Dublin v Kilkenny

[Bud Wiser]

I think the Dubs are up for this and after their challenge game against Cork they are rearing to go. This will be a huge game for Dubs and for some reason or other I think they could pull it off.

[orangeman]

I think the Dubs are up for this and after their challenge game against Cork they are rearing to go. This will be a huge game for Dubs and for some reason or other I think they could pull it off.

Dubs raring to go.

[heffo]

I think we'll give it a good lash but think Kilkenny will want to put a marker down and will meet fire with fire.

[Premier Emperor]

I think we'll give it a good lash but think Kilkenny will want to put a marker down and will meet fire with fire.

That's the only way to play Kilkenny. Dish the rough stuff back at them twice as hard.

[orangeman]

I think we'll give it a good lash but think Kilkenny will want to put a marker down and will meet fire with fire.

Sounds like there's been a lot of timber broken in training recently.

Extra stretchers have been ordered for Sunday.

Barry Kelly and the  St. John's ambulance crew will have their hands full here.

[CorkMan]

Looked during the league like a lot of the Dublin players had bulked up a lot. The thing is, that Kilkenny always play on the very edge of the rules. Can Dublin be disciplined but physical enough at the same time?

[AZOffaly]

I was chatting a couple of lads in Thurles yesterday who reckoned that the Clare team have put up as much as a stone a man in muscle weight since Davy took them over. Looks like another wave of phsyicality is coming from the West.

[Bud Wiser]

It's not that many years ago you would see a group of Dublin players all around a ball like someone trying to kill rats at a threshing. Since then their skill levels have upped considerably and that is the difference.  This thing about Kilkenny playing on the edge as regards being physical is getting a bit tiresome, they play the game as it is supposed to be played. Henry Shefflin, DJ Carey for example I would consider their two best players  over the last ten, fifteen years, neither of them were that physical or did they ever get sent off?

Jackie Tyrell for example was a walking saint ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__L1NiWbruI

[Armagh Cúchulainns]

It's not that many years ago you would see a group of Dublin players all around a ball like someone trying to kill rats at a threshing. Since then their skill levels have upped considerably and that is the difference.  This thing about Kilkenny playing on the edge as regards being physical is getting a bit tiresome, they play the game as it is supposed to be played. Henry Shefflin, DJ Carey for example I would consider their two best players  over the last ten, fifteen years, neither of them were that physical or did they ever get sent off?

Jackie Tyrell for example was a walking saint ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__L1NiWbruI

Walking saint surely

Roll on Saturday and Sunday - nothing beats being there!

[thejuice]

Don't want to miss this one.

Hopefully the Dubs can give them a rattle. Kilkenny don't hold back for anyone, they don't stay on top by being nice. This would be a huge win for the Dubs but I wonder how they could have improved by that much after coming up short in the league.

[johnneycool]

Don't want to miss this one.

Hopefully the Dubs can give them a rattle. Kilkenny don't hold back for anyone, they don't stay on top by being nice. This would be a huge win for the Dubs but I wonder how they could have improved by that much after coming up short in the league.

Hope Daly sets up Dublin to go toe to toe with Kilkenny! I hate that deploying an extra defender as realistically its a damage limitation exercise where you're more or less admitting defeat.

Dublin had a poor league, but if the injuries are clearing up can have a real go and will still at worst be in the qualifiers.

[Asal Mor]

Don't want to miss this one.

Hopefully the Dubs can give them a rattle. Kilkenny don't hold back for anyone, they don't stay on top by being nice. This would be a huge win for the Dubs but I wonder how they could have improved by that much after coming up short in the league.

I couldn't agree with ya less there Johnny, sorry. I believe that against a team as special as Kilkenny you've got to do whatever you can to stay close to them and not be blown away. If they can stop Kilkenny getting in for goals they'll give themselves a chance. They got a bit of criticism for using that tactic against Tipp last year but there were only 3 points in it at the end (1-18 to 0-18) in a game that they could have won. I'm not sure that going man - to - man straight up against Larkin, Reid, Power, Hogan etc would be that wise, good and all as the Dublin backs are.

Hope Daly sets up Dublin to go toe to toe with Kilkenny! I hate that deploying an extra defender as realistically its a damage limitation exercise where you're more or less admitting defeat.

Dublin had a poor league, but if the injuries are clearing up can have a real go and will still at worst be in the qualifiers.

[Canalman]

Have a feeling this game will be bumper car hurling given how tight the pitch is in Portlaoise.

Honestly think that KK will beat us on Saturday and strangely enough that we could take them later in the season in CP if and it is a big "if" we get to play them again.
Don't think the cruciate trio have enough hurling behind them at the moment and think that the wide expances (sic) of CP will suit Treacy and Sutcliffe better. Treacy is a player I rate very highly and if he is in form Dublin can beat anyone.

For me KK by 5.

[heffo]

Have a feeling this game will be bumper car hurling given how tight the pitch is in Portlaoise.

Honestly think that KK will beat us on Saturday and strangely enough that we could take them later in the season in CP if and it is a big "if" we get to play them again.
Don't think the cruciate trio have enough hurling behind them at the moment and think that the wide expances (sic) of CP will suit Treacy and Sutcliffe better. Treacy is a player I rate very highly and if he is in form Dublin can beat anyone.

For me KK by 5.

Would agree with that - not conceding an early goal is key.

Too often KK get an early goal and it knocks the stuffing out of teams - keeping it tight for as long as possible is vital.

[Declan]

Would love to see us do it but my head says the Cats with a few to spare