All Ireland Hurling Championship 2013

[johnneycool]

I suppose the big questions are

1 Will Tipp come back to the required level after last year ? 
2 Have Galway got a few more scoring forwards ?
3 Is anyone else going to step up ?

1 Maybe, but failings from '11 final resurfaced on Sunday. When pressure was really on, their forwards, Kelly, Corbett, Callinan, Bonnar Maher, couldn't deliver. Tipp' can't hope they meet compliant teams such as Galway at every stage of the c'ship.

2 No, and the malaise is also in 3, 6, 8, 9. Unless management show a step-change in team selection and greater variation in tactics, (and not just in playing 3 around midfield), another long spell in oblivion beckons.

3 Maybe Clare. The rest, I'm afraid not. Perhaps a wet day might derail KK.

Tipp will rack up big scores against lesser opposition, but the Kilkenny backs have the measure of them and if they meet again Kilkenny will prevail. Tipps only hope is if someone else knocks Kilkenny out before they meet, not likely unless Kilkenny have a mare in the AI-semi-final and have no way back.

Galway have tried to sort out 3 and 6 in their defence and it doesn't look to have worked. One thing of note from sunday is that the Kilkenny defence don't place great emphasis on the type of ball they play into their forwards, they pump it long and high and expect their forwards to win their own ball, which more often than not they do.
Galway prevented them from doing this in the Leinster final last year and were first around the breaking ball, they weren't as successful at this in the two AI finals with Shefflin catching ball from Regan, big Walsh also catching to get the scores they needed. easier said that done stopping them, but Galway had the right plan, Kilkenny adapted to overcome, Cunningham needs to fine tune again but to keep the powder dry later than a Leinster final. It's not beyond them, but getting the big performances out of Galway two years on the bounce has been a problem in Galway since the late 80's.

Of the others Waterford and Clare are probably just a bit ahead of Dublin, Limerick and Cork, Clare impressed me in their league meeting with Kilkenny but still need to get the low balls into the corners quicker and not get caught in possession with the passing game out of defence which has proved costly to them in the past. They may still have a problem in fullback as well.

[Canalman]

Have a feeling that the only way KK will be beaten is with pure youthful exuberance. Honestly think either Clare or Waterford can take them this year............... in CP on a warm day tbh.

Galway/ Tipperary imvho have too many lads who are "hot and Cold" to be able to beat KK.

Still you would have to go for KK given the quality of the players recently brought in to the team to bolster it.

Big call for KK to make as to whether Shefflin will get back in the team ahead of Power, Walsh etc  who missed the league final win also.

[Asal Mor]

Westmeath gave Galway a good game last year. Did they fall back a bit over the year?

I thought it was 2 years ago.

2012 Qtr-final – Galway 5-18 Westmeath 4-13, Mullingar

Semi-final – Galway 5-23 Offaly 3-15, Portlaoise

Right ya are seafoid. It just goes to show again how prematurely pessimistic some of us are getting about our chances this year when the build to last year's Leinster final was a lot more worrying, apart from the good win over Offaly. We might be a different team come the summer. We were last year.

[seafoid]

Westmeath gave Galway a good game last year. Did they fall back a bit over the year?

I thought it was 2 years ago.

2012 Qtr-final – Galway 5-18 Westmeath 4-13, Mullingar

Semi-final – Galway 5-23 Offaly 3-15, Portlaoise

Right ya are seafoid. It just goes to show again how prematurely pessimistic some of us are getting about our chances this year when the build to last year's Leinster final was a lot more worrying, apart from the good win over Offaly. We might be a different team come the summer. We were last year.

I think the team in charge are more diligent than their predecessors. I don't think it'll be 2006 redux. Feicimid. 

[cicfada]

"Big call for KK to make as to whether Shefflin will get back in the team ahead of Power, Walsh etc  who missed the league final win also."

The above post us a pisstake right?? Shefflin will always be in the kk championship team!! Always!!he hasn't missed one yet other than through injury!!

[Milltown Row2]

"Big call for KK to make as to whether Shefflin will get back in the team ahead of Power, Walsh etc  who missed the league final win also."

The above post us a pisstake right?? Shefflin will always be in the kk championship team!! Always!!he hasn't missed one yet other than through injury!!

Agreed

[johnneycool]

"Big call for KK to make as to whether Shefflin will get back in the team ahead of Power, Walsh etc  who missed the league final win also."

The above post us a pisstake right?? Shefflin will always be in the kk championship team!! Always!!he hasn't missed one yet other than through injury!!

As age and injuries take their toll on Henry, I think he'll be used more sparingly in the years to come, with more substitutes appearances etc to prolong his usefulness to Kilkenny and Cody. He'll probably not start in the Leinster championship and kept in cotton wool until the semi-final stages.

The darling DJ was moved along by Cody, but you get the impression Cody holds Shefflin in extremely high regard and rightly so, he's pulled them out of some holes in his time. Great hurler and leader of the team even if he's not taking the toss at the start of the game.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I see 'Plain Daft' didn't let me down.  He's rabbiting about the early start in today's rag (see link).  If he read this thread he'd know the answer.  But then he's plain daft, isn't he?
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/lakesiders-almost-high-and-dry-29250093.html
And I see this piece is posted in the 'Gaelic Football' section of the Rag's site. Qualiteeee!

[southcat]

Was there any real point in that article? I mean he started talking about one point and then just stopped and put in a quote. Looked like something written just to pick up a check. TBH the examiner has by far the best hurling articles of the national papers. but even at that some of these forums have much better analysis once you trail through the bickering.

[ziggy90]

Good luck to the Warwickshire hurler's in their bid to reach the final of the Lory Meagher. They play Leitrim on Saturday and at Pairc Na hEirehann and if they win will play in Croke Park on the 8th of June.

[seafoid]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/hurling/2013/0516/450744-preview-leinster-senior-hurling-championship/

"It is nine years since Offaly last appeared in a provincial decider, losing to Wexford in 2004 and you have to go back to 1995 since they bettered the Cats in Leinster."

I hope to f**k Kilkenny stop/get sick of it/are stopped at some stage. It is not good for hurling when Offaly win nothing in almost 20 years. 

[AZOffaly]

We won an all Ireland in 1998. That's only 15 years!

[seafoid]

We won an all Ireland in 1998. That's only 15 years!

thank god for that. But the leinster form is poor enough. I suppoe wexford wouldn't be much different in the cody years. 98 was the last all ireland before the old firm resumed normal service as well.

[cicfada]

Michael fennelly this evening in club match . Ankle injury and its fairly serious apparantly. A potential big loss for cats.

[Milltown Row2]

Antrim V Laois on here,  http://www.midlands103.com/custom/api/radio.player.php