All Ireland Club Final

[beagle]

I’ll get the ball rolling here.
Portumna were far too good for Loughmore Castleiney who predictably tried to rough up Joe Canning and anyone else who had the cheek to be on the field. Makes their moaning over Tulla seem a little hollow now.....anyway back on point- Portumna have too much for Birr, what ye reckon?

[galwaybhoy]

Portumna lost a fair few friends in Galway after last years county final, I know Loughrea were over physical on the day but highlighting stuff in the national media didn’t go down too well up here. Last Sunday a few of them were over eager to go to ground too I felt... Still you’d shout for Saddam Hussein against the Tipperary Champs I suppose and in fairness they were a few levels above LC in skill and discipline.

I wouldn’t write Birr off to easy bye. Dunloy were probably every bit as good as LC and Birr really had to play well to pull away in the last 20 minutes. They have the experience of Paddys day too on the big day. A lot of KK folk thought the Village had only to turn up 2 years ago and we know what happened. This game will be close- mark my words bye.

[Up the Bracket]

Portumna's arrogance will be their undoing. They are undoubtetly a class act but any team on any given day can be beaten. Loughmore's inexperience at this level showed, and was highlighted by the fact that a 17 year old is carrying them.

[HOD]

Thought the same regarding Noel McGrath, I don't think Tipp will be getting many off that Loughmore team, McGrath in time, give him another 2-3 years and he will be awesome.

[Up the Bracket]

None of that Loughmore team will be on the Tipp team IMO. Noel McGrath has been one of the best players on the pitch in every game I saw him play this year. He is only two weeks too old from being underage for Minor next year. Hope he makes it 3 All Ireland Minors this year.

[fran]

hud said:

Thought the same regarding Noel McGrath, I don't think Tipp will be getting many off that Loughmore team, McGrath in time, give him another 2-3 years and he will be awesome.

Looks a great prospect alright. Portumna V's Birr has the makings of a cracking final. A great Paddy's day in store for those on the way to croker. The football will be tight also.

[mickgraham]

I will be surprised if Birr can live with Portumna. Three or four years ago maybe but not now.

Take Nemo to win the football well too.

[clintmalarchuk]

I have a sneaky gut feeling birr will win,

[azoffaly]

Portumna will probably be the bookies favourites, and rightly so. But I won't be writing Birr off just yet. I know it's fashionable to say they are an old team, but really the likes of Sean Ryan, Michael Dwane, JP O'Meara, Paul Cleary and the like are after adding a youthful dash to the Birr thingytail. Lads like Rory Hanniffy, Niall Claffey and Gary Hanniffy have loads still to offer, while the likes of Brian Whelehan, Simon and Barry are not exactly passengers on a club side.

I'd still make Portumna favourites, but one thing to Birr's advantage maybe is that they are not heavily reliant on one man to score a pile for them. If they can keep Joe Canning quiet from play, and don't give him handy frees, you'd expect Birr to win. I think if Birr keep Joe Canning to 1-5 or under, they will win.


**Edit Just noticed the bad language filter stopped me typing c0cktail, I didn't really write thingytail

[eclair]

azoffaly said:

Portumna will probably be the bookies favourites, and rightly so. But I won't be writing Birr off just yet. I know it's fashionable to say they are an old team, but really the likes of Sean Ryan, Michael Dwane, JP O'Meara, Paul Cleary and the like are after adding a youthful dash to the Birr thingytail. Lads like Rory Hanniffy, Niall Claffey and Gary Hanniffy have loads still to offer, while the likes of Brian Whelehan, Simon and Barry are not exactly passengers on a club side.

I'd still make Portumna favourites, but one thing to Birr's advantage maybe is that they are not heavily reliant on one man to score a pile for them. If they can keep Joe Canning quiet from play, and don't give him handy frees, you'd expect Birr to win. I think if Birr keep Joe Canning to 1-5 or under, they will win.


**Edit Just noticed the bad language filter stopped me typing c0cktail, I didn't really write thingytail

Would love to see birr win it. Also felt portumna went down very easily during the loughmore game!!! Any thoughts?

[wrestler]

Think Birr will have their work cut out big time, Portumna took the foot off the pedal in semi final, Canning is a class act who could do serious damage!!

[ballyboy]

galwaybhoy said:

Portumna lost a fair few friends in Galway after last years county final, I know Loughrea were over physical on the day but highlighting stuff in the national media didn’t go down too well up here. Last Sunday a few of them were over eager to go to ground too I felt...

I thought so too. .. they were too good for Loughmore and shouldn't have had to resort to that.

[azoffaly]

Canning is definitely a class act. The Birr half back line is good though, with Sid, Rory Hanniffy and Niall Claffey (although I wouldn't be surprised to see Niall Claffey put man to man on Canning)

If Birr can keep him quiet, either by marking him out of it, which is hard to do, or by cutting off the supply to him, it's hard to see Portumna getting enough scores. Having said that the pace of Hayes and co will cause problems too. It could be a good game.

[HOD]

If he could improve on his pace, and lose a few lbs, Canning will be exceptional, took his goal very well, made out of nothing.

[The Brewery Horse]

It will be interesting alright. I'd like to see Birr win it.
Good and all as Portumna are, are they a little over-dependant on the boy wonder? If he can be held, its Birrs for the taking. They are a fine hurling team and I was hugely impressed by them against Ballyhale. Clever hurling with great low delivery into the forwards all day that day, and they should have won by more.
A repeat of the same dose could swing it for them.