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Hurling Club Championships 2024/25 - General Discussion

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Replying To BigBàsMan:  "Will you ever get a life katser. You would be lickin' the thomas' and portumna arses if they were there today. Support any Galway club that's champions."
It's only my opinion! This Loughrea team wouldn't lace the boots of those great (double) Portumna and St.Thomas' teams....remember those Portumna and St.Thomas' teams won All Irelands and then regenerated tweaked their teams and won All Irelands again!
Loughrea came out of possibly the weakest group and Castlegar should have beaten them in QF, as for the Co.Final Cappataggle blew that with their tactics and crazy wides....if Cappy has scored their penalty they would have won 3-4pts.

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2481 - 18/11/2024 14:51:07    2580160

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Out of the teams left I'd rank it:

1) Ballygunner
2) Loughrea
3) Slaughtneil
4) Na Fianna
5) Sarsfields
6) Kilcormac
7) Martins
8) Casteltown
9) Portaferry

I wouldn't be bashing Loughrea at all. There two games away from being All Ireland champions and will fancy their chances against Leinster opposition. I'd fancy Na Fianna by 5+ against Martins in Parnell tbh.

Redzer99 (Waterford) - Posts: 84 - 18/11/2024 17:07:13    2580185

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Replying To Viking66:  "Just back from it. A poor game tbh I was expecting more from Naas. Hard to know what way they will go against Na Fianna. I wouldn't write them off though, they have some excellent players."
Any team with O'Connor be hard beat. Took NF a while to get on top of Clough inside line who exposed them early on. Won't have that leeway against Martins.

Id say maybe Parnell give Fianna slight edge. Hopefully a better pitch next day.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 18/11/2024 17:29:33    2580189

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Any team with O'Connor be hard beat. Took NF a while to get on top of Clough inside line who exposed them early on. Won't have that leeway against Martins.

Id say maybe Parnell give Fianna slight edge. Hopefully a better pitch next day."
Saw bits of both on clubber. Disappointed with standard in Naas and NaF game. Possibly due to both pitches though

BaileCrann (Down) - Posts: 46 - 18/11/2024 18:14:50    2580195

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O'Connor didn't score from play? 11 from frees. Interesting stat!

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 18/11/2024 18:23:14    2580196

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Replying To Redzer99:  "Out of the teams left I'd rank it:

1) Ballygunner
2) Loughrea
3) Slaughtneil
4) Na Fianna
5) Sarsfields
6) Kilcormac
7) Martins
8) Casteltown
9) Portaferry

I wouldn't be bashing Loughrea at all. There two games away from being All Ireland champions and will fancy their chances against Leinster opposition. I'd fancy Na Fianna by 5+ against Martins in Parnell tbh."
Any of the teams 2 to 9 could beat any of the others without it being a huge shock. Ballygunner would be favourites against any of the other 8 right now. But Ballygunner can't play 7 of the 8 until the AI series, and 5 of the 8 until an AI final. They will be favourites against Sars next up, and against whoever they play, but whoever wins between Portaferry and Slaughtneil will have another tough game under their belts. Will Ballygunner be a little undercooked if they beat Sars well? Sars could beat them either.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14008 - 18/11/2024 19:24:57    2580205

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Any team with O'Connor be hard beat. Took NF a while to get on top of Clough inside line who exposed them early on. Won't have that leeway against Martins.

Id say maybe Parnell give Fianna slight edge. Hopefully a better pitch next day."
Martins would likely have the better stick men. Would a bad tacky pitch maybe suit Na Fiannas bigger and/or stronger men better?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14008 - 18/11/2024 19:26:21    2580207

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Replying To Viking66:  "Any of the teams 2 to 9 could beat any of the others without it being a huge shock. Ballygunner would be favourites against any of the other 8 right now. But Ballygunner can't play 7 of the 8 until the AI series, and 5 of the 8 until an AI final. They will be favourites against Sars next up, and against whoever they play, but whoever wins between Portaferry and Slaughtneil will have another tough game under their belts. Will Ballygunner be a little undercooked if they beat Sars well? Sars could beat them either."
Wouldn't have castletown below Martins butt it's all on day

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 530 - 19/11/2024 01:30:23    2580235

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Replying To Viking66:  "Martins would likely have the better stick men. Would a bad tacky pitch maybe suit Na Fiannas bigger and/or stronger men better?"
Better stick men than Na Fianna? For genetic reasons or which?

Only joking. I've seen NF a lot and closest they've come to being beaten at business end were by Vinnies who gave them plenty of it and Crokes in final. Likewise in Leinster last year, it took them a while to et up to the intensity and aggression of OLG. Did well when they started to hurl.

Their key asset is inside speed and likes of Burke, the Curries and AJ well able to hurl and stick with the best. A drier faster sod definitely plays to their strengths and doesn't like there will be much of that from now on.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 19/11/2024 07:18:04    2580238

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Better stick men than Na Fianna? For genetic reasons or which?

Only joking. I've seen NF a lot and closest they've come to being beaten at business end were by Vinnies who gave them plenty of it and Crokes in final. Likewise in Leinster last year, it took them a while to et up to the intensity and aggression of OLG. Did well when they started to hurl.

Their key asset is inside speed and likes of Burke, the Curries and AJ well able to hurl and stick with the best. A drier faster sod definitely plays to their strengths and doesn't like there will be much of that from now on."
NF have some excellent stickmen, as you say. But all over the pitch I think you will have a strength advantage which will favour you if conditions are bad is all I meant to say. Martins have a few players who will definitely do better if the pitch is drier, and I think will have a better chance overall if it is.
Then there's the Nell effect, Wexford teams traditionally don't do well there at any level.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14008 - 19/11/2024 09:30:10    2580253

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Replying To Viking66:  "NF have some excellent stickmen, as you say. But all over the pitch I think you will have a strength advantage which will favour you if conditions are bad is all I meant to say. Martins have a few players who will definitely do better if the pitch is drier, and I think will have a better chance overall if it is.
Then there's the Nell effect, Wexford teams traditionally don't do well there at any level."
Parnell is a big advantage no doubt. Could see that last Sunday even in the warm up in the accuracy of NF practise frees and shots compared to Clough including the normally super efficient Picky Maher.

Obviously both sides prefer better hurling ground but that's the way the season falls. I did see the Wexford final and didn't seem like there was much room for feint hearted there either!

Be interesting to see who NF stick on ROC. I'd nearly go for Rushie who is the solid heart of the defence but maybe better not man marking but being in the vicinity. Should be good game and hopefully not played in freezing rain and mud.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 19/11/2024 09:59:00    2580258

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Parnell is a big advantage no doubt. Could see that last Sunday even in the warm up in the accuracy of NF practise frees and shots compared to Clough including the normally super efficient Picky Maher.

Obviously both sides prefer better hurling ground but that's the way the season falls. I did see the Wexford final and didn't seem like there was much room for feint hearted there either!

Be interesting to see who NF stick on ROC. I'd nearly go for Rushie who is the solid heart of the defence but maybe better not man marking but being in the vicinity. Should be good game and hopefully not played in freezing rain and mud."
Barney, I see that there are two football games fixed for Parnell on Saturday - Intermediate club at 1.30 and senior club at 7.15. If we get the weather we're promised at the weekend, what shape will the pitch be in for the hurling on Sunday?

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 588 - 19/11/2024 11:13:30    2580279

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Parnell is a big advantage no doubt. Could see that last Sunday even in the warm up in the accuracy of NF practise frees and shots compared to Clough including the normally super efficient Picky Maher.

Obviously both sides prefer better hurling ground but that's the way the season falls. I did see the Wexford final and didn't seem like there was much room for feint hearted there either!

Be interesting to see who NF stick on ROC. I'd nearly go for Rushie who is the solid heart of the defence but maybe better not man marking but being in the vicinity. Should be good game and hopefully not played in freezing rain and mud."
Ah I didn't mean Martins were in any way soft. Just the couple of times I've seen NF on tv the last couple of years they look a big strong team. Rory will roam in and out. You will need a very mobile lad to man mark him.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14008 - 19/11/2024 11:23:14    2580283

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Replying To midlands:  "Barney, I see that there are two football games fixed for Parnell on Saturday - Intermediate club at 1.30 and senior club at 7.15. If we get the weather we're promised at the weekend, what shape will the pitch be in for the hurling on Sunday?"
Bad! Its not as boggy as once but it cuts up badly. Ball wasn't coming off surface on Sunday so two games of football if they go ahead won't help matters. Forecast is poor.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 19/11/2024 11:48:53    2580286

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Naomh Mearnóg match v Garrycastle moved and good weather forecast for Sunday but rain tomorrow before and possibly during Cuala v Tullamore.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 22/11/2024 18:34:40    2580758

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Just a question on venue, this would be NF second "home" game. Let's be honest it is an advantage not having to travel etc. Just wondering how the venues were decided on etc.

WEXILE (Wexford) - Posts: 312 - 23/11/2024 09:05:20    2580788

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Naomh Mearnóg match v Garrycastle moved and good weather forecast for Sunday but rain tomorrow before and possibly during Cuala v Tullamore."
Bray v Rathnure moved to 1.30 Dunday also I think

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14008 - 23/11/2024 09:32:29    2580791

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Replying To WEXILE:  "Just a question on venue, this would be NF second "home" game. Let's be honest it is an advantage not having to travel etc. Just wondering how the venues were decided on etc."
Same as every other year. Na Fianna's both games up to final last year were away. It depends on random Leinster Council draw and seeding,

For example had Naomh Eanna not lost their first game v Kilcormac in WEXFORD PARK last year they would have had another "home" game in semi.

All first drawn teams (counties) have "home2 advantage. Alternative would be to look for multiple neutral grounds.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 24/11/2024 08:59:58    2580939

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I did say in a previous post that ctg would give kk a right crack..they can probably consider themselves unlucky not to maybe get to extra time..o Reilly was a huge loss cos he usually comes up with a couple of points..ref seemed to enjoy the physical side and left most things go unless blatantly obvious..however his umpire missed a point for ctg at a very vital stage..think kk brought experience on in last 10 minutes and it helped..kk for me will love croke park,surface will suit them greatly..I'm leaning towards nf to beat sm but won't be surprised if result goes other way..looking forward to all the hurling finals next week..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2394 - 24/11/2024 15:30:17    2581012

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Tough dogged affair played in 30mph whirling gale that benefitted neither. Still some great skills and scores on both sides inckuding sublime point that looked impossible from Rory O'Connor.

Na Fianna ability to enginneer goals probably saved them from what looked like a Martins win.

Couldn't call final. Hoping Na Fianna can cut loose on big faster pitch and keep the Young Screeney fella to under 12 points!

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 25/11/2024 11:08:01    2581141

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