The Daily Debate 25-03-2020 - Limerick v Waterford v Cork

You don’t think Cody would have won an AI with that Waterford team? They’d have won a scatter of them.

He hit a couple of points but it was Gardiner being switched to centre back and catching 4 or 5 puckouts and Ben O’Connor hitting a couple of ridiculous scores from the sideline when the fat was in the fire pulled Cork back into it. Those two set the tone and drove the comback. They were rampant by the time Deane fired over a couple of late scores. We were hitting shots short or wide for fun at that stage.

Cody had a conveyer belt of successful underage teams to work with. What did Waterford have, one U21 title in 1992?

Limerick got closer but Waterford were better for much longer. Considering the lack of talent coming through they stayed as contenders for a long time really.

Cork don’t deserve to be in the conversation at all.

An ounce of breeding is worth a tonne of feeding

He wouldn’t have been able to work with at least half of them (mostly the brilliant ones) and would have got rid of them.

Correct, the likes of Eoin Kelly, Flynn and a few others would not have lasted a winter

Yes

He may have cut his cloth, he wasn’t as ruthless as he is now in his early days. Ye had some great days with McCarthy but he was left there far too long.

Cody instilled a culture.

Yes he has, Charlie Carter and Eamonn Kennedy were both fucked aside without a second thought in the early 2000s

Limerick lost 2 all irelands they should have won.
Waterford got hammered
Cork should have beaten Clare alright

1998 was a real chance lost

It’s widely commented on how he shifted tack and became much more distant from the players and more ruthless after a loss to Galway, was it in 05? In any event, McCarthy v Cody by the mid to late 00s? There is no contest. A pity Waterford didn’t get rid of McCarthy sooner and a pity limerick didn’t get rid of tom Ryan.

2001

The thread needed one of the big 3 to give it real credence

Easier instill a culture when the lads to replace the renegades have underage medals in the arse pocket and aren’t a bunch of flyswatters.

And the fella from Fenians who played a soccer match Stephen ??

That’s it. I’m terrible with dates. God he’s there a long time. And has kept up with the times too.

I do think it’s a hard one to call. Because that Waterford team had a really poor full-back line, outside of Eoin Murphy. 2004 was probably their best opportunity to actually win an All-Ireland. They did have some elite forwards alright; and some flaky-ish lads who who were also superb on their day.

Limerick of the 90s on the other hand, had a really strong backline. But lacked real top forwards. Never more apparent than in 96. Competition was more open in their peak years and really should have won one.

But the strength of the respective competition shouldn’t really come into play in deciding who was the better team. I would say Waterford were a better side to watch in pure hurling terms (although in an era where the quality was that bit higher) but Limerick were excellent in their own right. Maybe Waterford by a whisker, but I wouldn’t say there is much between them.