If young lads are not allowed play adult hurling until 19 it will set things back even further.
I think that conversation has been diverted for a while thankfully.
In all normal counties it has. Cork county board still pushing for it.
That Kevin O’Donovan lad comes across as a completely obnoxious cunt. Frank Murphy needs to get rid of him.
Adam Hogan not with the 20s tomorrow night. Looks like he will start Sunday v Tipp.
I’d expect himself and McCarthy to replace Hayes and the suspended David Fitz otherwise it will be the same side that started last years Munster final with some positional tweaks. Personally I’d like to see Rodgers start in place of Galvin at 14 on Breen as he is a natural full forward who is very crafty and always looking for goals and I think would be a different prospect to a big man like Duggan or an athletic lad like McCarthy and make Breen deal with some guile rather than brute force. But pretty much two springs missed in a row makes it hard to start Rodgers in such a game - the promise is there from underage, college and club but he simply hadn’t don’t enough at I/C level yet. It’s a shame him and Meehan were injured for most of the year so far as we could do with both pushing hard for places but both should at least provide impact off the bench.
Rory Hayes is supposedly going well since returning from a broken wrist a few weeks back but looks like he will have to do with a place on the bench. With him and Morey it at least provides a bit of impact and cover for 2,4,5,7,8&9 off the bench which we didn’t have last year. After that our depth behind the started is limited with Cian Nolan being a spoiler option but hard to see Aaran Fitz, Darragh Lohan or Brandon O’Connell adding much off the bench if needed. Cian Galvin still needs more time to physically develop and stay injury free. I wouldn’t be surprised if John Conneally from the 20s is on the match day 26 by the end of the round robin - he looks a fine prospect - tall, aggressive and pacey. Looks a quality and versatile defender in the makings.
The 20s have a few other lads like McNamara and Cahill who should get their chances with the seniors too. Cahill is a similar size and style to Diarmuid Ryan and might be worth a go at 6 in the league in the next couple of years. While I think McNamara looks another athletic defender which we haven’t been producing in a while. The likes of Sean Rynne and Daitti Lohan look promising too - two athletic dogs with good attitudes. Both will be on the senior panel soon enough you would think.
Back to Sunday - the league was a disappointment for Clare but I don’t think they placed much emphasis on it - compared to previous years they did little hurling during it and it showed in a number of matches where our touch looked terrible. Things have ramped up and you would hope they are sharp Sunday but it can be a risky strategy. Win on Sunday and the season takes off, lose and you are under serious pressure. Realistically it is a mini league between 4 counties and 2 wins needed.
There was very little between Tipp and Clare in 2021, . Tipp have lost a number of very experienced players since then while despite some of the doom and gloom from outside the county I would argue that the players we have aged 19 to 23 in Clare like Ryan, McCarthy, Hogan, Meehan, Rodgers, Mounsey et al are every bit as good if not better than their tipp equivalents of the same age bracket. Now maybe Cahill gets a bigger tune out of Tipp than I expect but I think Lohan has done a great job the last two years of having his team right first day out in championship.
Tipp will go for goals and if we can limit them or match them in that regard I think we will win
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Some lads like that sort of thing unfortunately.
Limerick are more than likely winning 4 from 4, if they could be in any way bothered.
I think Clare are the best placed to also come out and probably make the Munster Final.
I think it’s a dogfight for the third place in Munster. Waterford might be the surprise package. Tipp have to win in either Clare or Cork to have any chance so could be gone after two games. Hopefully not.
Interesting to note, no manager of the ‘Big 9’ counties has survived after failing to make it out of the round robin.
2018 - Mick Ryan, Derek McGrath, Pat Gilroy
2019 - Patsy Fanning, Ducky Moloney/Stu from the Hangover, Micheal Donogue
2022 - Colm Bonnar, Liam Cahill, Mattie Kenny
Only John Kiely could survive this year were Limerick to fail to make it out.
My prediction is that BDE, Davy Fitz and Liam Cahill or Brian Lohan will fall on their swords come the end of May.
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Looking at the fixtures and it looks nicely set up for Cork, first two games at home and Limerick on the final day who will most likely be in a Munster final already.
I think they will handle Waterford handily enough in round two at home. Would have a nice bit of momentum behind them then.
Strange quirk that they have the first two at home and Tipp have their last two at home.
In fairness to Donohoe, he would have survived had he not walked.
Think henry might well walk if galway don’t at least win leinster
Cork no cert to beat Limerick reserves.
Donohoe and maybe Gilroy the two surprising ones to go out of the list. The round robin format lends itself to things turning very sour very quickly and managers positions becoming untenable.
I’d be surprised if at least one or two of Tipp, Waterford or Clare don’t down tools after two rounds this year and Lohan/Davy/Cahill being out on their ear when its over.
Lohan probably under most pressure. Into his 5th(?)year now and no trophy to show for it. Davy under the least. A shot to nothing for him with no huge expectation. Hard to know what would be deemed acceptable for cahill.
Lohan is fine. They will get out of Munster, maybe make a semi.
It’s quite feasible Tipp lose all four games again. I think Cahill is still safe though. The county board can’t ‘sack’ another manager. He’s lost a good few players to injury etc this year and is integrating new players and tactics (not sure if we had any last year!). He gets at least two seasons. I think a very good Munster championship sees Tipp getting about 5 points in round robin.
I think Waterford will give Limerick a good game and I also think they will beat Cork. I think Clare will beat Tipperary.
Clare v Tipp is HUGE loser has no margin for error
All four of the teams not called Limerick in Munster could beat each other
If tipp win it, there’ll be a right rattle the following saturday in the gg
I won’t be surprised if there’s no goals scored in Thurles on Sunday
50/50 chance I’d reckon