Championship Discussion/ Starting 15

Could'nt Trap Cement wrote:

Nevermind your dream championship 15....

Who do people actually think will start come the offaly game?

Depends on fitness where people like Leper and possibly Daryl are concerned but assuming they are flying in training I think based in selections to date it will be :

Donnellan
Lyons
Foley
McGrillen
Bolton
Kelly
Doyle
O'Neill
Dan Flynn
Cribben
Kelly
E Flats
Doyle
Brophy
Johnston

He may switch Cribben and E Doyle although half back and half forward are fairly interchangeable for Kildare (I think this is one of our big defensive problems by the way).

I'd see the big choices being :
Connolly or Donnellan
Hurley, Flynn or Flynn to partner Paudie ( I think he'll persist with Paudie)
Leper or Dan Flynn as alternatives to Flats
Brophy versus TOC.

Ohtoohtobe wrote:

Interesting that Morgan O'Flaherty's not on any of the teams. Is he really that far off it? Good footballer.

Yes but we are overloaded with options in the positions he can play and he doesn't have the speed and athleticism of an Eoin Doyle for example. Has suffered more than most from a clear management desire to shake the team up even if it means some loyal servants under McGeeney losing out.

Crofter wrote:

Could'nt Trap Cement wrote:

Nevermind your dream championship 15....

Who do people actually think will start come the offaly game?

Depends on fitness where people like Leper and possibly Daryl are concerned but assuming they are flying in training I think based in selections to date it will be :

Donnellan
Lyons
Foley
McGrillen
Bolton
Kelly
Doyle
O'Neill
Dan Flynn
Cribben
Kelly
E Flats
Doyle
Brophy
Johnston

He may switch Cribben and E Doyle although half back and half forward are fairly interchangeable for Kildare (I think this is one of our big defensive problems by the way).

I'd see the big choices being :
Connolly or Donnellan
Hurley, Flynn or Flynn to partner Paudie ( I think he'll persist with Paudie)
Leper or Dan Flynn as alternatives to Flats
Brophy versus TOC.

And yet it was deemed a massive success when Roly and Mikey were doing it in 2009! I would say myself, having so many new players is the major problem in terms of the defensive structure.

I wouldn't have Brophy before TOC at this stage of the young man's development either. I would probably go with Dan Flynn midfield with Paudie alright. And I've love to see Niall Kelly in the corner, for the same reason I've been saying for years I'd love JD in the corner. Obviously, that won't happen.

Yes trying Niall Kelly in the corner would be well worth a shot. However, I think forward play is one of Geezer's weaknesses and he seems to want to persist with tactics like playing midfielders in the forward line, eg Sean Hurley against Tyrone. In my opinion, this approach will lead nowhere. Once again, I hope I'm wrong.

Geezer also needs to revise this "pull the trigger" nonsense. We know where this got us the last day.

Niall kelly reminds me of Tadgh Fennin! Think its the way he runs, solos and his skill is similar to Fennins neat play.

for one reason or another its the toughest 15 to pick in a while.

1. donellan
2. kelly
3. foley
4. mc grillen or lyons
5. doyle
6. bolton
7. leper
8. hurley
9. daryll flynn (if fit)
10. kelly
11. o neill
12. cribbin
13. smith
14. brophy
15. doyle

this year we have by far the strongest bench we have had in quite a while.

I hope they address the following before the championship starts:

1]
Free taking.. I really think they need to examine this area. There must be an alternative somewhere? Taking frees out of the hands? Working it short? Using the goalkeeper? It is costing us 4-5 points a game..

2]
Defense. I think we have a fairly good full back line, with good strength and pace.. I just worry when teams run at us through the middle and from deep.. I have no suggestions other than a defensive midfielder to help the center-back or a screener being deployed and sacrificing a half-forward??

3]
Attack. I just think/feel we are missing a play maker in the half forward line. Maybe they have a plan already and they didn't want to show it during the league.. I think leper (if fit) could do this role, he has the sight and can get on the ball.. Or perhaps EOF could do it either? All our attacks seem to be our wing half forwards/backs attacking a pace along the wings..

4]
Kick outs. We seem to be not getting this right at the moment. Maybe its because we are trying a new system out and we are not used to it yet? Whatever it is, we need to get this working better..

Just a few thoughts, but overall I believe its the strongest panel we had for years and that is thanks to the quality of the young players coming through..

1. Donnellan
2. Kelly
3. Foley
4. Lyons
5. Eoin Doyle
6. U.21 Conway
7. Bolton
8. Hurley
9. Darryl Flynn if fit
10. Kelly
11. Leper
12. Dan Flynn
13. S Johnson
14. T. O'Connor
15. P. Brophy/J Doyle

Would you honestly consider picking Paddy Brophy ahead of John Doyle?

stonecold how would you not have JD as a definite in your team. I just cant understand it. He d be the first name on my team.

Is it realistic to expect that JD can still perform at the level of previous years. We will be need to be careful how we get the best out of him this year. Also I see that many posters have Dan Flynn on thier team. How likely is it that he will be around much longer?

murof wrote:

Is it realistic to expect that JD can still perform at the level of previous years. We will be need to be careful how we get the best out of him this year. Also I see that many posters have Dan Flynn on thier team. How likely is it that he will be around much longer?

The AFL pre-season training doesn't start until October, so he'll be around as long as Kildare need him this year anyway.

Morgan is a class act and if he hadn't had such an injury-interrupted year, he'd be a shoo-in. Same applies to Leper and Darryl Flynn. It is completely realistic to expect JD to perform - if not, he shouldn't be there. He's as fit as he ever was. He wasted a lot of chances the last day but I wouldn't be dropping him for a completely unproven quantity on that.

I don't know if I'm mistaken, but hasn't Sean Hurley LOADS of experience at full-forward? Colleges, club? And has he shown enough bloody-mindedness, I'm-going-through-that-wall mindset to play midfield at senior inter-county level?

Free-taking - that's clearly an issue, and it's been an issue for a few years. And believe it or not, it is something they have tried to address - David Whyte, Gary White, Mikey Conway, Eoghan O'Flaherty, Rob Kelly, Leper, Johnny have all taken frees - with kicking coaches etc being brought in. It's like the midfield thing. Identifying the weaknesses is the easy part. I don't think you can just bring in the best freetaker in the county. I haven't been down at the sessions but I'm sure they have the likes of Donnellan and Hurley trying them - but you saw again on Saturday, Hurley whaled a 45 miles wide - I bet half the panel are clinging them down at training. It is very accurate to say though that it is costing Kildare four or five points a game and has cost Kildare a Leinster final, All-Ireland quarter-finals and an All-Ireland semi-final (terrible refereeing decisions notwithstanding)

Johnny will definitely start. Still our best forward and our team leader. If he only lasts 50-60 mins then so be it. Hugh McGrillen is another who will start. He has played in every championship game since 2009.

I think the players McGeeney will definitely pick to start are Foley, Peter Kelly, McGrillen, Bolton, O'Neill and JD. I would go for Connolly over Donnellan because he is a better all round goalkeeper IMO but I think McGeeney will go the other way. Eoin Doyle and Ollie Lyons will probably be the other two backs with Hurley the likely partner for O'Neill at midfield unless Daryl can make a late charge. The forward line will be difficult to select. I think JD is a cert so it's take your pick of five from Smith, O'Connor, Brophy, Niall Kelly, Dan Flynn, Cribbin, Leper, Eoghan O'Flaherty, Conway and Johnston. Ordinarily I think Leper would be down as a cert but he hasn't looked fully fit to me. Maybe he might go with an extra defender in the half forward line if we were to meet Dublin - Morgan or Flanagan if he's back fit by then.

Since 2011 I don't know what role Geezer wants or expects JD to play. To me he's a corner forward but over the latter years we have seen him cover every blade of grass no matter what pitch he plays on. That to me is not playing to JD's strengths and I don't think its fair on the man. If he is given the classic corner forward role then fine but if Geezer persists with this "Brian Dooher" type role well then he is doing him & the county a dis-service, hence why I have him split on the corner forward berth. So whether he starts or comes on either way.

Here here Stonecold - I would have Johnny close to goal where he can be a scoring threat. Sometimes I think it is the guys own honesty and commitment levels that see him covering every blade. I am not sure it is always managerial instruction although I may be wrong - clearly when picked in midfield he was expected to cover the ground. Johnny needs to be a bit more selfish and stay in the danger area - keep the backs worried about the damage he can cause. Let the likes of Flynn and Cribben be the legs of the attack - running at the heart of the defence and laying off to Johnny close to goal and within striking distance.

Think Offaly must have been in Tullamore last week watching our under 21s looking at the wides they shot today.