Jack O’Connor has yet to recover from the Clare match in Thurles in 2022 when he was subbed off 10 minutes before half time. Has he featured in a Championship match since?
Shame as he was a real standout in 2021
O’Flynn isn’t fit and the other two shouldn’t start a game for Cork ever again.
Bit harsh on both. Kingston has huge talent, I’d still expect him to become a starter. He has massive impact as a sub so I can see why he’d be held back for now.
I don’t think cork will have any comedown from the Limerick game, they’ll take huge confidence from it and be raring to go again. They’ll ate tipp.
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They will, Cork still give up a lot of goal chances though. Be some drama if Waterford get any kind of result in Ennis
any sign of the cork v Limerick game being put up online?
Waterford are sneakily good. A lot better than I gave them credit for. Not sure how effective they’ll be away from the environs of Walsh Park. Its one thing going to Thurles but Ennis and Gaelic grounds are 2 different beasts. But Bennett, Kiely and Dessie will cause Clare defense endless problems and they have a very good midfield pairing too. Would worry a small bit about their full back line especially with Prunty out. Tipp have little firepower and managed 1-27 against them. The fact Clare and Waterford are first up probably will make the plot thicken. Realistically this is Waterfords best chance of getting anything from remaining 2 fixtures and they will know its effectively a knock out game. Cork beating Limerick on Saturday was worst possible outcome for Waterford as now Limerick need a win and theres a backlash coming to go with that. In retrospect that was a huge point dropped by Waterford last week against Tipp. It brought Cork right into it too and probably provided some catalyst for their performance.
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The same was said of Limerick last year though after they lost to Clare in round two that there would a huge reaction. They proceeded to draw with Tipp and just about edge Cork at home in round 3 and 4. Limerick will hurl to to their usual level. It’s about what can Waterford bring.
Waterford have some top quality hurlers but will they have the belief to go on the road and get a result - I doubt there will be a huge Waterford crowd at either.
Waterford to Limerick or Ennis is a fair trek alright. Cant see too many making the trips down. They’d have bitten the hand off you for 3 points from opening 2 games but they’ll need to get something from somewhere. 3 points wont be enough you’d think. I’m trying to think of what would happen if Tipp and Cork were to draw and Waterford lost their remaining 2 games. They’d have Cork on H2H and would need Clare to do them a favour on last day against Tipp to stop Tipp from getting to 4 points. Clare themselves would already be qualified on 4 but would miss out on munster final due to H2H vs Tipp if Tipp were to win?
I’d give Waterford a far better chance of getting something off Limerick than Clare.
With Finn out Limerick have nobody really to mark Hutchinson whereas at least Clare have Hogan who’ll do fine.
O’Donnell could do wreck to that Waterford backline.
With a 2pm start in Ennis, its probably an overnighter for Waterford too whereas Limerick is at 4pm the following week.
Pat Ryan was saying they need to get a result or something from game vs Tipp but a draw eliminates Cork I’m presuming due to H2H vs Waterford. If Tipp draw with Cork and lose to Clare Tipp are gone. Cork and Waterford would both be on 3 should results go as expected.
A waterford win could likely eliminate Limerick altogether which is a scenario I couldnt dream to envisage a fortnight ago.
I’m still giving tipp a right shot against Cork
Cork would need a very unlikely sequence of events to go their way if they draw Sunday. Would need Clare and Tipp to draw in final round and hope to come out on scoring difference in a three way tie on three points with Tipp and Clare/Waterford.
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A Waterford win in Ennis would suit Limerick very nicely. In that scenario, Waterford would be in the Munster Final then and would surely field a weakened side last day against Limerick, which would facilitate Limerick’s path into a Munster Final.
If Waterford pick up even a draw in last two games. Cork are more than likely done. Cork the only side who don’t have their fate in their own hands still. Relying on results elsewhere even if they do beat Tipperary in Thurles.
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Waterford had a brutal record at home in the round robin up to this year, and not that much better away (2 wins from 16 games). The new Walsh Park benefits them, and their style arguably lends itself to bigger wider fields. They would have no fear of Thurles, whatever about bad memories of Ennis
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We’ll have it all to do but each game takes on a life of its own. I’d have been more confident a few days ago but Cork were seriously inpressive the other night. It was the manner of it more than anything. I’ve yet to see a team give up a lead like they did vs Limerick with limerick surging past them. Looking like a 7 or 8 point win for Limerick but Cork making a lazarus like recovery to get off the canvas to deliver a knock out blow. We’ve seen that Limerick momentum over the years. KK in AI final last year. Its like trying to stop the tide but Cork did it and if they play like that next weekend they’ll pummel us.
Will be interesting to see what team Cahill puts out and if any changes to the last day. Big decision re Forde. Thats 3 stinkers in a row. How much rope do you give a lad before disillusionment sets into the rest of the panel. Saw a reaction from Flanagan after not being brought on the last day. With this Tipp team it can be harder to drop yourself off the team than play yourself on.
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Your suspicion with Waterford is that Davy won’t be able to resist painting himself as a tactical genius and hence come up with some labyrinthine plan which may hinder them. If he can resist this (and maybe he’s finally learned), and just realises that he has stellar talent available if they play fairly freely, they’ll give anyone a right go. Fcuk me, but some os the finest talent ever to play the game has come from Waterford. They just have some bloodline that always seems to produce a handful.
As regards cork Vs tipp, it should be a brilliant game. Cork seem to score in bursts and runs. It depends on whether tipp can slow the tide when it’s flowing, because they invariably seem to ebb again.
I don’t think that Limerick game will necessarily be as draining as folk think. For any other side it would be, but if it’s given cork their bounce back, that’ll weigh equally heavily in their favour.
You’d think cork should have enough, but there’s a touch of the anti-mushroom about them. They can be gone overnight.
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Is the mutterings are to be believed, Davy has far less input on the tactical plans since they went on their warm weather trip.
I’m told he went and found new lodgings for himself one of the nights over there
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If Clare had any ambition, they’d do the same with lohan
That’s very much on the money. He was seemingly told by a delegation of senior players in Portugal that his way simply wasn’t working and that it was going to be done differently in a more traditional Waterford way for the championship.
I know out of control player power is never a good thing and Waterford have had more than their fair share of that over the years. I don’t see a whole lot wrong though with some measured player power if things are been done wrong. A lot of the senior players in that Waterford dressing room are smart, educated, good guys who are running out of time. They simply weren’t going to stand idly by and watch another year get p*ssed away.
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