Donât think either of them are expected back. Big loss yes but presents a great opportunity for some one to step up such as Iarlaith Daly
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Kill Kill Kill. 
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The lad who replaced him didnât do too badly. TDB is a huge loss, but seeing what Cahill did with them in a year I think theyâll improve again this year.
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Theyâll be Sheffield United this year !
Nah I hope they do well, great to watch last year.
Hon Limerick!
Hon Limerick!
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I donât think Mahony will be back this year. He is not back training with them as far as I know. Mid June would be around the time he would be cleared to go back for contact training with that type of injury.
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I see Gilroy has predicted ye to end the famine this year
The doyen of hurling tipsters. Ger fuckin Gilroy.
Iarlaith Daly is a good tip for young hurler of the year for next year. Himself Lyons and Deburca would have been an imposing half back line. Waterford have the hurlers and the sideline smarts to go a long way. Biggest question mark is was last years final defeat a mental blow they can recover from.
Bennett back in the forwards will add something definitely. Theyâve a real nice array of forwards now. Be interesting see where Aussie plays, he looks great inside when he gets the ball in his hand and thereâs plenty of pace around him.
Massive pity about TDB.
I half read an interview with Maurice Shanahan recently. Is he still sour?
I think I read the same one and I didnât think he sounded at peace with it. Something is up anyway. Youâd definitely get the vide Derek kind of indulged him and gave him the bit of extra attention and he responded to that.
Cahill seems like a top fella, might have decided he wasnât worth the hassle. I thought he was a very good option to bring in during games.
Yeah. Plus I think Dan didnât do his chances of getting a recall any good after his rant when Maurice was dropped.
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Are there any other obvious YHotY candidates for 2021?
Eoin Cody again? Daire Connery maybe? Will Galway give someone like Kilcommins a go? I reckon if Daly is a starter, heâs a great shout.
Kiely got rid of a few lads after year 1 and sure I suppose he has been completely vindicated; but thereâs definitely a vibe overall where once lads are over 26 or 27, there is very little appetite to try and rehabilitate or reinvent them.
I was happy for Kevin Downes get his AI medal. Gavin OâMahony, especially Seanie Tobin and probably Wayne McNamara were better than some lads on the panel, but it seems the younger lad always gets the nod these times.
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Paudie Maher
Will Cathal OâNeill see much if any game time?looks a natch but itâs a huge step up and the competition is fierce
Probably not in 2021, heâs doing the Leaving Cert. 2022, he could be a great shout.
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He might see a bit if league time but thatâs it Iâd say for this year.
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Letâs look at each side
Clare - The off field shambles has to have an effect on team prep. And though it will probably galvanise the squad to a certain extent, I think itâll hinder them as much. That aside, they donât have the players. Colm Galvin was always key and his involvement seems up in the air. Conlan is a year older. Kelly wonât have a season like that again. What way will Duggan return? Too many question marks over defence. Jack Browne is incredibly over rated and Pat OâConnor is past it. Lohan will have them well up for it but I canât see them beating Waterford.
Cork - Much better off without likes of Anthony Nash, Conor Lehane, Aidan Walsh et al, lads who had consistently failed to deliver. Collins is a better keeper. Theyâd be better off getting rid of Eoin Cadogan too. Failure to bring through some of the recent 20s players in the past few years going to hamstring them now for a year or two as they transition. As decent as those 20s teams were I didnât see a whole pile standing out as obvious candidates there either though. They had a decent corner back, Roche was it, but some of the forwards suffer from the same old problems as the those theyâll be replacing. Physicality is a huge issue and when you watch some of the club hurling down there and listen to some of the Cork based pundits (Landers and Donal OâGrady the worst 2) itâs easy see why, never stop looking for rule changes and frees. Too soft in general, canât see them beating Limerick.
Tipp - Some serious hard calls to be made by Sheedy and others⊠Stay loyal to the 2006/07 Minor crop who delivered one last title in 2019 or start the transition now? Bonner, Paudie Maher, Bubbles, Noel McGrath⊠a lot of these lads donât look like theyâve much left in the legs. I simply cannot see that group of Tipp players matching the current Limerick side, they donât have the legs or athleticism or physicality in the close exchanges and on top of that, they have been out thought and out hurled by them regularly in the past few years much and all as people will tell you they are more natural hurlers. There has been zero evidence of that in 2018 (granted Tipp were a shambles) 2019 in the sun or 2020 in the monsoon. However⊠if Tipp can bring through the likes of Cadell into a regular starting spot, if Jake takes up the mantle up top, if Morgan can be bedded into the defence, whereâs Jerome Cahill gone? Theyâll start to come again. Few years away yet though.
Waterford - Improved a huge amount last year and Iâd expect them to be better again this year. Have all the attributes to match the best teams, especially athleticism and pace but they lack a pair of forwards. Dessie improved them no doubt but theyâre still short up there. Shane Bennett just might make the difference depending on how he returns. So much to admire in how they play, they will definitely be up there but Iâm not sure if they will be able to cover the improvements Limerick expect to make too.
Limerick - Apparently, Limerick players and management were not wholly satisfied with their overall performance in 2020. They felt they never hit top gear and itâs hard to argue with that. Goal scoring a huge area to improve on. Personnel wise, Kyle Hayes looks set to stay at 7, giving Limerick another weapon to attack with from deep as seen at times last year. I think theyâll develop this in 2021. Limerick have Richie English back in the mix and Mike Casey on the road back also, so more options are available in the defence. Up front, Minor star Cathal OâNeill could find a bit of game time in the league and if he settles into anything like the form he can show he could very well force his way into plans in the inside line. Plans were to ease him in over the next year or so but signs are heâs well able physically for things. Itâs hard to see past Limerick at present. I wouldnât think there is much interest in the National League so itâs possible weâll see experimentation there. Obviously strong favourites for Munster and All Ireland titles.
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