Avoiding Tipp gives Kilkenny greater incentive
That’s why I’m expecting this clash of Galway and Kilkenny to be the game of the campaign.
When there’s that kind of stress on both teams it can have a couple of side-effects — it can produce a great game or it can produce red cards. I wouldn’t be surprised if this tie produces both.
I don’t expect either management team to show their full hand until throw-in but I wonder, who’s going to be in defence for Kilkenny? Who’s going to be in attack for Galway? Definitely, the Kilkenny defence was at fault towards the end of the drawn game, 3-3 conceded in the last eight minutes. I’d say the paint was taken off the dressing room walls this week by Brian Cody.
Are Galway the team that has scored the most goals against Kilkenny in the Cody era? If not they can’t be far off it because they usually manage to breach the Kilkenny defence.
Why? Because of their movement, the way they take Kilkenny out of their comfort zone, and because of their size. Look at the full-forward line that finished the game the last day: Joe Canning, Jonathon Glynn and Jason Flynn are all over six foot. Look at the half-forward line, Conor Cooney, Joseph Cooney and Kevin Hynes was around there as well, rotating with Damien Hayes. All big, strong men who caused Kilkenny problems all game long.
When Cork faced Clare a few weeks ago in Munster it was because Jimmy Barry-Murphy and his selectors got their match-ups right. It’s critical now that Cody and his selectors get their match-ups right. I would bring Brian Hogan to centre-back and move Jackie Tyrrell to corner-back, where both are proven and where neither will give an inch to anyone, no matter how big. Kilkenny need a stopper at centre-back and Hogan fits that role perfectly.
Kilkenny made changes in the drawn game — too many and at the wrong end of the field. Their forwards were scoring, had managed 3-20 before Galway’s late burst but it was the other end which needed shoring up.
Michael Fennelly is injured so he can’t start; the next best man is Lester Ryan. Richie Hogan is outstanding as an attacking midfielder but how many tackles did he put in back in defence in those final minutes? How many would Michael Fennelly have been putting in?
Galway boss Anthony Cunningham and his selectors also have to make changes.
First and foremost, Jonathon Glynn has to start. Then look at their defence. As pointed out above, they conceded a huge score and David Collins and Iarla Tannian apart, they too need to be freshened up. Count on this; if Kilkenny go up ten points again, they won’t be as generous this time.
I’d start Joe Canning at centre-forward and leave him there, have Niall Burke again at full-forward but leave him there – he had JJ looking as uncomfortable as I’ve ever seen him last week.
Galway can’t do this time what they did last Sunday, and go to sleep for ten minutes, not in either half.
Predicting a winner is nearly impossible but the incentive of avoiding Thurles is greater for Kilkenny; for that reason I’m giving them the nod. I do expect a humdinger again though.
To the qualifiers. I hear Laois talking about taking a big scalp when they face a wounded Waterford team in Waterford. But it is hard to look beyond a home win.
Up in Antrim tomorrow, there has to be some kind of kick in Offaly. Beaten out the gate by Kilkenny in the senior championship, beaten out the gate the other night by 14 Wexford-men in the U21, have they ever been in a worse position?
Johnny Flaherty in the Irish Examiner on Wednesday was absolutely right – this comes down to the players. No matter what county or club you’re in, or what sport, it always comes down to the players.
Go out and win, that’s the best game-plan of all, that is the only game-plan. That’s what Offaly need to do tomorrow. Backs to the wall, I believe they have that in them.
