well lads. any opinions on this guy supposedly set to start full forward on Sunday. a big ask after being 4 years away. he was never particularly heralded as a hurler before he went away so I'm thinking its a real risk putting him out there. not many options admittedly but possibly picking him on his surname? Any opinions

LondonOranges (Tipperary) - Posts: 45 - 26/05/2009 20:32:52    294844

hell score at least a goal and point or 2 sunday and will be all over the papers

beer baron (Cavan) - Posts: 3916 - 26/05/2009 21:25:47    294873

will be very interesting to see what he is like. probably built up a lot of muscle in his time in oz but hurling is a hard thing to come back to after a few years away.

the_post (USA) - Posts: 186 - 26/05/2009 22:02:26    294905

Seen him play minor and he was no great shakes. Sure he'll have bulked up from his experience in Oz but will that be enough. Doubt it.

derfil1 (Kildare) - Posts: 1612 - 26/05/2009 22:30:45    294941

I agree with you LondonOranges, he may be being picked on his surname. However, if you look at the two games that Cork lost in last year's championship the area that we were absolutely cleaned out in on both days was the full forward (full back was a problem for most of the year though not against Kilkenny surprisingly). Pa Cronin was not the answer at full forward, Joe Deane is retired and had only one big game in him anyway the last year or two. Cork need to try something new, almost outrageous. Aisake is a big name, powerfully built. You are right in saying that he was not heralded much as a hurler in Cork as a minor. I though he was very poor in fact. However, I have no doubt, becuase of size alone, that he will be a handful for the Tipperary backs on Sunday.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 26/05/2009 23:02:22    294968

Overated i feel .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 26/05/2009 23:21:17    294982

Now I am no expert on hurling - surprising you might think being a Fermanagh man but surely he will have lost alot of his hurling skills after not having played competitive hurling for 5 or 6 years.

irlande (Fermanagh) - Posts: 535 - 27/05/2009 00:32:34    295024

I dont know what all the fuss is about these guy anyway.
This guy and his brother Sean Og, are just very fit but they are not natural hurlers or footballers, and to be honest guys, I dont see the beauty in Ozzie rules at all.
I have played football both at home and overseas, you will always get guys like this, very fit, will run all day, can carry the ball a bit but dont have natural ability.
Look at Kennelly in Kerry, he has been away for ten years, gealic football has changed drastically since then, being super fit is not enough, too earn a Kerry championship jersey or any other top 8 team county jersey you need to be the full package nowadays.

Its like someone once siad to me about Sean Og, Oh he's great, he can play soccer, football, hurling, Oz rules and even rugby. Yeah, big deal, that proves he's a jack of all trades and king of none.

Mitch80 (Mayo) - Posts: 53 - 27/05/2009 08:52:25    295082

Thats quite a disturbing comment Bennybunny about Aisake not been rated at minor as a Hurler...
I had assumed ( a dangerous thing to do) that he was of the same calibre as Sean og & Santy?

This assumption was based merely on rumour i must say.

Altough saw him play once for Na Piarsig 04 when they won the county and he was better than Setanta on that day.

Its hard to see him raise it too intercounty level....thats again assuming he ever was at intercounty level....

I suppose he'll be in there for a specific function to win & break ball down.

endofstory69 (Cork) - Posts: 97 - 27/05/2009 10:05:35    295126

Surprised he is back. This is the same fella who said that he would only return to GAA id it went professional! Will be no good on sunday in my opinion, i can't see how his touch will have improved over the last fe years. Migjht winn a few frees.

setanta0 (Louth) - Posts: 112 - 27/05/2009 10:33:21    295153

Would say he is there to do job. Has been good in challenges and for his club. Watched Ml Cussen playing for Sars and the one thing about the very tall powerful full forward is that it tends to make the 2 corner backs take their eye off their men -hence it might be the 2 corner forwards that do the damage.

marym (Cork) - Posts: 242 - 27/05/2009 11:05:54    295188

Would say he is there to do job. Has been good in challenges and for his club. Watched Ml Cussen playing for Sars and the one thing about the very tall powerful full forward is that it tends to make the 2 corner backs take their eye off their men -hence it might be the 2 corner forwards that do the damage.

marym (Cork) - Posts: 242 - 27/05/2009 11:06:30    295189

Mitch80, to make a statement the Sean Og is not a natural hurler is like saying Enda Kenny is a natural footballer! As anyone who knows the game of hurling (you don't, believe me) Sean O O'Halpin is one of the best half-backs to have graced the hurling fields over the last decade. His natural athleticism & skill is awesome at times. Tadhg Kennelly is also a natural & gifted GAA footballer, and always played football with his club Emmets in Listowel on his return to Kerry during the Aussie off season. You are very ignorant sir, but I nw realise the county you come from. Doubt you ever played football/hurling with stupid comments you made.

THE OBSERVER (None) - Posts: 112 - 27/05/2009 11:11:51    295198

jury is out on aisake could well be a handfull, but there a bigger handful sitting on the bench naughton??? Cork trying to play mind games??

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 27/05/2009 11:20:34    295216

Fair play Delboypolecat, saying a lad that you've never seen play is overrated. Your ignorance knows no bounds it seems.

Aisake starred on the Na Piarsaigh team that won the Cork County Champ in 04, as mentioned above he often outshone his two brothers that year. I don't think Denis Walsh is the kind of manager to put a fella in on the basis of his reputation either, by all acounts, he's caused major problems in every game he's played since returning.

It's a massive step up on Sunday for him, but I've every confidence in him, there's other parts of DW's team that I'd have bigger doubts about.

an_carraig (UK) - Posts: 55 - 27/05/2009 11:48:42    295254

Mitch80 from mayo. Listen kid,go back and get some videos of the last 6 or 7 years of cork hurling and have a look at them. Sean og was a class half back and is still very good,Setanta was on his way to being one of the best hurlers in the Cork team before he left to oz. Aisaike was also an accomplished underage hurler and footballer before he left. You have no idea what your talking about. Go back to sleep like a good lad.

stranded (UK) - Posts: 408 - 27/05/2009 11:50:21    295257

did mitch touch a nerve there stranded?Totally agree with ya all the same

beer baron (Cavan) - Posts: 3916 - 27/05/2009 12:00:34    295270

irlande from Fermanagh surely you must have heard of Micheal O'Muircheartaigh's famous commentary on his brother Sean Og - "his father's from Fermanagh, his mother's from Fiji, neither a hurling stronghold!"

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 27/05/2009 12:13:58    295300

tommy k
County: Galway
Posts: 381

295300
irlande from Fermanagh surely you must have heard of Micheal O'Muircheartaigh's famous commentary on his brother Sean Og - "his father's from Fermanagh, his mother's from Fiji, neither a hurling stronghold!"

Yeah Tommy I have heard that one alright! I would say it is most likely that the hurling genes come from the Mother!

irlande (Fermanagh) - Posts: 535 - 27/05/2009 12:28:22    295328

Cant believe this game isnt sold out.I might head southbound, i believe this is going to be a Classic.

tomaoo7 (Dublin) - Posts: 5896 - 27/05/2009 12:45:42    295364