09 Apr 2018
Galway
Tipp
Wexford
Kilkenny
Waterford
Limerick
Clare
Cork
Dublin
Offaly
Laois
Antrim
Carlow
Swap Wex and KK and you are spot on.
I’d have Limerick above Wexford but apart from that you’re bang on.
Kilkenny
Galway
Clare
Limerick
Tipperary
Wexford
Waterford
Galway
Kilkenny
Tipperary
Limerick
Wexford
Cork
Waterford
Clare
Offaly
Dublin
Laois
Antrim
Carlow
2 Likes
TJ
DJ
JP
JJ
MJ
Triple H
Limerick have nothing done to justify top 4.
Clare 
Tipp
Wexford
Kilkenny
Limerick
Galway
Waterford
Cork
Dublin
Offaly
Clare
Laois
Antrim
Carlow
1 Like
It’s really great how there’s a new Martin Breheny ranking thread after every game of hurling
Did anyone else beat the new league champions in nowlan Park?
1 Like
SENIOR
Galway
Kilkenny
Tipp
Waterford
JUNIOR
Cork
Wexford
Limerick
Clare
Dublin
Offaly
Laois
Antrim
Carlow
Westmeath
The Galway lads are a hoot … I’m surprised they have the current AI champions placed in the top 8 at all.
1 Like
They’ve barely won a championship game in four years
They’ll beat Cork on opening round of Munster … but should be down the list for now.
Clare had a bit of a curate’s egg of a league. Got good wins over Tipp, Kilkenny and Cork and at times in each game played some excellent spells of hurling but then followed it up with two flat enough performances against Wexford and Waterford before losing out to Limerick in the shoot out.
There were a number of issues which stood out at the end of last years championship and for the most part they were somewhat rectified over the spring such as the goalkeeper and free taker is now settled, our slow starts in pretty much every league and championship match last year seems to have been rectified as well, finding a position to get more out of Tony Kelly, getting a better balance in the midfield and half forward line which looks to be the case with Duggan and Reidy in the half forward line and Kelly midfield.
But on the negative the placement of David Mc at centre back hasn’t really worked and our backline still look fairly porous and not really a defensive unit, the three lads in the half backline all seem more interested in making support runs rather than actually holding their position and protecting their full backline.
Injuries over the spring removed some depth and aside from the returning Shanahan and Cian Dillon there isn’t much to come back into contention at this point with the likes of Flanagan, Golden, Oisin O’Brien, Rory Hayes, Tots etc who all could have played a part either crocked and unlikely to play this year or gone from the panel at this point. Gearoid O’Connell and Bobby Duggan have left the panel in recent weeks but I don’t think the management rated either all that highly and they weren’t getting much opportunities to impress. You would be far happier if they were available along with the likes of Cunningham and Shanagher.
The lads who were blooded over the league didn’t really pull up any trees. Michael O’Malley was excellent against Cork before struggling the following week against Wexford. Ryan Taylor and Mikey O’Neill seem to lack the size for I/C hurling while the likes of Deasy and Corry have the size but hurling and mobility seem to be an issue at this level. They might come good in time but it is hard to see any of them having an impact this summer yet they could all be in the match day squad. Diarmuid Ryan could well be thrown in at the deep end at some stage too.
The draw is in Clare’s favour, bye week in the middle, away to Tipp who will be playing for the fourth week in a row and at home to Waterford and Limerick. A lot hinges on the Cork game in round one. Both teams will see it as a winnable game and whoever wins it will have serious momentum and could well catch fire. Lose and it could be a long summer for both.
The management realise that their future’s rest on the championship performance and nothing else. The team is being trained to be ready for championship. If we fail to get out of Munster then they will step aside and probably let Daly have a crack at it next year. I don’t think our backs are good enough for us to win an All Ireland but all things being equal I don’t think there is a hell of a lot between the 5 teams in Munster and I wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up with second, third and fourth placed teams ending up tied on 2 wins a piece in the round robin and someone being eliminated on scoring difference.
6 Likes
I found myself nodding in agreement with those rankings
Galway
Tipperary
Kilkenny
Wexford
Waterford
Cork
Clare
Limerick
Dublin
Offaly
Laois
Antrim
Carlow.
Shh