All Ireland Hurling Championship 2013

[laoislad]

Tony Baloney,Minder, Hardstation, Milltown Row2...
Your boys took one hell of a beating....

[Minder]

There aren't too many leaders on that Antrim team when things start to go against them.

[Tony Baloney]

Tony Baloney,Minder, Hardstation, Milltown Row2...
Your boys took one hell of a beating....

Sounded handy for your chaps at the end.

[laoislad]

Tony Baloney,Minder, Hardstation, Milltown Row2...
Your boys took one hell of a beating....

Sounded handy for your chaps at the end.

Kilkenny should be worried.

[Milltown Row2]

Tony Baloney,Minder, Hardstation, Milltown Row2...
Your boys took one hell of a beating....

Sounded handy for your chaps at the end.

Kilkenny should be worried.

Well Carlow for starters, Galway you gave a scare to few years ago so....

[johnneycool]

Sure did. Surprised yer man didn't have a go with the late penalty to really stuff us.

Laois used to be handy enough and never lacked effort or pyhsique but seemed to be in turmoil with clubs battering the heads of each other once in a while which hardly augured well for harmony in a county team.

The new manager seems to have them moving in the right direction and they might give an Offaly or Wexford their fill of it, but would come up short against Dublin, Galway or Kilkenny, but then again most would.

As for Antrim teams, barring Dinnys first reign in charge they go out and play as individuals and not as a team. They've some very good individuals, but that won't cut it against better opposition, but TBH I'd have expected them to get over Laois who after all were playing in Div2 this year.
Disappointing result and a long wait for the qualifiers and for internal club wounds to fester away in the meantime. Kevin Ryan will be doing well to keep everything going as this is the time of year it normally falls apart for Antrim.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Down goalkeeper S Keith is what to the former great Down goalkeeper of the same surname?

[johnneycool]

He's his son.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Great stuff. 

He's his son.

[waterfordlad]

The first big match of the championship is this Sunday between Waterford and Clare. It'll be the 3rd time in 4 years we've met in Munster championship and all have been close games with Waterford narrowly winning the last 2. I'd expect a similar close game on Sunday. Waterford seem to be playing more traditional hurling under Michael Ryan where Clare under Davy Fitzgerald seem to be more tactical and defensive. Waterford's lack of goals is a concern as we failed to score goals in last 2 championship matches last year and again lacked goals in the league. If we can get a goal or 2 we could edge it.

[johnneycool]

The first big match of the championship is this Sunday between Waterford and Clare. It'll be the 3rd time in 4 years we've met in Munster championship and all have been close games with Waterford narrowly winning the last 2. I'd expect a similar close game on Sunday. Waterford seem to be playing more traditional hurling under Michael Ryan where Clare under Davy Fitzgerald seem to be more tactical and defensive. Waterford's lack of goals is a concern as we failed to score goals in last 2 championship matches last year and again lacked goals in the league. If we can get a goal or 2 we could edge it.

Firstly as someone who used to love going down to Munster championship games before the back door was introduced (IIRC there was a period where only the Munster final losers got into a quarterfinal for a while as well with the Leinster losers, Galway and the Ulster winners) these games have lost their bite a good bit and it'll show a bit on Sunday.

That aside, both Waterfords and Clares only real chance of silverware is the Munster cup so maybe they'll give it a proper lash, and with Clare building a new team and style of play Waterfords greater quality up the middle in particular Brick Walsh may just see them through. I'd expect him to sweep up in front of Davy's two man fullforward line, but the Waterford forwards will need to help in the defensive effort by preventing the Clare passing game out of defence from getting going.

Is Molumpy on army duty or something or other?

[Canalman]

The first big match of the championship is this Sunday between Waterford and Clare. It'll be the 3rd time in 4 years we've met in Munster championship and all have been close games with Waterford narrowly winning the last 2. I'd expect a similar close game on Sunday. Waterford seem to be playing more traditional hurling under Michael Ryan where Clare under Davy Fitzgerald seem to be more tactical and defensive. Waterford's lack of goals is a concern as we failed to score goals in last 2 championship matches last year and again lacked goals in the league. If we can get a goal or 2 we could edge it.

Firstly as someone who used to love going down to Munster championship games before the back door was introduced (IIRC there was a period where only the Munster final losers got into a quarterfinal for a while as well with the Leinster losers, Galway and the Ulster winners) these games have lost their bite a good bit and it'll show a bit on Sunday.

That aside, both Waterfords and Clares only real chance of silverware is the Munster cup so maybe they'll give it a proper lash, and with Clare building a new team and style of play Waterfords greater quality up the middle in particular Brick Walsh may just see them through. I'd expect him to sweep up in front of Davy's two man fullforward line, but the Waterford forwards will need to help in the defensive effort by preventing the Clare passing game out of defence from getting going.

Is Molumpy on army duty or something or other?

Disagree with you there a tad. Clare or Waterford have an outside chance imvho of winning the AI this year. Not saying they will ,but they are in with a shout..................... especially Clare who can take out any team with pure youthful exuberance and pace/ skill.

[johnneycool]

The first big match of the championship is this Sunday between Waterford and Clare. It'll be the 3rd time in 4 years we've met in Munster championship and all have been close games with Waterford narrowly winning the last 2. I'd expect a similar close game on Sunday. Waterford seem to be playing more traditional hurling under Michael Ryan where Clare under Davy Fitzgerald seem to be more tactical and defensive. Waterford's lack of goals is a concern as we failed to score goals in last 2 championship matches last year and again lacked goals in the league. If we can get a goal or 2 we could edge it.

Firstly as someone who used to love going down to Munster championship games before the back door was introduced (IIRC there was a period where only the Munster final losers got into a quarterfinal for a while as well with the Leinster losers, Galway and the Ulster winners) these games have lost their bite a good bit and it'll show a bit on Sunday.

That aside, both Waterfords and Clares only real chance of silverware is the Munster cup so maybe they'll give it a proper lash, and with Clare building a new team and style of play Waterfords greater quality up the middle in particular Brick Walsh may just see them through. I'd expect him to sweep up in front of Davy's two man fullforward line, but the Waterford forwards will need to help in the defensive effort by preventing the Clare passing game out of defence from getting going.

Is Molumpy on army duty or something or other?

Disagree with you there a tad. Clare or Waterford have an outside chance imvho of winning the AI this year. Not saying they will ,but they are in with a shout..................... especially Clare who can take out any team with pure youthful exuberance and pace/ skill.

either with a bit of luck could upset a Tipp, Galway (who knows what Galway will appear this year??)or Kilkenny even on a given day, but they couldn't repeat that the next day out.

Tipp are probably slight favourites for the Munster championship, but IMO if they are to have a bad day then it'll be in Munster, hence my opinion that its both their best bet for silverware.  If Tipp are in the backdoor or quarter final stage it'd be hard to see either Waterford or Clare beat them.
Beating Kilkenny should only be reserved for the knockout stages which is where Clare or Waterford can meet them. It's not impossible but you'd get long odds from the bookies on it happening.

Clares youthful exuberance/wild abandon would need directed in the proper manner and historically they'd get a man or two sent off for such activities, similar to Waterford before the McCarthy era, ala Noel Crowley, great hurler but a lunatic.

[NAG1]

The first big match of the championship is this Sunday between Waterford and Clare. It'll be the 3rd time in 4 years we've met in Munster championship and all have been close games with Waterford narrowly winning the last 2. I'd expect a similar close game on Sunday. Waterford seem to be playing more traditional hurling under Michael Ryan where Clare under Davy Fitzgerald seem to be more tactical and defensive. Waterford's lack of goals is a concern as we failed to score goals in last 2 championship matches last year and again lacked goals in the league. If we can get a goal or 2 we could edge it.

Firstly as someone who used to love going down to Munster championship games before the back door was introduced (IIRC there was a period where only the Munster final losers got into a quarterfinal for a while as well with the Leinster losers, Galway and the Ulster winners) these games have lost their bite a good bit and it'll show a bit on Sunday.

That aside, both Waterfords and Clares only real chance of silverware is the Munster cup so maybe they'll give it a proper lash, and with Clare building a new team and style of play Waterfords greater quality up the middle in particular Brick Walsh may just see them through. I'd expect him to sweep up in front of Davy's two man fullforward line, but the Waterford forwards will need to help in the defensive effort by preventing the Clare passing game out of defence from getting going.

Is Molumpy on army duty or something or other?

Disagree with you there a tad. Clare or Waterford have an outside chance imvho of winning the AI this year. Not saying they will ,but they are in with a shout..................... especially Clare who can take out any team with pure youthful exuberance and pace/ skill.

Not even if you combined both teams and give them a go at it would they win an All Ireland. Neither has the fire power to compete with any of the top three, either of them could beat Cork at the moment but that is as far as they will go.

Davy building a nice wee team, but to be honest that short passing possession type stuff will break down against the better teams, because their forwards tackle every bit as hard as their defenders. This makes it nigh on impossible to work the ball out under that type of pressure constantly.

[johnneycool]

From the Irish Times:

Waterford will hand Championship debuts to three players in Sunday's Munster SHC quarter-final against Clare in Thurles, including two in the full-forward line.

Jamie Barron of Fourmilewater and De La Salle's Jake Dillon fill the corner forward roles and are among five under-21 players named in the starting line-up by manager Michael Ryan.

Lismore's Paudie Prendergast is the other debutant, slotting in at left wing back.

Goalkeeper Ian O'Regan makes a return to the side for the first time since 2004.

WATERFORD (SH v Clare, Semple Stadium, Sunday, 4.0pm): I O'Regan; D Fives, L Lawlor, N Connors; J Nagle, M Walsh, P Prendergast; S O'Sullivan, K Moran (capt); M Shanahan, S Prendergast, B O'Halloran; J Barron, P Mahony, J Dillon.