Predict the 2012 NHL Division 1 winners

[The Wedger]

3rd time lucky that I'll manage to create this right!

[The Wedger]

Just to clarify:
"The revised hurling format sees the return of Division 1A and 1B, comprised of six counties each. The top three in Division 1A will qualify for the semi-finals, where they will be joined by the winners of 1B."

[Premier Emperor]

Who voted for Antrim?
Own up!

[BennyCake]

Can't look past Kilkenny.

[Premier Emperor]

Looks like its between Kilkenny and Galway already.
Only 6 teams in the group kills the whole thing!

[johnneycool]

Looks like its between Kilkenny and Galway already.
Only 6 teams in the group kills the whole thing!

The tipp team that finished the game looked a lot better than the one which started so my money will be on a Tipp/KK league final.

[Buswhacker]

Antrim had a good start with a team short of many regulars.

[Asal Mor]

A very positive start for Galway. The league is more of an indicator of championship form than it's ever been and an eight point win over Dublin is cause for optimism. Especially with the younger lads - Burke , Cooney, Regan doing most of the scoring. Early days obviously but a fine beginning to the Cunningham era. 

[LondonCamanachd]

We only get the highlights here in the UK, so forgive me, but KK have impressed me the most so far.  That said, Galway strolled Dublin, and Cork look to have found a belter in Lehane(?).

KK looked to be playing the best "team hurling", Galway and Cork looked better going for points from distance.

Would it make more sense for teams like Limerick and Galway to take the league games around the county to the smaller grounds to get a fuller ground and better atmosphere, and save the 50,000 grounds for the championship?



[Disclaimer: my sport has no points and no handling, so I could be speaking complete rubbish]

[deiseach]

Would it make more sense for teams like Limerick and Galway to take the league games around the county to the smaller grounds to get a fuller ground and better atmosphere, and save the 50,000 grounds for the championship?

Yes, it would. Páirc Uí Rinn looked great last weekend with a crowd of 8,000 in it. They would have been swamped had they staged the match in Páirc Uí Caucescu. League matches used be played in some right obscure places. In my lifetime I can remember Waterford matches in Cappoquin and Lismore. Heck, they even played a League game in Tramore back in the 1960's to open the new pitch. I suppose they've invested so much in white elephants like the Gaelic Grounds that they need to be seen to get some use out of them.

[deiseach]

Great crowd at Walsh Park last Sunday. Great first half. Pity we didn't stop there. Read all* about it here.

*'All' should be taken to mean comprehensive, objective, insightful or even accurate.

[LondonCamanachd]

Just out of interest, why did the league highlights programme from the weekend only show the Dublin vs Cork game, and not any of the other Div 1 hurling?

[Sheep in a heap]

Some funny carry on with coverage of the League this year. I'm in NZ at the moment so have missed it all anyway, but apparently there were no cameras at the KK v Dublin game a few weeks ago either, which turned out to be a bit of a cracker.

League seems to be quite open with one round of games left. I've a slight hunch Tipp, of the teams still in contention, have learned the most from it and may win it out. Saw the odds below on a betting website just now:

KK 4-6
Tipp 3-1
Cork 5-1
Clare 14-1
Galway 20-1
Limerick and Offaly 66-1

[Cyril Farrell fan]

Unless Galway go to Nowlan Park and win on Sunday, ye can scratch all bets on Galway to win Division 1.
I'm not sure Anthony Cunningham managing Garrycastle and ending up with a club final replay was the best thing for Galway hurling! 

[theskull1]

AC will not have many worse weekends standing on the sideline