Now i know they won a league final but is that standard of player quality , or the coaching is that good or the standard of games was poor ?

The_Ditch (UK) - Posts: 43 - 09/06/2009 23:25:36    306860

The answer to your question, they beat Tyrone,Donegal,roscommon,Fingal and longford and then Roscommon again in the league final.These teams are hardly the homes of hurling now are they.That said,they have trained hard and are probably too good for that division,next year they are playing in a higher division where the opposition will be a lot better but,thats where im sure they want to be. Best of luck to them in the Nicky rackard again on saturday against Roscommon again,game i believe is in ruislip at 1.

dizzyrascal (UK) - Posts: 13 - 10/06/2009 09:02:52    306973

thats fair enough but is it worth the money of paying a coach? anybody can run that team and win a league final ecause the quality is there ?

The_Ditch (UK) - Posts: 43 - 11/06/2009 17:34:42    308561

Is he getting paid? I wouldnt know but he obviously is doing something right. I know a coulple of lads that know him and said he is a great motivator in training and in the training room and knowws his stuff on the pitch. since they won the Nicky Rackard they havnt done a great deal until this year so fair play to them and good luck

overseas (Donegal) - Posts: 108 - 11/06/2009 17:43:50    308577

Donegal overseas. 2 years ago the same coach was in charge and london went the whole season without a win.I agree with ditch,no need to pay a coach as like he said the quality is there already and london playing in a league where they are way too good to be in. Stevie wonder could have coached london to win division 3b this year.

dizzyrascal (UK) - Posts: 13 - 11/06/2009 21:28:04    308798

This is what makes me laugh. I think that I will make a proposal to the county board that dizzyrascal takes over the training of the London team from Tuesday night. It's foolproof, guaranteed success. I can see the autobiography knocking Brian Cody's off the shelf as best seller. Where were you dizzy when the county board were begging for a trainer this year and it's not too late they still don't have one. How many games have you seen London hurl this year? I was involved with the London pael the last time this coach was there and yes we lost all games bar one which was a draw with Mayo but I can honestly say he couldn't be faulted. There's little a trainer can do when players drop balls on the edge of the square or concede goals straight from 65's. Give him a break or you take over

hypocrit3 (UK) - Posts: 15 - 11/06/2009 23:14:32    308958

London have done well this year and fair play to them, albeit in a very weak grade but the players still had to put in the effort to train and make the games at home, missing work in some cases in this economic climate. Best of luck on the weekend!
He is a good trainer, has good drills, makes training enjoyable (at times (:) and is obviously commanding respect from the London hurlers.
However, I do believe we have to face the fact that the cost of trainers and running a team, be it county or club will only increase in years to come as we've reached a 'professional' age in this amature sport.
I am delighted with London's success this year, however I believe the number of competitions they are in is casuing a serious dent in club hurling here and listening to the opinions of those from the six senior clubs I hear echos of the same arguemnet. We're going to have the situation where 6 senior teams can't finish a senior championship until Oct/Nov hurling in muck and sh!*e to decide what could be a great spectacle in late Sep. It is unrealistic due to the geographical make up of teams to hurl these games mid-week and is asking a lot of these county players to come from 5 hard months with county to hurl nearly every weekend till Oct/Nov. It is also increasingly difficult to keep clubs training and non-county players happy with training, with limited numbers and no competitive games for 6-8 weeks. Clubs can't field without their county men as most clubs panels push 17.
So where is the solution? I personally don't know?
I think one needs to be found quick or all that will be left in London is 3 or 4 teams and a county team!

Sean Howlin (None) - Posts: 175 - 11/06/2009 23:41:52    308995

maybe the cusacks could represent london next year at county , they seemingly have a team and won their first game of the year and arn't even enterd into any leauges or championships ? the rest of the lads can hurl away here no bother

The_Ditch (UK) - Posts: 43 - 12/06/2009 01:02:03    309072

They should make the final of the Nicky Rackard. They've beaten Roscommon twice this year and should make it three tomorrow. Can't see them beating Meath though.

scruff (UK) - Posts: 467 - 12/06/2009 17:25:32    309716

I saw london beat Roscommon today in ruislip and am baffled at some of the things i saw.Martin finn and Kevin Mcmullan are the only 2 players in the full forward line that can score.They got approx 1.17 out of 1.20 i think between them.The other corner forward is poor.He was then moved to half forward where the same thing happened.I just fail to understand it.10 points up for the last 20 mins of the game and bring on a lad to give him a run in injury time,shocking. 4 of the opposition first 15 were also dropped from the starting line up before the game due to a breach in disciplinary. London not hurling well at all.

dizzyrascal (UK) - Posts: 13 - 13/06/2009 16:31:29    310336

Dizzy i agree london or boulger needs to prove his worth other wise london are going to struggle against meath their biggest rivals in fairness the lads are doing ok ---

The_Ditch (UK) - Posts: 43 - 13/06/2009 21:07:16    310467

the rossies enjoyed leiscter square more than the bench

mucker (Donegal) - Posts: 479 - 13/06/2009 22:36:05    310538

I have to agree with dizzyrascal here. London have only 2 forwards capable of scoring. I dont know why they dont give young J. Cody a run out. Its something they need to address very quickly or they will pay for it in this competition against the likes of Meath. I do not like the look of the politics thats going on there at the moment.Not good for the game. I also agree with S.Howlin with what he says.The club scene is suffering big time here but, thats just the way it is i guess,it happens in most counties i suppose.

stranded (UK) - Posts: 408 - 14/06/2009 13:09:17    310737

I don't understand some of the people on this website, I was at the game yesterday and I was talking to players after the game and not one of them complained about the set up. You are just another one of these people who love to knock. I challenge you to put your London team here on the hoganstand. Not only that I would then ask you to approach the county board to see if you can get involved and right the wrongs with London. I agree that London's performance wasn't the complete performance they were very poor for 10 to 15 minutes before half time. On the other hand they only conceded 2 points in the second half, both were from frees. London are lacking scoring forwards, the forwards they had yesterday worked very hard but don't score enough. You must remember though that lots of Finn's scores are from frees and they are from fouls on the forwards. I don't know of any other hurler in London who is good enough to make that team and I think they are doing ok with the restricted resources they have. Don't think they'll be strong enough to beat Meath though (unless Dizzyrascal gets involved).

P.S. somebody mentioned something about the politics involved but seeing as Bolger is not with any club how would there be any politics?

hypocrit3 (UK) - Posts: 15 - 14/06/2009 14:39:47    310770

hippocrit3. I think you will find that the current manager/coach played hurling with the gabriels for a few seasons.I hope that answers your question.

dizzyrascal (UK) - Posts: 13 - 14/06/2009 15:16:30    310780

Well said dizzy. I was there yesterday for the game, poor first half but big improvement in the second, no score from play conceded in the second half is good going. Obviously Finn is the main score getter, but don't forget London did manage to win a game or two without him in the league and McMullan did the business in his absence, so I don't think it's a one man team, or two man either for that matter, I do think however that they miss Brian McCormack badly and have not adequately replaced him. Then again, I don't think there is anyone else in the county at the moment besides whats there.

Liam Thompson (None) - Posts: 38 - 14/06/2009 15:50:37    310795

Liam and Stranded I think that your views are far too negative about the London Hurlers. Consider what they have done this year :1) Beat everyone that was put in front of them including Ros twice to win the National League, the first time a London team has won a league for a long number of years, 2) They ran a strong derry team to within a point and were apparently completely conned by the referee in the Ulster championship after winning their first round match 3) Beat Armagh who were playing League a level above by 10 points in their own backyard and have followed that up with another ten point win in the second round of the championship. This is a strong London team and any players that I have spoken to really enjoy the training and their is a good feeling in the camp. As regards the forwards they have scored 1-19 and 1-22 in their last 2 matches so talking of a lack of firepower seems scandalous.

Scrapheap (UK) - Posts: 97 - 15/06/2009 10:16:14    311429

I both agree and disagree with comments made here. Firstly I agree with some of the questioning of team selections. It puzzles me how some of the players are making the team before a couple of the subs! I was at the game saturday and when Twomey came on as blood sub in first half he made real impact. Also agreeing with comments about the corner forward, every game finn and mcmullen score the majority but surely u want ur corner forward scoring 3/4 points in games. I agree that the players seem happy with bolger as a trainer but i personally know some of the players and many of them are unhappy how the selection panel pick teams and panels. I think the hurlers have done london proud this year and there is no reason at all why they cant go all the way, we shoul stop being so negative and show some support in my opinion

apache (UK) - Posts: 36 - 15/06/2009 12:34:17    311655

j.codey is from the town accross to me , he's a great hurler with loads of fight and ability to make that team i cant see why he hasent had a run out ? theres only two games left here and theres still fine tuning to be done , also where is o'dea this year i havent seen him looks like hes taken the emmets lads with him a man with knowlage and a nicky rackard final under his belt and hes gone ?

The_Ditch (UK) - Posts: 43 - 15/06/2009 17:33:25    312303

scrapheap, I think you have got the wrong end of the stick here. Im sure everyone here wants london to win no matter what opinions we have,thats not the issue at all.I believe the general concensus among the posters is the fact that some players are being shown blatant favouritism from the lads picking the team.The corner forward in question has not played even a good 20 mins i believe in the last 4 or 5 games and he continues to get his place and worse of all he has not even been taken off.He was very poor again on saturday and they moved him rather than take him off.Thats blatant favouritism and i dont care what anyone comes back with on here.This was also the feeling with a lot of the people watching the game on saturday in ruislip,thats all we are saying.Its about time that someone else was given a chance.I can also assure you that this is also the feeling with an awful lot of the players. Now if anyone thinks im wrong then by all means let me know.Martin finn got injured and had to go off in the last 10 mins,london were 9 points up and they put on a back man for him,this again is not right and is absolutely and totally disrespectfull to the subs who are trying to get in as a forward.It shows a total lack of confidence in the subs as forwards and they might as well not be there at all.

dizzyrascal (UK) - Posts: 13 - 15/06/2009 17:35:35    312311