Cork GAA Discussion Thread

County U-21 Hurling finals Saturday night. Blackrock v Carrigaline in A final, Killeagh/Itas v Clonakilty in B final

http://gaacork.ie/news/343165/County_U21_A_and_B_Hurling_Finals_This_Weekend

Yeah waterford seems to be in turmoil,i.had a scance at their thread some reliable,honest brave posters,i respect dont rate mcgrath .
Naturally I hope he stays,it is good for cork hurling but lookat the end of the day I feel geuinely for them and I know too well how they feel,i feel the same ,with our seniors footballers and u 21 hurlers.
It always baffles me how inept managers always get jobs.

Tipp ,depending if o.shea stays ,could be very good.
O shea stays they will be strong in.munster but wont beat kilkenny.
Clare are for me with tipp main contenders,waterford,limerick will be undone by management.
We have a great chance of getting to a final imo next year if we get a shrewd tactian coach,with duals soley hurling,add lot intermediate young players,play possession game we have a real chance.
Waterford by the sounds of it wont sack mcgrath,we should beat waterford.

Three games then quater final,semi ,final

In the Munster final play a mixed team fringe players,say youve injuries worries etc.
Dublin will be very strong but its important cork make hay now,as they will be very strong 2016
Cork if we meet ,id rather it be in thurles than croke park,unlikey though we would meet next year as imo dublin and cork be both provinical runners up ,so it rules out us meeting unless,it wont happen be an all ireland final.


Galway havent progressed under cunningham,crave a new voice ,wont be up to much
Wexford be tough,but are beatable.
One draw back loosing a munster final is you could play kilkenny in a semi final but considering kilkenny have won aprox since 98,10 out of 14 all irelands finals ,then its probaly better get them in a semi.final.
Mininum standard imo get to all ireland final,win munster semi,then ,quater final,then all ireland,semi final.
To win an allireland ,just four games to win ,and we wont have to peak to beat waterford,or in a quater final.Will have to ,in an all ireland,semi final.
Its like chess,you dont kill of every pawn to check mate your opponent.Pick and choose.
A munster title imo has now it saddens me to say is merely a pawn in the race for liam mac,and just is more of a nussiance,in time wasting and waste energy eliminating when our opponents in the all ireland can be eliminated regards of what we do with the pawn.

League title id be much happier with.

Id agree sean,rochestown will be strong and would have had an eye at yesterdays game youghal v caomins,and  were correctly looking at both opponents and i heard hamilton had the same at another game yesterday.
Very common now,and its good to see,coaches need to know the oppostiton.

See the level of attention to detail now even at harty cup level.
Sean ,in regards the current cork senior hurling 2015 panel,who would,you drop of this years for next year??
You seem ruthless,no nonense in your punditry,id be interested to know,your,views please

In regards colmans having no one to mark lee,sometimes its not that,its poor match ups,like imo shane walsh could but its likely he,didnt mark him as it seems lee was full forward.
Classic,example charville couldnt hold kingston,got two four,so you would think they had no one to mark him.
That is false,naive,and incorrect if we said they had no one to mark kingston, they had paddy loughlin full back,limerick minor who didnt man mark kingston when he,went in full forward.
Yes paddy hurled awesomely at centre back but kingston,rochestown main forward beat them as loughlin didnt mark him.
Management should have reacted better imo.

If youghal are to have,any chance v rochestown,they got to put darragh o brien at full back,from 14  imo as he,wont score much anway but he has,to stop kingston ,as with declan dalton their main scorer,griffin or cashman will limit him,kingston must be marked on the other end and keep it low scoring as youghal i doubt could win a shoot out v rochestown as kingston is more proflic from play than kingston.

Yesterday was a great win for youghal but for me,a real test of how good management is,is to evolve each game.
Good management will know as,great as,two wins are ,they still have over reliance on dalton and bobby mccarthy was very good yesterday v shanager but kingston is a more elusive player in style to shanagher o brien is better suited to.
Bobby could go to half back,throw  cathal deane up to full forward,more of a scoring threat imo than o.brien who is an outstanding full back imo.It would be a bold ,brave move,but fortunes favours the brave imo.Good management will always,see the game at face value.
The management have done brillanty two games in ,but rochestown is a huge test.

Solwhitz Watch and wait davy blow up limerick,very good,tough,tj is good,etc.Limerick will believe him.
Limerick have yet to beat a sweeper with tj ,were in real trouble v tipp last year for 65 minutes.
They know only one style,tj wont mark my words wont drop o brien,o mahony,wayne mac,two of that trio wont cope with clares pace or running game,and clare will play a sweeper while tj goes direct and long kilkenny result will give them false security our direct style is well able for clare.
Clare will win the breakdown aera, due to a sheer weight of numbers and riche mccaw groundhog ground breaking loose ball on the ground by clares eight defenders around the middle third to limericks six,.
Limerick are fine in the air,but clare will break it away from them and not give them possession.

I have watched flannans under jamise in the dean ryan cup,and kinnerks shannon this month and both play the clare system,style of play,at young age,play that so its meat and,drink to them,a statement of clares vision for the future.The next generation learning it now and rightly so.

That style takes time to develop,but all clare teams now know it.
Its easy for any team to play direct style and to adapt to it ,than adapt to a sweeper game from the conventional traditonal approach.

Limerick during the game at best  may try to adapt to it but it be too late,as wont have done it during the league.
To beat a sweeper,you got to play a sweeper,Limerick wont go against traditonal way ,and wont have a plan b,and their fire and brimstone be matched every ball by clare,raging to prove 2013 was no fluke,they have real pace in their team,limerick team lacks pace.
In the gold cup,a race of speed over stamina and endutance compared to the grand national,istrabaq would in theory always beat  the great Red Rum if they raced.
In hurling clare will be that istrabaq b limerick,on fast,hard ground as that game be like a gold cup not a grand national

Against cork and kilkenny tj picked the wrong team,yet no one sees that.
He has had one game v tipp,but wexford like glen last week were too tired.
There miles off.Im rarely if ever wrong in anyalsing good managers etc.
I just dont see tactics in tj record.
He has no sideline to help him in that regard either.He is not ruthless either to make bold decisions in changing the field.

Rebel norrie wrote: »

Coleman's full back was very poor. Lee was way to good for him. Walsh played center back. But the mon played the wings a lot and long ball into lee thus avoiding Walsh. Bad decision on Coleman's behalf.

how did dan gunning and jermey saich play

Match ups crucial at all levels now
Yeah walsh should of marked lee
Walsh played senior club with bride,lile lee with na piarsaigh

sean mac wrote: »

Fair achievement for both Roco and the mon in that both teams to be competing at harty level are drawing their players from 2 clubs - piarsaigh & glen and rockies & douglas respectively.

And Rochestown wouldn't have the pick of those clubs either, plenty of the Blackrock lads go to CBC/PBC and Douglas to the community school. A fair few of the Glen lads go to St. Aidans and elsewhere.

Great achievements from both teams. The pick for Cork teams in general, even for Midleton, is inferior to the likes of Thurles, ASR etc.

No suprise their in the callaghan cup imo yes hammies are the currrent holders but they only have jonathan mulchay,eoin reilly luke.meade o.brien aprox from last year ,they have o reilly and dinneen scoring ,wouldnt be as proflic as cahalane or horgan yet though.
Kingston got a red card but they had ciaran cormack i presume also.
Hamilton have done well,ist round win in harty,but i dont think callaghan cup was main pritority now after last year.
People talk bout rochestowm.youghal,doing great,picks they have,rarely hamiton get a mention really a small club that is really the main club punching above their weight more so than youghal even.
Mainly just valley,newestowm,bandon they choose from,they loose lads to dunmanaway,clon,brogans schools also,so they have their own problems,school bar b all ireland in 93 was mainly football.
They must have barely 300 pupils i guess??
Crowley when their was great coach,collins o donughue doing great work still i think.
They were in harty cup just four times,95,12,13 and now.They have to be to main romantic story of cork school the last three years.
Only up to three years ago had never even won a,cork a harty cup game,they beat chriost ri.There unbelievable what they achieved,small school,big heart though.

That card in the callaghan cup for kingston doesnt carry to harty id presume,straight red.
Anyone known venue for dean ryan semi charville v midelton next,week please??
Id presume mallow.

Breadandbutter wrote: »

Orizio wrote: »

And Rochestown wouldn't have the pick of those clubs either, plenty of the Blackrock lads go to CBC/PBC and Douglas to the community school. A fair few of the Glen lads go to St. Aidans and elsewhere.

Great achievements from both teams. The pick for Cork teams in general, even for Midleton, is inferior to the likes of Thurles, ASR etc.[/QUOTE

Don't know about Thurles but ASR team sheet reads like an inter county panel - they have kids crossing the city from Adare, Ahane and also coming in from Co Clare to fill their ranks - it's a Hurling academy in the style of Colmans, Flannans of old

Rochestown lost Shane kingston early yest but held on to win against hamilton high - bit of a surprise there ?

Thurles would be drawing from about 5 or 6 clubs possibly. Thurles, Holycross, Moycarkey, Upperchurch predominantly, with some Drom, Clonoulty, Loughmore, Moyne & Gortnahoe lads often involved also but they would have a choice of a few schools (Templemore, Cashel, Borrioleigh). Sometimes there would be a few from further a field with Urlingford & Knockavilla but that wouldn't be too often.

The school is growing in numbers over the last 5 years but it is surrounded by a lot of strong hurling clubs anyways. They have always been fairly competitive. They probably should have won more in the last decade or so with the teams & players they had.

Munster Ladies football final Mourneabby 3-7 The Banner 2-8.

Before the year started if you told me that Castlemartyr would be in the county final, I would have been delighted for them and would have hoped they'd win. But after seeing them today it left a very bad taste in my mouth. Castlemartyr players were timewasting from the throw in, taking ages to take frees and puckouts. Worse was the referee left them at it for the whole game. He only played 3.5 mins injury time at the end of the game when there should have been at least 6. Also a couple of Castlemartyr players went down "injured" as if they were shot. Throwing themselves to the ground when there wasn't a Cloughduv player near them. Again the referee left them at it.
I also thought that Cloughduv found frees very hard to come by while they came a lot easier for Castlemartyr. Referee was very poor overall.

Valley Rovers 12 Na Piarsaigh 8

Any chance today was Sean Og's last game?

Well done to valley rovers great win,they were the classier outfit but like i said na piarssigh are brave dogged,and halpin,buckley gardiner wont ever give up like gould in a game,its not in their dna.Sean og retired today,what a legend thank you sean og for the wonderful memories on and off the field

They were down by 8 but never gave up,fiactra lynch,gave a great display,worth a recall for cork but not as a forward.

Well done to ballincollig,delighted for them,and they as john o dwyer once said suffered big town syndrome but not anymore champions,toda,real real champions ,they have turned a corner and showed be an example to.mallow,mtichelstown etc so often.flatter to decieve,but actually changed their attuide and culture and a great champion.

Im delighted for them,players,club and eammon murphy of the echo hes heart is in the right place im delighted for him.

Everything i said bout john hayes,the  unpredictable nature of he's game imo ,when hes on form he can be great and sublime but when not he can be quite poor may have seemed harsh before the game,but i believe critising before than waiting and being the hurler on the dtich afterwards .My fears unfortunately were confirmed regards he's football today.

Today was not a nice day for football,tough wind ,heavy ground,a lot of dirty ball,a day to test characther and temparment of players and want of players and like i said he would ,Galvin had hayes well and truly in hes pocket.
Galvin started slow ,a habit he has that must end but he had an outststanding game,real dog and bite and blew hayes away.
Hayes seven years a senior county player,ucc also,one point from play is not what i expect in a senior county final.
Imagine kerry down in killarney a step up again.Nice footballers simply wont do in Killarney,they must have more.
Cian kiely playing half back imo a better forward got from half back two points he outscored from play the marquree john hayes.
For me he did not show for the ball,did not lead like the great,i.mean really great forwards,hurley o.neill etc of cork would in big games.
If he is on the Cork panel next year its an poor l,truly poor call imo,with current management i will not be suprised if he starts.

Paddy kelly,a complete contrast ,christ heavenly jesus he was awesomely epically splendily magnificent in vision,defending,link play,creativity,wonderful centre forward play ,and if Cuthbert saw the game it will show how he made two woeful calls,treatment of paddy kelly,and the playing of hayes this year.
Im delighted for kelly.
People here too harsh on kelly v mayo blamed him,said he was finished,no way he was just drained of confidence for cork.
If the hip holds up ,at 29  has a lot to offer Cork.Natural intelligent footballer,what a player.

Sean kiely,superb tussle with fitzpatick both got injured in a clash but kiely injured then came back on.
At 21 this year and v kerry also last year,with ucc in the sigerson,today he always stands up when the need is greatest in the big games.
Has to start league games for cork.
Fitzpatrick deserves a look as dinnen probaly understandably wont play.Develop these new guys like ian maguire,rather than play gould etc who we know at thos stage what they can and cant do.

Cian kiely,superb game,all ireland colledges b title,cork senior club final this year superb today will start for cork u 21s,imo with white,brian o driscoll in the half back line,and crowley,play him as a ten.

O donughe was superb today,done as good as he could when he marked o rourke at times,worth a look for cork,but imo clancy,o driscoll crowley,loughrey are better etc for cork,but he deserves a look.

Dorgan had a fine game,at cork u 21 football next year is an option had shanhan in trouble for pace,and on a dry day as a poster said here previously,he could be exposed,on today not for cork imo.

Miskella was outstanding,delighted for him,pity hes not younger could play for cork.

Ballincolig have a great mix of youthful no fear exuberance in kielys,dorgan,etc,expierenced proven warriors in kelly,miskella,galvin,showed remarkable composure not to panic from six down,a doggness to win out,lovely football in awful conditions could really test crokes or stacks and will have a real chance in kerry .
Today was a great day for cork football but as much as the talent is there i cant be hopeful under the current manager imo.
Ballincollig won handy in the end,showed they can win war of attrition,if they get a dry day,will be much better.

John o rourke worked hard,created a lot,used hes pace in slow ground well,had imo a good game.
Durrant,ex kerry minor played well,but lets not get carried away Cork doesnt need him as a foward have at least five better players imo than him worth a panel place.
People just as he as kerry blood,will wait for it add two plus two and get one hundred.Not sure he would want to play for cork but we dont need him.
We dont need to become irish rubgy of old anyone with aussie blood or new zealand blood ,like kurt mcquilkin,brian smith,mike mullins,Michael bent andy ward,Matt Moystn,got caps just over their country being rubgy golds imo in the Southern Heimpshere rather than being the best availble when truth was they were good solid club men at best but average internationally,and we should have developed better home grown players imo.
Durant is imo not good enough for kerry senior intercounty,so should not be for cork then either imo.He is a fine fine club player though and would make most club teams.
Cork has enough homegrown talent for fowards though.
If durrant was better than corks options,yes play him bit imo he is not.Dont play him just cause hes from kerry.

Na piarsaigh were beaten in the limerick county final by kilmallock a huge suprise,the hunger was a worry for na piarsaigh imo.

Sarsfields of cork should be happy as they have a better chance v kilmallock,I wanted na piarsaigh as they would test sars better.
Conor sul should be suited more to ghrame mulchay than downes,and cussen may get more of paidie o.brien etc but i woudnt read much in to as compared to last year o brien form has this year been poor.
The sparrow having coached newtownshandrum last year will know cork hurling well.
Congrats to Ballincollig on their first and hopefully one of many Cork Senior Football Championship.Credit where due and they desrve huge huge credit tonight,a fine team,that will get better and better in the next few years great news going forward imo for Cork Football in an excellent county final,where the referring at times imo left a lot to be desired imo.

Friday night Cork City Football Club won a vital game for them and now stand one game away from greatness
Now was it luck,chance,mushrooms,faith,magic wands that brought them within touching distance of Greatness in League Of Ireland Soccer? NO it was simple,they made in a Decison back in November 2013 that was a bold brave ,choice to sack one Poor manager and replace him with a Mastermind of a manager.At the end of the day it can really and truly be that simple no need whatsover to overcomplicate things.

Back last November,Cork city board did not accept sixth place mid table in the league the last few years,the odd glory day any more,enough was enough ,they sacked Tommy Dunne.

They did not hide behind simplistic cobble this is Cork City Football Club, in thirty years we only ever won two League Of Ireland Titles,we have no right to expect more like Corks rubbish myth  with Cork Senior Gaelic Footballers only wins All Irelands every twenty years or so we have no right to change our culture,accepts our past as our culture, rather than change our future in Cork from it has no right to be expecting more Senior All Irelands than the odd one in some peoples eyes.

Cork City Football Club did not just appoint John Caulfield,as he was in their Hall Of Fame as a legend of an Ex Great,i mean,Truly Great Player,they appointed him as not he was  just one of their own and a high profile name but he had proven success with Avondale United and then also with UCC in the Collingwood Cup getting them to a fin,he was truly the perfect fit for Cork City Football Club.

Caulfield said he would raise standards from day one ,he said Cork City Football Club deserved more and bring the crowds back to the games.
He didnt settle for year one ah I can make a lots of mistskes by being naive or unlogical,nobody expected Cork City Football Club to have chance winning,so it wont matter I wont be criticised in year one but he,wanted to compete at the top end of the table.He does not just talk the talk in interviews,he walks the walk,and I actually really look forward to he's interviews unlike some where in a complete,contrast of emotion actually at times i am baffled reading them.

Whatever happens next week,in year one,John Caulfield has passed and exceeded the mininum expectation as Cork City Football Manager.I said this even a few weeks ago,I'm not just saying it now.

This talk of mine regards Cork City Football Club is,a huge relevance imo to Cork Gaelic Football as Billy Morgan,who was wanted in he's day by the Great,I mean Great Jock Sein of Glasgow Celtic,Dave Barry remember Bayern Munich,Dinny Allen who won a  Cup with Cork Hibs,and also JBM who has a huge interest in soccer,Tom Kenny Cork Footballer played soccer with Leeds in Cork and was so good Glasgow Celtic wanted to sign him but he declined and thankfully so,what a wonderful Cork Hurler he was,,all Cork Footballers  in their day,I'm sure had a huge interest in that game.And many more Current and former Cork Footballers have huge interest in Cork City and Soccer in General,Cork captain Michael Shields for example

Many Cork GAA fans are regulars you would see at Cork City Football Club games.
My point is the connection with Cork GAA and Cork City Football Club has always been strong,even in hurling ,Garan Manely son of 1992 All Ireland Fingal scorer Ger,is now with Cork u 17 Hurlers and also with  Cork City Foot Club etc,so it must really hit home when you see Cork city changing its culture of famines in success all because a proven manager was appointed that has a real vision for the future and if not  next week is destined to win the league title with Cork City, but then when they watch the Cork Senior Football Team this it must be complete contrast that to our  gaelic football  in we were miles off the standard imo when we did not neee to be with the panel we have.

The likes of Dave Barry,Dinnny Allen , who all have strong links with both codes in Cork,my heroes,  combined with the others that deservedly enjoy friday night,this build up week hopefully will learn that Cork Gaelic Football can be the same ,but only under proven,expiernced management, and when the job come avaible the next time should,demand a proven qualifed Cork Football Coach gets the job so the joy and eurphoium they enjoy with Cork City Football Club they can also enjoy in the future like us all with Cork Senior Gaelic Football imo.

Cork County Board in GAA want to fill a new staduim, then just make the new Pairc Real Fields Of Gold as winning teams will draw crowds,its not rocket science.Look at Turners Cross in it had a huge crowd in soccer for the game ,over 6 thousand .

I was given a ticket myself for it but gave it to to a friend,as I would have felt out of place if I turned up,as I was not at any other games due to GAA  etc and believed he who was at most of their games deserved it more than me, but my buddy said the atmosphere was electric when he rang me and said next year maybee Cork Gaelic Football would have the same,I had to be honest  to him ,as good friends must be honest to each other,so I paused,had a Sigh in my voice and then I said to him,Buddy I'm sorry to say but that is highely unlikely.

People actually belive in John Caulfield simply  he earned that belief from day one.What a manager.
I'll say it again in any walks of life,GAA,Rubgy,Basketball,Rowing, Camoige,Ladies Football,Horse Racing both as jockeys and in  training Horses, Road Bowling,Hockey,Hurling,Handball,Athletics,Boxing etc,Golf,Swimming,Show Jumping, Soccer both ,at National and Internatonal level ,Aussie Rules,you name it, Cork can more than compete  with the best and be the best or produce sports stars in those codes once they are supported and complimented by good structures and also finanical investment,and top,I mean Top Top coaching.

There it would seem are currently.Majior problems in the Waterford Senior Hurling  Camp,as their Strength and Conditoning Coach has now  jumped the Sinking Ship,combine that with Willam Maher and,Frank Flannery leaving,Shane Walsh at just thirty years of age retiring from playing and possibly more players doing so,Cork should beat them in handy in June in the Senior Hurling
Their Senior hurling set up is fast becoming a shambles  .Hand on heart I geuinely feel for them in their moment of troubles.

On another note its becoming beyond  a real concern at this stage no Cork Football,Coach is in place yet for 2015,when it has been known for weeks Ronan Maccarthy was leaving.I will not be suprised if Cuthbhert is in the paper,talking regards the County Final,but its irrelvant,I want talk on the Management set up for Cork Senior Football in 2015,as Nothing else is as important for Now for Cork Senior Football team imo.

Limerick minors hurlers/u17 etc were back training with
the new manager the weekend,yes already started up again,Cork minors doing trial games,U 21 footballers the same.
Clare Senior Hurlers are starting up again next week to name but a few.

Cork need to seriously get our act together.Cork County Senior Football Final , a professional set up would have their management in team in place to view both games today and potential new panel members for Cork 2015,but we did not have one finalised for today.

I would say JBM must do the same with hurling selectors but i excuse him more time as to be fair he was leaving,but thankfully done a u turn and saved Cork hurling of a 20 year set back by staying and preventing a night mare scenario,but we must have the management set up finailsed within the next two weeks at the latest imo.

On another note congrats to killeagh winning u 16 hurling league beating newtownshandrum,to do the double as they already won the county.
killeagh st.itas winning the u 21b county last night,loosing minor a finalists,are producing very good young talented hurlers all credit due at the end of the day.Kinery,landers,deane ,o brien,tracey,agrendaror.for etc ,good young hurlers.

Im cautious and sceptical to take other peoples views on game unless i respect and trust their assements,but a buddy of mine at the game,he judges players like myself in fact hes shrewder than me more knowagbele,said for killeagh cork player killan tracey,cathal deane i mentioned him wednesday in the harty cup should be watched by cork,jack o rourke all played well,and at full back for newtownshandrum Darragh Guiney was meant to be very good,david geary also.
Guiney full back play was meant to been brillant on a beaten team he not only won ball but rarely wasted it and geary were good ,both key,players for charville cbs also.


David agrendbor youghal in harty cup a sub was meant to be strong running,fast,pacey,direct running etc.
O rourke hurled lots of ball apparently.

Watched kilmallock v na piarsigh on recording,kilmallock are very beatable,far from great,my only fear was had city team hunger and they did not,intensity was off kilmallock had it,but have they that hunger after puttung so much in to that game the next day??


Mark loughlin good at full.back should contain cussen but they have limited forwards,cleary seen by paudie o brien playing there, wont score much,like sars they dont have a spread of scorers.


Conor sul should hold ghrame mulchay,ray ryan wont be exposed by o brien o brien will win some ball but wont score much,jake mulchay, willam kearney wont fear.
Eoin ryan ex minor,good forward but is no downes or dowling,leahy should be okay .

Kilmallock are poor at midfield,robbie hanley limerick minor was good as a sub,but kearney will be too much expierenced for him.

Cian.maccarthy should be able for philip o loughin,in a small tight kilmallock and if its wet will suit him.
This is sars best ever chance of getting to a munster,no excuse they fail,as kilmallock ambushed na piarsaigh who had no intenstiy but still pushed them to four points.
Ronan.lynch was brillant at half back for na piarsaigh ,imo hes best position with downes ,dowling breen,dempsey,adrian breen,king would have been an ideal test for sars.
As it stands its imo a good kilmallock team at best nothing great,like sars,i expect a poor game,sars should win this if there any good but they will meet far far better teams in munster if they win etc.

Sparrow has a fine record in limerick clubs as a manager but munster not great,pat ryan imo is a better coach,advantage to sars here.
It will be close,none of the two teams are great,sars should win but if they dont poor poor reflection again on cork hurling imo.

Thanks bread and butter yeah played killeagh u 21 recently,dan gunning meant to be scintalling.
Only fringe players at moment.The team that lined though still very impressive for fringe players.
Real depth in cork hurling,just give them.top.coaching.