size and power. And what gets lost in the commentary is how aggressive Limerick are. They've always had that in their locker but when I saw Kyle Hayes last year absolutely hammering a Waterford forward at 22 I said 'yeah that's hard to match. It's a natural aggression, you can't manufacture it. We've only a few natural aggressors.

Clareman

PeggyShippen wrote: »

I haven't seen him play. He sounds a great prospect but it is asking alot for him to make a significant difference in his first year. Im usually positive about experiments but this John Conlon move is like something an Offaly or Westmeath would try.. really short of players type move. Hannon centre back is completely different. 1 he hurls there for his club for many years and he's an all round hurler. Conlon doesn't have his rounded game. Conlon has a different set of skills. Anyway I hope he does well . But I think Colm Galvin might do a job there if he's protected from having to mark a centre forward. Overall I think Clare are going the right way but we don't have the players Limerick have.. we don't have the size and power. And what gets lost in the commentary is how aggressive Limerick are. They've always had that in their locker but when I saw Kyle Hayes last year absolutely hammering a Waterford forward at 22 I said 'yeah that's hard to match. It's a natural aggression, you can't manufacture it. We've only a few natural aggressors.

To me it's a move from 50 years ago when teams at underage put their best player at 6 and went from there, it's a completely negative move with an eye on stopping the other team rather than scoring out selves.

Figerty

Clareman wrote: »

To me it's a move from 50 years ago when teams at underage put their best player at 6 and went from there, it's a completely negative move with an eye on stopping the other team rather than scoring out selves.

First match of the year and first match in a year for Conlon. Facing the ball is a great way to get back in to the game. He has enough forward experience to slip in there again. We dont have many options at centre back at the moment though.

Clareman

Figerty wrote: »

First match of the year and first match in a year for Conlon. Facing the ball is a great way to get back in to the game. He has enough forward experience to slip in there again. We dont have many options at centre back at the moment though.

Exactly, we don't have many options at centre back so why "waste" a match with Conlon there? For me Conor Cleary is a decent 6, David Mc is a decent 3 and both have played there in championship matches to a decent level, why not keep that and build around it???

PeggyShippen

Clareman wrote: »

Exactly, we don't have many options at centre back so why "waste" a match with Conlon there? For me Conor Cleary is a decent 6, David Mc is a decent 3 and both have played there in championship matches to a decent level, why not keep that and build around it???

Cleary doesn't have enough hurling for centre back..hes a stopper and really a centre back has to be able to playmake these days. I agree with you about Conlon..seems a desperate measure.

letowski

Clareman wrote: »

Exactly, we don't have many options at centre back so why "waste" a match with Conlon there? For me Conor Cleary is a decent 6, David Mc is a decent 3 and both have played there in championship matches to a decent level, why not keep that and build around it???

Lets not go back to Davy at full back please.