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1st June
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final
Clare v Waterford (TBC)
Verdict Waterford win

8th June
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Cork v Tipperary (Páirc Uí Chaoimh)
Verdict Tipperary win

22nd June
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Limerick v Clare/Waterford (TBC)
Verdict Limerick win

13th July
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final
Limerick v Tipperary
Verdict Tipperary win

Tipp to beat Waterford in the final. I was impressed with tipp in the NHL final.

One small point chaps,a relevant one nonetheless,we have NEVER beaten Cork in senior championship hurling in Pairc ui Cuiomh,far better Tipp teams than this current outfit have failed by the Lee.

Well said hoh (Welcome back by the way :D). I would suggest that Tipp are in for a huge, huge fight down in Cork, and I would be tipping Cork to win that game, despite the fact that Tipp are certainly an improving team.

Clare and Waterford is supposed to be in Limerick, I believe, so that is almost home advantage for the Banner, (actually some Clare lads would tell you it is ACTUALLY home advantage). I have a feeling Waterford have changed their focus this year. They were a team that tried to hit the ground running in the league and Munster Championship for the past few years, and there is a perception that this has cost them at the business end of the year. Maybe so, but I think that they have made a conscious decision to take their chances in the league, and even the Munster Championship this season, and will try to hit their peak in July/August, rather than maintain from May onwards. Their full back line is getting shuffled again, with the Bull back in the corner, and a couple of lads being tried at full back, even though Prendergast looked decent for a lot of last year. In this game, Clare may not be good enough to take advantage, but I think they (Clare) will be focussed on this game, and this game only. Waterford will be looking beyond it. It will be close, and Waterford are the better team on paper, but if it's in Limerick, and Clare are 'right' I will be backing Clare for the first surprise of the championship.

After that I'll take a pass until we see what happens, but if you forced me to play my hand I'd go something like this

Clare v Waterford - Clare
Limerick v Clare - Limerick
Cork v Tipp - Cork

Cork v Limerick - Cork,

I think yous might be writing off Waterford a little early lads, they've been tipping along under the radar and would expect them to beat Clare. I'd also expect them to take care of Limerick as I'm sure the AI Semi is still hurting from last year. Even though Tipp have blazed a trail recently I'd still tip Cork to win in Páirc Úi Caoimh, they were a different team against Galway in the second half when they put out their experienced players. Cork - Waterford final, could go either way, will tip Waterford to edge it to nail that semi final spot, which would ensure they wouldn't get blindsided like they did last year.

I'm not writing Waterford off at all Croi, I'm just trying to guess their focus for this year. They might be looking at a relatively easier path through the qualifiers, albeit with an extra quarter final that the provincial winners won't have, as an area that might not be the worst possible route this year. If they are going gung ho for Munster again, I would expect them to do as you say. I just think they will be a work in progress in June this year, rather than the finished article they were in the past few years. (I mean that as a compliment). In no way do I feel they are 'finished'.

Maybe writing off was a bit strong but I think the qualifiers will be a minefield this year. I must look up how the draws will work but you're gonna have Galway and one of Tipp or Cork in there. Plus if they win Munster they'll avoid the Cats till the final. IMO they'll be aiming to peak for the Munster Final and keep this going till they have to ascend the steps of the Hogan. This is the best and IMO their only route to success in Sept this year...

I wonder are Waterford planning to peak later in the year this time?
Last year they won the league and Munster, but come August they were pipped by Limerick who took the scenic route.
Statistically teams who have to play a quarter final rarely win out in Munster.

While Tipp will be pleased to have won 3 tough knockout matches in the League, you have to remember that a new young manager was always going to try and get momentum going early in the year and try and instill a winning habit.

Quote from: homeofhurling8 on April 25, 2008, 08:44:19 AM
One small point chaps,a relevant one nonetheless,we have NEVER beaten Cork in senior championship hurling in Pairc ui Cuiomh,far better Tipp teams than this current outfit have failed by the Lee.

Welcome back HOH.
I'd fancy Tipp to break that record in the next couple of years (assuming ye are drawn against them).
I think the current Cork side has grown old together and will need a lot of rebuilding soon.

Quote from: Bord na Mona man on April 25, 2008, 01:08:10 PM
I wonder are Waterford planning to peak later in the year this time?
Last year they won the league and Munster, but come August they were pipped by Limerick who took the scenic route.
Statistically teams who have to play a quarter final rarely win out in Munster.

While Tipp will be pleased to have won 3 tough knockout matches in the League, you have to remember that a new young manager was always going to try and get momentum going early in the year and try and instill a winning habit.

I'd agree with all of that BnM. I was reading an interview in the Sunday Times a while ago about Ken McGrath, and he was only just back, took his time after a bit of an injury. Last year he'd have been rushed back in to get hurling quickly. From talking to a couple of their fans, it seems there is a marked lack of enthusiasm for another Munster title, certainly at the expense of an All Ireland. I think their mentality will be to try and win every game, but if they lose a Munster championship game it won't kill them as long as they are peaking in the late Summer.

Waterford were streets behind Tipp fitness wise in the league quarter final and judging by their touch that day i would seriously doubt that they had any ballwork done in training at that stage,that would suggest to me that they are looking to peak around All Ireland quarter final time as they did in 06 when they lost convincingly to Tipp in Munster only to beat us convincingly in the All Ireland quarter final,obviously losing Eoin Murphy and Tony Browne wont help either but i assume Murphy will be back for the Quarter final.

Cork are a serious unknown going into this compaign. Ronan Curran, Jerry O Connor,Ben O Connor,Joe Deane and Niall Mc have all carried/are currently carrying long term injuries. 4/5 months training  behind a limited enough Tipp side which has gathered much needed momentum in the league. Diarmuid O Sullivan,in particular, is beginning to show his age. He literally has been the rock on which this Cork side has been built. The other side of the draw will be cannon fodder in the Munster final particularly if rumors of the unravelling of Waterford are to believed.

Woohoo!
Cork ahead on 5 votes!

Personally I think Tipp should be ranked ahead after winning the league.

What I am banking on is the mantle of favourites weighing them down against a Cork team that didn't have too bad a league themselves.

Admittedly some of Cork's form was patchy during the league with poor first half performances against Antrim, Dublin and Galway standing out.
I feel though that in all of these games we finished the stronger. Ronan Curran didn't play half bad against Galway for someone with a long term injury TBT!
Neil Ronan was our best forwad in the league and he should be back for the Tipp game.
We've also blooded some of our younger players and Gerald will be able to put his own stamp on the team this year.

Never rule the Cork men out! Cork to win it beating Waterford in the final. The final's on my birthday this year so if i bump into any you you can buy me a drink.

In like Flynn? Waterford marksman considering return

WATERFORD hurling boss Justin McCarthy should find out this week whether Paul Flynn will make himself available for the coming championship campaign.

The Ballygunner man, who has been plagued by injury in recent seasons, said yesterday: "I am still thinking about it but I'll make a call over the next few days. The body will make the decision.

"Everyone thinks they can go on forever but they can't. The body will decide."

Flynn made his comments at the launch of the FBD All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge, in which over 120 GAA clubs from Ireland and the US will compete.

l Pictured above, Waterford's Dave Bennett tries out a different form of putting at Carton House, Maynooth, Co Kildare, watched by (from left) Steven McDonnell, Paul Flynn,Greg Kennedy and Eddie Brennan.
(http://www.independent.ie/multimedia/archive/00180/davebennett_180220t.jpg)

I wonder what sort of shape Flynn would be in?
He occasionally carries a bit of "conditioning", but would be a good impact sub to have for Waterford to have.

Will be a big setback to Limerick's hopes of making another Munster Final, Geary in particular he really play well last year. On a happier note with Moloney and Fitzgerald coming back both bring some good hurling qualities to the Limerick panel.


Begley and Geary championship doubts for Limerick

Brian Geary
30 April 2008


Brian Begley and Brian Geary look set to miss Limerick's Munster hurling championship opener against either Clare or Waterford through knee injuries.

Despite taking a full part in training on Monday night, towering full forward Begley continues to be hampered by the knee injury which kept him sidelined for two years. Geary, meanwhile, is only coming back from cruciate ligament surgery, and the provincial semi-final on June 22 may come a few weeks too soon for him.

Commenting on Begley's ongoing injury problem, manager Richie Bennis said: "It's affecting him on a regular basis and the most we will get out of Brian is half an hour. Unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done about this."

On Geary's recovery, he added: "The knee is a bit sore after training, which is to be expected, and he'll struggle to make the championship team."

There is better news concerning Denis Maloney and former dual star Conor Fitzgerald who have both resumed light training after their respective injuries

1st June
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final
Clare v Waterford (TBC)
Verdict Clare win

8th June
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Cork v Tipperary (Páirc Uí Chaoimh)
Verdict Tipperary win

22nd June
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Limerick v Clare (TBC)
Verdict Limerick win

13th July
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final
Limerick v Tipperary
Verdict Tipperary win

Silky,
Do you really think Clare will beat Waterford?

Waterford may have tehir problems with early season form and some retirements and injuries but their key men will still be there.
They were Munster and league champions last year whereas Clare seemed to be well off the pace.

Where do you see them gaining the upper hand on Waterford?

Griffin's back on board an things are going well in the camp. This is Clares All Ireland final and they are totally focused on winning it. Waterford are looking to peak for the Q/F and i don't think they'll worry too much if they go out of Munster early. Eoin Kelly is out and there's doubts about McGrath, Flynn, Browne.

It will be an upset alrite but I can just see the Banner seekin it.

Quote from: Silky on May 02, 2008, 01:09:22 PM
Griffin's back on board an things are going well in the camp. This is Clares All Ireland final and they are totally focused on winning it. Waterford are looking to peak for the Q/F and i don't think they'll worry too much if they go out of Munster early. Eoin Kelly is out and there's doubts about McGrath, Flynn, Browne.

It will be an upset alrite but I can just see the Banner seekin it.

Clare's Munster championship record is appalling.
They have won only one match in Munster since 1999 (beating Tipp in 2003).
I'd say they're already plotting their course through the qualifiers.

Quote from: Bord na Mona man on May 02, 2008, 02:20:01 PM

Quote from: Silky on May 02, 2008, 01:09:22 PM
Griffin's back on board an things are going well in the camp. This is Clares All Ireland final and they are totally focused on winning it. Waterford are looking to peak for the Q/F and i don't think they'll worry too much if they go out of Munster early. Eoin Kelly is out and there's doubts about McGrath, Flynn, Browne.

It will be an upset alrite but I can just see the Banner seekin it.

Clare's Munster championship record is appalling.
They have won only one match in Munster since 1999 (beating Tipp in 2003).
I'd say they're already plotting their course through the qualifiers.

Clare don't seem to have enough scoring forwards, well they certainly didn't last year and I don't think they unearthed any this year to date. I'd think Mike Mac will look at building a team for the future and Waterford may be a bit too early in their development yet. All the same they'll still be expected to go out hammer and tongs but I still think they'll fall short of a Waterford team who aren't exactly breaking much delf themselves at the minute.

Munster championship is a meaningless charade. Didn't do the Deise a whole pile of good last year. The current format is just a series of phoney battles, until it gets to the semis, alas. Who cares who wins it, the only relevance is Liam.

Dan Shanahan is out for the opener against Clare.
However I still can't see Clare taking advantage of this.

Quote from: nobackdoor on May 07, 2008, 12:30:38 AM
Munster championship is a meaningless charade. Didn't do the Deise a whole pile of good last year. The current format is just a series of phoney battles, until it gets to the semis, alas. Who cares who wins it, the only relevance is Liam.

Cant agree with that at all, the munster championship is still a coveted trophy in it's own right.

Quote from: nobackdoor on May 07, 2008, 12:30:38 AM
Munster championship is a meaningless charade. Didn't do the Deise a whole pile of good last year. The current format is just a series of phoney battles, until it gets to the semis, alas. Who cares who wins it, the only relevance is Liam.

Disagree - some great games over the past few years espcially some of the Cork/Waterford battles. If these were meaningless charades then let us have plenty of them.!!!

Think Tipp will win it this year - seem to have the hunger.

What's the story with Shanahan?

Quote from: Lecale2 on May 09, 2008, 07:25:56 AM
What's the story with Shanahan?

DAN Shanahan is still a major injury concern ahead of Waterford's Munster SHC showdown with Clare on June 1, but on the plus side comes the news that the 2007 Hurler of the Year has not suffered serious knee ligament damage.

The 31-year-old All Star forward visited Waterford-based knee specialist Tadhg O'Sullivan for scans on Tuesday, and he received the all-clear on Wednesday evening.

Shanahan has been advised to rest his knee for the next three weeks and that leaves him facing a race against time to be fit for the Clare match.

Shanahan injured his right knee with five minutes remaining in Lismore's Waterford SHC victory against Mount Sion last Sunday, but played on to the finish.

Waterford will be hoping that Shanahan makes it in time as corner back Eoin Murphy is definitely ruled out, while the free-scoring Eoin Kelly is highly unlikely to feature after suffering a broken hand.

Justin McCarthy has added to his injury-hit squad by calling up two players from the county's football panel.

Gary Hurney has been rewarded for impressive recent club form with Abbeyside, while Fourmilewater's Liam Lawlor has been recalled.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Waterford wing-back Tony Browne is free to face Clare after receiving an eight-week suspension that applies to club level only.

Browne received a straight red card in Mount Sion's recent defeat against Abbeyside.

Ken McGrath now out for the opener vs Clare.
Still can't see Clare winning this one, unless Waterford are seriously cruising!

I still think Clare will upset Waterford. All these injuries will probably clear up, with the exception of a couple like McGrath, but I am convinced Clare will be at 100% for this, and Waterford maybe 75%. Maybe Waterford's 75% will be good enough, but with Limerick almost a home venue for Clare, I have a feeling Waterford might be going into the qualifiers. I still think they'll go further than Clare mind you.

Having said all that, if Gilligan's injury, and the other Clare injuries, are real and cause them to miss the game as well, then I'd swing back towards the Deise.

I voted for Cork - I don't know why, i can't articulate it, but i can see them sickening everyone and handy sports articles on the strike and all that. Then again i expected RUDI to win the American election

Dan will definately be ok for Sunday but Ken is definately out, even with McGrath out I'd expect Waterford to win this with a few points to spare. Clare will of course be totally focused on this game and have apparently trained very hard for it but they simply lack the necessary quality to beat Waterford. Waterford have some decent players coming through and there is greater strength and depth than in previous years so I think they'll get to the Munster final though they'll not lose much sleep if they don't. I think Cork will beat Tipp in the other half, Tipp were much more advanced in their preperations than all the other teams during the league, Cork will have closed that gap for their Munster match up and their hurling will look after the rest. So a Cork/Waterford final for me with Cork to win it. On a different point the Munster championship is over-rated and is holding hurling back IMO, until it is scrapped hurling will continue to see some very uncompetitive AI championships.

QuoteOn a different point the Munster championship is over-rated and is holding hurling back IMO, until it is scrapped hurling will continue to see some very uncompetitive AI championships.

Jaysus Zulu, they'll hang you for heresy in Limerick if you're not careful :D

If I'd said the Heino Cup was over-rated AZ I might be hung in Limerick but I'd doubt they even know the Munster championship is starting this weekend. :D

 I'm finding this one hard to call.

Anyone know who Waterford are likely to play centre back instead of McGrath?

Waterford
-3.0  10 - 11 

Handicap Draw
(3.0)  9 - 1 

Clare
+3.0  evens