All Ireland Hurling Championship 2013

[AZOffaly]

Believe it or not, as Tipperary and Kilkenny battle for league honours down in Nowlan Park, Westmeath and Antrim will be kicking off the Championship in Mullingar at the same time. Not sure why, or what the urgency is. Must be a bit down-heartening for the players to be honest.

Should be a tight game really, Westmeath always have hurlers, and Antrim will be confident having hurled competitively at 1B level this year. Antrim should have enough you'd think, but I have a sneaky suspicion that Westmeath may take them.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Can't see it this year AZ. Failed to get out of 2A again. Beaten by Kerry and then Laois in the decider. They seem to be having the typical second season after making some progress last year, regression. There is an open night for both codes on Friday week by which time the hurlers will probably be out of Leinster.  At least we have the game in the park so that gives us a chance I suppose.

[From the Bunker]

Crazy disrespect for Westmeath and Antrim to have them playing championship before the end of the League. Show's that the powers that be are trying to get the also rans out of the way early in the year!

[johnneycool]

Crazy disrespect for Westmeath and Antrim to have them playing championship before the end of the League. Show's that the powers that be are trying to get the also rans out of the way early in the year!

You're not surprised are you?

We'll be told a few weeks later that the championship has started when in all reality it starts this weekend.

[Milltown Row2]

How will the results go today Johnny? Kerry are a decent second tier team the rest should go to form, Derry game will be tight but home advantage should get them through

[ziggy90]

Good win for Warwickshire over Longford yesterday in the Lory Meagher. Next up Fermanagh.

[AQMP]

Good win for Antrim today.  Next up is Laois which is winnable then the winners of Carlow/London which is winnable then Galway which isn't.

[neilthemac]

even more crazy that the Antrim v Westmeath game was on at almost the same time as the league final

[CitySlicker11]

They have no other option than to put their heads down and get on with it. Hopefully if Antrim put in a few big weeks they may have people questioning the decision to try and get this game run off as quickly as possible.

[seafoid]

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

[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.

[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

[seafoid]

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 ? 

[Plain of the Herbs]

I see 'Plain Daft' referred to this through the medium of the Cyril Farrell column.  The reason for the earlier start is because of all the waifs and strays who have landed into Leinster in recent years.  All at 'Plain Daft's' request too.  But then again, 'Plain Daft' likes his bread buttered on all sides.  Without Antrim, London and Galway, the Leinster Championship wouldn't have to commence for another four weeks.  Or maybe 'Plain Daft' would like to see Carlow, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly excluded from the Leinster Championship to suit the imports.

Crazy disrespect for Westmeath and Antrim to have them playing championship before the end of the League. Show's that the powers that be are trying to get the also rans out of the way early in the year!

[mouview]

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.