Great observation AllCork32. I must give a look back at the game on my Sky Plus. There were periods when we had Limerick on the backfoot. We need to study what went right for us and what didn't go right for us and combine it with what works well for us in the past and also consider what areas can we exploit in the opposition. We have the capabilities but need to be fully tuned in.Watching back the League Final,
Limerick couldn't deal with our short puckouts, if Collins sharpens up a bit I think we'll get a lot of joy off them. We only lost one inside our own half, same as them, but we had way more overall.
Their long puckouts were far superior. We may aswell have been just giving the ball to their HB line.
Limericks half back line sat on their wings so Collins couldn't puck it into space and it worked.
Mullins and Eoin should've been told to do the same, leave Rob sit in the middle then if Quaid wants to start bombing them.
The long puckouts all targeted Burns's side but were too low for breaking ball and he won all the catchable ball vs Fitzy. It probably should've been Sheamie on that side, Fitzy troubled Hayes when he was on him too.
Connolly was also a lot livelier than I thought, he was fouled every time he was on the ball and had a very good day on the frees compared to O'Connor.
The FF line is in a good place I think. The Limerick FB line are no slouches to be scoring 1-13 on.
Tommy O'Connell was easily our MOTM.
Shooting accuracy was 75% which is good. Theirs was only 55%.
The turnovers pretty much match the scores which tells a lot I think (27 vs 22).
Definitely doable imrpovements for 3 weeks time. With the injured lads back fit, I'd back us.
Excellent post.League all done, felt like an intense few weeks didn’t it for our gang, more intense than any other league campaign I can remember. The pain of last years meltdown still fresh in the minds, Ben in and coming out fighting with some old school straight talking. Tipp in the pairc job done, excellent in Nolan park, solid in other games, Gaelic Grounds bad days X 3 if you include the pre-league shite. Nobody’s paying out on us this year but we’re still the favourite subject of the pundits, generally getting grief of ex limerick, Tipp and Clare lads. We’re the team to hate it seems. Fuck em.
I was really impressed with Bens first couple of months, hard pre season running and emphasis on fitness seemed to be evident in those first few games, the new faces were all contributing and a couple of positional switches going ok also. As the league campaign reached its conclusion however there’s certainly a few odd bits in the plan not quite clicking yet.
Start with the game Sunday. I thought the selection was grand, delighted to see Joyce picked at 3 v Offaly and again for the league final (it was the obvious switch on to John McGrath last summer after the ED yellow), and also very happy with DOL and what he’s done by the way. The Mullins one looked strange considering his lack of popularity in the rest of the league but otherwise drive on. I’m sure ye have all seen the stats at this stage
The passive first 10 mins drives a bunch of the skewed shooting stats and of all teams Limerick are a balls of a team to concede early momentum to. If you start to force it & chase it you’re fucked. Can’t ever start like that again or we’re done. The man for man gameplan obviously didn’t work out at all and I also don’t have too much of an issue with Ben and Co doing that. Our 6 sat in every other game - Rob D will stay at 6 and he will sit v Tipp, no doubt. And we will be far more zonal on Limerick puc outs in the pairc I am sure.
Our puc-out detail was another ‘too bad to be true’ aspect to Cork Sunday… the camera from behind picks up on plenty of Collins puc outs in that first half and the picture in front of him is like a junior club team - zero movement on a few occasions. Limericks work rate/ planning / organisation on their puc out and opposition puc out is just unreal, we will only improve on ours.
Barrett, Fitzgibbon second half showing in particular (Barrett had no shot never mind no score??) won’t be seen in 2 weeks time - again another element that will be better. So those few ‘too bad to be trues’ + a quietening of O’Connor, O’Brien vs the league group game, + the fact that so much was going wrong and we were still within 2 pts with 4 mins to go should suggest there’s no need to panic and that Cork are right there.
…But. Some things are annoying now at this stage. Connolly. Why does he finish every game even when clearly not playing well? His scoring rate from play for the last year and a half now is not a good read. I don’t get the doubling down on a player who would seem like the antithesis of a Ben O’Connor player? First thing I’m always looking for at IC level is can a lad get on the ball - win his own ball or just read the play and get possessions - Connolly, and Mullins, don’t do that. Both fine hurlers but if you can’t get on the ball you’re goosed , I’d prefer mistakes than anonymity.
Our tackle technique and system is wrecking my head. It has been an issue for a while but is it actually getting worse? Grabbing arms for 2 seconds too long, ploughing through the back of fellas… Our reputation with refs in this regard is getting to shockingly low levels.. hence the loss of the 50/50 decisions (the Downeys in particular are the betes noires of the hurling refereeing fraternity). We beat the 20 fouls mark again, not quite at our salthill levels but again 20%+ more than our opponents, unsustainable. 40 shots and <12 or 13 fouls, >25 turnovers would be reasonable targets - we were well off these Sunday.
All of these issues are solvable and I think there’s a decent chance these issues are in hand with Ben and co.
DOL for me would have been in with Joyce regardless of SOD injury. Coleman comes straight in (don’t know how lads thought he was rusty Sunday, looked sharp to me). Barry Walsh, HOC, Healy do exactly what I’ve noted above that Connolly and Mullins don’t do. Stick with Fitzgibbon in the forward line v Tipp, it will pay off. Fresh puc out plan, championship ready. Alan Walsh, Power, COB ready to go if needed. TOC absolutely flying. Buckley flying. B Hayes flying. Small tweak with Tim and Rob supported by 1 more from the forward division and our shape can be much better.
Not much time to fix the few bits that need fixing but I’m fairly sure they’re not starting today , I’d still be confident that Ben will have us in the right spot in thurles on Sunday week and we’ll motor on from there.
Not really - a reel of spinExcellent post.
Doomers vs granders is how another local sports team fan forum puts itNot really - a reel of spin
Doesn’t really tackle any of main points which arose in the league unlike less popular posters such as junior footballer or JBS.
A friend of mine from Limerick who watched on TV said he thought Connolly looked really good to my surprise. He is unbelievably lively and can cause panic in defences but I agree with morello in that he doesn't get on nearly enough ball time and again. I don't think it's a lack of work rate either.Watching back the League Final,
Limerick couldn't deal with our short puckouts, if Collins sharpens up a bit I think we'll get a lot of joy off them. We only lost one inside our own half, same as them, but we had way more overall.
Their long puckouts were far superior. We may aswell have been just giving the ball to their HB line.
Limericks half back line sat on their wings so Collins couldn't puck it into space and it worked.
Mullins and Eoin should've been told to do the same, leave Rob sit in the middle then if Quaid wants to start bombing them.
The long puckouts all targeted Burns's side but were too low for breaking ball and he won all the catchable ball vs Fitzy. It probably should've been Sheamie on that side, Fitzy troubled Hayes when he was on him too.
Connolly was also a lot livelier than I thought, he was fouled every time he was on the ball and had a very good day on the frees compared to O'Connor.
The FF line is in a good place I think. The Limerick FB line are no slouches to be scoring 1-13 on.
Tommy O'Connell was easily our MOTM.
Shooting accuracy was 75% which is good. Theirs was only 55%.
The turnovers pretty much match the scores which tells a lot I think (27 vs 22).
Definitely doable imrpovements for 3 weeks time. With the injured lads back fit, I'd back us.
Ah to be fair, it’s very well written and a good coherent summary of a lot of the points raised on the thread. Nothing new in it as such really, as all the items were covered in detail within 24 hours of Sunday eg work rate, keeper, puck outs and lack of movement, Mullins poor & Coleman a big improvement, the downeys, Joyce doing well at full back, Ray Boyce’s stats on the game, how is Connolly staying on the team, corks fouling, optimism for the Munster championship.Not really - a reel of spin
Doesn’t really tackle any of main points which arose in the league unlike less popular posters such as junior footballer or JBS.
The friend of yours from Limerick is having a laugh with youA friend of mine from Limerick who watched on TV said he thought Connolly looked really good to my surprise. He is unbelievably lively and can cause panic in defences but I agree with morello in that he doesn't get on nearly enough ball time and again. I don't think it's a lack of work rate either.
Criteria is plural and I'd say the three lads might agree that an attacking player that can go entire halves of hurling without getting on the ball could be an issue. It's grand for some but I don't think Connolly quite has enough credit in the bank. He's been doing well on frees so credit where it's due there. And if he gets three balls and three goals as he has done before then happy days. Roll on the 19thDid a guy just say here, a forward got on a lot of ball. Is that where we are now. Kiely , Cody , Sheedy have and had a different criteria.
3 weeks to save our season.
21 YEARS.
