Nonsense cork pushed kk in 06 and tipp nearly beat them in 09 in the all Ireland final. Kilkenny were probably at 50 percent meeting Galway in the 1/4 final. As Jeff points out they were only starting their year at this point.
There is a myth that Waterford were tired in the 2007 semi but that doesnât hold . They had a bad first 10 and a bad last 5 minutes . For the intervening period Waterford looked the far better team but that team leaked goals . 2004 v kk a prime example .
That Lk forward line scored 5 goals only in their other 6 games that year .
One thing was obvious that day . Kk would win handy and Kk would have gone to town on the Waterford defence.
Kilkenny beat Cork a lot more comfortably in the 2006 All Ireland Final than the winning margin of three points would suggest. Cork never got going that day. Tipperary possibly should have won the 2009 final. If they had taken their goal chances, they most likely would have won it. Tipperary gave Kilkenny a much bigger scare in 2009 than Cork did in 2006, even if they did end up losing by a few points more.
You said back in June the new championship structure would suit âtraditional superpowersâ - I presume this includes Kilkenny?
A grand steady but limited hurler.
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I did. The new format is disproportionately advantageous to counties that have the greatest strength in depth both in number of hurling clubs and by extension players. Thatâs Cork, followed by the other two traditional powers Kilkenny and Tipperary and Galway. Those four counties have much bigger player numbers and strength in depth than Wexford, Waterford, Limerick or Clare.
2 of your 4 super powers havenât made it to the semi finals. Limerick and Clare enjoying their best seasons since 2013.
Kilkenny made 19 out of 20 semi finals from 1997-2016, Tipperary 9 out of 10 from 2008-17. Both are in, what will probably be short periods of transition after dominating for years. Their periods of transition donât tend to last too long so opportunity for the lesser lights to make hay when the sun shines like 1980-81, 1993-98 and 2013. Understandable that you are so giddy with excitement over Clare and Limerick both making rare semi final appearances.
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So now your admitting Galway beat tipp in a translational period last year. Thank you. Iâm not giddy at all I predicted in February after being lambasted by all quarters that Clare would win the all Ireland. So Iâm exactly where I expected to be.
I didnât say anything about Tipperary in 2017. Youâre the one that has the fixation with Galway âonlyâ beating Tipperary and Waterford in the semi final and final of 2017.
Galway v Tipperary is the most evenly matched and best rivalry in modern day hurling. Since 1987 they have met 14 times, both winning 7 each. Bar a trimming for an over the hill Galway in 1991, 13 of those 14 meetings have pretty much gone down to the wire or were games with dramatic ebbs and flows where favorite status was confounded any number of times. When Galway meet Tipperary, form goes out the window and either side can win. Thereâs not many hurling match ups you can say that about.
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Remind us again what were you âlambasted by all quartersâ for?
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Predicting Clare would win the all Ireland at 10s in February.
You were being lambasted for that before you even predicted it? 
Does this just mean lads disagreed with your prediction?
I believe people said Iâd lost the plot or something to that effect for thinking Clare would win the all Ireland.
@Smark and @backinatracksuit were strongest in their disagreement (what a surprise). Everything else there was reasonable debate. Hardly a lambasting.
I felt lambasted.
Come down off the cross lad 
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Clare havenât a hope of winning it, theyâve done well to get to a semi though
Clare will win this by 4 points.
I really really hope so. Cork havenât a hope against Galway