Hurling 2024

[johnnycool]

I get what your are saying but its been very hard for Cork to replace the likes of Horgan, the man weighs in with 10 or more points (granted a lot are frees) but to an extent he wins a few of them himself and he's been their best target man.

I think its difficult to just 'save' players and hope they find their form coming the drier sod, Cork, traditionally should be performing better with the pick of players they have to choose from over other counties, that's their biggest issue.

I enjoyed yesterdays game and Clare showing they have plenty of depth too, to their squad, its sustaining a run of wins to win Liam in the Championship that they are falling down on, and Limerick

Horgan hasn't been a threat from play in a few years now. He's got his standard move of running around the back of a Cork player in possession to take the pass and tap over the bar.
Cork need a serious goal getter in there and it's no longer Horgan.

[NorthAntrim]

I get what your are saying but its been very hard for Cork to replace the likes of Horgan, the man weighs in with 10 or more points (granted a lot are frees) but to an extent he wins a few of them himself and he's been their best target man.

I think its difficult to just 'save' players and hope they find their form coming the drier sod, Cork, traditionally should be performing better with the pick of players they have to choose from over other counties, that's their biggest issue.

I enjoyed yesterdays game and Clare showing they have plenty of depth too, to their squad, its sustaining a run of wins to win Liam in the Championship that they are falling down on, and Limerick

Horgan hasn't been a threat from play in a few years now. He's got his standard move of running around the back of a Cork player in possession to take the pass and tap over the bar.
Cork need a serious goal getter in there and it's no longer Horgan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV9ccAYnnPs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZBtyjWvXj0

[marty34]

I get what your are saying but its been very hard for Cork to replace the likes of Horgan, the man weighs in with 10 or more points (granted a lot are frees) but to an extent he wins a few of them himself and he's been their best target man.

I think its difficult to just 'save' players and hope they find their form coming the drier sod, Cork, traditionally should be performing better with the pick of players they have to choose from over other counties, that's their biggest issue.

I enjoyed yesterdays game and Clare showing they have plenty of depth too, to their squad, its sustaining a run of wins to win Liam in the Championship that they are falling down on, and Limerick

Horgan hasn't been a threat from play in a few years now. He's got his standard move of running around the back of a Cork player in possession to take the pass and tap over the bar.
Cork need a serious goal getter in there and it's no longer Horgan.

Declan Dalton could be an option but I think he's currently injured.

Plus he's good on the frees.

Just saying hard to see any development with players if Lehane and Horgan starting in the first league game.

[seafoid]

Will Tipp be able to challenge Limerick munster this year ?

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2024/0206/1430856-big-guns-face-big-questions-in-the-league-this-weekend/

We thought this league might deliver more than last year in terms of more meaningful games and it's so far so good.
There was a great battle in Nowlan Park with honours even at the end, a good showing from Tipp and Clare and Limerick just being Limerick.
What a nice way to start this campaign for the All-Ireland champions, not much limelight, took care of Antrim, will do similarly against Westmeath at the weekend getting business done without too much outside focus.
It's ideal preparation for the team trying to make history this year, because when the limelight comes on them, it probably won't go off until the year is over. Such is the joy of being the best team in the country, everybody wants to nitpick every minute detail of them.
Being in 1B is an easier road to try and secure that Division 1A status in 2025. Realistically if they beat Dublin it's a done deal for Limerick and Galway. Tipp have that box ticked already and should now be safe to secure one of those top three spots so how will they approach the rest of this league now?
On Sunday at 3.45pm in Semple Stadium, Eamon O'Shea will try do something for the first time, coach a team to beat Tipperary. There is nothing but respect for him in Tipp and we'd all love to see things go well for him with Galway but not at Tipp's cost.
Will Cahill go for this and send out another message after their impressive performance against the Dubs in Parnell Park?
The learnings from previous seasons will have to be to make sure there is enough in the tank to compete at the business end of the year, and I think the panel is stronger and better equipped this year to do just that.
 
Tipperary turned on the style against Dublin
There is a wider spread of players to choose from and I'm sure someone will be getting the tap on the shoulder at training this week to say here's your chance now, against a top team, at home and in front of what should be a big crowd. Take this chance, prove you can mix it with the best because if it's left to the Antrim and Westmeath games to get your chance it's hard to see how the trust can be there for the battlefield that is the Munster Championship.
Whoever gets their chance this Sunday, I hope they grab it with both hands. I like what Tipp are about, I like the look of competition within the group and some young guns putting up their hands now saying I want that jersey.
I really thought Cork would hop off this league campaign but if they don't get something against Kilkenny on Saturday night by the banks of the Lee their campaign could be over before it has begun. It's a massive game for Cork, it's a game that will show us just how badly they want to progress in this league.
Kilkenny will be Kilkenny and give it their all. Nine of the starting XV from the All-Ireland final last year did not even feature last Sunday. I'd imagine we will see a few of those guys in action this Saturday night.
But what Cork team will we see Saturday night? The Cork that like a nice game of hurling - you score, we score and we'll see how it ends up - or a Cork team that are going to send out a message to say last year we were close, this year we'll be better and we want to give this league a serious rattle?
Cork need to step up their approach in my opinion. You can't just canter through these games and hope it will all click come championship.
There are games in the league that teams need to go after, that they need to win to create that buzz in training, to create momentum for the group, Saturday night against Kilkenny in their newly named home ground is one such game for Pat Ryan's men.
A win for the Banner men on Sunday would almost guarantee them safety as they will view the Offaly game as a gimme for them.
Pre-game last Sunday you'd have worried for a Clare team without their greatest ever in Tony Kelly, John Conlon and Shane O'Donnell but Mark Rodgers looks to be relishing the burden of expectation and there will be lots of help for him all around the field.
Clare have the hurlers, the physicality, the class to mix it with any team. My concern for them is that while they put up big scores on a regular basis, they also concede big scores.
In last year's Munster Championship, they conceded on average 28 points per game. Against a poor Cork performance for the majority of that game last Sunday they gave up 2-19.
Where's the issue here? Is it poor defending? Is it the lack of pressure on the quality of ball being delivered in, players not tracking the runners? I'm not sure but in terms of defenders they have some of the best in the likes of Conor Cleary, Adam Hogan, Paul Flanagan, Diarmuid Ryan, David McInerney and John Conlon to name a few.
 
Clare have questions to answer
I'm sure if these high scores keep getting shipped it's an area they will have to look at to see what is the best resolution because I feel Clare need a cup on the table this year to justify just how good this group are but conceding 28 points per game could be a major factor in preventing them doing so.
Inter-county hurling action is back and the crowds are talking with their feet.
It's been a great start to be fair, more of the same this weekend please before hurling takes a break next weekend with some teams knowing we've done all we can and others wondering what are we going to do now with nothing to show from two games. Panic stations – not at all but it will leave these groups with more questions than answers.

[johnnycool]

Cork have finally realised you need to tackle...

[Milltown Row2]

Great second half... Kilkenny turned off and Cork just found a spark...

You can't give teams leads like that and expect to pull the rabbit out of the hat at the end..

[ClubScene13]

It's all flashes of quality here and there with Cork and absolutely no consistency. Hard to see them having enough to finish above Limerick, Clare, Tipp in Munster. And we know how that will go down for the 2nd year in a row with the public down there

[seafoid]

Good match so far between Antrim and Dublin with the wind favouring Antrim in the second half

[seafoid]

Galway have had a decent spell coming up to half time.

[Saffrongael]

Just the 12 steps I counted for the Waterford goal v Clare 

[Gallybander]

Just the 12 steps I counted for the Waterford goal v Clare 

The ref couldn't see if he tapped the ball on the stick or not, cos he was facing away and had a big Clare mullocker on his back.

[Captain Scarlet]

Donal Óg gets ten monologues a year written into his contract? It's so painfully set up and the man does not give a flyin' f**k about Ulster Hurling.

He was on one about the split season and then when a Westmeath player said he loved it...there was nothing said. I'd be more keen to hear from the likes of the Louth Captain who was on last night.

But, hurling folk are more precious than rugby people. If you don't scream hurling is the best game ever then they have an issue. Maybe some people don't like it. Maybe kids, even the ones who start young simply do not enjoy it as much as other sports...that's just a thought mind.

[Saffron_sam20]

Donal Óg gets ten monologues a year written into his contract? It's so painfully set up and the man does not give a flyin' f**k about Ulster Hurling.

He was on one about the split season and then when a Westmeath player said he loved it...there was nothing said. I'd be more keen to hear from the likes of the Louth Captain who was on last night.

But, hurling folk are more precious than rugby people. If you don't scream hurling is the best game ever then they have an issue. Maybe some people don't like it. Maybe kids, even the ones who start young simply do not enjoy it as much as other sports...that's just a thought mind.

he spoke really well last night, GAA really need to help the smaller hurling counties as he said not just pay them lip service

[Captain Scarlet]

I agree, but the likes of Donal Óg and the other lads do pay lip service. Then if the sacred cow of MUNSTER HURLING!!! gets slighted or not lauded enough then he goes nuclear.
The same lad had a needless diog at the Tailteann Cup last year and I reckon plenty like him don't respect hurling outside the big lads.

It's a strange one where they moan about hurling not growing but then it's a massive issue if any of the Liam McCarthy lads' funds go to help weaker counties.

I do tend to say the real hurling men are the ones who are plugging away in the trenches.