Considering changing my official pick from Dublin to Offaly. If Offaly can hurl with abandon, or better yet, abandonment, I think they can trouble the Dubs. Offaly have some serious inside forwards. Dubs are hard beat in Parnell though
@Bandage won Wexford the Leinster Final in 2019 having spotted the Kilkenny team online before its official announcement. You have to be very careful where you post inter-county starting line-ups.
There was a lot of talk about last year being Ballinamereās first senior final in over a century. Does the same apply to Durrow then? Looking at the Ravenhillās, Bourkeās and Duignanās Iād say theyāre well set-up to trouble that dominant KK team over the coming years.
Finally Shane Murphy has ousted Tommy Walsh. They must have learned nothing if weāre back to Richie Reid at 6. Iāve seen more abrasive junior bā centre backs
I think hurling would be better served if they slightly elongated the round robins and only had a full round of matches on one weekend for the final round.
Having the Dublin v Offaly, Wexford Antrim and Clare Cork this weekend with Kilkenny Galway and Limerick Tipp next weekend would be ideal. Then play the second round games over 2 weekends and so on. Would only take an extra week or two to play out the groups.
Tis one thing I dislike about the current format alright, if your own county is out of a weekend you get little chance to take in any of the other games going on.
Shorten the hurling league, itās a shit pre-season competition. Start the provincial round robins after St Patrickās Day, alternating weekends for Munster and Leinster. All Ireland would still be completed on the same weekend as now.
I would like to see them in the final, the wexicans would bring a crowd to it unlike others and give a chance of a decent occasion in Croke Park for the final
Well, Blanchfield is clearly better than Reid but is on the bench for whatever reason.
Iām a little surprised that theyāve gone with Mackessy as a forward, I would have thought he was a good option to go in wing-back and allow someone else slot in to 6.