Kilkenny v Limerick - AI Semi Final, Aug 10th 2014

thelostboys23

No time like the present to start up the thread.

Won't feel the two weeks passing until the game , I'm really looking forward to it. Thought limerick were well drilled and done a good job of beating wexford. Different story against KK in two weeks though

randd1

Think this will be the more physically demanding and tougher of the semis. Not sure who to give the nod to as a winner, very evenly matched in my opinion.

In saying that, the one advantage is that Kilkenny probably have the stronger bench, which might be the difference, but I honestly don't know, its too hard to call.

slegs

Kilkenny strong favorites and obviously deserved based on performances this year. Feel we have improved alot and now have a settled team with lots of experience even though still young.

If our backs bring their A game and hold Kilkenny then we have a chance as our forwards are not potent enough on their own to win a shootout.

I think it will be closer than many believe and that there will be less than 3 points in it either way.

savannahkat

Very hard to call. Kilkenny beat Offaly Galway and Dublin. We have seen the true worth of all three since Kilkenny beat them and was not great. Limerick beat Tipp, an excellent result , lost to Cork poorly enough and dismantled Wexford in no uncertain terms. Were Limerick that great or Wexford that poor. We are about to find out on Aug 10th. It is worth waiting for.I hope Limerick are that great.
The hurling world needs Limerick every bit as much as it needs the Wexfords and Dublins of this world. If they beat us I won't begrudge them for one. They have soldiered on through thick and thin suffering more than their share of bad luck over the years which is not to say that I will not be as vocal as ever in my support of Kilkenny..

Grats

savannahkat wrote: »

Very hard to call. Kilkenny beat Offaly Galway and Dublin. We have seen the true worth of all three since Kilkenny beat them and was not great. Limerick beat Tipp, an excellent result , lost to Cork poorly enough and dismantled Wexford in no uncertain terms. Were Limerick that great or Wexford that poor. We are about to find out on Aug 10th. It is worth waiting for.I hope Limerick are that great.
The hurling world needs Limerick every bit as much as it needs the Wexfords and Dublins of this world. If they beat us I won't begrudge them for one. They have soldiered on through thick and thin suffering more than their share of bad luck over the years which is not to say that I will not be as vocal as ever in my support of Kilkenny..

All very true. Limerick have really pushed on since the O'Grady debacle when many wrote them off for this year. You have to admire them for getting on with him and in fact you have to wonder if they would have gotten as far but for his departure. The players never did look comfortable with the style of play been inflicted on them and are playing with confidence and conviction now. They sent out a clear message yesterday and Cody will be listening, and prepared for what will be a wonderful encounter.

savannahkat

I would go with this Kilkenny team while looking at the various possible match ups.

Eoin Murphy
Murphy (V Downes)… Delany (V Dowling )… Tyrell (V Mulcahy)
Holden (V Downes)… Hogan (V Ryan)…...... Buckley (V Hannon)
Hogan & Fogarty… (V Browne& Ryan) maybe DOG
Fennelly (V O’ Mahony)… P Walsh (V McNamara)… Reid (V O’Brien)
J Power (V Hickey)… Shefflin (V McCarthy)… Larkin (V Condon)

Assuming Michael Fennelly and Ritchie Power will not be fit. Some interesting match ups there. I do not know enough about Limerick to pass too many judgments on the calls but perhaps the Limerick posters can add a few in-sights. I am also assuming Henry will start but there is no guarantee of that. While they are all critical battles I think Holden V Downes is vital followed by Buckley V Hannon.

savannahkat

Should be Holden (V Breen)

Fireball07

savannahkat wrote: »

I would go with this Kilkenny team while looking at the various possible match ups.

Eoin Murphy
Murphy (V Downes)… Delany (V Dowling )… Tyrell (V Mulcahy)
Holden (V Downes)… Hogan (V Ryan)…...... Buckley (V Hannon)
Hogan & Fogarty… (V Browne& Ryan) maybe DOG
Fennelly (V O’ Mahony)… P Walsh (V McNamara)… Reid (V O’Brien)
J Power (V Hickey)… Shefflin (V McCarthy)… Larkin (V Condon)

Assuming Michael Fennelly and Ritchie Power will not be fit. Some interesting match ups there. I do not know enough about Limerick to pass too many judgments on the calls but perhaps the Limerick posters can add a few in-sights. I am also assuming Henry will start but there is no guarantee of that. While they are all critical battles I think Holden V Downes is vital followed by Buckley V Hannon.

You've put Downes down twice... it's hard to know how Limerick will line out the next day, but you'd imagine Tom Ryan will drop out for Dodge. I think Hannon has to stay centrally after his performance the last day, both performances on the wing so far were poor.


I'd imagine Cody would prefer to have Murphy on Mulcahy... Mulcahy has so much pace that Tyrell might be in trouble, while Tyrell is probably better suited to marking Downes.

You'd expect Hogan to physically dominate Hannon, but Hannon has talent, it'll be interesting. Breen will have a height advantage over Buckley, but Buckley is in super form...



I would worry most about our half-back line, with the form Reid is in, in particular.

deadybai

This game is going to be so close. Even if you think Kilkenny haven't beaten anyone great yet, it's just hard to see them lose this one. I expect kilkenny to lead most of the match and win. If Limerick can get a lead and make Kilkenny chase the game I can see them winning it. But how rare is it to see kilkenny chase a game? Kilkenny this year have been a second half team in the league and championship and if they follow suit in this game I think they will be unstoppable. A very close game but kilkenny by 5

savannahkat

I wonder what the attendance will be in Croker. Would it be anything like 30,000 Limerick, 20'000 Kilkenny and 5000 Waterford for the minor match. The attendance one way or the other will not affect Kilkenny but may very well affect Limerick. Last year will stand to Limerick but Kilkenny's greater experience of Croker should be worth a point or two.

detective

Can't see 20,000 from KK going!! Hope I'm wrong.

Mountainlad

savannahkat wrote: »

I wonder what the attendance will be in Croker. Would it be anything like 30,000 Limerick, 20'000 Kilkenny and 5000 Waterford for the minor match. The attendance one way or the other will not affect Kilkenny but may very well affect Limerick. Last year will stand to Limerick but Kilkenny's greater experience of Croker should be worth a point or two.

I would say 5,000 Waterford fans for the minor is very ambitious.Will be well supported but 5,000 wouldbe the biggest crowd a minor team has ever gotten for a semi final surely?

Don't think it would be that hard to believe there'd be 50,000 though. There was 56,635 there to see Waterford v Tipp in 2008 which would be relative enough in that I'd say Waterford that day would have a similar following to Kilkenny.

62,962 went to see Limerick and Clare last year so the way the championship is again this year no reason to believe there would be 13,000 less.



In terms of attendance, I'd say that Cork v Tipp game could have a crazy crowd. The GAA must be delighted.

grimbergen

What should give Limerick fans hope is that KK's last match saw the Dubs within 4-5 points of them for 60 mins and we saw yesterday that Dublin are way off this year. Previous years would have seen KK murder them in the first half alone.

They're definitely beatable and their backs are slower. Limerick need a clever game plan unlike Dublin who handed it to them.

TJ Reid seems to be their main man this year - could be a case for Hickey to mark him. No better man marker in the game.

savannahkat

grimbergen wrote: »

What should give Limerick fans hope is that KK's last match saw the Dubs within 4-5 points of them for 60 mins and we saw yesterday that Dublin are way off this year. Previous years would have seen KK murder them in the first half alone.

They're definitely beatable and their backs are slower. Limerick need a clever game plan unlike Dublin who handed it to them.

TJ Reid seems to be their main man this year - could be a case for Hickey to mark him. No better man marker in the game.

All mostly true though if you think that Murphy Buckley and Holden are slow you will get a surprise. Not too worried about JJ or Jackie there are no better readers of the game than that pair and pace alone wont beat them. Brian Hogan's game will depend on Limericks game. If they try to bypass him they have a chance but if they rain balls down on him there will be only one winner. Hogan and Fogarty will more than hold their own in midfield.TJ is our main man this year. Hickey is good and probably as you say Limericks best man marker though if he is taken out of the back line it will weaken Limerick. Depending on who Kilkenny play alongside Reid you will find plenty of pace in Colin Fennelly, John Power, Waltar Walsh, Padraigh Walsh and Aidan Fogarty with Henry and Larkin in the slower class. There is no way of knowing who the Kilkenny six starting forwards will be other than to say Colin Fennelly, & Padraigh Walsh are certain to start.

Fireball07

Can't wait for it tbh. Kilkenny are the favourites and rightly so, they are Kilkenny after all. But they aren't the Kilkenny of old, and have set the Championship alight this year.

The great KK team would never have let Galway back into it the first day; they did do well the 2nd day, and Dublin should have been put away long before they were. They are still a very good team obviously and it would be just like them to shove my words down my throat by putting in a huge performance... but I'm hoping TJ has a plan to counter-act that. TJ Reid is the man to stop in the forward line... obviously they have other very good players too; Colin Fennelly for instance, has the potential to run riot, and Padraig Walsh is having a great debut season. But... I do think the KK forward line has found it harder to score than in previous years, and if our half-back line got sorted, I'd give us a good chance of holding them. I think Hickey & Ryan are still the answers there, but TJ will probably stick with Paudie & Gavin.

Richie Hogan has probably been the best player in the country this year, Fogarty has adapted to midfield well and it'll be another titanic battle between those 2 and Jim-Bob/Browne. I don't think it'll be one-sided, but Hogan's influence will be difficult to curb.

Their defence has some aging players... it seems like people have been saying that for years. But I think we should trust our forwards and let them worry about us. Who do they put on Mulcahy, who is in super form? Presumably Dowling will be picked up by JJ... tbh Dowling is probably just the type of player JJ wants to come up against, but I can still see him scoring a couple from play. Hannon has struggled against players like Brian Hogan in the past, but if he can pick up the space behind and run at the full-back line, there could be joy. Buckley is having a serious season, but Breen is coming into form at the right time too..... and there's Downes.... shocking finishing in his last game, but he is getting the chances, and he could come alight. I suppose KK will be trying to force him into taking potshots again, he does have a tendency to make bad decisions at times.





It should be a cracker. But I think we can do it... I wouldn't put money on us, there is a reason KK are favourites, but I don't see why we'd fear this KK team. We have to believe we are good enough to win the All-Ireland... and not let a repeat of what happened last year happen. I don't think it will, they've learned their lesson... whether it'll be enough to win... I don't know. But I hope.

savannahkat

Fireball07 wrote: »

Can't wait for it tbh. Kilkenny are the favourites and rightly so, they are Kilkenny after all. But they aren't the Kilkenny of old, and have set the Championship alight this year.

The great KK team would never have let Galway back into it the first day; they did do well the 2nd day, and Dublin should have been put away long before they were. They are still a very good team obviously and it would be just like them to shove my words down my throat by putting in a huge performance... but I'm hoping TJ has a plan to counter-act that. TJ Reid is the man to stop in the forward line... obviously they have other very good players too; Colin Fennelly for instance, has the potential to run riot, and Padraig Walsh is having a great debut season. But... I do think the KK forward line has found it harder to score than in previous years, and if our half-back line got sorted, I'd give us a good chance of holding them. I think Hickey & Ryan are still the answers there, but TJ will probably stick with Paudie & Gavin.

Richie Hogan has probably been the best player in the country this year, Fogarty has adapted to midfield well and it'll be another titanic battle between those 2 and Jim-Bob/Browne. I don't think it'll be one-sided, but Hogan's influence will be difficult to curb.

Their defence has some aging players... it seems like people have been saying that for years. But I think we should trust our forwards and let them worry about us. Who do they put on Mulcahy, who is in super form? Presumably Dowling will be picked up by JJ... tbh Dowling is probably just the type of player JJ wants to come up against, but I can still see him scoring a couple from play. Hannon has struggled against players like Brian Hogan in the past, but if he can pick up the space behind and run at the full-back line, there could be joy. Buckley is having a serious season, but Breen is coming into form at the right time too..... and there's Downes.... shocking finishing in his last game, but he is getting the chances, and he could come alight. I suppose KK will be trying to force him into taking potshots again, he does have a tendency to make bad decisions at times.





It should be a cracker. But I think we can do it... I wouldn't put money on us, there is a reason KK are favourites, but I don't see why we'd fear this KK team. We have to believe we are good enough to win the All-Ireland... and not let a repeat of what happened last year happen. I don't think it will, they've learned their lesson... whether it'll be enough to win... I don't know. But I hope.

Kilkenny will not change around the six backs just to mark one man. if Mulcahy starts at top of the right then Jackie will pick him up. Let there be no mystery. If all are fit Kilkenny will line out Paul Murphy JJ Delaney Jackie Tyrell, Joey Holden, Brian Hogan and Cillian Buckley. TJ Ryan already knows this so we will wait and see if Limerick change their forwards set up from yesterday. Kilkenny wont blink first

shockframe

Grats wrote: »

All very true. Limerick have really pushed on since the O'Grady debacle when many wrote them off for this year. You have to admire them for getting on with him and in fact you have to wonder if they would have gotten as far but for his departure. The players never did look comfortable with the style of play been inflicted on them and are playing with confidence and conviction now. They sent out a clear message yesterday and Cody will be listening, and prepared for what will be a wonderful encounter.

It didnt take long for the anti o'grady crew to show up.

DOG was a huge positive when he arrived in 2011 as he effectively banished the whole clique and old pals act that existed in Limerick longer than I can care to remember during his time.If you lived through 2 decades of some shoddy setups in Limerick you may look at things differently.To John Allens credit he carried on the good work.

I think we would still be in an all ireland semi final if O'Grady was there definitely.TJ has done a lot better than I expected but in terms of organisation, preparation and turning around what look like lost causes O'Grady gets my vote everytime.

O'Grady can claim credit for Limerick's revival absolutely. 11 of the team that played in the munster final and yesterday played in the 2011 quarter final defeat to dublin. Do you think we would have that form of continuity and progress if one of the political favourites was appointed in late. Would we f"".

Back to the game in hand it will be a big ask to win it for Limerick as Kilkenny have more of a settled squad than us and have racked up big scores.They're not the force of old but a force they still are. Limerick are unlikely to get a head start like yesterday against the cats but need the half back line to really up their game.

We also have to show the same fight that we did in the first half of the 2012 game. Do that and Limerick are in with a right chance.

The lack of strength in depth is a worry for Limerick. I wont say a big worry as there is some cracking players coming through the ranks and you will have a fine squad from next year on with all the minors.

You'd wonder if it's a last hurrah for Brian Cody and Henry Shefflin. The perfect 10 is within reach. Despite the Big 3 all there and Limerick the competition means 7/8 teams have a realistic chance of winning an all ireland over the next few years and chances are the golden era is near the end with Kilkenny (if it isnt already) and they want to go out on a high. Cody might surprise me and do a Sean Boylan on it but 16 years is a long time to be on the go.

Ferguson went out a winner with Man Utd, Brian Cody might want to do something similar this September.

Grats

savannahkat wrote: »

Kilkenny will not change around the six backs just to mark one man. if Mulcahy starts at top of the right then Jackie will pick him up. Let there be no mystery. If all are fit Kilkenny will line out Paul Murphy JJ Delaney Jackie Tyrell, Joey Holden, Brian Hogan and Cillian Buckley. TJ Ryan already knows this so we will wait and see if Limerick change their forwards set up from yesterday. Kilkenny wont blink first

From the start of this year Kilkenny have changed around their team from match to match. It continued right up to their last one which was the Leinster Final. The team have gone into serious training since with very little given away as to what team will line out and what kind of game they will play. In other years we were up in lights for every other manager and his back room team to analyse and prepare for. From our point of view that can't be a bad thing and we most definitely need every little advantage since we have come back to the pack in a big way.

The starting 15 against Limerick will be news to us all.

savannahkat

Grats wrote: »

From the start of this year Kilkenny have changed around their team from match to match. It continued right up to their last one which was the Leinster Final. The team have gone into serious training since with very little given away as to what team will line out and what kind of game they will play. In other years we were up in lights for every other manager and his back room team to analyse and prepare for. From our point of view that can't be a bad thing and we most definitely need every little advantage since we have come back to the pack in a big way.

The starting 15 against Limerick will be news to us all.

You have a point Grats but there are un-movables and main amongst these at present are PM JJ and JT in the full back line and I suspect Brian Hogan in the centre. Not one other position is nailed down, though there are players who will be picked such as Ritchie Hogan, Colin Fennelly, Cillian Buckley & Padraigh Walsh. Every one else is fighting for a starting place.
As you mentioned on the other thread we also have both Michael Fennelly and Ritchie Power back training. With still two weeks to go there is a chance both can make it, it might be slim but the chance exists. It would be some addition to the panel if both can make it even if they do not start.

glued

A couple of the match ups suit Kilkenny but I can't see there being more than 2-3 points in this. Haven't been impressed with Colin Fennelly at all since the league so he is due a big game. Hopefully this game is a cracker after the dreadful games in Thurles on Sunday

Vanolder

KK by 7

letowski

I don't think the easy quarter final will be too detrimental for Limerick. KK haven't exactly got tough games this year, with the exception of 15 minutes versus Galway. Probably Limerick have had tougher battles this year, and I expect them to put in a strong performance.

I'd share Limerick's concerns over their half backline all right, think their half backs will be up against it. I genuinely can't wait to see the scrap for possession around the midfield, with probably the two best teams in Ireland at winning the breaks here.

I'm looking forward to it from a neutrals perspective anyway, too direct teams should make for an exciting end to end contest.

Amprodude

I want to see Limerick winning this. It will be great for hurling but I do think it will be their greatest test to date and it will be a huge ask. Kilkenny by 5.

thelostboys23

I think that there is going to be no more important opening 10/15 mins of a game this year.

Limerick need to come out fast and put immediate pressure on KK and get an early lead if they are to win this.

If KK were to get the early lead I would find it harder to see Limerick winning - they would no doubt make a run at them and get back close or even ahead but I think the energy they would expend doing so would catch them in the end and KK would be able to pull ahead at the end.

oconnol1

Tickets on GAA web site are not great. Why don't the sell middle of the stands early.

deadybai

oconnol1 wrote: »

Tickets on GAA web site are not great. Why don't the sell middle of the stands early.

Jeanie I nearly forgot about buying tickets haha. Thanks for the reminder :P

Copper_pipe

oconnol1 wrote: »

Tickets on GAA web site are not great. Why don't the sell middle of the stands early.

Ya all stand tickets are stuck in the corner, I opted for hill 16

The Red Lad

Should be a cracker lads

mercury16

Limerick need to come out of the traps early in this one. They have had a game two weeks previous and thus are sharper than KK who won't have played in 5 weeks. Therefore Lk have the early advantage, and need to make it pay, as the more the game goes on, surely the sharper the KK guys will get.

I know Cody has always managed to get his teams up to speed from the off, in semi-finals, despite the five week layoff, but those were very special teams indeed and were naturally way better than what else was around. Doing so this time with a lot of young players will be a different prospect.

Had KK a fully fit M Fennelly and Richie Power starting, i'd be thinking that it's 60/40 KK. However, they don't. And even if any of them are passed fit to play or on the bench, none of these guys have hurled at intercounty level since early June - that's 9 weeks without match practice. Fennelly at the time of the game will have two full weeks light training. Power will have two full weeks training since a knee injury in early June, so both are damp squids in my book. That leaves it as 55-45 to Limerick in my book. And it were talking the KK of the second half against Dublin, then its 6040 to Limerick. Games played, motivation from lastyear and if the capatin is back a full fit Lk team.

Fireball07

savannahkat wrote: »

Kilkenny will not change around the six backs just to mark one man. if Mulcahy starts at top of the right then Jackie will pick him up. Let there be no mystery. If all are fit Kilkenny will line out Paul Murphy JJ Delaney Jackie Tyrell, Joey Holden, Brian Hogan and Cillian Buckley. TJ Ryan already knows this so we will wait and see if Limerick change their forwards set up from yesterday. Kilkenny wont blink first

Well, I do think the Limerick half-forward line will line out Dodge/Hannon/Breen from left-to-right, no matter how Kilkenny line out. The inside line is interesting, I would be trying to get Mulcahy on Tyrell so he can use his pace.

I'd be more worried about our defensive match-ups though, particularly the TJ Reid one. I'd have Hickey on him tbh, but I'm not sure TJ will/

savannahkat

Fireball07 wrote: »

Well, I do think the Limerick half-forward line will line out Dodge/Hannon/Breen from left-to-right, no matter how Kilkenny line out. The inside line is interesting, I would be trying to get Mulcahy on Tyrell so he can use his pace.

I'd be more worried about our defensive match-ups though, particularly the TJ Reid one. I'd have Hickey on him tbh, but I'm not sure TJ will/

And in the immortal words, Fireball, of the one and still only Willie O' Connor when asked how he was going to deal with a speed merchant. "He can be as fast as he likes but it wont do him much good if he ain't got the ball.":)

Fireball07

savannahkat wrote: »

And in the immortal words, Fireball, of the one and still only Willie O' Connor when asked how he was going to deal with a speed merchant. "He can be as fast as he likes but it wont do him much good if he ain't got the ball.":)

It's true... and Mulcahy was starved of possession against Tipperary, for example. And although he was superb against Cork, corner-backs don't come much savvier than Tyrell.

Mul's movement is unreal though, but we'll be relying on the half-forward line/midfielders breaking past that first line of defence too. That's the biggest ask, I think. Any forward can look good if he gets the ball in space.

RoyalCelt

Read in the papers today that Cork v Tipp could be a sell out and Limerick v Kilkenny tickets are selling fast too. I would be surprised if there was over 140k between the two of them. One thing is for sure Kilkenny's dominance ending briefly has showed us how popular hurling can really be.

There were a few years when an AI semi final would get 40-50k. Now they are pushing 60k plus easily. Great to see and long may it continue.

grimbergen

Will be a big Limerick crowd for sure. Would predict a crowd around 55-60k for that one. Tickets for sale online are shocking though, buried in the corners of both stands or 5 rows from the front of the davin. Hope the top tiers come online soon.

oconnol1

Anyone know if the upper tiers will be opened.

Copper_pipe

oconnol1 wrote: »

Anyone know if the upper tiers will be opened.

They will id say, the Cusack stand option is gone from tickets.ie but all they were selling was block 301,and 311,?

oconnol1

Copper_pipe wrote: »

They will id say, the Cusack stand option is gone from tickets.ie but all they were selling was block 301,and 311,?

I hope so, those seats are not great, would have a better view at home on TV lol. Eurospar shops selling the same poor seats.

oconnol1

I will post if I see better seats coming up.

Lester Freamon

The GAA have quite rightly kept the better lower tier tickets for the clubs.

In previous years, quite often the county boards would send some unsold tickets back to Croker on the Friday before the game and I got lucky a few times as a neutral with seats near the half way line. I doubt many (if any) will be returned from Limerick though.

They won't open the upper tiers until all or most of the lower have been sold. I'd be shocked if they didn't start releasing upper Cusack Stand tickets online by the middle of next week.

slegs

315 on sale now for lower Cusack....trying to buy 4 adult and 4 kids tickets that I will never get through the club but I dont want to sit in rubbish seats.

Hopefully they open the upper deck soon.

Copper_pipe

slegs wrote: »

315 on sale now for lower Cusack....trying to buy 4 adult and 4 kids tickets that I will never get through the club but I dont want to sit in rubbish seats.

Hopefully they open the upper deck soon.

Is 315 not the Davin? Either way it's behind the end line. The view mightn't be bad

slegs

Whats the view from the Davin 320 like? Anyone sat there before

deadybai

slegs wrote: »

Whats the view from the Davin 320 like? Anyone sat there before

Thats were I was for the All Ireland in 2010. Thought the view was crap. I was bout 5 or six rows back from the posts. Cant see what was going on the other end of the pitch

bennyl10

deadybai wrote: »

Thats were I was for the All Ireland in 2010. Thought the view was crap. I was bout 5 or six rows back from the posts. Cant see what was going on the other end of the pitch

Always think if you're going Davin and are able, you're better of going Hill16 and getting there early.. Same view and about half the price

Fireball07

I wouldn't have thought it would be a huge crowd at this one... KK traditionally don't bring a massive crowd, smaller population, and I can't see as many Limerick fans going as last year. Because last year we were Munster champions and fairly confident....


I'd be very surprised if it broke 50k, considering what was in Thurles in 4 teams, I would say 40k would be more likely tbh. Hope it's a massive one though.

RoyalCelt

Fireball07 wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought it would be a huge crowd at this one... KK traditionally don't bring a massive crowd, smaller population, and I can't see as many Limerick fans going as last year. Because last year we were Munster champions and fairly confident....


I'd be very surprised if it broke 50k, considering what was in Thurles in 4 teams, I would say 40k would be more likely tbh. Hope it's a massive one though.

Last year Clare v Limerick had 65k at it and Clare were poorly support in relative terms that day.

Kilkenny v Tipp semi final 2 years ago had 55k at it so I'd say you'll get over 60k easily at this.

Amprodude

Fireball07 wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought it would be a huge crowd at this one... KK traditionally don't bring a massive crowd, smaller population, and I can't see as many Limerick fans going as last year. Because last year we were Munster champions and fairly confident....


I'd be very surprised if it broke 50k, considering what was in Thurles in 4 teams, I would say 40k would be more likely tbh. Hope it's a massive one though.

What are you saying? Limerick won't travel because It's Kilkenny they are playing? If fans think like that then KK have this game won before the ball is thrown in. This is like Ireland's rugby team playing All Blacks, they expect to be beaten before the game is ever played. If I said Cork had a chance of beating Limerick, people like yourself will get defensive and say I was out of tune. I personally think KK will win but I expect Limerick to make it hard for them and make them earn the win. Dont eat me for saying so.

slegs

Amprodude wrote: »

What are you saying? Limerick won't travel because It's Kilkenny they are playing? If fans think like that then KK have this game won before the ball is thrown in. This is like Ireland's rugby team playing All Blacks, they expect to be beaten before the game is ever played. If I said Cork had a chance of beating Limerick, people like yourself will get defensive and say I was out of tune. I personally think KK will win but I expect Limerick to make it hard for them and make them earn the win. Dont eat me for saying so.

Are the fans playing the games now?

mickaleen

Should be a cracker of a match. I think the physical battle between these two sides is going to be immense. Going to be a hell of alot of hard hits going in from both sides early doors. Can't wait. Going to be some battle. Limerick by 2.

Amprodude

slegs wrote: »

Are the fans playing the games now?

They are part of them. They drive a team on when a team needs it.

zombieHanalei

Amprodude wrote: »

They are part of them. They drive a team on when a team needs it.

Players appreciate support, but the notion that support will have an impact on the outcome of a game is fanciful to say the least.

By and large, supporters don't rouse the team, it works the other way around, the team get the supporters going.