Is there an All Ireland Hurling Final this weekend?

[Gnevin]

Have to say though this was a dreadful All- Ireland but may that was just the killer hangover i was suffering .

The 2 goals early on kill any hope of an upset and KK looked to be in Training ground mode

[Bogball XV]

I think Waterford would have went very close.
Re man of the match, looks like Walsh won't be getting it - between Tyrell and Brennan?

[johnneycool]

I think Waterford would have went very close.
Re man of the match, looks like Walsh won't be getting it - between Tyrell and Brennan?

The Waterford fullback line would of leaked even more than the Limerick one did as goals conceded through the year suggested. Finnerty for once got it right in his punditry, you try so hard to close out Shefflin and whoever that someother Kilkenny forward racks up a good score anyway.
The Limerick backroom team got it all wrong with the playing of Donie Ryan deep in midfield. He didn't hurl that much ball anyway plus any ball that went into Begley and Shaughnessy came back out with spades on it. Some days that tactic might work for you, yesterday it didn't and it was apparent from very early on that Kilkenny had the measure of it. Any ball that did break off Begley was easliy mopped up by the Kilkenny defence as they had numbers in there. Ollie Moran was trying to make a game of it on his own until Tennyson had to be brought on to replace the injured Hickey. Tennyson is a better centre back than Hogan and gave the team even greater strength.
After all the hullabaloo about Limerick's physical game it was interesting to note that it was Limerick men crumpling to the ground in the physical exchanges especially in the early exchanges.

[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

Not far away,

that was the main problem with the hurling final, as anthony daly (IMHO the best hurling pundit for sheer enthusiam) said it was all too predictable.

but nonetheless a terrific hurling championship, worthy champions and gallant losers,

Also the form of Tipp, Cork, Galway & Dublin at underage suggests the great Kilkenny will be tested plenty in the years to come.

[Punxsutawney Fergal]

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

Not far away,

that was the main problem with the hurling final, as anthony daly (IMHO the best hurling pundit for sheer enthusiam) said it was all too predictable.

but nonetheless a terrific hurling championship, worthy champions and gallant losers,

Also the form of Tipp, Cork, Galway & Dublin at underage suggests the great Kilkenny will be tested plenty in the years to come.

Problem is- Tipp Galway and Cork always have strong underage teams, but Tipp and Galway never deliver on that talent! Those Tipp boys will spend the next year celebrating their win with free pints in every pub in the county! plus it's a massive step up from being an underage star to a senior star. Never judge KK on their underage talent, I've played many times against KK county underage teams and there was always just a puck of the ball between us, the club structure is fantastic in KK and guys seem to improve leaps and bounds in their early twenties - while the rest of us are out boozing and picking up women. I honestly can't see their dominance being broken.

[mouview]

Starting to think like a winner would be a help, Fergal, instead of adapting a defeatist attitude. Don't be afraid until you're made afraid.
For the rest of the hurling counties in the wake of yesterday, next year starts today.

[Punxsutawney Fergal]

Starting to think like a winner would be a help, Fergal, instead of adapting a defeatist attitude. Don't be afraid until you're made afraid.
For the rest of the hurling counties in the wake of yesterday, next year starts today.

More than just that I'm afraid, every county needs to get their structures right! Do you honestly believe Limerick went out expecting to lose? KK are light years ahead of everybody when it comes to club structures. It's not about getting the best 20 guys in the county and giving them the best coaching etc! Wexford train as hard and do as much gym work as KK like evry other county but KK has such a competitive club championship that these guys are use to developing their skills in a hard hitting and full blooded games, in most other counties counties the county players have time and space on the ball in the club championship.

[mouview]

Not as much in Galway, in fairness.

[Declan]

Bennis: Cats 'on the edge'

By Diarmuid O'Flynn
LIMERICK manager Richie Bennis yesterday claimed All-Ireland champions Kilkenny are a team "living on the edge" in terms of discipline.
Stressing his comments were not sour grapes after Sunday's final defeat, Bennis said that Brian Cody's side are 'a borderline team' in terms of physicality and revealed two of his players received nasty injuries in off the ball incidents.
Bennis's views to the Irish Examiner were delivered amid a war of words between Cody and Galway boss Ger Loughnane, who was highly critical of the Kilkenny style of play on the eve of the decider.
Said Bennis of Sunday's All-Ireland final loss: "We weren't surprised by the intensity of Kilkenny in the first 10 minutes. We had prepared the lads for that. We know the road Kilkenny have taken for the past two or three years. They're a borderline team, and I stress that – a borderline team. I admire them for that, I aspire to that.
"I would hope to get Limerick hurling to that level of intensity and physicality. But definitely, Kilkenny are living on the edge.
He continued: "Stephen Lucey got six stitches in his face from a jab with the handle of the hurley early on in the game and young Seamus Hickey has bruised ribs from another jab of a hurley. Little things like that went unseen and unpunished by the referee.
"While all that was going on then, Brian Geary got a yellow card, for what? A belt of a shoulder? And that affected his play afterwards, he couldn't be as aggressive. Mark Foley had a free awarded against him for pulling on the ball on the ground for the first Kilkenny point which was a harsh decision.
"But then Kilkenny also seem to get the benefit of the doubt from the referee. And this is not sour grapes — Kilkenny were by far the better team in Croke Park, there is no doubt whatever about that."
Bennis believes that teams must copy Kilkenny — if they are to beat them.
"You must go down the road they're on, develop their tactics, meet like with like, and that's the only way you'll beat them.
"They have the talent, always have, but they also have that edge, they live right on that edge and have it perfected. They're a thoroughly professional outfit, and I admire Brian Cody for that.
"He was extremely gracious in our dressing-room afterwards, a thorough gentleman, and I was very well received in theirs as well, and that's the way it should be.
"I'll make one statement now though: when we meet Kilkenny again, with the help of God, it will be a different Limerick team."
While Bennis had nothing but praise for Cody and his team, he was disappointed with much of the coverage of his own team's efforts.
Trailing by nine points after 10 minutes, he admitted his team was caught napping, almost literally, still in awe of the fantastic reception they had received from their massed supporters.
Thereafter, however, he felt they had coped well.
"Who are these people to castigate Limerick?" he asked. "We outscored Kilkenny for the last 60 minutes of the All-Ireland final by two points, how can we not have the hurlers?
"All these experts will say this morning, they were right, but it's easy to be right when you go for the favourites. Kilkenny had a tactic and because they got that great start, it worked for them, they were able to stay with it for the whole game.
"It was like us against Waterford, we got the good start, and we were able to stick to our tactics then. When you go behind as badly as we did, so early on, you have to change the whole situation, you're the one under pressure. But we went on to outscore them then for the last 60 minutes, by two points, missed several scoreable chances, but that's no consolation now. If Shaughs hadn't lost his hurley at a critical time in the second half, he's definitely have got a goal, and a goal at that stage would really have put us back in it. There's more in this team, don't you worry about that.
He added: There's no talk of retirements, and why should there be? Mark Foley is the oldest on the team, why should he retire? Because he's in his 30's? That shouldn't enter the equation. He's a thorough sportsman, he's still a brilliant hurler, was outstanding Sunday – why should he even think of retiring.
"Ollie Moran is the same. He is a man who was often castigated at the start of the year, as he tried to settle into centre-forward. Now, he should be guaranteed an All-Star. We already have a good panel, we have a lot of lads who got a taste of the action Sunday, and we'll surely pick up a few more players for next year.
;'When I analyse this today, the summary is that we had a good year without achieving anything of note, no trophies, but we brought Limerick hurling forward, which was the primary aim at the beginning of the year.
''We'll give it another 12 months now, and hopefully we'll bring them that one step further."

[Punxsutawney Fergal]

He never said anything after his Limerick side assaulted Waterford!

[Goats Do Shave]

Another exhibition in the 1st half for the Cats & they found a score when they needed it in the second half.

It's hard not to think of big Dan providing a greater goal threat than the Limerick Full Forward on Sunday. I thought he was a little slow & akward, & failed to provide a decent foil for 'Shocks'.

In saying that, I reckon Kilkenny would still have found the scores when they needed them...a true class team - their half back line is imense!

Best on the day for Limerick was their number 7 I thought. Probably the only Limerick player that won his personal duel IMO.

The Limerick fans made it a very special occasion in Dublin this week end. They were first class!

[Pull Hard Hes No Relation]

Congrats to Kilkenny on another All Ireland, pains me to say as a Cork fan but it was good to see a hurler like Shefflin get his chance to captain his county to All Ireland glory - a great hurler and hope he recovers fully from what could potentially be a serious injury.

Thought the game ran very much to plan and as I said last week it was like 2002 all over again when Clare "ambushed" Waterford in the semis and then Kilkenny beat them with ease in the final. Without doubt I think that Waterford or indeed Cork would have really put it up to Kilkenny yesterday and would have been far better equipped to capitalise on the loss of Hickey and Shefflin. Hard to see big Dan not getting at least one goal against the Cats if he had have been playing yesterday.

Fergal as usual you are over hyping what is undoubtedly a great Kilkenny team - moust be your inferiority complex any wonder you can't get within 10 pts of them! Don't get me wrong it will take a serious effort from anyone to beat Kilkenny next year but I think that Cork, Waterford and Galway are all capable of doing it on their day while if Tipp get the right structure in place they will be a match for anyone.

Expect a big last hurrah from Cork with Paudie O'sullivan coming through (recovered from injury), Eoghan Cadogen and Pat Horgan along with a full fit Niall Mc Carthy and a team of experienced fine hurlers goign all out to deny Kilkenny the 3-in a row the same way the Cats did to them. Galway coming into the year probably on the back of another U21 success (think they will beat the Dubs but hope I'm wrong) and with Joe Canning back on board will also be a serious threat - expect fireworks after Ger Lough's comments too!

As I said congrats to the Cats - great speech by Shefflin too.

[dodo]

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

Not far away,

that was the main problem with the hurling final, as anthony daly (IMHO the best hurling pundit for sheer enthusiam) said it was all too predictable.

but nonetheless a terrific hurling championship, worthy champions and gallant losers,

Also the form of Tipp, Cork, Galway & Dublin at underage suggests the great Kilkenny will be tested plenty in the years to come.

Problem is- Tipp Galway and Cork always have strong underage teams, but Tipp and Galway never deliver on that talent! Those Tipp boys will spend the next year celebrating their win with free pints in every pub in the county! plus it's a massive step up from being an underage star to a senior star. Never judge KK on their underage talent, I've played many times against KK county underage teams and there was always just a puck of the ball between us, the club structure is fantastic in KK and guys seem to improve leaps and bounds in their early twenties - while the rest of us are out boozing and picking up women. I honestly can't see their dominance being broken.

There must be a lot of chicas hanging about waiting for bulls in Kilkenny................Langtons it is so !!

[INDIANA]

undoubtedly a great Kilkenny team - moust be your inferiority complex any wonder you can't get within 10 pts of them! Don't get me wrong it will take a serious effort from anyone to beat Kilkenny next year but I think that Cork, Waterford and Galway are all capable of doing it on their day while if Tipp get the right structure in place they will be a match for anyone.

Cork - maybe in 2-3 years-until then i can't quite see it.
Waterford- depends- could  be too late -don't have huge squad depth to cope with injuries
Galway- have flattered to deceive since 1988 considering their underage success again not  a team i'd ever back against a Kilkenny team trianed by Cody- besides i don't think they quite have it.

Tipp=- have been saying that since 1991- the correct structure they need in place - is not serving any underage winning player any booze until they are 21. they've produced outstanding underage teams for years but the fall-off is huge due to the excesses after underage success .

[Gnevin]

Galway- have flattered to deceive since 1988 considering their underage success again not  a team i'd ever back against a Kilkenny team trianed by Cody- besides i don't think they quite have it.

Galways main issue as far as I'm concerned is lack of decent games , coming in in mid July does them no favors