The Battle for Liam 09

Sport
1

The phony war that is league hurling is over and the Championship is just around the corner. What will the summer bring?

Kilkenny - Won the league despite a gallant effort from runners up Tipp. Will have to compete to retain Leinster title this year but remain the obvious favourites for AI glory.

Tipp - pushed KK close in league final without key player in defence. Conor O Mahony, and key player in attack, Eoin Kelly. Should have too much for Cork in 1st round and Clare in the 2nd round and a probable AI Semi final clash with Galway looks like defining Tipp’s season. Have introduced some good new players from the u21’s and will be hoping for an AI final appearance.

Galway - had an indifferent league campaign but have the raw materials to beat anyone on their day. Joe Canning is the obvious key player and is capable of winning a match on his own. Can they win enough ball to trouble the Cats in Leinster or will they be looking to peak in August? John McIntyre does not inspire confidence.

Cork - Hard to see how Cork can achieve much this year with a defence that is past its best and a toothless attack with little or no goal threat. Tipperary await in the 1st round in Thurles and a trip through the qualifiers beckons for Cork. Cork may find Offaly or Dublin tricky opponents before the year is out.

Waterford - Impossible to predict 1st round clash with Limerick. Waterford’s old guard return for another lash but will they have the legs/head for it in Croke park in August - hardly.

Limerick - Justin McCarthy trained teams never bother too much about the league and season will be defined by 1st round clash with Waterford. Would be dangerous opponents in a Munster final but do not have the quality of forward to make an impact in AI series.

Offaly - Won Div. 2 title by 3 points from Wexford, although its hard to put a value on this achievement. Offaly improved big time last summer, playing a decent brand of 1st time hurling. Could shock someone in 2009.

Wexford - Have shipped a few injuries already and really cannot afford to lose any more players. Will be hard to adjust to coming out of Div. 2 and it looks like a bleak year ahead for Wexford.

Dublin - Did well in the league but recent challange match heavy defeats has led manager Anthony Daly to reflect on the difference between winning in March and winning in July. May cause a shock in teh qualifiers though as they have some decent forwards on show.

clare - Didn’t win a match in the League and Gerry Quinn has thrown the rattle out of the pram. clare seem to be having fierce problems adjusting back to their traditional role of whipping boys. No new players of note emerged from league campaign.

Antrim - Will give it their all against Dublin in 1st round but Antrim will not make any impact on this years championship.

My predictions are

Munster final - Tipp v Limerick, Tipp to win.

Leinster Final - Kilkenny v Galway, Kilkenny to win.

AI Final - Kilkenny v Tipp/Galway, Kilkenny to win.

2

So Tipp aren’t quite tops in your estimation Tipptops?

3

I like the part about Clare. :smiley:

4

Yeah its pretty spot on:clap:

5

I fancy Laois to run Galway to about 40 points.

6

Eoin Kelly is a huge factor for Tipp this year, would probably have won the league final had he been taking the frees. He’s coming back from a bad injury, will he come to form as quickly as Tipp need him? The Tipp-Cork might be alot closer than people think. This is Corks big game of the year, struggle in this and everyone will know that their time as one of the big teams is over for now. Win and suddenly they will be 2nd favourites for the All-Ireland. They will miss Joe Deane as much as they will the Pebble, they need all their forwards to contribute if they are to have any chance but they still shouldn’t be ruled out.

Galway need to find 3/4 players between the two Cannings if they are to have any impact this year. Cant see it happening IMHO, McIntyre struggled to find anyone during the league and Portumna players rarely perform as well when wearing maroon and white
(excluding the Cannings)

Waterford V Limerick could define both their seasons. A win for either side would give huge confidence, a loss means a potentially dispiriting trip through the qualifiers. Tenative vote for Limerick but their forwards will have to improve immensely if they are to have any impact this year.

7

I would expect the Wexford players to rebound from the inept performance in the league final and beat Offaly, especially with us having home advantage in Wexford Park. It’s annoying that it generally takes a rubbish display and the ensuing criticism before they react and play at the level expected. We’ve been inconsistent for years.

But I don’t anticipate us doing much beyond that as we simply don’t have enough quality in the squad. Eoin Quigley’s loss is huge and Colm Farrell was improving and showing some decent signs before he got injured too. Not sure what’s going on with Keith Rossitter either to be honest.

Looking forward to the championship all the same and would like to meet Galway in Leinster for novelty value.

8

[quote=“Bandage”]I would expect the Wexford players to rebound from the inept performance in the league final and beat Offaly, especially with us having home advantage in Wexford Park. It’s annoying that it generally takes a rubbish display and the ensuing criticism before they react and play at the level expected. We’ve been inconsistent for years.

But I don’t anticipate us doing much beyond that as we simply don’t have enough quality in the squad. Eoin Quigley’s loss is huge and Colm Farrell was improving and showing some decent signs before he got injured too. Not sure what’s going on with Keith Rossitter either to be honest.

Looking forward to the championship all the same and would like to meet Galway in Leinster for novelty value.[/QUOTE]

well hopefully they’ve attended the seminar on “stopping a moving” target since the league final;)

9

:smiley:

10

this is nothing to do with you

11

Slightly related, Laois beat Dublin in the minor hurling championship. :smiley:

12

Yeah by 3 points. A good enough Laois team that should have beaten Kilkenny in minor 2 years ago. They now play Wexford in the semi-final in Portlaoise.

13

Apparently Westmeath also beat Offaly? Fuck me, was yesterday reverse day or something?

It was supposed to be a very successful Dublin team too at U-16 and U-17.

14

[quote=“Turenne”]Apparently Westmeath also beat Offaly? Fuck me, was yesterday reverse day or something?

It was supposed to be a very successful Dublin team too at U-16 and U-17.[/QUOTE]

Yeah big things were expected of them alright-they reached the Arrabawn final 2 years ago.
Surprised enough at the Offaly result if true.

15

Decent analysis tipptops*.

As far as I know, Leinster semi-finals are an open draw so Galway could easily meet Kilkenny at that stage. Hopefully it will turn out this way, giving one of Dub/Wex/Off the chance of progressing a bit further.

Cork gave Limerick a right hammering tonight, 1-32 to 2-15, Limerick two up at half time. Cork have put up a few big scores in their last couple of games. I know it’s a bad idea to read too much into challenge games but I expect them to give Tipp a real test and wouldn’t be surprised to see them win.

As for Clare, never a truer word was said.

16

Cork have absolutely no chance against Tipp.

Hopefully Denis will realise this year is going nowhere and do the best with it that he can, train them hard, and blood the young lads.

17

I’ve never seen Cork supporters as pessimistic as this year (understandably but not sure if it is actually for real), and I don’t know much about Denis Walsh.

However, they seem to have reverted to the short passing game and are thriving on it. I know Tipp were very impressive against Kilkenny, and Cork will find it hard to live with that physicality but they have no pressure on them whatsoever and I can see them really cut loose.

As a Limerick man, I’ll be hoping for a 0-0 to 0-1 result either way.

18

[quote=“joeschmoe”]Decent analysis tipptops*.

Cork gave Limerick a right hammering tonight, 1-32 to 2-15, Limerick two up at half time. Cork have put up a few big scores in their last couple of games. I know it’s a bad idea to read too much into challenge games but I expect them to give Tipp a real test and wouldn’t be surprised to see them win.

[/QUOTE]

Were you at this game Joe? My sources inform me Limerick didn’t field their strongest 15. What was the Cork team like?

19

[quote=“joeschmoe”]Decent analysis tipptops*.

As far as I know, Leinster semi-finals are an open draw so Galway could easily meet Kilkenny at that stage. Hopefully it will turn out this way, giving one of Dub/Wex/Off the chance of progressing a bit further.

[/QUOTE]

Can we get some opinions from our Leinster members of Offaly / Dublin / Wexfords chances of progressing to a Leinster final should they avoid both Kilkenny and Galway at the semi-final stage. Which of the three teams should be most capable? I’m thinking Offaly or maybe Dublin.

20

Wexford would beat both if we weren’t so injury riddled. Wouldn’t be afraid of Galway either.
We’re playing the Biffs in Wexford so hopefully that’ll help us-if we get the Cats in the Semi, there’s talk of it being in Wexford Park or Nolan Park but that wouldn’t matter as they’d whup us.