2015 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Discussion Thread

DulchieLaois · 28-05-2015 1:01pm

Just disapponting to have mid championship especially winning the round robin 2 years in a row and a good crack against Offaly in a couple of weeks

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 1:08pm

tipparetops wrote: »

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.

How on earth is it strangling the game? Has there been a decline in the quality of hurling generally? Has there been a drop in the numbers of children playing the game? Is there any other metric for the health of the game?

tipparetops · 28-05-2015 1:16pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

How on earth is it strangling the game? Has there been a decline in the quality of hurling generally? Has there been a drop in the numbers of children playing the game? Is there any other metric for the health of the game?

It is unhealthy to have one team winning so much.
If we had 4 uninterrupted years of Dublin,Limerick,Galway,Wexford, winning, it would be great for hurling in those counties.
It would make the championship truly exciting again if Kilkenny were in the doldrums for a few years and other counties could take centre stage.

glasagusban · 28-05-2015 2:15pm

tipparetops wrote: »

It is unhealthy to have one team winning so much.
If we had 4 uninterrupted years of Dublin,Limerick,Galway,Wexford, winning, it would be great for hurling in those counties.
It would make the championship truly exciting again if Kilkenny were in the doldrums for a few years and other counties could take centre stage.

Agree.

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 2:33pm

tipparetops wrote: »

It is unhealthy to have one team winning so much.
If we had 4 uninterrupted years of Dublin,Limerick,Galway,Wexford, winning, it would be great for hurling in those counties.
It would make the championship truly exciting again if Kilkenny were in the doldrums for a few years and other counties could take centre stage.

Saying it's strangling the game, and then explaining that you mean by that that it's unhealthy for the game, doesn't explain anything. What harm, in real terms, has actually been done to the game? Are numbers down? Is the quality lower? Or do you just want to see someone else win?

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with wanting to see a change, but this idea that KK's success is somehow bad for the game boils my pi$$ to be honest. It's bullsh1t.

Mehapoy · 28-05-2015 2:42pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

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.

Typical Laois, go well for a couple of years and then it's all falls apart with the coach gone...same thing with Rigey was in charge...I don't really get it myself, so some players played in a club challenge game? Why did that make the coach resign? Surely he would have just disciplined/ dropped the players?

tipparetops · 28-05-2015 4:17pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Saying it's strangling the game, and then explaining that you mean by that that it's unhealthy for the game, doesn't explain anything. What harm, in real terms, has actually been done to the game? Are numbers down? Is the quality lower? Or do you just want to see someone else win?

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with wanting to see a change, but this idea that KK's success is somehow bad for the game boils my pi$$ to be honest. It's bullsh1t.

u are either from kilkenny or know nothing about hurling.
which is it.

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 4:38pm

tipparetops wrote: »

u are either from kilkenny or know nothing about hurling.
which is it.

Just answer the question: How, specifically, does Kilkenny winning "strangle" the game, or how is it "unhealthy" for the game? Some actual evidence, not codology about where I'm from or whether I know anything about hurling, which is just dodging the question.

tipparetops · 28-05-2015 4:41pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Just answer the question: How, specifically, does Kilkenny winning "strangle" the game, or how is it "unhealthy" for the game? Some actual evidence, not codology about where I'm from or whether I know anything about hurling, which is just dodging the question.

answer my question first.
i need to know u are serious before i can give u a detailed answer.

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 4:56pm

tipparetops wrote: »

answer my question first.
i need to know u are serious before i can give u a detailed answer.

Why would I answer your question first? I'm not a fool, clearly the idea of the question is to be able to dismiss my opinion one way or the other, saving you the bother of having to actually provide an answer. So, for what it's worth, and irrelevant as it is to the actual debate, I'm from Kilkenny. And while I'm nobody's idea of an expert on hurling, I like to think I know something about it.

Now, good luck, I no more expect you to actually explain how Kilkenny are strangling the game than I expect Brian Cody to call me up to play midfield this year.

tipparetops · 28-05-2015 6:38pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Why would I answer your question first? I'm not a fool, clearly the idea of the question is to be able to dismiss my opinion one way or the other, saving you the bother of having to actually provide an answer. So, for what it's worth, and irrelevant as it is to the actual debate, I'm from Kilkenny. And while I'm nobody's idea of an expert on hurling, I like to think I know something about it.

Now, good luck, I no more expect you to actually explain how Kilkenny are strangling the game than I expect Brian Cody to call me up to play midfield this year.

Checkmate.
Being serious I am not anti - Kilkenny, they are worthy champs.
They are THE hurling county - but to say they are not strangling the game is pure tosh.
That much success in an amateur sport is not good.
No one can deny what Limerick,Dublin,Galway, Wexford etc. need is an all ireland, and what is stopping them is Kilkenny.
Anyone who loves hurling knows this and would love to have the competitiveness we had in 80s and 90s.

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 9:43pm

tipparetops wrote: »

Checkmate.
Being serious I am not anti - Kilkenny, they are worthy champs.
They are THE hurling county - but to say they are not strangling the game is pure tosh.
That much success in an amateur sport is not good.
No one can deny what Limerick,Dublin,Galway, Wexford etc. need is an all ireland, and what is stopping them is Kilkenny.
Anyone who loves hurling knows this and would love to have the competitiveness we had in 80s and 90s.

If I was neutral, I'd probably agree with you to a point, but only from the point of view of the spectator, not the game itself, I think success or failure if the game in terms of uptake at juvenile, has a lot more to do with local organisation. Success at the top level also doesn't inherently translate, look at wexford and offaly, their success didn't last or spur them on, and wexfords resurgence is all about responding to failure from what I can see. Kilkenny, too, are reaping the benefits of a response to a crisis.

A new team lifting the trophy would excite spectators, but I don't know how much difference it makes to the health if the game.

As an aside, I dunno if the rest of the counties would regard Tipp winning again as much of a break really. It has to leave the big three more often.

Realt Dearg Sec · 28-05-2015 9:45pm

To put it another way, Kilkenny succeeding doesn't cause a lack of health in the game. If there's a problem with the health of the game, it's a symptom. As it happens I think the game is in great health.

Incidentally you had me properly wound up, but I'm just back from watching Realt Dearg win a championship match so I'm in much better form now.

citykat · 29-05-2015 12:22am

tipparetops wrote: »

Checkmate.
Being serious I am not anti - Kilkenny, they are worthy champs.
They are THE hurling county - but to say they are not strangling the game is pure tosh.
That much success in an amateur sport is not good.
No one can deny what Limerick,Dublin,Galway, Wexford etc. need is an all ireland, and what is stopping them is Kilkenny.
Anyone who loves hurling knows this and would love to have the competitiveness we had in 80s and 90s.

In spite of your protestations, this is an anti-Kilkenny rant. Look at the facts. Kilkenny were brought to a replay in 2012 & 2014. They could very well have been beaten in both. Had that been the case, we'd be looking at different winners from 2010 to now with your beloved Tipp winning two. Were that the case you wouldn't be whinging about the health of the game.
If you're really concerned about the health of the game, you should focus on the U21 level and the dominance of Clare. That eclipses anything that Kilkenny have done in the last few years.

Fireball07 · 29-05-2015 2:34am

Tbh I'm in total agreement with the Kilkenny lads here, as much as I hate to see one team dominate the trophies. It's not Kilkenny's fault they are so good, it's up to the rest of the counties to reach that level. And there were a couple of years where Kilkenny won the All-Ireland where perhaps they weren't clearly the best team, but they had the nous and guile to win it in those situations too.

I don't think Kilkenny will be as good this year, but other teams shouldn't have to rely on their standards slipping to be as good as them.

I don't think Kilkenny winning all the time is what's bad for the game, it's merely a symptom of the other teams not being good enough. But this year would seem that it's closer than ever before. That might lead to the traditional big three rising to the top, but other teams do have a chance, no question about that.

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 11:18am

Fireball07 wrote: »

Tbh I'm in total agreement with the Kilkenny lads here, as much as I hate to see one team dominate the trophies. It's not Kilkenny's fault they are so good, it's up to the rest of the counties to reach that level. And there were a couple of years where Kilkenny won the All-Ireland where perhaps they weren't clearly the best team, but they had the nous and guile to win it in those situations too.

I don't think Kilkenny will be as good this year, but other teams shouldn't have to rely on their standards slipping to be as good as them.

I don't think Kilkenny winning all the time is what's bad for the game, it's merely a symptom of the other teams not being good enough. But this year would seem that it's closer than ever before. That might lead to the traditional big three rising to the top, but other teams do have a chance, no question about that.

I never said it was Kilkennys fault.
There is no big 3, has not been for years, the big 3 is the big 1 now.
The simple truth is kilkennys success is strangling the growth of the game.

last 10 years kilkenny have won -
7 all irelands
8 leinsters

If you are from kilkenny you will likely never agree with the truth.

Do you mind if I ask you, which is your county.

Vanolder · 29-05-2015 11:21am

Are any other sports played in Kilkenny?

Realt Dearg Sec · 29-05-2015 11:21am

tipparetops wrote: »

The simple truth is kilkennys success is strangling the growth of the game.

You've shown no evidence for this whatsoever. The game is more popular than its ever been ffs. I really don't understand what your obsession with where posters are from is about either. If you're just speaking "truth" then it shouldn't be too hard to demonstrate that what you're saying is true (listing KK's success doesn't constitute proof that the growth of the game is being strangled, it constitutes proof that Kilkenny are really good).

commonsense. · 29-05-2015 11:22am

tipparetops wrote: »

That much success in an amateur sport is not good.
No one can deny what Limerick,Dublin,Galway, Wexford etc. need is an all ireland, and what is stopping them is Kilkenny.
Anyone who loves hurling knows this and would love to have the competitiveness we had in 80s and 90s.

So KKs pursuit of excellence is hurting the game???

Of course we'd love to have spread of titles we had in the 80s and 90's but surely it's up to everybody else to reach KKs level.

Or perhaps KK need to drop their standards!!!

GerB40 · 29-05-2015 11:23am

Fireball07 wrote: »

Tbh I'm in total agreement with the Kilkenny lads here, as much as I hate to see one team dominate the trophies. It's not Kilkenny's fault they are so good, it's up to the rest of the counties to reach that level. And there were a couple of years where Kilkenny won the All-Ireland where perhaps they weren't clearly the best team, but they had the nous and guile to win it in those situations too.

I don't think Kilkenny will be as good this year, but other teams shouldn't have to rely on their standards slipping to be as good as them.

I don't think Kilkenny winning all the time is what's bad for the game, it's merely a symptom of the other teams not being good enough. But this year would seem that it's closer than ever before. That might lead to the traditional big three rising to the top, but other teams do have a chance, no question about that.

Yeah I completely agree with you. Being from Tipp, it's been particularly galling sometimes but Kilkenny have set a higher standard of hurling and it's only in recent years that other teams have caught up.

As for Kilkenny's dominance being bad for hurling, that's clearly not true. Once the bar is raised by one team they become the team to beat and so many teams have improved trying to do just that. Waterford are becoming a team to watch out for again, Wexford are also a very exciting prospect. Most "hurling counties" have improved over the last few years and that's certainly not a bad thing. Is it all down to the cats? Probably not but there's no denying that Kilkenny owning the championship for the last decade or so has made beating them a high priority for so many other counties which in turn has made raising hurling standards an equally high priority. That's good for hurling..

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 11:24am

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

You've shown no evidence for this whatsoever. The game is more popular than its ever been ffs. I really don't understand what your obsession with where posters are from is about either. If you're just speaking "truth" then it shouldn't be too hard to demonstrate that what you're saying is true (listing KK's success doesn't constitute proof that the growth of the game is being strangled, it constitutes proof that Kilkenny are really good).

So if we had Dublin,Waterford,Limerick,and Galway win next 4 all - irelands.
You believe that achievement would have zero affect on hurling in those counties.

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 11:36am

GerB40 wrote: »

Yeah I completely agree with you. Being from Tipp, it's been particularly galling sometimes but Kilkenny have set a higher standard of hurling and it's only in recent years that other teams have caught up.

As for Kilkenny's dominance being bad for hurling, that's clearly not true. Once the bar is raised by one team they become the team to beat and so many teams have improved trying to do just that. Waterford are becoming a team to watch out for again, Wexford are also a very exciting prospect. Most "hurling counties" have improved over the last few years and that's certainly not a bad thing. Is it all down to the cats? Probably not but there's no denying that Kilkenny owning the championship for the last decade or so has made beating them a high priority for so many other counties which in turn has made raising hurling standards an equally high priority. That's good for hurling..

Of course its true, how could you say its not. And be honest this all started in 2000, I was saying 10 years, but it has been longer, especially in Leinster.

Hurling championship was king in the 80s and 90s, since than football is king, in terms of popularity.

There is no denying Kilkenny have been worthy champs, but it is not good for hurling in other counties.
Limerick last title 1973
waterford 1959
What has stopped them in last 10 years - kittens.

Realt Dearg Sec · 29-05-2015 11:45am

tipparetops wrote: »

So if we had Dublin,Waterford,Limerick,and Galway win next 4 all - irelands.
You believe that achievement would have zero affect on hurling in those counties.

What affect did it have on Offaly and Wexford?

Anyway that's not what I said. It CAN have a positive affect, maybe, depending on how the county board and the clubs respond. But the contrary isn't true, that if they DONT win then that means the game is being strangled in some way. Hurling has absolutely exploded in Dublin in the last ten years without any All Ireland. All Irelands are the product of successful development, they are absolutely not the cause of it.

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 11:50am

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

What affect did it have on Offaly and Wexford?

they did not have a chance, Kilkenny strangled them.

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 11:52am

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

What affect did it have on Offaly and Wexford?

Anyway that's not what I said. It CAN have a positive affect, maybe, depending on how the county board and the clubs respond. But the contrary isn't true, that if they DONT win then that means the game is being strangled in some way. Hurling has absolutely exploded in Dublin in the last ten years without any All Ireland. All Irelands are the product of successful development, they are absolutely not the cause of it.

thanks you remind me of a great point- where have the successful dublin minors gone, football or hurling.

lim4ev · 29-05-2015 12:07pm

Those bold boys from Kilkenny stopping everyone from getting a fair chance what a load of drivel.I totally agree it would be great for the game if the likes of limk Galway Waterford etc etc could win the all irl but to blame Kilkenny is preposterous Kilkenny didn't stop[well they did but not the way its being put about here] limerick or galway or whoever from winning recently it was the counties themselves they were just not good enough hardly Kilkenny's fault.

Regarding this yr again you have kk and tipp with the rest a little behind limerick will improve immensely from last week but they need to immensely improve to have a chance,clare have super forwards but lack a few backs and a manager,cork lack backs and Dublin Waterford and galway and wexford could do damage to anyone but don't think they'll win it out.

For me its kk and tipp with limk clare next then cork Waterford Dublin galway next and I suppose probably wexford

commonsense. · 29-05-2015 12:11pm

tipparetops wrote: »

they did not have a chance, Kilkenny strangled them.

The hole is big enough TAT, stop digging.

nice_guy80 · 29-05-2015 12:26pm

Its like the all blacks in rugby or Spain, Germany etc in soccer

One team sets the bar higher and everyone must find a way to get up to that level.

Hurling has changed a lot in 15 years too in terms of the speed, accuracy of skills and intensity of play

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 12:29pm

commonsense. wrote: »

The hole is big enough TAT, stop digging.

When kilkenny lost the 97 leinster final to wexford the attendance was over 55,000.

When kilkenny played Galway in 2010, Galways first Leinster final, the attendance was just over 28,000.

Until the public sees parity between counties they will not return.

Even Nicky Brennan, after Kilkenny won the 2012 league final, called Kilkennys dominance very worrying for hurling.

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 12:44pm

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Its like the all blacks in rugby or Spain, Germany etc in soccer

One team sets the bar higher and everyone must find a way to get up to that level.

Hurling has changed a lot in 15 years too in terms of the speed, accuracy of skills and intensity of play

No its not -
all blacks have won 2 world cups same as south africa and australia.
Spain were average before 2008 and have been since 2012.

Kilkennys dominance is so all encompassing, many people equate hurling and kilkenny.

This is the biggest issue to ever to face hurling, we need action not adoration.

Pudders · 29-05-2015 12:49pm

Vanolder wrote: »

Are any other sports played in Kilkenny?

No.

But I'm not sure where the Cuddihy sisters who ran in the last Olympics are from.
Nor the Olympian Boxer and captain of the boxing team Darren O'Neill.
Nor Lanigan-O'Keefe the first ever Irish person to qualify for the Olypmics' modern pentathalon.
Nor Mickey Drennan, Shamrock Rovers leading striker.
Nor Martin Kelly who has signed a contract with Munster rugby.
Nor Richie Moloney the international showjumper.
Nor David Morris, Ireland's highest ranking snooker player.
Nor all the jockeys and horse trainers, handballers and many other sports people from Kilkenny.

But I'm not sure what relevance what other sports are played in the 12th least populated county in Ireland has to do with hurling or Kilkenny's dominance in hurling.

Pudders · 29-05-2015 1:07pm

tipparetops wrote: »

When kilkenny lost the 97 leinster final to wexford the attendance was over 55,000.

When kilkenny played Galway in 2010, Galways first Leinster final, the attendance was just over 28,000.

Until the public sees parity between counties they will not return.

Even Nicky Brennan, after Kilkenny won the 2012 league final, called Kilkennys dominance very worrying for hurling.

Average attendance of leinster finals in the 1980s was 27,900 (Offaly won 6, KK won 4)
Average attendances in the 1990s was 37,000 (mixture of winners with KK winning 5)
Average attendances in the 2000s was 37,000 (KK won 9)

You have picked the highest attended leinster final since 1950 (wiki only goes back that far) to make a comparison also Galway fans haven't probably embraced leinster matches as much as their Leinster counter-parts as a Leinster championship means a lot more in Wexford, Dublin , Offaly etc than Galway.

Attendances for hurling in the all Ireland championship have been on the up in the last number of years and so your argument re attendances has absolutely no foundation.

Pudders · 29-05-2015 1:13pm

tipparetops wrote: »

When kilkenny lost the 97 leinster final to wexford the attendance was over 55,000.

When kilkenny played Galway in 2010, Galways first Leinster final, the attendance was just over 28,000.

Until the public sees parity between counties they will not return.

Even Nicky Brennan, after Kilkenny won the 2012 league final, called Kilkennys dominance very worrying for hurling.

When Cork beat Tipp in the 2000 Munster final 54,590 saw it.
When Waterford beat Cork in a replay in 2010 only 22,750 saw it.

What is wrong with Munster hurling that has caused the drop-off in attendances?

See what I did there?

Vanolder · 29-05-2015 1:46pm

Pudders wrote: »

No.

But I'm not sure where the Cuddihy sisters who ran in the last Olympics are from.
Nor the Olympian Boxer and captain of the boxing team Darren O'Neill.
Nor Lanigan-O'Keefe the first ever Irish person to qualify for the Olypmics' modern pentathalon.
Nor Mickey Drennan, Shamrock Rovers leading striker.
Nor Martin Kelly who has signed a contract with Munster rugby.
Nor Richie Moloney the international showjumper.
Nor David Morris, Ireland's highest ranking snooker player.
Nor all the jockeys and horse trainers, handballers and many other sports people from Kilkenny.

But I'm not sure what relevance what other sports are played in the 12th least populated counties in Ireland has to do with hurling or Kilkenny's dominance in hurling.

The only sport played below there is Hurling, no wonder they win so much while other counties have to contend with football at least..... Soccer aside, what has horse racing, rugby and track and field got to do with sports tho? beating a horse, running in circles and pushing and shoving are hardly sports!

Gentleman Off The Pitch · 29-05-2015 1:55pm

Pudders, the falsehood that no team sports besides hurling are played in Kilkenny gives comfort to supporters of other counties, it'd be cruel to take that from them..

Realt Dearg Sec · 29-05-2015 2:27pm

tipparetops wrote: »

they did not have a chance, Kilkenny strangled them.

This is just embarrassing.

Realt Dearg Sec · 29-05-2015 2:35pm

Vanolder wrote: »

The only sport played below there is Hurling

Wladimir Klitschko just does boxing. Sure of course he's good at it, he plays nothing else! He should be forced to play football, rugby, mud wrestling and extreme trampolining, then we'd see who the REAL champion is!

Vanolder · 29-05-2015 2:45pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Wladimir Klitschko just does boxing. Sure of course he's good at it, he plays nothing else! He should be forced to play football, rugby, mud wrestling and extreme trampolining, then we'd see who the REAL champion is!

That's just stupid.

tipparetops · 29-05-2015 2:58pm

There is no convincing the brain washed, if the weak rise up we will see an exciting championship.

Case in point, when tipp play limerick in a few weeks I expect at least 40000, the reason is called parity.

Even most Kilkenny fans refuse to go to a game until the final.
That is very sad.

Pudders · 29-05-2015 3:13pm

tipparetops wrote: »

There is no convincing the brain washed, if the weak rise up we will see an exciting championship.

Case in point, when tipp play limerick in a few weeks I expect at least 40000, the reason is called parity.

Even most Kilkenny fans refuse to go to a game until the final.
That is very sad.

More fiction.

Realt Dearg Sec · 29-05-2015 3:36pm

Vanolder wrote: »

That's just stupid.

I agree.

blue note · 29-05-2015 5:40pm

I just flicked into this thread and was reminded of a joke used after the 08 final;

5 minutes into the game John Mullane runs over to the ref and asks for a sliothar. He says he already threw one in. "I know says John, but Kilkenny are using that one."

Anyway, it was just a joke you weren't meant to take it seriously. And even though it was one of the worst days in Waterford hurling history the game has never been in better health in the county in the years since it, even if Kilkenny did knock us out 3 times since. And the success of our county team has been a factor in the growth of the sport in the county, but not anyone else's decline. The biggest factor of course has been people putting in time and effort into the development of our young players.

commonsense. · 30-05-2015 11:56am

tipparetops wrote:

When kilkenny lost the 97 leinster final to wexford the attendance was over 55,000.

When kilkenny played Galway in 2010, Galways first Leinster final, the attendance was just over 28,000.

Until the public sees parity between counties they will not return.

No need for me to respond to this one as Pudders has pretty much knocked your point out of the park.

Laoislion8383 · 30-05-2015 12:00pm

I fancy cork this year maybe next year as they are a good quick young team, I have a feeling there is one more rattle in Kilkenny, it's fairly open this year which is good!!!

commonsense. · 30-05-2015 12:02pm

tipparetops wrote:

Kilkennys dominance is so all encompassing, many people equate hurling and kilkenny.

This is the biggest issue to ever to face hurling, we need action not adoration.

Simple solution so. Get KK to drop their standards, parity will be restored and all will be ok in the hurling world again.
Anyone got Codys number, I need to give him an urgent call.

randd1 · 30-05-2015 1:17pm

tipparetops wrote: »

There is no convincing the brain washed, if the weak rise up we will see an exciting championship.

Case in point, when tipp play limerick in a few weeks I expect at least 40000, the reason is called parity.

Even most Kilkenny fans refuse to go to a game until the final.
That is very sad.

That would explain the 40000 Tipp fans at every home league game in Thurles, just like at the AI final crowd so.

randd1 · 30-05-2015 1:42pm

blue note wrote: »

I just flicked into this thread and was reminded of a joke used after the 08 final;

5 minutes into the game John Mullane runs over to the ref and asks for a sliothar. He says he already threw one in. "I know says John, but Kilkenny are using that one."

Anyway, it was just a joke you weren't meant to take it seriously. And even though it was one of the worst days in Waterford hurling history the game has never been in better health in the county in the years since it, even if Kilkenny did knock us out 3 times since. And the success of our county team has been a factor in the growth of the sport in the county, but not anyone else's decline. The biggest factor of course has been people putting in time and effort into the development of our young players.

Exactly. I lived in Waterford about 10-12 years ago and it was a soccer town. I go down occasionally these days, and young lads are carrying hurls around these days. The same with Dungarvan. Waterford slowly but surely is becoming a hurling county.

The team of the 00's never won an AI, but their greatest legacy, their most important legacy, was a love of hurling in the county. Of course that love of hurling has to be nurtured, and when you look at the scools teams in Waterford, the competitiveness of their minor and U21 teams in recent years, even the makeup of the WIT teams, its clear that work has been done.

Kilkenny, Tipp, Waterford, Dublin, Clare, Limerick, Wexford, Laois have all done great work underage, all have won trophies (with the exception of Laois who have definitely become tougher at underage) at either senior and underage level in the past 5 seasons. Cork and Galway are starting to get things going in their counties now. And because of that we're probably going to see a levelling off in the game.

Kilkenny days of dominating hurling look to be over. They were the first county to really put in a massive underage effort and it paid off. Other counties are catching up with them now, so its clear the underage work is being done up and down the place.

But their dominance was down to the fact they put in the hard work to develop the players, and provide a strong club championship for them as well, before anyone else, and reaped the rewards.

That and they were gifted not one but two generations of freakishly great hurlers, the like of which we're very unlikely to see in our lifetimes again.

tipparetops · 30-05-2015 1:45pm

OK a lot of childish posts here, let's forget about my posts and discuss the games tomorrow.

randd1 · 30-05-2015 2:02pm

tipparetops wrote: »

OK a lot of childish posts here, let's forget about my posts and discuss the games tomorrow.

Most of the childishness came from yourself in fairness, but agreed, lets move on and talk about the real things..

Dublin for me tomorrow, think they look in better shape than Galway. Ger Cunningham for me, going on the league, has looked like he was working on Dublins stick work since he came in, it was one factor of them in the league I was very impressed with. They have a much better defence and midfield than Galway as well, I think theyll take Galway. Then again you never know what Galway will turn up.

Its arguably a bigger game than the Likerick /Clare game last week, the winner will likely make a Leinster Final/AI quarter final, the loser likely to face Clare or one of the two losing semi-finalists in Munster. With so much riding on it, it could see a real hell for leather game, or a game of pure nerves. Hoping for a cracker.

Also, its mental to be sticking it on before the football. Pure stupidity.

Flukey · 30-05-2015 2:12pm

Kilkenny's dominance in the province has taken a bit from it. They are not invincible though. The teams that have turned them over in recent years, even at their peak, have done so by tearing into them and showing them no respect. You can't sit back and tremble at their reputation. You go in and play them and really have a go. Teams like Galway, Dublin, Wexford and Tipperary have done that. If teams do that this year, they can beat them.

2015 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Discussion Thread

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