NHL 2016

[seafoid]

Starts on Sunday. Will the Dèise do it again?

[johnneycool]

Starts on Sunday. Will the Dèise do it again?

Think they'll need to change tack slightly, teams will work them out and pick off long range points rather than pump the ball into a crowded defense.
McGrath may have been instilling a bit of confidence in his young team last year with their uber defensive approach and may allow them to play a bit more hurling further up the field as he's got a very talented bunch at his disposal.
Will be interesting how they get on, similarly Clare with the new backroom team and Kinnerk back in an advisory role to see if Davy and Donal also let them push up the field a bit.

[deiseach]

Starts on Sunday. Will the Dèise do it again?

No.

[seafoid]

Cork haven't won since 98

[From the Bunker]

Cork haven't won since 98

Hard to believe Cork have only one Munster in 9 years. And it's 11 years since their last Liam.

By decade
The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Munster Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:

1890s: 4 each for Cork (1890-92-93-94) and Tipperary (1895-96-98-99)
1900s: 6 for Cork (1901-02-03-04-05-07)
1910s: 3 each for Cork (1912-15-19); Limerick (1910-11-18) and Tipperary (1913-16-17)
1920s: 5 for Cork (1920-26-27-28-29)
1930s: 4 for Limerick (1933-34-35-36)
1940s: 5 for Cork (1942-43-44-46-47)
1950s: 4 for Cork (1952-53-54-56)
1960s: 7 for Tipperary (1960-61-62-64-65-67-68)
1970s: 7 for Cork (1970-72-75-76-77-78-79)
1980s: 5 for Cork (1982-83-84-85-86)
1990s: 3 each for Clare (1995-97-98) and Cork (1990-92-99)
2000s: 4 for Cork (2000-03-05-06)
2010s: 3 for Tipperary (2011-12-15)

[seafoid]

The Cork thing is crazy. One of the teams most damaged by the dominance of Kilkenny

[AZOffaly]

Good win for Tipp last night in very heavy conditions. Dublin look vulnerable. I know they were missing a fair few but when you consider the Tipp retirements around midfield and the absence of Callanan, Bubbles and a few others, Tipp weren't exactly at full strength themselves.

The first touch was far from precise and the conditions led to lots of rucks but Tipp were just that bit classier in taking their scores. Promising win for Michael Ryan.

In Limerick conditions were worse. Semple Stadium is a brilliant surface, so when it's bad there you know the Gaelic Grounds is going to be a bog. It was so bad that Lee Chin stood on the sliotar and it disappeared completely. That said Limerick looked pretty decent, with Paul Brown and their full back line outstanding. Not sure about their half backs nor the new forwards though, and Declan Hannon looked rusty. Cian Lynch needs to develop his scoring a bit too. He's unselfish but he's not really influencing games. Still with the na Piarsaigh lads back, they'll be battling Clare for promotion and will be dark horses in Munster again, at least.

Wexford looked dire in the first half, and while they improved a lot effort wise, they are still weak looking. They seem to lack leaders up front. Andrew Shore moved up to centre forward and improved things but he still had bad wides. McGovern needs to step up to this level. He's around a few years, and I remember a qualifier a couple of years ago in Thurles where Seamus Hickey and Ritchie McCarthy ate him alive. Nothing much looked different yesterday and The Limerick full back line looked pretty comfortable against him.

Great to have the hurling back too!

[seafoid]

Great win for Waterford and Galway got off to a good start

[cicfada]

Decent win for Galway but remember it's cork they were playing. A very open match as well which won't be the case again you would feel. A few new lads blooded for Galway and Niall Burke was very impressive . As for Cork I would contend that along with Kilkennys dominance, it's the strikes that did big damage to them . I know an awful lot of lads  ( good GAA lads ) that are not involved with GAA anymore with GAA matters. Hard to know what impact they'll have this year.

[Asal Mor]

Cork are not the toughest team to play against, but it's a very encouraging start all the same. And with Johnny Glynn in America and Cyril nearing the end of his county career, Niall Burke's performance and ability to win ball in the air were a very welcome boost.

[seafoid]

Decent win for Galway but remember it's cork they were playing. A very open match as well which won't be the case again you would feel. A few new lads blooded for Galway and Niall Burke was very impressive . As for Cork I would contend that along with Kilkennys dominance, it's the strikes that did big damage to them . I know an awful lot of lads  ( good GAA lads ) that are not involved with GAA anymore with GAA matters. Hard to know what impact they'll have this year.

KK, the strike and no underage success. It is pretty shocking.

[deiseach]

Starts on Sunday. Will the Dèise do it again?

No.

No . . .

[Asal Mor]

It was very ominous how good the new lads were for Kilkenny today. Kevin Kelly and James Maher looked very tidy and that centre back Lennon from Bennettsbridge could be a serious find too. They might well be celebrating in front of an empty Croke Park in September (bitter I know, but I'm way beyond sick of them).

[Minder]

It was very ominous how good the new lads were for Kilkenny today. Kevin Kelly and James Maher looked very tidy and that centre back Lennon from Bennettsbridge could be a serious find too. They might well be celebrating in front of an empty Croke Park in September (bitter I know, but I'm way beyond sick of them).

Could be and probably am wrong about Lennon but I thought he looked like more of a winter hurler than one suited to the hard ground of the summer

[imtommygunn]

Paudie maher pulls some dirty strokes sometimes.

Tipp were very fired up for that one and will be sore to lose it. Looked like they were going to run away with it on 25 odd minutes.

Interesting set of results with dublin winning. Thought them and cork were bottom two but maybe cork favourites now.

Clare got it tight enough but not sure they were full pelt from brief bit i saw. Is podge collins back?