The 2018 National Hurling Leagues Discussion Thread

Started by slippery dodger, January 23, 2018, 05:06:20 PM

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seafoid

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2018, 12:03:55 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 10:02:56 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 08, 2018, 06:23:05 PM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 05:51:35 PM
Tipp improved 150% between April and August. I dunno if KK can. Not enough iterations imo.

You'll never learn  ;D you're obvious Kilkenny hatred makes you look foolish so many times
You can't really hate a hurling team. Maybe Schadenfreude occasionally such as here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoPvOQPdfQ&t=299s

KK are ranked 3rd by the bookies which seems fair. Like all great managers Cody squeezed the last out of a super cohort and is now missing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65qo0U5630

Kilkenny won't be there this year but they've at least put out some reminders that they ain't going to lie down this summer
Leinster should be interesting with 3 teams in the running.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

johnnycool

Quote from: seafoid on April 09, 2018, 07:51:52 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2018, 12:03:55 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 10:02:56 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 08, 2018, 06:23:05 PM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 05:51:35 PM
Tipp improved 150% between April and August. I dunno if KK can. Not enough iterations imo.

You'll never learn  ;D you're obvious Kilkenny hatred makes you look foolish so many times
You can't really hate a hurling team. Maybe Schadenfreude occasionally such as here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoPvOQPdfQ&t=299s

KK are ranked 3rd by the bookies which seems fair. Like all great managers Cody squeezed the last out of a super cohort and is now missing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65qo0U5630

Kilkenny won't be there this year but they've at least put out some reminders that they ain't going to lie down this summer
Leinster should be interesting with 3 teams in the running.

For three playoff spots! Leinster will be anything but interesting unless Offaly or Dublin can take points from some of the other three and that doesn't look likely.

Munster on the other hand, any three of the five are in with a shout.

Credit to Kilkenny, they showed a great hunger and with TJ Reid and big Walter on song along with the young 19 year old have talent in the squad. Cillian Buckley is a fine hurler as it Eoin Murphy in goals and that's a decent foundation. Add in Richie Hogan, Paul Murphy and Colin Fennelly and they will be there or there abouts later on added by a handy enough run in Leinster where the odd defeat won't be catastrophic. Still thing Paudie Walsh in fullback is a square peg in a round hole and the right man in on top of him will cause issues.

But have they enough to kick on in the summer months like most other major contenders will?
There's far more to Tipp that they showed yesterday, Galway will be much stronger, Waterford won't become a bad team overnight. Limerick can kick again with a young team.

The likes of Clare, Wexford and maybe KK have shown a good bit of their hand already IMO and maybe won't have the strength in depth for 4 games in 5 weeks and that's maybe where they'll all come unstuck. Injuries to key men and no suitable back ups could spell the end of their summers.
Kilkenny used to win leagues at a canter and you just knew they were treading water, this team was full tilt yesterday, but who knows.


seafoid

KK have some very good hurlers alright but they remind me of the club all Ireland where the determinant is how good your weakest links are. Big Walter didn't develop into the hurler people expected imo.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

johnnycool

Quote from: seafoid on April 09, 2018, 10:50:33 AM
KK have some very good hurlers alright but they remind me of the club all Ireland where the determinant is how good your weakest links are. Big Walter didn't develop into the hurler people expected imo.

He was good yesterday, but his awkwardness can lead to him having games where he does very little.

It's his time to come to the fore so this summer will be interesting for him!

theskull1

Striking just how many lets say unconventional stickmen KK have at the minute. 
It's a lot easier to sing karaoke than to sing opera

Milltown Row2

Quote from: johnnycool on April 09, 2018, 09:57:12 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 09, 2018, 07:51:52 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2018, 12:03:55 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 10:02:56 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 08, 2018, 06:23:05 PM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 05:51:35 PM
Tipp improved 150% between April and August. I dunno if KK can. Not enough iterations imo.

You'll never learn  ;D you're obvious Kilkenny hatred makes you look foolish so many times
You can't really hate a hurling team. Maybe Schadenfreude occasionally such as here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoPvOQPdfQ&t=299s

KK are ranked 3rd by the bookies which seems fair. Like all great managers Cody squeezed the last out of a super cohort and is now missing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65qo0U5630

Kilkenny won't be there this year but they've at least put out some reminders that they ain't going to lie down this summer
Leinster should be interesting with 3 teams in the running.

For three playoff spots! Leinster will be anything but interesting unless Offaly or Dublin can take points from some of the other three and that doesn't look likely.

Munster on the other hand, any three of the five are in with a shout.

Credit to Kilkenny, they showed a great hunger and with TJ Reid and big Walter on song along with the young 19 year old have talent in the squad. Cillian Buckley is a fine hurler as it Eoin Murphy in goals and that's a decent foundation. Add in Richie Hogan, Paul Murphy and Colin Fennelly and they will be there or there abouts later on added by a handy enough run in Leinster where the odd defeat won't be catastrophic. Still thing Paudie Walsh in fullback is a square peg in a round hole and the right man in on top of him will cause issues.

But have they enough to kick on in the summer months like most other major contenders will?
There's far more to Tipp that they showed yesterday, Galway will be much stronger, Waterford won't become a bad team overnight. Limerick can kick again with a young team.

The likes of Clare, Wexford and maybe KK have shown a good bit of their hand already IMO and maybe won't have the strength in depth for 4 games in 5 weeks and that's maybe where they'll all come unstuck. Injuries to key men and no suitable back ups could spell the end of their summers.
Kilkenny used to win leagues at a canter and you just knew they were treading water, this team was full tilt yesterday, but who knows.

Aagreed on most of that, Could Murphy take the fullback role? As you say, Walsh is plugging a hole there and could come unstuck, now in saying that, he'd decent forwards against him yesterday but that wasnt Tipp's best full forward on show TBH..

Wexford will cause a ripple this year as will Limerick, problem with Limerick is being able to put back to back performances, in a one off game they can be brilliant or shite!  Galway will be rested and looking to peak for the final stages, so i will expect them to be still a bit rusty during Leinster..

Aas for Munster, anyone can win that, my money is on Clare though
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

johnnycool

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2018, 11:12:56 AM
Quote from: johnnycool on April 09, 2018, 09:57:12 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 09, 2018, 07:51:52 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2018, 12:03:55 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 10:02:56 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 08, 2018, 06:23:05 PM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 05:51:35 PM
Tipp improved 150% between April and August. I dunno if KK can. Not enough iterations imo.

You'll never learn  ;D you're obvious Kilkenny hatred makes you look foolish so many times
You can't really hate a hurling team. Maybe Schadenfreude occasionally such as here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoPvOQPdfQ&t=299s

KK are ranked 3rd by the bookies which seems fair. Like all great managers Cody squeezed the last out of a super cohort and is now missing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65qo0U5630

Kilkenny won't be there this year but they've at least put out some reminders that they ain't going to lie down this summer
Leinster should be interesting with 3 teams in the running.

For three playoff spots! Leinster will be anything but interesting unless Offaly or Dublin can take points from some of the other three and that doesn't look likely.

Munster on the other hand, any three of the five are in with a shout.

Credit to Kilkenny, they showed a great hunger and with TJ Reid and big Walter on song along with the young 19 year old have talent in the squad. Cillian Buckley is a fine hurler as it Eoin Murphy in goals and that's a decent foundation. Add in Richie Hogan, Paul Murphy and Colin Fennelly and they will be there or there abouts later on added by a handy enough run in Leinster where the odd defeat won't be catastrophic. Still thing Paudie Walsh in fullback is a square peg in a round hole and the right man in on top of him will cause issues.

But have they enough to kick on in the summer months like most other major contenders will?
There's far more to Tipp that they showed yesterday, Galway will be much stronger, Waterford won't become a bad team overnight. Limerick can kick again with a young team.

The likes of Clare, Wexford and maybe KK have shown a good bit of their hand already IMO and maybe won't have the strength in depth for 4 games in 5 weeks and that's maybe where they'll all come unstuck. Injuries to key men and no suitable back ups could spell the end of their summers.
Kilkenny used to win leagues at a canter and you just knew they were treading water, this team was full tilt yesterday, but who knows.

Aagreed on most of that, Could Murphy take the fullback role? As you say, Walsh is plugging a hole there and could come unstuck, now in saying that, he'd decent forwards against him yesterday but that wasnt Tipp's best full forward on show TBH..

Wexford will cause a ripple this year as will Limerick, problem with Limerick is being able to put back to back performances, in a one off game they can be brilliant or shite!  Galway will be rested and looking to peak for the final stages, so i will expect them to be still a bit rusty during Leinster..

Aas for Munster, anyone can win that, my money is on Clare though

I'd have thought Murphy would have gotten a run at No 3, but Cody didn't fancy him last year or the year before when JJ hung up the boots. Cody must have had his reasons. Murphy was poor by his standards the last few years and needs to find his form again.

I don't think Clare have got the balance to a team yet. Corner backs have been exposed by pacy forwards, big Cleary looks solid at No 3, but the jury is still out on Davy Mac at centre back and who's either side of him. Cleary performed well there last year. Fitzgerald looked good on his left and Morey is pacy on the right, but would be targeted in the air.
Tony Kelly and where to play him is a concern as currently they play him in midfield but his lack of cut and thrust in the ruck situation means they lack a physical presence in there and are exposed through the centre. Get him on the ball with time and space and he's your man. The way Kilkenny played in this area yesterday will be all too common in the coming months and that's the concern with Kelly. How the game is currently refereed doesn't suit him.
Forward wise Clare are pretty well stacked.
I like Conlon even if he does have the odd brainfart in decision making and big Duggan give Clare an aerial and physical threat that will trouble most defenses. Shane O'Donnell is a class act but has been isolated inside on his own, Reidy is also a very good hurler and has been going well this year. Options wise Podge Collins needs form as does Conor McGrath.

Problem for Clare is that they need to beat Cork the first day out and I don't think they know their best team yet.

It's Tipp or a resurgent Waterford for me.

Milltown Row2

Quote from: johnnycool on April 09, 2018, 01:33:40 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2018, 11:12:56 AM
Quote from: johnnycool on April 09, 2018, 09:57:12 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 09, 2018, 07:51:52 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2018, 12:03:55 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 10:02:56 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 08, 2018, 06:23:05 PM
Quote from: seafoid on April 08, 2018, 05:51:35 PM
Tipp improved 150% between April and August. I dunno if KK can. Not enough iterations imo.

You'll never learn  ;D you're obvious Kilkenny hatred makes you look foolish so many times
You can't really hate a hurling team. Maybe Schadenfreude occasionally such as here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoPvOQPdfQ&t=299s

KK are ranked 3rd by the bookies which seems fair. Like all great managers Cody squeezed the last out of a super cohort and is now missing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65qo0U5630

Kilkenny won't be there this year but they've at least put out some reminders that they ain't going to lie down this summer
Leinster should be interesting with 3 teams in the running.

For three playoff spots! Leinster will be anything but interesting unless Offaly or Dublin can take points from some of the other three and that doesn't look likely.

Munster on the other hand, any three of the five are in with a shout.

Credit to Kilkenny, they showed a great hunger and with TJ Reid and big Walter on song along with the young 19 year old have talent in the squad. Cillian Buckley is a fine hurler as it Eoin Murphy in goals and that's a decent foundation. Add in Richie Hogan, Paul Murphy and Colin Fennelly and they will be there or there abouts later on added by a handy enough run in Leinster where the odd defeat won't be catastrophic. Still thing Paudie Walsh in fullback is a square peg in a round hole and the right man in on top of him will cause issues.

But have they enough to kick on in the summer months like most other major contenders will?
There's far more to Tipp that they showed yesterday, Galway will be much stronger, Waterford won't become a bad team overnight. Limerick can kick again with a young team.

The likes of Clare, Wexford and maybe KK have shown a good bit of their hand already IMO and maybe won't have the strength in depth for 4 games in 5 weeks and that's maybe where they'll all come unstuck. Injuries to key men and no suitable back ups could spell the end of their summers.
Kilkenny used to win leagues at a canter and you just knew they were treading water, this team was full tilt yesterday, but who knows.

Aagreed on most of that, Could Murphy take the fullback role? As you say, Walsh is plugging a hole there and could come unstuck, now in saying that, he'd decent forwards against him yesterday but that wasnt Tipp's best full forward on show TBH..

Wexford will cause a ripple this year as will Limerick, problem with Limerick is being able to put back to back performances, in a one off game they can be brilliant or shite!  Galway will be rested and looking to peak for the final stages, so i will expect them to be still a bit rusty during Leinster..

Aas for Munster, anyone can win that, my money is on Clare though

I'd have thought Murphy would have gotten a run at No 3, but Cody didn't fancy him last year or the year before when JJ hung up the boots. Cody must have had his reasons. Murphy was poor by his standards the last few years and needs to find his form again.

I don't think Clare have got the balance to a team yet. Corner backs have been exposed by pacy forwards, big Cleary looks solid at No 3, but the jury is still out on Davy Mac at centre back and who's either side of him. Cleary performed well there last year. Fitzgerald looked good on his left and Morey is pacy on the right, but would be targeted in the air.
Tony Kelly and where to play him is a concern as currently they play him in midfield but his lack of cut and thrust in the ruck situation means they lack a physical presence in there and are exposed through the centre. Get him on the ball with time and space and he's your man. The way Kilkenny played in this area yesterday will be all too common in the coming months and that's the concern with Kelly. How the game is currently refereed doesn't suit him.
Forward wise Clare are pretty well stacked.
I like Conlon even if he does have the odd brainfart in decision making and big Duggan give Clare an aerial and physical threat that will trouble most defenses. Shane O'Donnell is a class act but has been isolated inside on his own, Reidy is also a very good hurler and has been going well this year. Options wise Podge Collins needs form as does Conor McGrath.

Problem for Clare is that they need to beat Cork the first day out and I don't think they know their best team yet.

It's Tipp or a resurgent Waterford for me.

Should Waterford do it with this current crop and management I'd be happy for them but by fcuk it must be playing on your mind whether or not they ever will get over the line.. Tipp as you have said on so many occasions go missing, when they are on top they never kill off the team, they have a spell where they just couldnt buy a score or catch a ball!

would never write off Kilkenny and as I said Limerick if they could put together 2/3 wins in a row could actually do something.. But if Galway can get back mentally to where they were last year then its theirs if they want it . 2 in a row would make up for all the ones that have past them by and history is behind them with the team of the 80's managing a couple of wins
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

johnnycool

Barring Brick Walsh and Kevin Moran Waterford are a very young team. A load of those lads are early 20's with their best years ahead of them.

Call me old fashioned, but I'd like to see McGrath play another man inside the full forward line as it must be a killer for whoever he leaves up there on their own.
Tipp have their number over the last few years tactics wise and McGrath needs to go for the throat in attack even if they do concede a few more points down the other end.
Still think they'll get out of Munster and build from there.

I think Cork may struggle as I thought they rode their luck last year.

AZOffaly

One factor that shouldn't be overlooked re. Waterford is they have no home games in Munster. They play Clare in Ennis in their first game, and Tipp and Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds after that on 2 consecutive weeks. They'd then have Cork below in Thurles.  All other teams have 2 home games, so that's going to be a disadvantage to them.

If they do manage to navigate that, then yes, they'll be dangerous.

johnnycool

Quote from: AZOffaly on April 09, 2018, 02:22:12 PM
One factor that shouldn't be overlooked re. Waterford is they have no home games in Munster. They play Clare in Ennis in their first game, and Tipp and Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds after that on 2 consecutive weeks. They'd then have Cork below in Thurles.  All other teams have 2 home games, so that's going to be a disadvantage to them.

If they do manage to navigate that, then yes, they'll be dangerous.

I knew that, but their record in Dungarvan is that poor a bigger pitch like Thurles or the Gaelic Grounds might suit their style of play anyways.

Top three is all that matters.

AZOffaly

Walsh Park is surely where they'd like to play.  If they lose to Clare on day 1, and then lose to Tipp in Limerick, you're behind the 8 ball straight away.

johnnycool

Quote from: AZOffaly on April 09, 2018, 02:44:49 PM
Walsh Park is surely where they'd like to play.  If they lose to Clare on day 1, and then lose to Tipp in Limerick, you're behind the 8 ball straight away.

Apologies, Walsh park is what I meant to say.


AZOffaly

Quote from: johnnycool on April 09, 2018, 03:24:48 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 09, 2018, 02:44:49 PM
Walsh Park is surely where they'd like to play.  If they lose to Clare on day 1, and then lose to Tipp in Limerick, you're behind the 8 ball straight away.

Apologies, Walsh park is what I meant to say.

No hassle, I thought I missed something :) Dungarvan is where they shove us big ballers out to play :)

johnnycool

Quote from: theskull1 on April 09, 2018, 11:09:59 AM
Striking just how many lets say unconventional stickmen KK have at the minute.

Big Walter is the most obvious cack hander, but TJ Reid and Joey Holden look like natural left handers who are inclined to strike across the body, nothing untoward about that.