DAVID O’CALLAGHAN HAS no regrets at being involved in Dublin’s hurling league opener next Saturday night instead of Ballyboden St Enda’s All-Ireland senior club football semi-final.
Next Saturday Dublin face Tipperary in Semple Stadium at 7pm while Ballyboden St-Enda’s meet Clonmel Commercials in O’Moore Park at 4.30pm.
O’Callaghan came on as a substitute when Ballyboden saw off St Vincent’s in last November’s Dublin county senior football final after transferring to the club at the start of last season from his native St Mark’s.
But having already planned to go travelling in North America, O’Callaghan opted out of the squad after that game and did not feature in Ballyboden’s AIB Leinster club championship campaign.
O’Callaghan has no qualms with deciding to head to Thurles this Saturday instead of Portlaoise. Linking up with the panel after their Leinster campaign would not have sat right with him.
“I had a great couple of weeks with them last year and I managed to see a bit of action in the latter stages in the Dublin county (championship),” revealed O’Callaghan.
“But I made a decision to do a bit of travelling. I just informed the management the night of the county final that I would be going away.
“So there was no issue. They’re great lads and there’s a great setup there. I suppose, I wouldn’t have felt right about waltzing back in there in January.
“I decided I’d come back and just focus on Dublin really. I spoke to Andy (McEntee – Ballyboden manager).
“I don’t want to go too much into it. The option was there. But I had just made the decision that I was going to come back in hurling.”
“There was always a good chance they were going to go on and win Leinster. I had made a decision on a personal level. I had a little opportunity to do a bit of travelling, which I thoroughly enjoyed.”
O’Callaghan believes Ballyboden will be in good shape to compete on Saturday despite the long hiatus since their Leinster final win.
“It’s tough. Obviously you’ve the Christmas break there and then you’ve January and you’re trying to gear up for an All-Ireland semi-final in February.
“But Andy McEntee is a top, top manager and has a great team with him so I’m sure he’ll have the team in good shape for Saturday.”
So in theory once, and if, Ireland have scored four tries they can (kinda) decide who they want to play in the quarter finals (and to eliminate SA from the competition)….. However, that’s not what this team is about. They’ll have the simple goal to beat Scotland off the park.
@Thomas Patton: Technically correct, but great motivation for whichever team was ‘picked’ to be the lesser of two evils
@Brian Donohoe: you’d imagine intentionally losing a world cup game by 20+ PTS would have serious consequences
@Ciaran Kennedy: Yeah. If Scotland score 4 tries against us, we’re not going to be winning a QF
@Kevin Ryan: meanwhile on against the head, Donal Lenihan says that Scotland need 4 tries to progress and nobody corrects him. Punditry sucks.
It is quite simple lads… please just win – dont care how or by how much. My heart would not be able to take the stress of it. The closer it gets the more nervous I feel.
Ireland will be 100% focussed as always , everyone knows their roles and the game plan . The goal is to win against Scotland and then prepare for the next team we are drawn against. That’s it . This being the tougher side of the draw we were always going to have to do this the hard way.
Ireland lose by 4 or fewer : top group.
Lose by 5, 6 or 7, top group if no Scotland bonus point.
Lose by 5 and Scotland bonus: top group if same or more tries against Scotland (or 2 bonus points).
Lose by 6 or 7 and Scotland bonus : through only if 2 bonus points.
Lose by 8-19 : Ireland out.
Lose by > 20 : Ireland second if 4 try bonus
Lose by 20. Ireland second if 4 try bonus, only if Scotland score at least 3 more tries than Ireland!
@Graham Glendinning: Any of those later options will mean a steward’s inquiry
@Graham Glendinning: Corrections.
Note – lreland lose with try bonus, and no Scotland bonus: Ireland through
Ireland lose by 4 or fewer : top group.
Lose by 5, 6 or 7, top group if no Scotland bonus point (or 2 Ireland bonus points).
Lose by 5 and Scotland bonus: top group if same or more tries against Scotland (or 2 bonus points).
Lose by 6 or 7 and Scotland bonus : through only if 2 bonus points.
Lose by 8-19 : Ireland out (unless try bonus and no Scotland try bonus)
Lose by 20. Ireland second if 4 try bonus, only if Scotland score at least 3 more tries than Ireland!
Lose by > 20 : Ireland second if 4 try bonus for Ireland and Scotland
Would it be better to play France? Unfortunately, I feel we’ve eliminated that opportunity now with our success so far. Maybe Italy could do us a favour…
@Sam Bingham: Why would it be better to play France?
@Kevin Liston: hi Kevin, I’ve used the punctuation known as a question mark to indicate I’m asking a question. You actually nailed it first time in your response buddy, so you should get to grips with it pretty quickly.
@Sam Bingham: did u watch new zealand v italy oh boy
In that final scenario, wouldn’t SA’s better head-to-head have them ahead of Scotland?
@John Dooney: forget that
@John Dooney: ya my head wrecked even reading that post from murray haha
@John Dooney: The odd thing is that in a 3-way tie where each beat one of the others, it is points difference to decide the winner, but head to head for second-third. I think in the Heineken cups it is points difference for all 3.