Hurling 2026

[Dag Dog]

Handy enough win for Limerick in the end. Cork short some regulars, but good to keep them down, especially when they came up to Limerick trying their hard man tactics.
A better ref than Stack would have kept better control of them.

[mouview]

Some big games across the divisions this weekend.

The biggie will be the manly Cork lads going up to Limerick on Saturday evening and we may just see how manly they really are.

Limerick don't seem to be desperate for a league title at this juncture in their development, but they certainly won't want to lie down and roll over against Cork with the Munster championship a few short weeks away.
It could get interesting.

Galway welcome Kilkenny to Salthill, this could also tell us a bit more about Galways young guns who to this point have been doing rightly.
For me Lawlor is a huge loss for the Cats, he's irreplaceable and they need to find someone in there who can do a job. Carey isn't the answer, so maybe David Blanchfield would be better suited for the high ball situations, I don't know.
Eoin Cody to be the difference yet again. I think he's the best forward in the game at the minute.

Eoin Cody??  He'd struggle to get on the Cork team currently and he's not in the same league as Cathal Mannion, (best player in the country right now). Cian Kenny is Kilkenny's most important player at the moment.

[EoinW]

Some big games across the divisions this weekend.

Galway welcome Kilkenny to Salthill, this could also tell us a bit more about Galways young guns who to this point have been doing rightly.
For me Lawlor is a huge loss for the Cats, he's irreplaceable and they need to find someone in there who can do a job. Carey isn't the answer, so maybe David Blanchfield would be better suited for the high ball situations, I don't know.
Eoin Cody to be the difference yet again. I think he's the best forward in the game at the minute.

   

I know it's only the league and it's also wishful thinking, but am I being silly thinking that this young Galway team reminds me of how Limerick came from nowhere in 2018?

[Zooming around]

Big win for the Treaty men last night in Semple Stadium. Hard to know were Limerick that good or were Tipp that bad? Probably a mixture of both.

Limerick never tested Hogan at all in goals but when you can shoot that number of points, it is some going in them conditions and soft sod. Not sure what it was but Limerick's scoring conversion was high.

Tipp looked flat enough. Connor's sending off sucked the life out of the game and it was like  training game after that. Funny enough that Aidan O'C is on the frees instead of Gillane. I wonder why this is and will it continue on into the season?

Bull O'Brien is so good at ff. Just play him any sort of ball - high or low and he'll not shy away from it. Plus he's so strong. Craig Morgan was literally hanging off him at times but O'Brien just shrugged him off.

Matt F. seems a real good find in defence for Limerick. Showed well last night. Adds a bit of freshness to defence and is similiar to Barry Nash in a way. Byrnes, Tom Morrissey and Reidy all came on in the second half. No Finn or Lynch either. Competition for places is strong.

Strange seeing the Mc Graths playing so early. I thought they'd be doing a 'T.J.' and only playing in last 2 league games - to get ready for championship.

Munster will be another dog fight this year. With O' Connor adding that bit of steel and fire to Cork, the Tipp/Cork game will be savage.

High scoring draw between Dublin and Wexford in Croke Park. Plenty of action there. I thought Dublin would have beaten them but Chin is a solid boost to Wexford. Definately makes a difference.

Kildare just get edged out by Clare. Hard to know if playing in Div. 1A or Div. 1B is more beneficial. Some people say you'll be undercooked in 1B while others say you'll be overcooked in 1A before championship. You could say the two are valid...depending on how your season goes.

But great to see Kildare are pushing on. Maybe a bit over reliant on Naas players. In a year or two, if they bring a few more players on, they'll be moving upwards. They have the population.

It always surprises me that Wicklow aren't doing a 'Kildare' and rising up through the leagues, both in hurling and football. I assume they have a big population bordering south Dublin and Bray is a big town. I think Bray play in the Dublin hurling league - similiar to what Nass did in Kilkenny.

Big day for Antrim and Davy Fitz today. I think it'll be tight but they should edge Carlow. Might be a red card or two as Carlow will not take a backward step and leave thm timber in. Could be their downfall. It's cost them before in crucial games but they're a credit to be so consistent at that level, considering the no. of clubs they have at senior level.

Derry have  50/50 game away in Trim. After a good home win V Mayo, this game will be a good test. Div. 2 is a league of 2 leagues. Monaghan not pushing on in hurling - a bit static but Cavan had a good win over Lancashire. Sligo had a big win over Warickshire...who only acored 3 pts. In saying that I think the NHL needs these 2 English teams in the league as it's an extra game for teams in the third tier. But crtainly they have regressed in recent years. London will always be strong.

I see Andrew La Touche Cosgrave played for Louth yesterday. I remember him playing underage for Limerick. I think it was Limerick? Not sure if it was the minors or their excellent U21 teams. Just that the name stood out.  I wonder did he ever play senior for Limerick? What actually helps these lower level teams is the parent rule, as well as people working/moving to the county. Be good to find the accurate stats for this in the third tier teams.

As an aside, good wins for Antrim and Down camogs yesterday. 

Waterford V Tipp game off tomorrow. Michael Kiely's passed away. RIP.

Kilkenny are very average. Only Kenny doing any damage. Galway look as if they have an extra man every time they have possession. KK can't win anything in their own half-forward line. Hanrahan and Ryan looks likes they're tidy operators in defence. 

As above, Derry had a poor day out V London at home last week.  Just edged out by Meath the week before but didn't do enough in the 2nd half in Celtic Park Up against it V Westmeath tomorrow. Them and Down could both be relegated - after the hope of coming up last year. Disappointing from an Ulster point of view if it happens.

Funny thing is Cork and Limerick  could meet 4 times this year. Will it happen?  It should be a good battle. O'Connor will have Cork spitting fire. Be interesting to see how it goes. Limerick have a strong team out. A good few lads to come back in for Cork also.

They could meet 5 times this year.

[NAG1]

Limerick definitely seem to have got the bit between the teeth again, I thought they looked extremely sharp.

Worryingly so for the rest I would think.

[johnnycool]

Limerick definitely seem to have got the bit between the teeth again, I thought they looked extremely sharp.

Worryingly so for the rest I would think.

Lads, I'd be highly critical of Cork and the lack of a defensive backbone, but I'd not be ruling them out of an AI final as I do think they've got themselves a decent hoor of a fullback, if only they wouldn't stop panicking once a defender picks up a yellow. Defenders need to know how to adapt as an individual and as a team to that scenario.
The other contender for me is Clare who seem to have built a bit of a panel now to ride out the long and tough Munster campaign, possibly in third place but that'll do them I'd have thought.

[NAG1]

Limerick definitely seem to have got the bit between the teeth again, I thought they looked extremely sharp.

Worryingly so for the rest I would think.

Lads, I'd be highly critical of Cork and the lack of a defensive backbone, but I'd not be ruling them out of an AI final as I do think they've got themselves a decent hoor of a fullback, if only they wouldn't stop panicking once a defender picks up a yellow. Defenders need to know how to adapt as an individual and as a team to that scenario.
The other contender for me is Clare who seem to have built a bit of a panel now to ride out the long and tough Munster campaign, possibly in third place but that'll do them I'd have thought.

Did you watch them against Limerick yesterday? Not sure if they dropped their level but it was seriously lacking on quality on both sides.

[johnnycool]

Limerick definitely seem to have got the bit between the teeth again, I thought they looked extremely sharp.

Worryingly so for the rest I would think.

Lads, I'd be highly critical of Cork and the lack of a defensive backbone, but I'd not be ruling them out of an AI final as I do think they've got themselves a decent hoor of a fullback, if only they wouldn't stop panicking once a defender picks up a yellow. Defenders need to know how to adapt as an individual and as a team to that scenario.
The other contender for me is Clare who seem to have built a bit of a panel now to ride out the long and tough Munster campaign, possibly in third place but that'll do them I'd have thought.

Did you watch them against Limerick yesterday? Not sure if they dropped their level but it was seriously lacking on quality on both sides.

I did and Cork were with a seriously strong Limerick team for most of the game. Limerick pulled away in the last 10 minutes and once the took Dáire O'Leary off Limerick got a penalty and a few other handy scores.

Both teams will improve, it's early March FFS.

[NAG1]

Limerick definitely seem to have got the bit between the teeth again, I thought they looked extremely sharp.

Worryingly so for the rest I would think.

Lads, I'd be highly critical of Cork and the lack of a defensive backbone, but I'd not be ruling them out of an AI final as I do think they've got themselves a decent hoor of a fullback, if only they wouldn't stop panicking once a defender picks up a yellow. Defenders need to know how to adapt as an individual and as a team to that scenario.
The other contender for me is Clare who seem to have built a bit of a panel now to ride out the long and tough Munster campaign, possibly in third place but that'll do them I'd have thought.

Did you watch them against Limerick yesterday? Not sure if they dropped their level but it was seriously lacking on quality on both sides.

I did and Cork were with a seriously strong Limerick team for most of the game. Limerick pulled away in the last 10 minutes and once the took Dáire O'Leary off Limerick got a penalty and a few other handy scores.

Both teams will improve, it's early March FFS.

I wasn't picking holes, I'm just merely pointing out that Limerick are back firing and Cork, when Limerick were moving well struggled to keep up.

Yes both will improve and the pitches will improve, but if they both improve at the same rate.......

Cork will have to find a couple of gems IMO

[johnnycool]

Only the rearranged Waterford V Tipp game hurling wise this weekend.

A game that will have more bearing on who gets relegated with Offaly, but Kilkenny still have to visit Thurles in the last week next week.

Tipp probably want to get the job done this weekend and may have a lot more first teamers out to secure the points.

This is Waterfords last game in the league and they too need the points to avoid getting pulled into relegation, so they'll also not be holding back.

Could be feisty enough this one.

[johnnycool]

Waterford relegated by that defeat.

I thought they'd a glimmer of hope if other results went their way this weekend, but evidently not.

[seafoid]

Galway are much better in the S&C department this year. Some interesting talent coming through.They might have a chance in Leinster.