With the formalities of the league almost out of the way, its time to start getting excited and looking forward to the championship and this years Leinster Hurling Championship promises to be the best for many years and potentially the best provincial series of either code this year. There’s little doubt that in terms of quality if not excitement, Leinster has stolen a march on Munster and with Galway and Antrim added to the mix this year, every competing county is sure to be inspired to up their game in an effort to knock the great Kilkenny off their perch.
KILKENNY
‘Veni, vidi, vici’
Can they be stopped?? This is the ultimate question for any county going into the championship. Waterford did manage to prove that they are indeed human after all by beating them in the league this year but the Cats have subsequently hammered Galway,Tippereary,Clare and saved their blessed best for the Cork prodigals. They look as intent as ever on winning Liam McArthy yet again.
Names like Eoin Larkin, Tommy Walsh, Eddie Brennan, Cha Fitzpatrick, Micheal Kavanagh will strike tremors of fear into any opposing team manager and thats before we even mention the great Henry Shefflin. Expect TJ Reid to have a big big year for them as well this year.I can see him taking over from Comerford in the starting line-up. Would be an interesting bet for hurler of the year IMO assuming KK win the All Ireland(and lets face it they probably will). Cody is a great coach, no question, and his ability to keep KKs hunger as fierce as ever each new year is remarkable. Mind you he hasn’t had a bad group of hurlers to be choosing from
- PJ Ryan
- David Herity
- James McGarry
- Donnacha Cody
- Jackie Tyrell
- Michael Kavanagh
- Canice Hickey
- Sean Cummins
- John Dalton
- Paddy Hogan
- Brian Hogan
- Noel Hickey
- John Tennyson
- Tommy Walsh
- PJ Delaney
- JJ Delaney
- Richie Mullaly
- James Ryall
- Michael Rice
- Derek Lyng
- James Cha Fitzpatrick
- Michael Fennelly
- Damien Fogarty
- Eoin Reid
- TJ Reid
- Henry Sheflin
- Eoin McCormack
- Eddie Brennan
- Martin Comerford
- Aidan Fogarty
- Richie Hogan
- Richie Power
- Willie O’Dwyer
- Eoin Larkin
- Michael Grace
- Colin Fennelly
- Paddy Reid
- John Hone
- Mark Phelan
- Pat Hartley
In a word- Awesome!
The key to beating Kilkenny is to match them eyeball to eyeball on the field, take every chance that comes your way, and not to allow yourself to be bullied by their physical hurling or aggressive tactics that can at times come as close to the edge as the rulebook allows. They are such an intimidating side and Cody is such a great coach that every possible assault on their authority is usually accounted for and dealt with, before an opposing side knows what hit them and rarely do Kilknney allow opposing teams assert any gameplan of their own.
The All-Ireland champions will be extra determined this year to show the new fish in the pool who’s boss and it will take a monster of a performance if they are to be beaten.
That said however the laws of nature dictate that they will be beaten someday and some are asking the question Have Kilkenny peaked too soon??, taking into account some of their mind-blowing league victories. If its going to happen this year its more likely I feel, to happen in Leinster than in the All-Ireland. The question then is, Who can do it?
Star Player; His Lordship Henry Shefflin
One to watch: T.J. Reid
GALWAY
‘I have a dream’
John Mcyntire spoke recently of Galway having ‘‘turned a corner’’ in their year but the truth is they seem to be stuck on a roundabout. They still have an unsettled team and looked as sheepish as ever against Kilkenny. The excitement of competing in Leinster for the first time was gradually being drained by injuries, withdrawals, not to mention poor results against Dublin and Kilkenny and a poor performance against Corks 5th side. A tight victory over Limerick and an excellent win down in Waterford has giving the Westerners some hope however, and despite losing to Tippereary they have shown just about enough in the league to make them interesting. With players one by one returning from injury, John Lee declaring his availability and the gradual re-immersion of the Portumna contingent into the county side things could be a lot worse looking ahead to the championship.
One of the joys of Leinster this year is sure to be the sight of Joe Canning playing some extended championship hurling. He carries the hopes of so many(not just from Galway) on his young shoulders but seems to do it with relative ease. The test for the team though is will they be able to match Cannings brilliance as they so miserably failed to do last year against Cork when the 14man Leesiders unceromoniously dumped a listless, lifeless and frankly frightened Galway out of the championship. Only for the young Canning it would have been one of the greatest wallopings ever. He is sure to come in for some serious ‘treatment’(witness Tipps attempt at demolition job in league) during the year and it is up to him and the other Galway players to prove they can stand up to it.
Galway subsequently ended the disappointing tenure of Ger Loughnane and it now turns to John McYntire to turn this bunch of talented gifted hurlers into serious All-Ireland contenders. Mcyntire has already publicly blasted his players and it will be interesting to see how the editor of the Connacht Tribune sports dept gets on in his dealings with the media this year. His tenure at Offaly could hardly be described as successful so there is much to prove here for the Tipp native. He has already come in for criticism in Galway for failing to nail down a settled team which was also one of Loughnanes chief failings in the post. For Mcntires sake he’d want to know what he’s doing as the Galway hurling public don’t really take to managers, even good ones.
The key for this team will be to match their undoubted talent with the necessary levels of aggression and steel, as well as harnessing the spirit of Portumna into the county side as a whole. Dont be surprised to see up to 5 or 6 Portumna players on the team, as Galway endeavor to match the club champions passion and aplomb.
Star Player: Joe Canning
One to watch: Kevin Hynes
WEXFORD
‘We havn’t gone away you know’
As things are Wexford are joint top of Div 2 and a drubbing of Offaly last weekend would indicate that they are finding form at just the right time. Promotion from Div 2, while not essential, would still be a good morale boost for the strawberry pickers. It should also motivate their supporters to really get behind them and leave their misgivings over the Meyler affair behind them.
Their early league form was tetchy and a defeat to Antrim would have had the alarm bells ringing but the players have responded and I would be surprised if they missed out on promotion now.
Wexford have probably suffered more than any other county since the emergence of this great Kilkenny team but a new look Leinster championship offers them a superb opportunity to showcase where they really stand in the pecking order of Hurlings elite. They should really relish the prospect of having Galway and Antrim in Leinster and showing them how its done albeit they’ll be opening their account against old foes Offaly.
Wexford under Colum Bonnar certainly wont be fearing anyone and the new shape-up in Leinster might even give them a new sense of freedom that they’ve lacked when playing against Kilkenny in particular in recent years. They’ve been under Kilkennys shackles for longs enough.
Familar names pepper this team but the key to losing the tag of mediocrity they’ve acquired for themselves over the past few seasons is to step up and respond to Bonnars new reign with furious fire in their yellow bellys, the first signs of which were seen in the league against the biffo’s.
Do they have what it takes?? The smooth introduction of new talent like Andrew Shore will be a key factor and if the more senior players Fitzhenry; M Travers, 'O Connor, Lyng,the Jacob’s, Stamp can assert themselves in the bigger games theres no reason why the Wexicans could not do some major damage this year.
Star Player: Diarmad Lyng
One to watch: Colm Farrell/Andrew Shore
DUBLIN
‘A lot done, A lot more to do’
Interesting times indeed for Dublin hurling. They’ve had an outstanding league by their standards where they walloped Galway and Cork and also had a good win over Waterford. A league final place wasn’t beyond them which considering most people saw them as relegation fodder at the start of the year is some achievement. It will all count for nothing of course if Dublin go and lose to Antrim on the 7th of June.
So what are their prospects for the championship? In many ways this is the year Dublin must deliver. Some have said that they blew it last year against Wexford in the semi final so they have a lot to prove this time around. Anthony Daly was an inspired (2nd!)choice as manager. Tommy Naughtan had done great work with Dublin hurling but had probably taking it is far as he could.
The return of Alan McRabbe has been crucial to Dublins rise this year and Im sure Daly could hardly believe his luck when the capitals conveyor belt dished him out the likes of Liam Rushe in his first year in charge. With inspirational Ronan Fallon back from injury and Ross o Carrol doing the unthinkable and declaring himself for the hurlers, Dublin must surely be looking forward to Leinster 09 with serious confidence.
So how could this Dublin side win Leinster? Going on form you’d have to fancy them against Antrim in their opener. Wouldn’t see them getting much change from Kilkenny but they should really put it up to everyone else. They might even arise in a situation whereby their in a Leinster Final against Wexford or Galway. Sounds unlikely yes, but both these counties have previous when it comes to catching KK on the hop. Such would be a dream scenario for Dublin who would really fancy their chances. Assuming they somehow do manage to avoid the cats then winning Leinster would be an achievable target to aim for or at the very least a Leinster final which would still be a significant step forward for the small balled Dubs.
OFFALY
‘The events of losing down in Wexford Park have rightly led us to redouble our efforts’
So whats the duce with Offaly this year? Are they viable contenders or still a work in progress? Truth is its hard to know. From a 100% record in the league (albeit without having played either Antrim or Wexford)they came crashing down to Earth in Wexford Park in a manner that suggests they have completely lost any psychological advantage they might have had attained going into the championship. Were they trying to butter the opera lovers up?? Hardly, it sounds like Wexford played that game in championship mode and laid down a marker that Offaly are going to find difficult to match now come late May. These two meeting again in the Div 2 final is also a very real possibility which I would imagine neither would consider ideal preparation going into Leinster but it would at least offer Offaly a chance to re-assert themselves before the all important championship game.
Theres no doubt that Offaly have been making progress in the last year or so under Joe Dooley.They had gone off the radar there a bit for a couple of years but improved last year and leaving the league result aside, would have considered themselves, at the very least the equal of Wexford. Experienced heads like Oakly, Hannify, Rigney etc will be hoping that the likes of David Kenny and Joe Bergin can maintain their rates of progress and bring Offaly hurling on to the next level.
The heady days of the 90s when Offaly could call on legendary names like the Dooleys, Troys, Pilkingtons and Whelehans are long gone and the Faithful have subsequently slipped down the ratings but they are a great hurling county and its a matter of sooner rather than later before they go on a serious run in the championship. This year might just have come too soon for them however or at least in Leinster where home advantage might be what swings it for Wexford.
Star Player: Roru Hannify
One to watch: David Kenny
ANTRIM
‘Ulster will fight and Ulster will be right’
Antrims right to be competing in Leinster was questioned by some after they drew with Westmeath and were beaten by lowly Carlow and in the league, both of course being excluded from this championship. Nevertheless Antrim are having a decent run in the league and their victory over Wexford demonstrates they have what it takes to at least be competitive. A victory over Offaly would see them in the league final and only 70 minutes away from Div 1 hurling.
So just how will they fare out? Their capable of giving most counties a good old rattle on their day and Antrim dont forget, did win the Walsh cup last year. Joint managers Sambo McNaughtan and Dominic McKinley have brought some young lads Neil McManus, Neil McAuley in and they wont be carrying any baggage going into Leinster. The Nordies would probably have been happy enough to draw Dublin when the pairings were made. Dublin however have improved and are themselves on the cusp of joining hurlings top tier. Any signs of complacency on the Dubs part will be punished by the Saffrons who will also be intent on proving themselves at this level. Antrim are certainly in with a shout in this game but I feel Dublin have enough this time to make their debut season in Leinster a short one.
Star Player :Paul Shiels
One to watch : Neil McGarry
And finally…LAOIS
‘No ones ever heard of us and we dont care’
Will be beaten out the gate by Galway in their game. Likely to be involved in some kind of round robin system involving Westmeath and Carlow(and possibly Antrim) for the right to compete in Leinster next year. Completely out of their depth here and just rolling along to make up the numbers.
Star Player: Zane something
One to watch: Zane something???
Quarter-Finals
Laois v Galway 31.05.2009 Portlaoise
Offaly v Wexford 30.05.2009 Wexford
Dublin v Antrim 07.06.2009 Croke Park
Semi-Finals
Kilkenny bye to Semi-Finals 20.06.2009 T.B.A.
Draw for Semi-Final at a later date. 21.06.2009 T.B.A.
CRAOBH
05.07.2009 Croke Park
Summary
Im predicting Galway, Wexford and Dublin to be in the SF draw alongside Kilkenny. Whichever two avoid Kilkenny should produce a great game to contest the final most likely against the cats.
But Im gonna stick my neck out here for the craic, and say that Kilkenny will be beaten in Leinster this year either by Galway or Wexford with the victor going on to be crowned Leinster champions. I expect both these counties to rise to the occasion of this historic championship. Of the two I’d say a Joe Canning inspired Galway are the more likely and their my tip to win Leinster 2009.