2 wonderful hurling teams to show us a classic
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Good fences make good neighbours.
Shitty bridges make shitty neighbours.
This will be a very busy thread.
The template is there for how to hammer Waherfurd now, can’t see anything but KK by 10+.
There seems to be a school of thought in hurling of late that it is ok to conceed the short puck outs in order to crowd the middle, which is fine against the shitter teams who can’t use them (like Limerick), but against Tipp or KK it just gives them a platform to bypass your crowded out midfield making it completely useless, and arguably exposing your defence more than if you went 15 on 15.
With the wind at his back the last day Gleeson was able to bypass the middle all by himself.
Similarly when Clare’s halfback line got on top yesterday, Galway used the corner backs to bypass them and keep them in the game.
Long puckouts straight down the middle and quick short puckouts to corner backs who can actually use the ball in combination with decent forwards is all it takes to beat Waterford. Simple stuff but arguably only the three remaining Galway, Tipp & KK have the personnel to pull it off. Waherfurd need to change it up big time the next day. They also need some shooting practice.
Kilkenny are ripe to be picked off. Waterford are due a win against us in the championship and this is the game that it will happen. Yes Tipp caught the Deise men out in the Munster Final but they put together a stellar and professional performance to get them over the line against a hurling stronghold like Wexford.
For me this is the year of Waterford. They are at hurlings top table and let there be no doubt in that. I can see them catching us on the day as it would of course be a different story if it was the AI final. They’ve had too many days out v KK and come out 2nd best and this is the game to right all the wrongs of the recent past. Plus Waterford will want to have another crack off Tipp in the final.
Save this post lads, Waterford to win. I’ll say by 4 but if it is it’ll be pulling up. Most likely by more
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You know nothing
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Thanks Jon, hope you’re doing well
And here it is lads. it’s there to be savoured, read it a few times, roll it around your glass like a nice single malt, or a 1998 South Australian Shiraz. It only comes around once a year and when it does, it’s a belter. @Locke 's annual Kilkenny hurling poor mouth post. I reckon next year we might even see speculation about Cody’s future.
Magnificent stuff once more Locke.
Waterford by 7.
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Gobshite
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Not only are we fucked for this game, the fact that other counties have improved their touch and basic skill levels by such stunning increments is surely the death knell for us. Our lads can barely hit a ball out of their way ffs sake.
Waterford’s system alone is too much for us. They’ll win by 26,187 points
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There’s been 7 championship meetings since the renewal of modern day hostilities in 1998. Kilkenny have won all 7. If you take out the 23 point hammering in the 2008 Final, in the other 6 meetings, 5 semi finals (1998, 2004, 2009, 2011 & 2015) and a qualifier (2013), Kilkenny have won by 1, 3, 5, 6, 3 (aet) & 6. All 6 of those matches have essentially followed the same pattern, Kilkenny seized the early initiative with an early goal(s), built up a 4-5 point cushion and then kept Waterford at bay for the rest of the game, with Waterford never at any stage looking like winning. Bottom line for Waterford if they’re ever to beat Kilkenny, they need a fast start and a few early goals. In last year’s semi final, Maurice Shanahan in the first minute or two momentarily got in behind the Kilkenny defence about 40 metres out. Rather than put the head down and try and exploit the half chance of a goal, he elected to just tap the ball over the bar. That was the closest Waterford came to scoring a goal.
Kilkenny have been slow out of the blocks in the first half of a few of their games over the past few seasons, but missed chances, soft frees conceded and goal chances not converted have seen them weather the storm. Kilkenny don’t have the goal scoring threat of old and in their last 5 games have scored just 1 goal in each - TJ Reid with the solitary goal in last year’s Leinster Final, AI semi final and final and Jonjo Farrell with the goals against Dublin and Galway this year.
Its set up for Waterford to have a right good rattle and finally record a win over Kilkenny. Having said all that the rigidity of their system is sapping the hurling out of this Waterford team and they’ll most likely play as they’ve done over the last two years and lose by 4/5 points without ever threatening to win.
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sure…i suppose…at the end of the day…it’s all about the team…great bunch of lads
Waterford by 5
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Bullet points Jeff
Good insight, Geoff.
I’d say 2004 still haunts Mullane
Seems the most likely outcome. Pride restored for Waterford in a respectable defeat.
Spot on Geoff, it opened up for him to go at goal but the killer instinct just wasn’t there. It’s sad to see as WD of old always had an eye for goal.
I can’t see them getting any under the current guise.