Is there an All Ireland Hurling Final this weekend?

[johnneycool]

After the whinging in the semi final about the intensity of Limericks tackling and whether it was illegal or not, the ref will be watching like a hawk but with Kilkenny being accused of head high tackling by Cork a few years back neither team are angels in this respect. After all the chest puffing is over I'd expect Kilkenny to be more efficient in front of goals that their Limerick counterparts. For Limerick to have a chance they need to still be close to Kilkenny in the last 10 minutes and maintain the intensity, something Galway failed to do and the cats pulled away.
I can't see either Shaughs of Begley getting the same leeway by the Kilkenny backs. Noel Hickey won't be putting his had up along with Begley, he'll be batting the ball and Begleys hand or both when the need arises and allow either his keeper or two corner backs to tidy up.
What Donie Ryan will turn up? The deadly accurate one against Waterford or the normally very wasteful one who has a knack of making the wrong decision more often than not? For the good of the game on sunday you'd hope his form against Waterford will carry through.

My head says it'll be another 'bale on the trailer' for Kilkenny but you'd hope that Limerick win to provide a much needed boost to hurling in the rugby stronghold of Limerick city.

[Colonel Cool]

I expect Limerick to hold their own in the first half but they'll be working harder than Kilkenny for the scores. In the second half it will just drift away from them as the Cats get 2 score for every one of they get. I hate to say it but the Cats should win by 10-12 points. Limerick will need to mind their discipline. They can't afford to go a man down under any circumstances.
There's no such thing as a sure thing in hurling but this is as close as it gets.

[mouview]

KK are worthy favourites but the slight suspicion remains that they aren't quite as good as people think; JJ isn't having a vintage year, maybe doubts about the goalkeeper (who will it be?) and CHB, Cha will need to be kept quiet in midfield and, as I've said here before, their forwards aren't always hectic. Henry did little against Galway, ditto Fogarty, Comerford works hard but won't kill you with scores, Fast Eddie doesn't always produce either - see last year's final - Richie Power coming off the bench is a threat though. If KK win, Tommy Walsh Hurler of the year (and maybe anyway), if Limerick win it could be Shaughs.

It's a lot of ifs and buts for Limerick but I haven't heard a word about the hype down there which is a good sign. I'll buck the trend and go for them by 2.

[Captain Scarlet]

lads the subject of the thread seems very apt, seemingly there isnt much build-up in the counties either.

did ya hear charlie carter on the road to croker?

[mouview]

BTW, when was the last time, if ever, 6 different counties contested the Minor, U-21 and Senior c'ship finals?

[maxpower]

okay finishing up at work for the week so i'll throw my prediction in for what its worth

Kilkenny to win easy

Kilkenny 2:18
Limerick 1:12

[The Real Laoislad]

By the way...I think the fact the Board has been split up has actually hurt hurling discussion rather than improved it! - it now has less 'drop ins'!

there was zero discussion on hurling before the split- at least there is some now. Anyway there isn't much discussion on football these days just the banal rubbish about Dublin people in general from bitter Laois people or certain nordies who have a particular grudge.

On the final itself i  hope Kilkenny win. I think they are a hurling team- i think Limerick aren't. Limerick will hit anything that moves for the first 20 mins- if KK survive that onsault i can't see limerick putting up the requisite score required to win. They certainly won't score 5 goals on the kk defence and i can't see them hitting the 18-19 points needed to win. The massed defence won't work either for Limerick as Cha and these lads can score from 80 yards offeither hand. Kk are going very well in training according to observers and I'd be surprised if they don't win by 10 points.
For me there simply is a gulf in class - it's a lot easier in football for a mediocre team to beta a good team- doesn't happen in hurling except on very rare occasions and i don't see this as one of them.

From what i can make out your the only/most bitter poster and you certainly hold a grudge

[Bord na Mona man]

I can't see Limerick doing it. They have a few hedge cutters, briar hook wielders and shovel swingers, but their guts and determination is fantastic.
However they'd need 3 or 4 goals to beat Kilkenny.
The last time Kilkenny conceded a load of goals was in 2005 vs Galway.
Significantly Noel Hickey wasn't playing that day.
Goals wouldn't have kept going in that day without Hickey beheading someone...or at least killing them!
When Hickey was having injury problems, I thought Limerick had a glimmer, now I just can't see it happening.

I'd expect Limerick to put it up to Kilkenny and not wilt at least. The can either get a blistering start and try and sustain or else try and stick with Kilkenny and hope for a second half lull.

[ONeill]

Limerick will win this. Kilkenny have floated into the final unchallenged. Limerick are the Tyrone of '05, battle-hardened and playing with 'gay abandon'. As you can tell I'm a hurling expert.

Limerick 2-18
Kilkenny 2-16

By the way - stop moaning about the lack of chat on here leading up to the game.....make it instead.

[darbyo]

Although there has to be question marks over the Kilkenny team e.g their easy path to the final, the center back spot, and the form of certain players I think this Limerick team are one of the poorest squads to make a final in a long time. I predicted an easy win for Waterford in the semi and got it spectacularly wrong but Waterford had 17 wides to Limericks 8 and they got 5 goals, it was a day all went right for them Sunday will be different.

[Kerry Mike]

I can see Limerick winning it, if they can bring the same level of intensity that that had against Waterford they are in with a great chance, and as me mammy is from Limerick I will be roaring them on, and the bookies odds are very tempting so a wad of cash will be heading onto Limerick from KM, I reckon JP McManus will have a sizable sum on his county to win.

Kilkenny have a great team and have been there and know how to win on the big day but is there a chance they might be a bit complacent playing Limerick and not either Cork or Waterford. If Sheflin or his coherts in the forwards get motoring they will put in a score but its up to Limerick to tear into them from the start and pull timber on anything that moves, man and ball, and if they can get some early scores up they could rattle the Cats. It could make for a hard physical battle and the referee will need to be on his guard from the off.

Looking forward to it, c'mon the Treaty men

[darbyo]

Kilkenny team was named last night anyone got it?

[Guillem2]

Kilkenny - PJ Ryan; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, J Tyrrell; T Walsh, B Hogan, JJ Delaney; D Lyng, J Fitzpatrick; E Brennan, H Shefflin, E Larkin; W O'Dwyer, M Comerford, A Fogarty.

I'm 100% behind Limerick in this one but I'll keep my money in my pocket. They have a chance but it's a slim one. Good luck to them anyway. I'd say most of the country will be behind them as underdogs.

[magickingdom]

He has a point 5times. Last year there was a thread running to 3 or 4 pages on the hurling final. This year nil. It's getting more like a Discussion Board for very young football fans.
Anyway Limerick are unchanged. When to the Cats name their team. No way I can see Limerick winning this. I expect it to be close for an hour and Kilkenny to pull away at the end. Just like they've done all year.

its true, i think it was wrong to seperate the hurling board. i wouldn't follow the hurling like the football but last year i read all the threads, this year till now didn't go look for them. there was definately a need to seperate the local gaa but not the hurling. can we go back?

[darbyo]

In fairness I think one of the reasons that there isn't much talk about this AI is that there isn't too much to get excited about. If you'er not from the competing counties then it's a bit hard to get going about the match. I think everybody agrees that Kilkenny will win it therefore there is little room for debate or in-dept analysis of where the game will be won or lost. Will shout for Limerick though.