CORK V OFFALY.

[black and red exile]

Guys, just looking for views on what ye think on our hurlers chances next Sunday. Im looking forward to the trip down to Leeside to take on the rebels, its a big baptism of fire for our new lads and will go some way to telling us how our year will shape up. Strangely enough we never seem to have any hang ups when we play Cork, unlike we always seem to do when we come up against Tipp or the Cats. We've had some close calls when we clashed in the last few years in the league, a draw last year, a 2 point defeat down in the Pairc in 2004 and a superb 2 point win in Birr in March 2003[ minus the Birr players who were in the club final that month against Dunloy]. I know that Sunday it will be 2 teams with alot of changes, even from last year's game, coming up against each other but ive a feeling we might run them quite close and restore some badly needed pride back into Offaly hurling. Of course at the back of my mind which ever team Gerald McCarthy puts out will want to put on a show for their new boss and if they go for the jugular early we could be in for a severe beating which is the last thing we want after a very harrowing couple of years.

[Bord na Mona man]

A few things in Offaly's favour:
- Gerald McCarthy is moving towards a more traditional direct style of hurling, instead of the running and handpassing game. Hopefully there will be some teething problems with this
- Cork traditionally don't seem to the mindset to paste teams, in the same way that Kilkenny, Galway or Tipp do. Perhaps it's a confidence thing, where Cork don't have the same insecurities. But they tend to ease up far earlier than others when they get a winning lead. Defeatist thinking, I know.
- Cork don't have a good target man in the absense of Brian Corcoran and I'd be surprised if O'Sullivan has the same guile to distribute well or score.
- The Pairc used to be a fairly wet sod in Winter with rain. I'm not sure how much the work on the pitch has improved this, but it could make the game more scrappy.

This will a big test of the ability of Offaly's midfield and half backs to tightly mark and close down Cork. It could be fascinating to see how Kevin Brady keeps tabs on the roving Niall McCarthy, if that's how they line out. Perhaps Barry Teehan's defensive abilities will be at home in the busy midfield. However I suspect the lack of multiple scorers will probably be the undoing of Offaly.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Offaly have never beaten Cork in the league at a Cork venue.

David Franks is out and will be a big loss. I would expect Brendan O'Meara to fill in at corner back.

Radio reports this morning said full forward Joe Brady (sic) was facing a fitness test. I presume they mean Joe Bergin. He would also be a big loss. Perhaps it might be best not to risk him with a key match in a fortnight against Down - a must-win game, that. I'd expect Brian Carroll and Brendan Murphy to replace Parlon and Bevans in the forwards.

Cork aren't experimenting much - one newcomer in each line. Talk of a change in style; don't expect much - perhaps the midfielders will hurl more direct ball when in space when they would have soloed before. I expect them to lift their game as teams often do at this stage with a new manager.

Offaly showed good spirit against Kilkenny two weeks ago. If they keep this up, they should make a game of it - provided Cork don't get a whirlwind start.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Team announced:-

Murray; Hernon, Cleary, Verney; Horan; Hoctor; Kenny; G Hanniffy, Teehan; Molloy, R Hanniffy, Bevans; Dooley, Bergin, Parlon.

Is that 10 changes in personnel from the corresponding fixture 12 months ago?
Where's Brian Carroll and Brendan Murphy? Kevin Brady's abscence is also noticeable.
Will be interesting to see how Hoctor gets on at 6.

John McIntyre on the radio just now. Didn't give anything away. Said the main target for the league is survival, as it was last year.

[Lone Shark]

Brendan Murphy hasn't been playing well in ages, I can understand him being dropped, although one would assume Carroll is injured, there's no way he'd be left out by choice.

As for Kevin Brady, well my thoughts on this are well documented, but the fact that Joe Canning absolutely skinned him didn't surprise me at all and I'm guessing that right now he's just not the best option back there.

Regarding the team itself, I know everyone likes to say that they've a very young team, but I certainly can't remember a younger Offaly team than this taking the field, either 11 or 12 players 22 years of age or under. (Not sure about Murray in goal) The likes of Hoctor and Cleary will really have to step up leadership wise as well as hurling wise now too.

Let's hope they don't take a skinning now, it certainly wouldn't do these players any favours.

[Bogman]

Cork 1-21 Offaly 1-14

I don't know if the scoreline reflects it but Offaly gave an encouraging display against Cork.

Shane O'Connor Great length in puckouts, pretty sound overall

Conor Hernon - Sticky as hell and never gave up.
Paul Cleary - Gave the Rock nothing.
Michael Verney -The 2 Offaly Corner Backs played well.

Cathal Horan - Battled well. Would have learnt a lot.
Daniel Hoctor - Faced a big physical challenge. As always never gave up.
David Kenny - At least 5 Great Fetches - Raw but full of potential

Barry Teehan Not as good as his previous midfield displays
Gary Hanniffy (1) Did some good things at midfield and half forward

Derek Molloy (1-1) At full forward scored point and stunning goal
Rory Hanniffy (1) Better when moved to midfield for 2nd half.
Eddie Bevans (1) Classy, skilful, pacey - great point over Sean Og

Cathal Parlon (1) Inconsistent but got involved.
Joe Bergin (6f, 65) Better at Centre Forward
Shane Dooley (1) Great point, didn't look out of place

Subs
Brian Carroll (1) Great point, good 1st comeback from the knee op.
Brendan Murphy Some good work sweeping behind midfield
James Rigney-Dwarfed by No. 10 Patrick Cronin. Suffered under puckouts
but worked hard in general play.

Kevin Brady wasn't togged out so obviously was not fit to play.

In addition to the 1-14 scoreline Offaly had several other chances -

Gary Hanniffy kicked wide in the first half.
Joe Bergin was clean though at the end of the 1st half but miscued and the ball hopped tamely into the hands of Donal Og
Eddie Bevans soloed through the heart of the Cork defence but his flicked high shot was straight at Donal Og
Derek Molloy - following his goal he sent in a 2nd long-range piledriver which looked planted in the top corner before the goalkeeper's hand reached out to catch it.

Of course it has to be admitted that at other times Cork looked in a different league to us and showed off with a few circus-style touches.

Still it was an encouraging Offaly display. Let's hope they can build on it by beating Down in the next match and ambushing 1 or 2 of the others.

[turk]

Gerry Russell said on the wireless that "Eddie Beavers" had a good game

[the bare biffo]

Gerry Russell said on the wireless that "Eddie Beavers" had a good game

Yeah, it was funny listening to that, invariably I have to switch off the radio after listening to Gerry for 10 minutes, then switch on again when I can't stay away any longer and have had sufficient respite from Gerrys "unique style".

Anyway's, sounded like Cork could pull away anytime they needed, but at least the fact that Offaly kept coming back at them was a good sign.
Delighted to see Shane O'Connor back, what was the story there.

[Bord na Mona man]

Looking at the Offaly line up from yesterday and there is fairly massive changes from the team that started last year's championship campaign. Only Paul Cleary, Joe Bergin and Gary Hanniffy started in the same positions in the championship opener against Wexford. Barry Teehan and Rory Hanniffy the only other two starters.

In yesterday's Sunday Turbine they picked out Derek Molloy as the player to watch this year. It could be a good spot. A couple more scoring forwards are required. Perhaps if Brian Carroll gets back scoring and Molloy grows into the role, it will take the pressure off Joe Bergin.

This year my worry is that with so many newcomers, the team could pick up a couple of canings and dash their confidence. We can't keep having to make 8-10 changes to the panel every year. If this side can survive a couple of years and then perhaps they'll grow into a more formidable outfit.
The result against Cork is commendable given the very the new look line up.

[Bord na Mona man]

Gerry Russell said on the wireless that "Eddie Beavers" had a good game

Yeah, it was funny listening to that, invariably I have to switch off the radio after listening to Gerry for 10 minutes, then switch on again when I can't stay away any longer and have had sufficient respite from Gerrys "unique style".

Gerry "it's high, it's accurate, it's wide" Russell's ability to re-christen players never stops amazing me.
Against Westmeath last year Dublin had Tommy Quinn, Cormac Goggins and Conor Keaney on their team.

[Mighty Pair O' Hands]

Gerry "it's high, it's accurate, it's wide" Russell's

Excellent !

He has been known to utter the phrase "Possession is vital here" 15-20 times every game no matter what the score is !

[Plain of the Herbs]

Regarding the team itself, I know everyone likes to say that they've a very young team, but I certainly can't remember a younger Offaly team than this taking the field, either 11 or 12 players 22 years of age or under. (Not sure about Murray in goal)

Murray was under 21 goalkeeper for the last two years.

[Lone Shark]

I'd be loathe to be too effusive since last year we managed a draw with Cork and yet we saw how far off the pace we were come championship, however it's good to see that the introduction to intercounty hurling for a lot of the players went well. I'd be wary about the lack of craft in that half back line, and to be honest it wouldn't surprise me to see Rory back there at wing back before the league campaign ends, but other than that we seem to have the makings of a decent back six. I'd still expect O'Meara to come back in, while Franks will be a definite starter too, but there's hope there.

That was a good spot by the Tribune on Derek Molloy. I'm not saying for a minute that he's liable to be a superstar, but he has real potential to give us an extra dimension. It's fair to say he has a bit of "cut" about him for want of a better phrase. I'd say he's still behind Eddie Bevans in terms of which of the younger players will start next summer, but there's a strong chance there could be room for both. Other than Carroll and Bergin there ain't too many lads there with guaranteed spots on the team right now.