Hurling 2026

[moonster]

Have 100 on Limerick  Liverpool and Kildare.  Handy money

[moonster]

Limerick will get plenty of goals today. Hegarty first goalscorer is good value

[imtommygunn]

Clare miles off it. Be surprised if limerick don't win the ai. They're a dirty enough shower. Should probably have had more red cards.

[Wildweasel74]

They always been rough

[moonster]

Cork Limerick AI final guaranteed unless Tipp put spanner in in works.

[blasmere]

Cork Limerick AI final guaranteed unless Tipp put spanner in in works.

Guaranteed like your bets?

[Baile Brigín 2]

Have 100 on Limerick  Liverpool and Kildare.  Handy money

Good man

[Capt Pat]

Clare were not at the races today. Limerick were more up for it as having lost against Cork they would nearly have been out if Clare beat them.

[moonster]

Cork Limerick AI final guaranteed unless Tipp put spanner in in works.

Guaranteed like your bets?

Yes

[Lowkey]

Very impressed with all the newer Limerick players who started yesterday. O Connor, O Brien, O Neill and English. There's not much dropoff with any of the older players either who were mostly excellent too. Tom Morrissey had a few sloppy moments if you wanted to nitpick. Most likely AI winners imo, especially with news of Cork's injuries last week.

Hard to call Tipp V Clare but Clare likely have 2 chances to get through, the second one against a Cork team who, if the Waterford game goes to form, will already be through.

Not to disrespect the gallant Waterford either, an excellent team who have to play in the group of death every year. It's a shame that we don't get to see more of the maestro Stephen Bennett. Something like the football system, a knockout provincial championship followed by drawn groups for the AI series would be fairer.

[marty34]

Very impressed with all the newer Limerick players who started yesterday. O Connor, O Brien, O Neill and English. There's not much dropoff with any of the older players either who were mostly excellent too. Tom Morrissey had a few sloppy moments if you wanted to nitpick. Most likely AI winners imo, especially with news of Cork's injuries last week.

Hard to call Tipp V Clare but Clare likely have 2 chances to get through, the second one against a Cork team who, if the Waterford game goes to form, will already be through.

Not to disrespect the gallant Waterford either, an excellent team who have to play in the group of death every year. It's a shame that we don't get to see more of the maestro Stephen Bennett. Something like the football system, a knockout provincial championship followed by drawn groups for the AI series would be fairer.

I would disagree with you to an extent in regards to the newer players you mentioned.

O'Connor - on the panel since 2023.

O'Brien - on the panel since 2023.

O'Neill - on the senior panel since 2021.

English - on the panel since 2022.


So these lads are not new but have served the apprenticeship under the watchful eye of Kiely. They have bided their time, built experience and are now undroppable.

I think Limerick set their stall out early yesterday. Start strong and follow through for the full 70+ minutes. Previous to this, they've started strong and then let teams back into games. This wasn't going to happen yesterday.


I was really impressed by their defending from Peter Casey back. That graft gave them the platform. Always hassling and closing down. Clare could hardly get their heads up to see where they were hitting ball. More times than enough it was then aimless and Limerick cut it out.


Kinnerk's little triangle movements and creating that overlap are a joy to watch. An example yesterday was a ball down the line to Casey (I think) and Nash sprinted about 50m to take the ball off him and plant it over the bar. So simple but so effective. They make the game look so easy but their training sessions must be very good. Be great to see what they do in them.


They have their system in place where everybody is comfortable on the ball and comfortable in all areas of the pitch. I like the way that they always seem to give the ball to the person in the best position. All about the team in essence.

A key thing about Limerick and I think it gets overlooked is they are all unreal hurlers. Their stickwork, game intelligence and hurling ability are unreal.


However good Limerick were, then it has to be said that Clare were very poor. Too open, as usual, at the back. Ideal for Limerick's forwards. Started brighted with O'Donnell winning a few balls but Limerick's forwards cut out them deliveries, then Clare were very limited.


Malone and Ryan didn't build any sort of platform in their half-back line and they were run ragged. It's ironic that Gillane wasn't playing as Cleary usually matched up well to him. But yesterday he was pulled all over the place.

Clare's defence didn't function and their fowards didn't function either. So when this happens, there's only one outcome. Lohan has work to do as they are now under serious pressure.
 

[Lowkey]

Good analysis Marty.

[marty34]

Good analysis Marty.

Thank you Lowkey.

[johnnycool]

Very impressed with all the newer Limerick players who started yesterday. O Connor, O Brien, O Neill and English. There's not much dropoff with any of the older players either who were mostly excellent too. Tom Morrissey had a few sloppy moments if you wanted to nitpick. Most likely AI winners imo, especially with news of Cork's injuries last week.

Hard to call Tipp V Clare but Clare likely have 2 chances to get through, the second one against a Cork team who, if the Waterford game goes to form, will already be through.

Not to disrespect the gallant Waterford either, an excellent team who have to play in the group of death every year. It's a shame that we don't get to see more of the maestro Stephen Bennett. Something like the football system, a knockout provincial championship followed by drawn groups for the AI series would be fairer.

I would disagree with you to an extent in regards to the newer players you mentioned.

O'Connor - on the panel since 2023.

O'Brien - on the panel since 2023.

O'Neill - on the senior panel since 2021.

English - on the panel since 2022.


So these lads are not new but have served the apprenticeship under the watchful eye of Kiely. They have bided their time, built experience and are now undroppable.

I think Limerick set their stall out early yesterday. Start strong and follow through for the full 70+ minutes. Previous to this, they've started strong and then let teams back into games. This wasn't going to happen yesterday.


I was really impressed by their defending from Peter Casey back. That graft gave them the platform. Always hassling and closing down. Clare could hardly get their heads up to see where they were hitting ball. More times than enough it was then aimless and Limerick cut it out.


Kinnerk's little triangle movements and creating that overlap are a joy to watch. An example yesterday was a ball down the line to Casey (I think) and Nash sprinted about 50m to take the ball off him and plant it over the bar. So simple but so effective. They make the game look so easy but their training sessions must be very good. Be great to see what they do in them.


They have their system in place where everybody is comfortable on the ball and comfortable in all areas of the pitch. I like the way that they always seem to give the ball to the person in the best position. All about the team in essence.

A key thing about Limerick and I think it gets overlooked is they are all unreal hurlers. Their stickwork, game intelligence and hurling ability are unreal.


However good Limerick were, then it has to be said that Clare were very poor. Too open, as usual, at the back. Ideal for Limerick's forwards. Started brighted with O'Donnell winning a few balls but Limerick's forwards cut out them deliveries, then Clare were very limited.


Malone and Ryan didn't build any sort of platform in their half-back line and they were run ragged. It's ironic that Gillane wasn't playing as Cleary usually matched up well to him. But yesterday he was pulled all over the place.

Clare's defence didn't function and their fowards didn't function either. So when this happens, there's only one outcome. Lohan has work to do as they are now under serious pressure.
 

Clare half back line didn't function at all in the first half, were pulled from pillar to post, exposing their fullback line and the other side of that the ball into the Clare forwards was long and high mostly which to be fair to Dougan, O'Donnell and Rodgers battled away gamely. Kelly put on a bit of a show late on, but it was never going to be enough.

Limericks tackling is on the edge quite a lot and that may cost them as the year goes on. They need to keep the arms and hurls in particular much lower in the tackle.
English's second yellow was needless to say the least but well warranted, giving the referee no option. Barry Nash should have also had an early bath after the reckless lash of the hurley on Kelly for the penalty.

You can be sure it's being discussed among the referees and their assessors for the next day out.

[ClubScene13]

Clare and Tipp's record v Limerick the last number of years is not great or anywhere close to it yet they are the boys with the All Ireland medals where as Cork have beaten them plenty recently and can't get up the Hogan Stand

With the loss of Joyce you'd have to fancy Limerick again stood here today, incredible Sunday with no Gillane or Lynch