Hurling 2022

[keep her low this half]

Semi Finals this weekend

Very hard to look past Limerick, will Cian Lynch be back for the weekend? With him on board 10 + win, without him 5-10 point win.

Other semi final very hard to call. Did Clare have a bad day at the office against Wexford and can bounce back and blow Kilkenny away? Or have Clare put so much into Munster that the tank is running low. Very hard to say from this distance.
Cody likes nothing better than being written off. Three Leinster titles in a row and still talked about as underdogs?
I wouldn't want to bet on this but no man ever got rich betting against Cody so my fiver for what its worth will go on the cats.

[CitySlicker11]

I'll take a punt on the draw and Limerick -7

[keep her low this half]

I'll take a punt on the draw and Limerick -7

On that point, if it ends in a draw do we have extra time and possibly penalties?

[johnnycool]

I'll take a punt on the draw and Limerick -7

On that point, if it ends in a draw do we have extra time and possibly penalties?

yes.

Semi Finals this weekend

Very hard to look past Limerick, will Cian Lynch be back for the weekend? With him on board 10 + win, without him 5-10 point win.

Other semi final very hard to call. Did Clare have a bad day at the office against Wexford and can bounce back and blow Kilkenny away? Or have Clare put so much into Munster that the tank is running low. Very hard to say from this distance.
Cody likes nothing better than being written off. Three Leinster titles in a row and still talked about as underdogs?
I wouldn't want to bet on this but no man ever got rich betting against Cody so my fiver for what its worth will go on the cats.

Thing is there's no one in Clare considering themselves favourites and they'll be going full bore at Kilkenny and will match if not better them in the physicality stakes.

My only doubt about Clare is how they cope with the aerial bombardment inside the 20 metre line. If they can handle that, and protect their keeper better (but he needs to be braver) then I think they'll win, but as you say no one will ever get rich betting against Brian Cody.

tough call, but the closer to the weekend we get, the more I think Clare will do it, but only just.

[imtommygunn]

I would expect a very fired up Kilkenny. Tony Kelly is not going to get space and is going to have to fight for his life any ball that comes in. Clare Kilkenny definitely interesting. I hope Clare win but have my doubts.

I just can't see Galway doing much in the other game.

[marty34]

I would expect a very fired up Kilkenny. Tony Kelly is not going to get space and is going to have to fight for his life any ball that comes in. Clare Kilkenny definitely interesting. I hope Clare win but have my doubts.

I just can't see Galway doing much in the other game.

Tony Kelly needs man marked...properly. Id say Butler will go in him. Even if Butler never touches the ball. Lawlor will go on Duggan and Deegan maybe on O'Donnell.

Was just looking at TK. Never noticed he's a right hander but strikes off his left.

.KK are regulars in Croke Park. This must be Clare's first time since 2013 so KK will have the edge there and that's a big thing I think.

I'd put TJ on top of Cleary and put Eoin Cody and Keoghan in that line also from the start for 10 mins and see how it goes. Put the pressure on Quilligan under the high ball alà Wexford.

[shark]

I would expect a very fired up Kilkenny. Tony Kelly is not going to get space and is going to have to fight for his life any ball that comes in. Clare Kilkenny definitely interesting. I hope Clare win but have my doubts.

I just can't see Galway doing much in the other game.

Tony Kelly needs man marked...properly. Id say Butler will go in him. Even if Butler never touches the ball. Lawlor will go on Duggan and Deegan maybe on O'Donnell.

Was just looking at TK. Never noticed he's a right hander but strikes off his left.

.KK are regulars in Croke Park. This must be Clare's first time since 2013 so KK will have the edge there and that's a big thing I think.

I'd put TJ on top of Cleary and put Eoin Cody and Keoghan in that line also from the start for 10 mins and see how it goes. Put the pressure on Quilligan under the high ball alà Wexford.

Clare were in the semi in 2018. Drew with Galway in Croker.

[imtommygunn]

Some game it was too. I was thinking deegan on Kelly.

[marty34]

I would expect a very fired up Kilkenny. Tony Kelly is not going to get space and is going to have to fight for his life any ball that comes in. Clare Kilkenny definitely interesting. I hope Clare win but have my doubts.

I just can't see Galway doing much in the other game.

Tony Kelly needs man marked...properly. Id say Butler will go in him. Even if Butler never touches the ball. Lawlor will go on Duggan and Deegan maybe on O'Donnell.

Was just looking at TK. Never noticed he's a right hander but strikes off his left.

.KK are regulars in Croke Park. This must be Clare's first time since 2013 so KK will have the edge there and that's a big thing I think.

I'd put TJ on top of Cleary and put Eoin Cody and Keoghan in that line also from the start for 10 mins and see how it goes. Put the pressure on Quilligan under the high ball alà Wexford.

Clare were in the semi in 2018. Drew with Galway in Croker.

Ok. Didn't realise that.

Still KK there on a regular basis. Used to playing at 5:30 pm also.

Lohan doing a great job wirh Clare. Davy Fitz getting a good few scores plus Diarmuid Ryan chopping away from half-back. Maybe better going fjrward than back. KK could attack that space if the Clare half-backs push on too much.

[marty34]

Some game it was too. I was thinking deegan on Kelly.

I'd have Butler on him and go everywhere with him. Proper man-mark him, even if Butler doesn't touch the ball himself.

Match ups will be interesting.

[johnnycool]

I would expect a very fired up Kilkenny. Tony Kelly is not going to get space and is going to have to fight for his life any ball that comes in. Clare Kilkenny definitely interesting. I hope Clare win but have my doubts.

I just can't see Galway doing much in the other game.

Tony Kelly needs man marked...properly. Id say Butler will go in him. Even if Butler never touches the ball. Lawlor will go on Duggan and Deegan maybe on O'Donnell.

Was just looking at TK. Never noticed he's a right hander but strikes off his left.

.KK are regulars in Croke Park. This must be Clare's first time since 2013 so KK will have the edge there and that's a big thing I think.

I'd put TJ on top of Cleary and put Eoin Cody and Keoghan in that line also from the start for 10 mins and see how it goes. Put the pressure on Quilligan under the high ball alà Wexford.

Clare were in the semi in 2018. Drew with Galway in Croker.

Ok. Didn't realise that.

Still KK there on a regular basis. Used to playing at 5:30 pm also.

Lohan doing a great job wirh Clare. Davy Fitz getting a good few scores plus Diarmuid Ryan chopping away from half-back. Maybe better going fjrward than back. KK could attack that space if the Clare half-backs push on too much.

It'll be Butler for me also although Butler may be in parts of the field he's never been before. If he stops Kelly having an impact then that's job done and a big job it is. Kelly can strike off both sides but prefers to strike off the left when on the run, pretty common i'd have thought.

TJ will indeed be put in on Cleary and Paul Flanagan will end up on Cody if he ends up that close to goal, Flanagan has been outstanding for Clare but this will be a different test altogether. Cody, is abrasive, direct, skillful and quick, stopping him is a challenge. How Flanagan and Clare handle him will have a big say in the game. Rory Hayes being subbed so early in the quarter and being replaced by Nolan didn't help the last day, but it will be interesting to see who starts there for Clare.
I think Kilkenny have issues in and around midfield and they never seem to win that area and indeed bypass it a lot of the time, but if Ryan Taylor is getting on a lot of ball (something Wexford managed to prevent) then the Clare attack will be working with dirty ball and whilst they'll make a good fist of it, that'll suit Kilkenny.

Expecting O'Donnell to pitch up next to Richie Reid and attempt to make inroads there. Big Deegan will be expected to do battle with Peter Duggan who will probably be rotated between there and FF. Lawlor is a good fullback, reasonably quick and strong, Galvin might start there to try and move him around.

Clare need a bigger game from Conlon to turn those long balls around and drive up the field with them...

Still going for Clare but only just.

[seafoid]

I would be surprised if the cats won. They weren't great in the round robin.
I have this feeling that Clare are a coming team. It's all about who is first in line after Luimneach hit the wall. 

[marty34]

I would expect a very fired up Kilkenny. Tony Kelly is not going to get space and is going to have to fight for his life any ball that comes in. Clare Kilkenny definitely interesting. I hope Clare win but have my doubts.

I just can't see Galway doing much in the other game.

Tony Kelly needs man marked...properly. Id say Butler will go in him. Even if Butler never touches the ball. Lawlor will go on Duggan and Deegan maybe on O'Donnell.

Was just looking at TK. Never noticed he's a right hander but strikes off his left.

.KK are regulars in Croke Park. This must be Clare's first time since 2013 so KK will have the edge there and that's a big thing I think.

I'd put TJ on top of Cleary and put Eoin Cody and Keoghan in that line also from the start for 10 mins and see how it goes. Put the pressure on Quilligan under the high ball alà Wexford.

Clare were in the semi in 2018. Drew with Galway in Croker.

Ok. Didn't realise that.

Still KK there on a regular basis. Used to playing at 5:30 pm also.

Lohan doing a great job wirh Clare. Davy Fitz getting a good few scores plus Diarmuid Ryan chopping away from half-back. Maybe better going fjrward than back. KK could attack that space if the Clare half-backs push on too much.

It'll be Butler for me also although Butler may be in parts of the field he's never been before. If he stops Kelly having an impact then that's job done and a big job it is. Kelly can strike off both sides but prefers to strike off the left when on the run, pretty common i'd have thought.

TJ will indeed be put in on Cleary and Paul Flanagan will end up on Cody if he ends up that close to goal, Flanagan has been outstanding for Clare but this will be a different test altogether. Cody, is abrasive, direct, skillful and quick, stopping him is a challenge. How Flanagan and Clare handle him will have a big say in the game. Rory Hayes being subbed so early in the quarter and being replaced by Nolan didn't help the last day, but it will be interesting to see who starts there for Clare.
I think Kilkenny have issues in and around midfield and they never seem to win that area and indeed bypass it a lot of the time, but if Ryan Taylor is getting on a lot of ball (something Wexford managed to prevent) then the Clare attack will be working with dirty ball and whilst they'll make a good fist of it, that'll suit Kilkenny.

Expecting O'Donnell to pitch up next to Richie Reid and attempt to make inroads there. Big Deegan will be expected to do battle with Peter Duggan who will probably be rotated between there and FF. Lawlor is a good fullback, reasonably quick and strong, Galvin might start there to try and move him around.

Clare need a bigger game from Conlon to turn those long balls around and drive up the field with them...

Still going for Clare but only just.

Kelly's right hand on top of hurl but he hits his frees on the left side. No?
Obviously he's great off both sides but a bit strange I thought.

Yeah, Cody is due a big game. As you say, hit it to him any way and he'll try to win in. Direct, fast and good in the air - the 'new' T.J.

Adrian Mullan is quietly going about his business in mid-field. Scored 4 points V Galway in last run out but puts a shift in also. Fogarty was in with him the last day. Sort of a holding defensive type mid-fielder, while Mullan pushed on. He could start there again. Leahy and Maher not consistent enough it seems.

Richie Reid could, like Conlon, sit in the pocket and try to influence the game from there. Maybe similiar roles.

[Milltown Row2]

For large parts of the game (mainly first half) Kelly was missing, poor free taking in that game and previous game which was then handed over to someone else who steadied the ship regarding frees, Kelly will still find the space but if the man marking is having an impact on his performance then remember Clare's game this year in the league that Kelly wasn't playing in, they actually played their best hurling this year in a game he wasn't involved in

[marty34]

For large parts of the game (mainly first half) Kelly was missing, poor free taking in that game and previous game which was then handed over to someone else who steadied the ship regarding frees, Kelly will still find the space but if the man marking is having an impact on his performance then remember Clare's game this year in the league that Kelly wasn't playing in, they actually played their best hurling this year in a game he wasn't involved in

I think that final round-robin game has gave the Clare squard a huge confidence boost:

1. They had a load of lads missing and still got the draw.
2. Fringe players got a run out and produced the goods. As a squad player, they must be thinking, Lohan will give me a chance. Great for the Clare squad spirit.