would you back kk - 10 pts keen?dpouble with monaghan hcap 3/1

Did not see any hurling so far this weekend , but the reality about hurling is that there are only between 4 and 8 counties with a decent squad of players . And it has been thus more or less since I can remember .  Wexford were the big deal in the fifties , Rackards et al , but Kilkenny , Tipp , Cork and Galway have been the teams of the last 20 years or so , the Cats being possibly the best team ever .

Unfortunately the skill level needed to aspire to top performance is beyond most counties .  Had a discussion tonight with a friend who has been reading a book called "bounce" or equivalent , its about training and developing sporting skills in youngsters apparently , must look it up , it seems interesting . I went to a school which was pre-eminent locally in hurling , but the hurlers all came from parishes where they played the game as soon as they could wield a hurl , all the school had to do was to pick the team and organise them  . Teaching them skills was not actually needed , but they were a limited team resource wise , and little competition for places came from us non hurlers .  Most of the hurlers were not great at football , which always left me scratching my head  , but they weren't interested I suppose .

Some of the hurling matches of the last 10 years or so have been rivetting , great skill levels , great physical commitment , but its a bit like the English Premiership , the top teams are way better than the rest and results prove it season in and season out .  No answer , unless the players all get into a player pool and get allocated to counties by draw . Like a "hat " competition in golf . Wont happen !

Soccer not taken that serious? I'll severely dispute that gant, I think there is something like 7 or 8 soccer teams in Newbridge alone, and only 2 Gaa Teams, yes the ga teams have different levels and underage but a lot of these soccer teams have 3 or 4 teams, Soccer is by far the most played game in the country by a country mile.

Well I presume gant if they're above average the scouts will usually snap them up.

i was a sent a bit out-of-the-way to a rural National school in an area where g.football is strong, but the game me and the lads always played at break-times was soccer. the other lads would have had Fathers on the parish g.football team, but that didnt make them want to play it when they were at school, soccer was the game for break-times. dont remember playing g.f with them once, except out of school in a tournament against other local schools

even though these lads were mad into english teams and played so much soccer during school hours, none to my knowledge ever joined a soccer team. they might play the odd 5 a-side game but any of them still involved in sport, its with the parish g.f team

FREDDIEK.....But them 5 a side lads make up the figures of those who play soccer. We all played soccer at lunch break as it's a simple game and all levels of ability can join in.....no ref, no rules and next goal wins....magic stuff.

Down our way it was Soccer in the winter and GAA in the summer..........Would the local soccer teams be able to field teams if they played soccer in the summer months?.

I'm heading up timberman and from what I have been hearing Flynn , Molloy and Waters could be doubtful for us which are probably our 3 most important players. O'Brien has at least picked a team on paper which looks like we will play at least one extra defender ( Jason Ryan in his 5 years never once tried to solve our defensive frailties ) and if 2/3 mentioned above are fit enough to start we should be close enough.

Alot of soccer lads end up dropping it for another sport as they know they have little chance of recognition.

I played underage with a top amateur club but jacked it in favour of Minor county hurling....way back in time....

Hurling is something that needs teaching from a young age.It needs love and attention to detail before you can become skilled in anyway.

Gaelic football is a rubbish sport(these days). Any child could learn to be adequate at it in no time.

The skill level in soccer is without doubt higher.

Hurling is the most skillfull by far, hence it is passed on through tradition by people who love and have played the game themselves.

I do wish some of these coaches would concentrate on the skills as it is those that make the game. Strenght can be devloped alot easier but is less important.

I also wish these same coaches(we all know who they are)would stop talking boll ox about tactics in hurling.

Beat your man,win the ball,clear it,or stick it over.

It's a simple but beautifull game when played as it should.

Yup, shoutin em on, they are playin v well thus far! Long ball payin dividends

Kilkenny look short of a gallop or two in first half .  Offaly have a chance ( slim ) , but only if they finish with 15 men .

What was the spread around 10 points?I'd say KK could still beat it,1.1 was the best they went to on here for a grand.

Offaly are capable of causing a minor surprise in qualifiers.(Have more hurling than both teams last night anyway)

happy enough with that offaly display.too many frees conceded and too many wides.but we were competitive for most of it..roll on the qualifiers.maybe capable of pulling off a shock ..maybe..

Good start for Limerick,Camera work on TV3 is shocking-Limited Resources I suppose

Pull on the ball Ryan you fking idiot. Sitter of a goal chance there.

here comes lar,will b interesting

Brilliant, fantastic young players there, hope this is the start of something!! Young players as good as anywhere in the country.

Ok everyone so I'm going to 'aftertme' the scourge of the forum ie aftertiming. Well here goes imho Louth 4/6 to beat any team is a joke. Should never happen. I'm surprised that Keen leader was so strong on Louth. Surely the wee County is hard hit by the scourge of immigration, unlike Wexford where almost the whole County is employed at this time picking gorgeous strawberries. The halo slips a little more from the great KL. Probably a bit easier naming 1/7 shots to qualify in a song contest, like Yourownovision, or the Cowll Egg Factor..... oops but they can get turned over too i.e 1/7 shots....................

was never in real danger timberman, our panel is very small but all 3 injury doubts I mentioned started , wexford football never gets credit , people forget they have only failed twice in the last ten years to reach the leinster semis and have gave the dubs a decent run a couple of times , we slipped in under the radar today given louths demolition of laois , and ffs in all fairness laois wouldn't kick spuds to ducks , they are a joke!

denmark 2down

rocket read the rest of the thread and dont be showing your ignorance.denmark were given as a bet.