2015 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Discussion Thread

blue note · 13-05-2015 5:33pm

Warper wrote: »

It would be farcical if Kerry were put in Leinster. You could see the logic in putting Galway/Antrim in Leinster due to the lack of competition in those provinces but Kerry being out of Munster is stupid.

No it's not. The majority can see the logic regarding lack of competition for them in Munster.

What would be stupid is putting them in Munster just because of the name of the competition when no-one would benefit from it.

buggy beag · 13-05-2015 5:37pm

I think if they are eventually good enough to win the round robin and progress it should be a munster quarter final they enter not leinster

Kerrydude1981 · 13-05-2015 5:53pm

If we can win the Christy Ring this year and then get into that qualifier group and stay there for a few years that would be great.

After the last two weeks and the battles we have had with Down and Meath there is a lot of improving needed to win this years Christy Ring Cup first though.

What happens the third placed team in this years group with that play off game with the Christy Ring winners gone,do they go into the All Ireland Qualifiers Round 1 ?

savannahkat · 13-05-2015 6:52pm

buggy beag wrote: »

I think if they are eventually good enough to win the round robin and progress it should be a munster quarter final they enter not leinster

100% correct or is it that the other 5 Munster counties simply do not wish to promote the game in Kerry. Anything other than Kerry entering Muster simply does away with the Munster Championship when one of their own cannot play in it. Leinster has done enough to promote the game, now it is Munster's turn but as usual they will do nothing.

Figsy32 · 13-05-2015 7:06pm

savannahkat wrote: »

100% correct or is it that the other 5 Munster counties simply do not wish to promote the game in Kerry. Anything other than Kerry entering Muster simply does away with the Munster Championship when one of their own cannot play in it. Leinster has done enough to promote the game, now it is Munster's turn but as usual they will do nothing.

Mod feel free to delete!

blackcard · 13-05-2015 7:13pm

Warper wrote: »

It would be farcical if Kerry were put in Leinster. You could see the logic in putting Galway/Antrim in Leinster due to the lack of competition in those provinces but Kerry being out of Munster is stupid.

I think Wexford, Offaly and Kilkenny should go into Connaught

GerB40 · 13-05-2015 7:39pm

How is this even an issue? Galway play in Leinster because there's no competition in Connaught. Kerry don't have that problem. Though they mightn't do well in Munster, they are in Munster and deserve the chance to compete there. As a previous poster said, Leinster have accommodated Galway and Antrim, Munster should do the same for Kerry.

Mountainlad · 13-05-2015 7:53pm

Potential issue: You'd have an open ended championship in both Leinster and Munster. Might be hard for teams to prepare and I dunno but theyd have to look at the scheduling again because the round robin ends this weekend and the first Munster quarter is the following weekend.

Ultimately, for any team that gets promoted the main benefit is the round robin, and if they win that guaranteed two more games. Win, win. But might be jumping to conclusions a little to be talking about Kerry coming up this year. There was enough talk of that last year.

GerB40 · 13-05-2015 9:14pm

And no doubt there will be talk of Kerry next year, the year after and so on. But win lose or draw, the more tough games Kerry get the more they'll learn to adapt and improve. Perhaps I just have a romantic idea of a football county starting to make a place for themselves in hurling. I'd love to see it but I suppose I have to be realistic as well as optimistic..

Realt Dearg Sec · 14-05-2015 12:13am

blue note wrote: »

No it's not. The majority can see the logic regarding lack of competition for them in Munster.

What would be stupid is putting them in Munster just because of the name of the competition when no-one would benefit from it.

You're right. Extending that logic, putting the counties into two arbitrary and completely unbalanced competitions at the start of the championship just because of the name of the place, is also pretty stupid. Things like the Kerry situation simply wouldn't arise if you just had an open draw. So, I'm sure you'll agree, that should be the next step.

blue note · 14-05-2015 10:35am

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

You're right. Extending that logic, putting the counties into two arbitrary and completely unbalanced competitions at the start of the championship just because of the name of the place, is also pretty stupid. Things like the Kerry situation simply wouldn't arise if you just had an open draw. So, I'm sure you'll agree, that should be the next step.

Yep, I'd love to see an open draw. No-one could argue about fairness anymore and we'd get to play teams that we've hardly played against before. I think Waterford have played Wexford 3 times in championship, Offaly about the same. We've played Dublin once in my lifetime. That's nuts.

Realt Dearg Sec · 14-05-2015 11:07am

blue note wrote: »

Yep, I'd love to see an open draw. No-one could argue about fairness anymore and we'd get to play teams that we've hardly played against before. I think Waterford have played Wexford 3 times in championship, Offaly about the same. We've played Dublin once in my lifetime. That's nuts.

I'm always disarmed when Munster people agree with me on that...

homeofhurling · 14-05-2015 11:27am

DulchieLaois wrote: »

So if Laois beat Westmeath, then Laois win the group
But if Antrim win, it really depends on points difference, tis maddness:mad:

laois have to beat westmeath by 9 or more points i think. if both westmeath and Antrim win i think Antrim would finish above laois on head to head something like that

buggy beag · 14-05-2015 11:29am

Ya you would imagine if you got rid of the waterford cyrstal cup etc. at the start of the year that you would have plenty of time to have a league,provincial and a separate competition for all ireland where you have 4 groups with top 2 in each going into quarter finals or something along them lines

Realt Dearg Sec · 14-05-2015 11:55am

buggy beag wrote: »

Ya you would imagine if you got rid of the waterford cyrstal cup etc. at the start of the year that you would have plenty of time to have a league,provincial and a separate competition for all ireland where you have 4 groups with top 2 in each going into quarter finals or something along them lines

That's exactly what I would do. If the Munster championship is such a spectacular competition, and so vital to everything that makes hurling what it is, then it shouldn't have any trouble standing on its own as a competition. In fact, without adding ANY extra games to the calendar, that set up would be far superior in terms of the attention paid to the sport all year. Nobody pays any attention to the Walsh and Crystal, so just start the league early (it would become a less important competition, but who cares, it's already completely undermined by players and managers giving interviews after matches. It would still be higher profile than the cups).

Then run Munster and Leinster along any lines the provincial councils desire (which would be much higher profile than the league, and way more exciting, I don't think the value of winning them would be diminished at all, on the contrary, there would be no talk of there being any benefit in losing them, as there is right now).

Then run a fair, balanced open draw All Ireland competition in which any team can play any other, where the playing field is level at the outset, and all teams know what is expected of them, with regular fixtures instead of hige gaps all through the year and massively long lay offs. That, obviously, would make for a much more exciting championship, more novel match-ups, less likelihood of one team dominating, and most of all, everyone facing the same challenge, unlike now.

I have no doubt whatsoever that under that system hurling would have a much higher profile in the national media, way more people watching it all year instead of just one or two matches, and it would be much fairer to everyone as well. The relative level of interest in the first, second, and third competitions of the year would be way higher. And it would be done without having to change the number of inter-county games played in the year.

buggy beag · 14-05-2015 12:07pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote:

Then run a fair, balanced open draw All Ireland competition in which any team can play any other, where the playing field is level at the outset, and all teams know what is expected of them, with regular fixtures instead of hige gaps all through the year and massively long lay offs. That, obviously, would make for a much more exciting championship, more novel match-ups, less likelihood of one team dominating, and most of all, everyone facing the same challenge, unlike now.

Yes totally agree long lay offs doesnt do anything to promote the game here or abroad.league could be used to give fringe players a good run out to because as exciting as the league can be at the minute with lesser games alot of players who do the same training and give the same commitment are rarely getting a look in.how would you seed the new look all ireland format,four previous semi finalists as top seeds?could relegation work or would there not be enough teams?

homeofhurling · 14-05-2015 12:17pm

putting kerry into leinster would be the same as staying in munster, would they beat any of Kilkenny, Galway, Dublin, wexford, offaly, add in laois, westmeath who have step it up over the last two years, yes kerry have beaten Antrim in the league but if they had to travel up north would they come away with the spoils. i agree if they were in the round robin games again Antrim, laois, Westmeath, Carlow, would do them no harm.

buggy beag · 14-05-2015 12:22pm

Something like this group 1 tipp dublin wexford westmeath group 2 kk clare offaly kerry group 3 cork galway antrim carlow group 4 limerick waterford laois meath played home and away.would there be to many one sided games in this format?

Realt Dearg Sec · 14-05-2015 2:21pm

buggy beag wrote: »

Yes totally agree long lay offs doesnt do anything to promote the game here or abroad.league could be used to give fringe players a good run out to because as exciting as the league can be at the minute with lesser games alot of players who do the same training and give the same commitment are rarely getting a look in.how would you seed the new look all ireland format,four previous semi finalists as top seeds?could relegation work or would there not be enough teams?

I haven't actually thought through the specifics of seeding (partly because the GAA will never do anything so straightforward and logical as actually implement something that will work). Something along the lines you are saying would work alright. As long as it isn't dictated in any way by the provincial championships I would be happy enough.

randd1 · 14-05-2015 7:38pm

buggy beag wrote: »

Ya you would imagine if you got rid of the waterford cyrstal cup etc. at the start of the year that you would have plenty of time to have a league,provincial and a separate competition for all ireland where you have 4 groups with top 2 in each going into quarter finals or something along them lines

The only logical way to go into the future (it wont ever happen unless there is demand though) is to scrap the Walsh Cup/Waterford Crystal competitions, scrap the provincials as the main competition format, and amalgamate the league and championship into one competition.

12 team division 1, round robin competition, each team plays each other once week in, week out. Minimum of 5 home games one year, 6 the next.

Top 4 teams in the league qualify for championship QF's.
1st and 2nd into League Final. Winner given home AIQF as reward for winning out the league.
3rd and 4th into League Shield.

Playoffs - 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th placed sides in one pot, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th place sides into other pot and open draw.

4 Playoff losers into relegation SF's. Losers of relegation SF's into relegation final, with loser relegated to Christy Ring.

4 Playoff winners into QF's with top 4. Open draw QF's, winners to SF's and so on.

All games finish on the day with penalties if needed (especially now with the 1 v 1 penalties), with the exception of AI final which goes to a replay.

For traditionalists, and for genuine competition, have a separate cup competition based on the traditional provincial format, with straight knockout.

Even with all those games, allowing for 20 games, 21 max with AI replay, (11 round robin games, 4 knockout games, 5 cup games), if you started on the first of February, played one game a week, you could finish the entire inter-county season on the second week in July, and that would be allowing for a two week/3 week break before the AISF's and AI final respectively.For example if you were to apply it to next year, it would look something like this;

07/02/2016 – Week 01 – League round 1
14/02/2016 – Week 02 – League Round 2
21/02/2016 – Week 03 - League Round 3
28/02/2016 – Week 04 – League Round 4
06/03/2016 – Week 05 – Provincial Quarter Finals
13/03/2016 – Week 06 - League Round 5
20/03/2016 – Week 07 - League Round 6
27/03/2016 – Week 08 – Provincial Semi Finals
03/04/2016 – Week 09 - League Round 7
10/04/2016 – Week 10 - League Round 8
17/04/2016 – Week 11 - League Round 9
24/04/2016 – Week 12 – Provincial Finals
01/05/2016 – Week 13 - League Round 10
08/05/2016 – Week 14 - League Round 11
15/05/2016 – Week 15 – League Final, Shield Final, AI Playoffs
22/05/2016 – Week 16 – Cup Semi Finals
29/05/2016 – Week 17 – AI Quarter Finals, Relegation SF’s
05/06/2016 – Week 18 – Cup Final
12/06/2016 – Week 19 – Relegation Final
19/06/2016 – Week 20 – AI Semi Finals
26/06/2016 – Week 21
03/07/2016 – Week 22
10/07/2016 – Week 23 – AI Final

Doing that it would be allowing the best part of July, August, September and October (and November if necessary) exclusively for the clubs.

Not the ideal system, but it could work in the future if the effort was put in, and definitely better than what we have which isn't good enough. Plenty of games for the players and the fans (more home games too), and a proper structure for the year for the clubs.

Ideally it would be done with the football so that while the inter-county hurling season is going on, the club football scene is going too, and vice versa. Minimum crossover of players, a defined football and hurling club season in each half of the year for the club players as well.

The Slobs · 14-05-2015 9:26pm

randd1 wrote: »

The only logical way to go into the future (it wont ever happen unless there is demand though) is to scrap the Walsh Cup/Waterford Crystal competitions, scrap the provincials as the main competition format, and amalgamate the league and championship into one competition.

12 team division 1, round robin competition, each team plays each other once week in, week out. Minimum of 5 home games one year, 6 the next.

Top 4 teams in the league qualify for championship QF's.
1st and 2nd into League Final. Winner given home AIQF as reward for winning out the league.
3rd and 4th into League Shield.

Playoffs - 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th placed sides in one pot, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th place sides into other pot and open draw.

4 Playoff losers into relegation SF's. Losers of relegation SF's into relegation final, with loser relegated to Christy Ring.

4 Playoff winners into QF's with top 4. Open draw QF's, winners to SF's and so on.

All games finish on the day with penalties if needed (especially now with the 1 v 1 penalties), with the exception of AI final which goes to a replay.

For traditionalists, and for genuine competition, have a separate cup competition based on the traditional provincial format, with straight knockout.

Even with all those games, allowing for 20 games, 21 max with AI replay, (11 round robin games, 4 knockout games, 5 cup games), if you started on the first of February, played one game a week, you could finish the entire inter-county season on the second week in July, and that would be allowing for a two week/3 week break before the AISF's and AI final respectively.For example if you were to apply it to next year, it would look something like this;

07/02/2016 – Week 01 – League round 1
14/02/2016 – Week 02 – League Round 2
21/02/2016 – Week 03 - League Round 3
28/02/2016 – Week 04 – League Round 4
06/03/2016 – Week 05 – Provincial Quarter Finals
13/03/2016 – Week 06 - League Round 5
20/03/2016 – Week 07 - League Round 6
27/03/2016 – Week 08 – Provincial Semi Finals
03/04/2016 – Week 09 - League Round 7
10/04/2016 – Week 10 - League Round 8
17/04/2016 – Week 11 - League Round 9
24/04/2016 – Week 12 – Provincial Finals
01/05/2016 – Week 13 - League Round 10
08/05/2016 – Week 14 - League Round 11
15/05/2016 – Week 15 – League Final, Shield Final, AI Playoffs
22/05/2016 – Week 16 – Cup Semi Finals
29/05/2016 – Week 17 – AI Quarter Finals, Relegation SF’s
05/06/2016 – Week 18 – Cup Final
12/06/2016 – Week 19 – Relegation Final
19/06/2016 – Week 20 – AI Semi Finals
26/06/2016 – Week 21
03/07/2016 – Week 22
10/07/2016 – Week 23 – AI Final

Doing that it would be allowing the best part of July, August, September and October (and November if necessary) exclusively for the clubs.

Not the ideal system, but it could work in the future if the effort was put in, and definitely better than what we have which isn't good enough. Plenty of games for the players and the fans (more home games too), and a proper structure for the year for the clubs.

Ideally it would be done with the football so that while the inter-county hurling season is going on, the club football scene is going too, and vice versa. Minimum crossover of players, a defined football and hurling club season in each half of the year for the club players as well.

With Inter County Squads packed with third level players that programme for May will really appeal to them right smack bang in the middle of their College exams.

randd1 · 15-05-2015 11:29am

The Slobs wrote: »

With Inter County Squads packed with third level players that programme for May will really appeal to them right smack bang in the middle of their College exams.

Whereas the current system of intensive preparation and training for the championship and a few challenge matches does?

Besides college exams last for two weeks max. I would imagine any manager who is any sort of a decent man will give whatever 3rd level players he has some sort of leeway for exams.

PTH2009 · 15-05-2015 11:56pm

I think the same system used in the football championship should be used in the hurling. Although galway would always win connaught and antrim would always win ulster

GerB40 · 16-05-2015 12:48am

PTH2009 wrote: »

I think the same system used in the football championship should be used in the hurling. Although galway would always win connaught and antrim would always win ulster

You just pointed out the exact reasons such a system wouldn't work. Even though Leinster has been dominated by Kilkenny there is at least some competition there. Dublin, Galway and lately, Wexford are great hurling teams that have their faults but can churn out some fantastic performances. An Ulster or Connaught league would not work in the current system..

nice_guy80 · 21-05-2015 11:08pm

What do people reckon for this weekend?

Antrim to win
Westmeath to win
Limerick to win

Fireball07 · 22-05-2015 12:17am

nice_guy80 wrote: »

What do people reckon for this weekend?

Antrim to win
Westmeath to win
Limerick to win

I'm going to go for Antrim, Laois & Limerick.

PTH2009 · 24-05-2015 4:02pm

Antrim hurling gone to the doldrums. Thought Ryan was doing a good job up there. With a bit of effort next year they should win the Christy ring handy enough

Think laois could beat offaly and westmeath will give wexford a good game

s8n · 24-05-2015 6:01pm

I said it 3 weeks ago and you all scoffed. Laois for Leinster, hard to see anyone stopping them to be honest

nice_guy80 · 25-05-2015 2:33pm

s8n wrote: »

I said it 3 weeks ago and you all scoffed. Laois for Leinster, hard to see anyone stopping them to be honest

Both teams were poor yesterday

PTH2009 · 25-05-2015 7:01pm

for me the following teams will be in the quls

Leinster
Dublin
Laois
Offaly
Kilkenny
Westmeath

Munster
Clare
Waterford
Tipperary

Limerick vs Cork- munster final
Wexford vs Galway- Leinster final

DulchieLaois · 26-05-2015 8:56am

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Both teams were poor yesterday

Your not really Mr Nice Guy are you ? :eek:

nice_guy80 · 26-05-2015 9:21am

DulchieLaois wrote: »

Your not really Mr Nice Guy are you ? :eek:

I'm telling it like it is.
I thought there was no intensity to the game in Portlaoise in the first half

Vanolder · 27-05-2015 9:43am

Tipps All Ireland to lose. Tipp v Waterford munster final - Tipp v KK final.

Twoman Fullbackline · 27-05-2015 10:29am

Vanolder wrote: »

Tipps All Ireland to lose. Tipp v Waterford munster final - Tipp v KK final.

Tipp camp quieter than Richie Mc's dietician at the moment. Whispers of injury worries and concerns over lack of match practice. Will be unusual going in against them where it is they who are coming in under the radar.

If Tipp meet KK they won't beat them this year either. FWIW I think it'll be a Limerick-Cork Munster Final again. Beyond that it's a lottery, but I'll say a KK - Limerick final for the craic.

thinkstoomuch1 · 27-05-2015 3:10pm

Twoman Fullbackline wrote: »

Tipp camp quieter than Richie Mc's dietician at the moment. Whispers of injury worries and concerns over lack of match practice. Will be unusual going in against them where it is they who are coming in under the radar.

If Tipp meet KK they won't beat them this year either. FWIW I think it'll be a Limerick-Cork Munster Final again. Beyond that it's a lottery, but I'll say a KK - Limerick final for the craic.

I think a cork limerick affair be a drab meaningless less game as I doubt either is focused on a munster title at this stage

The neutral fans should hope waterford win as they want and need a munster more than cork or limerick and they would be up for it
Clare would been v Waterford a good munster final as both teams go all out to win

Sheedy said tipp need a munster win but I remain to be convinced munster is their priority and they do better coming in the back door now

Cork and tipp munster final for the purists and that may just may be a game both teams are up for but munster as the record shows does you no favours in the all Ireland race imo
I agree tipp won't beat KK
They need new team with around eight that haven't the baggage of previous years to beat them
I don't think limited waterford cork would trouble kk
Only team imo is a fully fit clare they could beat them

I actually think kk are ahead but it's a pretty mediocre list after that in just good teams but no one stands out and if kk are beaten it's good but I can't see anyone beating them bar one team

glasagusban · 27-05-2015 4:15pm

No team in a Munster final doesn't "go all out to win".

thinkstoomuch1 · 27-05-2015 5:43pm

glasagusban wrote: »

No team in a Munster final doesn't "go all out to win".

Totally irrelevant absolutely whether they do or don't as munster is meaningless to an all Ireland
Now that's my opinion
But let me go further and boldly proclaim it's a fact
Well I need to prove it
Okay I'll try please bear with me

Waterford winning munster in 07, tipp in 08, Waterford in 2010, tipp in 2012, limerick 2013 and cork last year all won munster yet failed to make the final yes failed to make the final and even allowing for kk awesome dominated game of glory no munster team winning since ten years ago in cork munster and an all Ireland means so far the statics yes the statics prove not on circumstance evidence but just my opinion rather conclusively that munster whether you aim to not win it it's irrelevant as winning it is imo a hindrance to the all Ireland and yes it's sad the great great I mean the really really great munster championship that had the rings mackey mcgrath louganne Michael Doyle even kerry Shane bricks christy Walsh and their waterford triumph in the Nineties unfortunately munster is not significant in all Ireland glory but crucially getting to a final is as you're three games from the holy grail and in the far far far more important all Ireland series

RollOnD13th · 27-05-2015 5:48pm

U think and talk too much. Clare over hyped and over ratted simple as that.

thinkstoomuch1 wrote: »

Totally irrelevant absolutely whether they do or don't as munster is meaningless to an all Ireland
Now that's my opinion
But let me go further and boldly proclaim it's a fact
Well I need to prove it
Okay I'll try please bear with me

Waterford winning munster in 07, tipp in 08, Waterford in 2010, tipp in 2012, limerick 2013 and cork last year all won munster yet failed to make the final yes failed to make the final and even allowing for kk awesome dominated game of glory no munster team winning since ten years ago in cork munster and an all Ireland means so far the statics yes the statics prove not on circumstance evidence but just my opinion rather conclusively that munster whether you aim to not win it it's irrelevant as winning it is imo a hindrance to the all Ireland and yes it's sad the great great I mean the really really great munster championship that had the rings mackey mcgrath louganne Michael Doyle even kerry Shane bricks christy Walsh and their waterford triumph in the Nineties unfortunately munster is not significant in all Ireland glory but crucially getting to a final is as you're three games from the holy grail and in the far far far more important all Ireland series

thinkstoomuch1 · 27-05-2015 5:53pm

RollOnD13th wrote: »

U think and talk too much. Clare over hyped and over ratted simple as that.

Great engagement of true debate
Thanks for that compliment I'm proud of it

blackcard · 27-05-2015 8:20pm

I honestly think that it is Tipp's to lose. KK was a bonus win last year but seem to have a lack of talent coming through. Tipp on the other hand seem to have strength in depth

tipparetops · 27-05-2015 11:13pm

My ranking for Liam

1. the kittens
2. tipp
3. Limerick

Kilkenny - current holders
Tipp have a good chance, especially if someone else can do them a favour and knock out kilkenny.
Limerick just need a little extra fire power, maybe Lynch could be it.

I would be very surprised if we had a winner outside those 3.
If Clare were to give Davy the bullet, I would have them joint second favs with Tipp, Clare have fine players.

Fireball07 · 27-05-2015 11:57pm

I think you need to see every team in Championship action before judging, especially because Kilkenny were missing the Ballyhale lads & Richie Power for the league; so we still don't know fully how the loss of JJ & Hogan will affect them in the long-term.

Tipp would have been favourites, simply because they drew with KK last year and hadn't lost anybody. But now that Noel McGrath is gone... have they otherwise improved? Are John McGrath, Michael Breen,, etc. of the required quality to push them that bit further?

I still think it will be very close, as in I could see either KK or Tipp being beaten by the likes of Limerick, Waterford, Cork, Dublin, Clare if those others were on their day.

citykat · 28-05-2015 12:09am

thinkstoomuch1 wrote: »

I think a cork limerick affair be a drab meaningless less game as I doubt either is focused on a munster title at this stage

The neutral fans should hope waterford win as they want and need a munster more than cork or limerick and they would be up for it
Clare would been v Waterford a good munster final as both teams go all out to win

Sheedy said tipp need a munster win but I remain to be convinced munster is their priority and they do better coming in the back door now

Cork and tipp munster final for the purists and that may just may be a game both teams are up for but munster as the record shows does you no favours in the all Ireland race imo
I agree tipp won't beat KK
They need new team with around eight that haven't the baggage of previous years to beat them
I don't think limited waterford cork would trouble kk
Only team imo is a fully fit clare they could beat them

I actually think kk are ahead but it's a pretty mediocre list after that in just good teams but no one stands out and if kk are beaten it's good but I can't see anyone beating them bar one team

To borrow your phrase, there's so much yerra talk in that post, I don't know where to start.

DulchieLaois · 28-05-2015 10:21am

Laois in more trouble now with resignation of Cheddar Plunkett

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/other/plunkett-resigns-as-laois-hurling-boss-679154.html

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 10:33am

DulchieLaois wrote: »

Laois in more trouble now with resignation of Cheddar Plunkett

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/other/plunkett-resigns-as-laois-hurling-boss-679154.html

Any word what's really going on with that? He's been a massive boost to Laois hurling, the mention of players lining out for their clubs seems (from an outsiders basically clueless perspective) to imply either the players are defying him, or the county board are undermining him by scheduling club games at what he sees as an important time for the county team.

glasagusban · 28-05-2015 11:52am

tipparetops wrote: »

My ranking for Liam

1. the kittens
2. tipp
3. Limerick

Kilkenny - current holders
Tipp have a good chance, especially if someone else can do them a favour and knock out kilkenny.
Limerick just need a little extra fire power, maybe Lynch could be it.

I would be very surprised if we had a winner outside those 3.
If Clare were to give Davy the bullet, I would have them joint second favs with Tipp, Clare have fine players.

I'd agree with that. Kk's only loss from last year is JJ. He's a big loss but they can probably absorb it. This year looks like a now or never for Tipp but despite looking amazing at times they tend to struggle on occasion too, time for one or two of the younger forwards to step up. Limerick are around a "top 4" team, remains to be seen if they can go one better, we need absolutely everyone fit and on top form. Clare have some super players that can cut teams apart but their backs are weak and they're lacking work horse type players in the middle third.

thinkstoomuch1 · 28-05-2015 12:02pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Any word what's really going on with that? He's been a massive boost to Laois hurling, the mention of players lining out for their clubs seems (from an outsiders basically clueless perspective) to imply either the players are defying him, or the county board are undermining him by scheduling club games at what he sees as an important time for the county team.

Good hurling man but cunningham won't weaken that set up at all and himself and fanning could still turn it around for Laois

Hesh's Umpire · 28-05-2015 12:06pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

the county board are undermining him by scheduling club games at what he sees as an important time for the county team.

It wasn't a scheduled club game - it was a challenge game against a Tipp club.

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 12:51pm

Hesh's Umpire wrote: »

It wasn't a scheduled club game - it was a challenge game against a Tipp club.

Fair enough, so presumably there's a rift between himself and his players? You'd hope TTM is right and they can just move on, but it's unfortunate when he's been such a massive positive, and having come in at a stage when the players were ready to walk away due to the lack of seriousness and professionalism in the set up. As I say, I have no clue here, on the surface walking away over that seems a little excessive, but it points towards beigger problems, a straw that broke the camel's back.

tipparetops · 28-05-2015 12:59pm

glasagusban wrote: »

I'd agree with that. Kk's only loss from last year is JJ. He's a big loss but they can probably absorb it. This year looks like a now or never for Tipp but despite looking amazing at times they tend to struggle on occasion too, time for one or two of the younger forwards to step up. Limerick are around a "top 4" team, remains to be seen if they can go one better, we need absolutely everyone fit and on top form. Clare have some super players that can cut teams apart but their backs are weak and they're lacking work horse type players in the middle third.

The key is the cats, take them feckers out and its an open championship.
Every team would grow in stature.
Obviously I want to Tipp to win, but after that I just want anyone but Kilkenny.
hurling needs a good break from Kilkenny winning for the good of the game, their dominance is strangling the game.

2015 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Discussion Thread

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