Wexford v Offaly NHL 11.03.2012

[durra1]

With all the football focus going on, there’s a not insignificant NHL tie in Wexford Park this weekend – a quick return to the South East following the Walsh Cup tie there last month.

While the Yellowbellies had an experimental side that day, they will be eager to lift themselves off the canvass after going down to a Loughiel-less Antrim in Belfast in Round 1. My hunch is they are eyeing up this tie given the added spice of a LHC QF clash and our poor record in Wexford Park.

Ollie Baker should be getting the players heads right and focusing on building on a solid opening performance against Leix. If we are to progress to a LHC final we need to get into the business of building momentum and putting good performances back to back and not nose diving to an defeat the next day out.

One of the things I liked about the team selection v Leix was the Morkam/Hannify/Horan half back which seemed to work well. Plenty see Hannify as wasted at 6 and that argument has some merit when you look at the options that could be open to us later in the championship. For me, it’s one of the most stylish half back lines in the country and potentially gives is a fulcrum around which the team can turn.

The half back line if probably the most important line in hurling, the launchpad for attack and the contest zone for puck outs. While none of the three bring fire and thunder to field, they are all natural athletes and hurl within themselves and most importantly have excellent hurling brains.

It remains to be seen what we might give up defensively with this combination but I believe it will deliver more in terms of the quality of service to the inside forwards who are developing nicely (Dooleys fitness and the re-assimilation of the Coolderry attackers into the squad). I remember Horan in particular was very impressive in LHC outing v KK in Portlaoise a few years ago, hovering up ball and delivering quality clearances without pulling a nasty stroke or getting involved in the physical stuff.

I wasn’t in OCP v Leix and going on the reports our, big-man / small-man midfield combo broke even. I’m not aware of any similar midfield pairing in the country and it made me think was Ollie ‘Lomu’ following his own template from his playing days of combining a huge physical presence with a tigerish partner with an engine to mop up the breaks a la Colin Lynch?
I’m torn as to whether between Bergin is more useful to the side at 14 or 11. He seems to have gotten out of the habit (or the tactic has been discontinued by the new management) of playing the breaking ball over the last man. He was very impressive when taking control of proceedings in the 2nd half of the LHC v Dublin last summer when moved out to 11. While he has been doing fair damage at 14 in the last few games we all know the white heat of summer hurling is a different proposition entirely. We haven’t had an out and out talisman at 14 since Padraig Horan and it would be nice if Bergin could nail down that role but the jury’s out.

Surprised to see Rory Jacob on the bench for Wexford , thought he might be the kind of player who would cause David Kenny some trouble. First time in a few years OY won’t be seeing Stephen Banville in the Wexford line-up which they won’t mind one bit.

A 4-5 point win for us – que some abuse from the vulture-like Townman afterwards when I’m wrong!

[Bord na Mona man]

Wexford Park will be a test of this Offaly side.
I'd especially be wary of a Liam Dunne lead side who are on the bounce from a defeat to Antrim.

In previous encounters down there Wexford have thrown down markers to Offaly...and that's putting it kindly. Think of the Tomás Waters take out on Ger Oakley in 2009, Joe Bergin receiving a fairly unkind stroke from Doc O'Connor after scoring a goal in 2007 and I nearly sure it was Dan Hoctor who get well timbered down there as well.

[kinnittyman]

You make some good points durra and your post is easily read (some people need to take note!) but I need to pull you up on one point....in the game against Laois while the half back line on the programme read Morkam/Hanniffy/Horan, the actual half back line was Rigney/Hanniffy/Horan. Derek Morkam partnered Conor Mahon in midfield. While I still maintain that David Kenny is our best option for centre back, if the management persist with Rory Hanniffy then the half back line that started against Laois is the best trio for positions.

[townman]

durra1 won't get any abuse from me for saying offaly to win, maybe if you said a p.ss poor laois team would have beaten us
in the first round maybe then you should get a clip in the ear.

anyway back to sundays game and the graveyard that is wexford park, wexford will be a far different kettle of fish to laois
at home to i hope our win in the walsh cup can be like buses you wait a age for one then two or three come along over them
in wexford park.

i think the team if all are fit will go along the lines that started again laois this will be a hard fough game with little between the sides
as last years league game in tullamore was won by a monster free from Shane Dooley.

we had 4 lads that saw action for leinster last weekend which was good they will have their eye in for sunday
i think the half back line of Rigney,Hanniffy,Horan, can rule their duels they should get enough ball into Dooley,Bergin, Ryan and Brendan Murphy
to score enough to take the points.

a big game is need from Derek Molloy who has been off form this year so far maybe sunday he can show us what he can do. James Mulrooney can also
chip in with a few scores and done well again laois but sunday i can't see him getting as much room as he did again laois.

on paper we look to have a better team with wexford building a new side under liam Dunne, as durra1 said no stephen Banville for wexford on sunday
which is a pity because i think Dave Kenny would have the messure of him he was took off last year in tullamore in the league win.

i to go for a 3 to 5 point win for offaly i think we will have to much up front for wexford and our half back line are as good that is out there.

[durra1]

Thanks KM - I stand corrected - that's what I get for not attending live!

There goes my observation about centrefield too!

Good point Townman about waiting for buses.

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Huge test for Offaly. Real test of the mettle needed to be shown by this team if we are to advance. Lot of good hurlers on that Wexford team and Dunne will have them atein angle iron!
If we move the ball quickly we will trouble them. Will need strong performances from half forward line and midfield , a couple of notches up from the Laois game. I would say our lads would want to be ready to match them physically and lay down a marker with them as this is an area where we have not been good in recent years.
A win here would really set us up for a crack at promotion, and a return to Div 1. A defeat, whilst not the end of the world would be a set back.

[Kevin]

The days of the moral victory need to be put in the past.

This Division 1B is good for us. Every team in it (perhaps with the possible exception of Laois) should think that they can beat any or all of the others.

It's early, but also a perfect time to pick up momentum, develop a winning mindset and sharpen the concentration.

Good luck to the team this weekend. We know you can do it!

[townman]

offaly side for sunday

1. James Dempsey
2. Chris McDonald
3. Dave Kenny
4. Stephen Wynne
5. Del Morkham
6. Rory Hanniffy
7. Diarmud Horan
8. James Rigney
9. Connor Mahon
10. Joe Bergin
11 Derek Molloy
12. Brendan Murphy
13. Sean Ryan
14. Colin Egan
15. Shane Dooley

two changes from the laois game out Mick Verney and James Mulrooney and into the side Chris McDonald and Colin Egan
we will see Del and James Rigney switch before throw in, not a bad side can't see Egan starting full forward either him and joe could also
switch its a good enough side to take the points on sunday best of luck to all.

[Abercrombie Fitch]

Strong looking team. Looking forward to travelling down to this one, albeit from Carlow rather than Clara!
Agree with townman, Bergin will prob start on the edge of the square.
Half back line of Horan, Rory and Rigney is as stylish as there is around.

Big step up from Laois, but if we win on Sunday we can start looking at a promotion fight, and a realistic one too.

Hope a few fellow Gaels make the trek down.

[kinnittyman]

Seems that management are trying to create an element of consistency in selection in certain areas i.e goalkeeper, full back, half back line and midfield while still giving themselves the scope for experimentation in other areas.

I like to see Stephen Wynne getting a run of games in his best position (previous managemen take note) while it's also good to see a corner back other than Michael Verney occupying the other corner (for experimentation purposes, nothing against Verney himself). I don't know much about Chris McDonald so will be interesting to see how he goes. It'll probably be David Franks in that corner come championship but with his ability to concede scores to his direct opponent there's no harm in trying something different.

In the forwards I hope to see a half forward line of Derek Molloy, Colin Egan and Brendan Murphy. Two capable ball winners and a score getter there so could be productive. Egan and Molloy initially should just view their jobs as winning tough ball and moving it into our full forward line and if scores come to them as the game develops all the better.

A full forward line of Shane Dooley, Joe Bergin and Sean Ryan has serious potential but Joe Bergin and Shane Dooley have to get out in front and start winning tough 50/50 ball. They will kill their backs if the only ball they win is 60/40. They can't expect every ball to be a prefect delivery and they have to up their conversion rate of winning difficult ball.

This is the sort of game that over the last few years Offaly wouldn't win (a tough away game against a team around the same level as Offaly) and unfortunatley I don't expect things to change tomorrow regardless of what the bookies say. Wexford by 4 for me.

[kingscounty]

strong looking team , on paper we have a very strong looking half back line, very skillful players. il go offaly 1-14 wexford 2-10

[Johnno81]

Nice look to that team!! So I have decided to go down to Wexford after saying I would never go down there again. Offaly to win by 2

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

What happened in the last 10 mins? Offaly coasting according to radio 2 20 to 0-17?
Very disappointing to lose a lead like that. Again our ability to concede big scores is killing us. But this should have been in the bag regardless.Bad day all round when you lose twice to Wexford!

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

PS My sympathies to all who made the trip down, we have had so many bad days down there, its crazy!!

[Deadandgone]

They scored 3. 01. To offalys no score in the last 5 mins thats what happened. Disaster. Clare lead group now.