Eoghan O’Donnell did a job on TJ Reid in Parnell Park last Sunday.
The Whitehall-Colmcille defender is predicted to have another job on his hands in Wexford Park this weekend. Tipped to go toe-to-toe with Wexford’s most dangerous attacking weapon in Lee Chin, how O’Donnell fares will be key to Dublin’s chances.
Pat Gilroy is a tactician. He studies the opposition and and plays the percentages. Last weekend, the former All-Ireland winning football manager adopted a horses for courses type strategy, devising a plan to cater for TJ Reid – the most threatening forward in hurling right now.
Dublin’s half back line were all over Kilkenny last weekend, with Chris Crummy ruling the skies, Sean Moran sweeping the floor clean, and Shane Barrett bursting out through gaps that weren’t even there. With O’Donnell in Reid’s shorts, the Ballyhale man didn’t get a sniff of leather all day.
This Sunday, they’ll attempt to horse the home side out of it, with the half back line leading the charge. It is always said that a team with a good half back line will never go too far wrong, that is what Pat Gilroy is after.
Lee Chin plays a roving game for Wexford. He’ll pop up anywhere from the midfield up and Davy Fitzgerald’s whole game plan revolves around him – his ball-winning ability and his scoring power.
Eoghan O’Donnell will try and break the bronco.
Michael Carton, speaking on Monday’s GAA Hour Hurling Show, told a story about the DCU student’s freakish athleticism, leaving no doubt that he’ll be up for the physical challenge with Chin.
“Eoghan O’Donnell, I remember the first year he joined us, he was an absolute freak of an athlete. We had all the testing for a day and he was winning all the tests; speed tests, jump tests, dynamic tests.
“He does it all as well without trying too hard so he was the ideal man for that job. He’s hurling really well as well, his hurling has come on something else,” said the former Dublin hurler.
With O’Donnell giving read no change, the case for the man-marker on the opposition’s best player was bolstered even further.
“TJ’s had some issues with man-markers, Breen from Wexford caused him trouble a good few times,” said Show host Colm Parkinson.
“It must be really difficult (being man-marked.) We saw Austin Gleeson get marked out of it at centre forward when they move a corner back on him, who has a plan for him. Being man-marked must be a huge culture shock, maybe this is the plan now for a lad like TJ, put a corner back on him – play an extra defender, and let your centre back be free then.”
Kilkenny legend JJ Delaney doesn’t feel it’s a bomb-proof tactic, however.
“It’ll all depend on the defender’s mentality going out. Is he going out to just stop TJ from hitting the ball, or is he going to hit the ball? As a defender, you will want to hurl as well. You want to get on a bit of ball, you’re like, Jesus, if I hit a couple of balls here, I’ll be away with it.”
Dublin’s task has been made tougher by the news that key man Conal Keaney will miss out due to a shoulder injury he sustained against the Cats, but the Sunday 3.00 throw-in still promises to be a thriller.
You can listen to this fascinating man-marker discussion and so much more from Monday’s GAA Hour Hurling Show right here.
