IT’S SUMMER.
The 2011 Football and Hurling Championships kicked off properly this weekend with five games spread across both codes in Ulster and Leinster.
But what are the major talking points this Monday morning? Here’s our take on the weekend’s winners and losers.
Winners
1. Donegal’s footballers: It may not have always been pretty but Jim McGuinness’s men did what was asked of them in Ballybofey yesterday afternoon. After their near-capitulation against Laois in the Division Two final three weeks ago, questions had been asked about Donegal’s ability to close out a lead and, with Antrim keeping their half-time deficit to three points despite never really being in the game, there was a familiar note of anxiety in the air. Donegal’s front six weren’t quite as ruthless as they could have been in the second period but thanks to Mark Dougan’s late sending-off and Mark McHugh’s injury-time goal, they managed a six-point victory which should satisfy supporters and keep the critics off their back.
2. Armagh hurlers’ forward line: On Saturday evening, Armagh’s hurlers once again reminded us that goals win games. A leaky defence meant that their game against Fermanagh was tied at 4-05 to 1-14 with just under 20 minutes to play, but the Orchard’s superior firepower was the key difference between the sides, with late goals from Ger Enright, Cathal Carville and a brace from Conor Corvan sealing a 5-19 to 5-06 win.
Losers
1. Ulster Football: We’re reluctant to jump to too many conclusions after just one game of this year’s Ulster Football Championship. Hopefully, yesterday’s game between Donegal and Antrim won’t be indicative of the standard and style of football which we can expect in the province over the next six weeks. For years, Tyrone and Armagh prospered by containing their opponents and now one of Ulster’s rising stars, Donegal, appear determined to utilise the same negative, ugly (but admittedly effective) tactics. Here’s hoping that “puke football” doesn’t become a buzzword in the province this summer.
2. Ulster Hurling: Seriously, does anybody really care?
3. Laois Hurlers: Realistically, Saturday evening’s preliminary round game against Antrim was Laois’s best opportunity to pick up a win this summer. Despite Armagh being reduced to 14 after just five minutes of the second half, Brendan Fennelly’s men struggled to make any real impact in the second half. When the manager looked to the bench for impact substitutes who may have been able to swing the game in his side’s favour, nobody really stood out. Laois may only have lost by three points in the end but it was a defeat which casts serious doubt over the O’Moore’s ability to put together any sort of a sustained run in the qualifiers.
What to look out for
1. Are teams becoming wise to Michael Murphy? Although he didn’t give Antrim’s debutant full-back Ricky Johnson much peace, the Donegal starlet was relatively quiet by his own high standards yesterday, kicking just three points, all of which came from frees. Jim McGuinness has been adamant in the past that his side are not a one-man team, so it will be interesting to see how the 21-year-old continues to grow and develop in this, his fifth Championship season.
2. Paddy McBrearty: The 17-year-old Donegal forward is definitely one to keep an eye on in the future. After scoring 1-3 for the minors in yesterday’s curtain-raiser in Ballybofey, he was promoted to the senior side’s bench for the afternoon’s second game, appearing for the final 20 minutes as his side sought to close out their lead. Keep tabs on his progress.
Results
Ulster SFC Preliminary Round
- Donegal 1-10 Antrim 0-7
Leinster SHC Preliminary Round
- Laois 3-12 Antrim 1-21
Ulster SHC First Round
- Donegal 1-13 Down 3-16
- Tyrone 0-6 Derry 2-13
- Fermanagh 5-6 Armagh 5-19
