All Ireland Hurling Championship 2022

Sport
61

Ye should have stuck at it. Limerick’s dominance is built on converting backs into forwards and forwards into backs.

62

I think the last day* we really tried it out was sticking Hugh Maloney in CF against Waterford in 08 and we know how that went…

*I suppose you could add the season where the versatile Brendan Maher spent a lot of time at CF

63

Lot easier convert a forward into a back than vice versa

1 Like
64

Neck stuck out, fair play. I’d probably go along with all that. Cork or Clare coming through third could depend on how their respective fixtures fall, it’s probably a toss up.

In fairness that was a different era to now in that there were more competitors, and ye were the coming team against the greatest team of all time, that’s exciting. The lads are bemoaning that it’s stale and predictable because they think Limerick’s dominance is overwhelming. I agree to a point, beating every other team comfortably is not as exciting for a fan, let alone a neutral, as tight games. It’ll be a long time before Limerick’s success goes stale for me given where we’ve come from though. And anyway, I think the dominance may be overstated and that Waterford and Galway will challenge Limerick and beat us if we’re off it.

1 Like
65

The club hurling was far more entertaining in 2021 .

The split season is a great idea. The whole inter county thing has become an utter behemoth

3 Likes
66

I’m going to give it the Donald Rumsfeld Treatment.

The known knowns.
Limerick. No secrets at this stage. Can anyone rise up to meet us is the question.
Waterford will be there or there abouts at the business end. But where will the ten point improvement come from? Need all their panel fit, no room for injuries. Nothing short of the AI will do.
Clare will give anyone a game on their day, provided TK is back and firing, which obviously is no given. They are just a few players short on quality to make an impact. Getting out of Munster would be a good target.
Kilkenny. They are Kilkenny. No surprises. Hard bet always, but will be bet. They’ll get out of Leinster and maybe a semi final.
Dublin. They are what they are really. Could catch someone again on a day, but they’ve big strides to make to get to the business end. Getting out of Leinster would be a good year. I don’t see any rabbits they can pull out of the hat. Not with the same management team anyway.
Laois. Staying up with be a good result. With a full hand they could take a scalp on a good day which would be great for them
Westmeath. They don’t have much room for improvement in front of them. They’ll be aiming to beat Laois to stay up.

Known unknowns
Cork. They did a lot right last year, that was kind of blown away by the hammering in the final, may have been better off losing that semi in hindsight. We have a fair idea of what they have and what they are trying to do, the unknowns are can find three or four young players, which they have coming through, to plug fairly glaring gaps. In the backs in particular. Not sure Kingston is the man with the plan for them either. I think they’ll struggle to build on last year. Getting out of Munster no given.
Tipp. We know what they have by and large, but is there a way to arrange them to get wan more year out of them while bringing in some fresh legs? Could beat anyone on their day, and all depends on how quickly they can change the old guard for the new. A bit of fresh legs added to the undoubted quality, and experience, they have. Mixed in the right balance and it could be a very short transition period. I fancy them to get to a AI semi at least.

Unknown unknowns
Galway could be anything really, they could be our main challengers or fall flat on their faces again. Galway are the definition of an unknown unknown. An enigma as always. Should be getting out of Leinster.
Wexford. Will they rip it all up and start again? Be a huge transition if they do. Think they have a chance at getting out of Leinster though. There’s no Leinster team flying at the minute

I’m going to go from Munster
Limerick
Waterford
Tipp

From Leinster
Galway
Kilkenny
Wexford

Then who knows depending on draws etc.

Fancy Limerick to win it obviously.

1 Like
67

Galway have no chance.

Waterford have player v well v limerick 3 times now and still ended up getting hammered.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they packed it in.

68

Supporting Tipp in the mid 2000’s was tremendous fun.

2 Likes
69

John Carroll was a successful experiment in this regard, if I’m not mistaking.

The two best converts I recall were Ollie Canning & Brian Corcoran.

70

John was converted after a roasting from Sean O Connor in the 2001 Munster final .

He was too big for chasing

71

You’re in one of your moods there now where you’re talking ráiméis looking for a response.

1 Like
72

Galway have no chance. Don’t have the players or the management team.

I liked Waterford and they are getting the most out of themselves but they are still miles off limerick. They could start with 16 and limerick would beat them.

I just wouldn’t be surprised if the players lost interest. Cahill has done great to get a few lads back playing but I wouldn’t be surprised if he lost them again.

73

I’d put Clare into the unknowns. Duggan back and all their best forwards fit could give them enough firepower to take down most teams, unknown how they’ll all click. Lohan could improve them another bit overall, more unknown. I don’t think they have enough quality in the backs ultimately.

It’s quite plausible see a ten point improvement in Waterford if everything goes their way. You can expect them to improve as a team again under Cahill and Bevans - a few points. If (big if) they have TDB and Daly back, push Lyons and Barron forward - a few points. Not being out three weeks in a row - a couple of points.

74

Limerick are at the stage in their cycle that Kilkenny were at in 09. They’ll come back to the pack a bit this year but they’ll still win due to the Fergal Horgan factor. They’ll meet their nemesis next year though.

3 Likes
75

Waterford don’t need a ten point improvement. They need a six point improvement coupled with a six point decline for LimerIck.

1 Like
76

Was just thinking that. I suppose the aura will count for a few points for us though.

77

Leinster might be decent this year.
Galway could do anything. Kk slowly dragging themselves back, though TJ has miles on the clock, Wexford likely to improve, but Dublin are no mugs either.
Laois and Offaly are both improving possibly.

78

I pretty much agree with all that. Limerick have been the dominant team during a pandemic when nobody has really cared about sport or gone to games. It’s a bit of a pity that their legacy will be diminished and they’ll always have this massive asterisk beside their hollow achievements.

4 Likes
79

More iconic posters than you have dismissed Shefflin as a manager leading to their ultimate downfall.

80

You’ll find it hard to find many Kilkenny people that agree with that. We’re still on a downward trajectory.
Success is a semi-final.

1 Like