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Anyone in Birr yesterday? Forget Carlow and look to the future!
There were enough encouraging signs on show against Dublin to inspire more than a little hope.
Good full-back, great centre-back, two brillant - if petite - corner forwards and a willingness to work all over the field. A good performance and a very good result (Dublin were extremely unfortunate to draw with Wexford) spoiled by a straight red card from 'Cill Dara man with whistle' issued to Offaly's man of the match, Joe Bergin - and in the final minute too!
All is not lost on the faithful hurling fields. I say Faithful but for the second consecutive home championship game we were outnumbered by visiting fans. Whats happening with Offaly supporters???? Westmeath, Dublin, Mayo brought more to O'Connor Park than our own. Now Laois outnumber our minor fans in Birr and Dublin follow suit.
We needn't worry about Croke Park opening to foreigners when we hand our home pitches over to our neighbours from hell!

It was fairly impressive all right. (My report is on another thread, posted before I say this)

That Bergin sending off is a killer though. We really need to beat Kilkenny at some level in a championship game soon, and this team had a chance. Without him they don't.

Fairly stupid at the end as well - Tony Cassidy going up cursing and giving out at the guy who has yet to write his report which will determine how long he get's suspended for. Very clever altogether.

I've just got a message to the effect that due to the intervention of Brian Gavin, Bergin will be reported for dangerous play and not for striking.

Obviously like all things that move along the grapevine that may or may not be true, but if it pans out that way that's great news.

With any luck he'll learn from it as well.

Lone Shark wrote:I've just got a message to the effect that due to the intervention of Brian Gavin, Bergin will be reported for dangerous play and not for striking.

Well done to the Bamboo Gavin!

What had he to do with it? Fourth official?
As for the future of this team, the schools having a good run in their respective competitions is a big help.

They were obviously down an official, he was running the line anyway.

Schools did fairly well this year all right, though what really impressed me was how much this appeared to be Johnny Dooley's team playing his way. Quick ball whipped across the pitch into space, and any size disadvantage in the forwards completely negated by the fact that no high ball went in there. This is great for two reasons, because while they'll be hard to play against this year, it'll also stand to them in their future development. All in all great stuff.

They'll still find it hard going down in Wexford without Bergin though.