All Ireland SHC Final (formerly SHC thread) - READ MOD NOTE POST #1

PTH2009

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Almost that time of year again :D:D

The leinster round robin involving Laois, Westmeath, Kerry and Meath kicks off on Sunday 23rd April and finishes on Sunday 14th May. The Top 2 will then play Offaly or Wexford (draw will be made) in the Leinster QFs

Leinster Round Robin

Round 1- Sunday 23rd April
Meath v Kerry, Pairc Tailteann, 3pm
Laois v Westmeath, O'Moore Park, 3pm

Round 2- Sunday 30th April
Westmeath v Kerry, TEG Cusack Park, 3pm
Meath v Laois, Pairc Tailteann, 3pm

Round 3- Sunday 14th May
Westmeath v Meath, TEG Cusack Park, 3pm
Kerry v Laois, Austin Stack Park, 3pm

Quarter finals
Sat 27/Sun 28 May- Round Robin team vs Wexford
Say 27/Sun 28 May- Round Robin team vs Offaly
Sunday 28th May- Galway vs Dublin- O Connor Park Tullamore 4pm

Semi Finals
Sat 10 June- Kilkenny vs Wexford/Round Robin- Wexford Park/TBC 7pm
Sun 18th June- Galway/Dublin vs Offaly/Round Robin- TBC 2pm

Final- Sunday 2nd July- Croke Park

Munster
Quarter Final
Sun 21 May- Tipperary vs Cork- Semple Stadium Thurles 4pm

Semi Finals
Sun 4th June- Limerick vs Clare- Semple Stadium Thurles 4pm
Sun 18th June- Waterford vs Tipperary/Cork- Semple Stadium Thurles 4pm

Final- Sunday 9th July- PUC Cork 4pm

Qualifers
Prem Round
Sat 24 June- Christy Ring Winner vs Leinster Round Robin/QF

1st Round
Sat 1st July
Munster vs Leinster
Munster vs Leinster
Munster vs Leinster
Prem Round Winner vs Leinster

2nd Round
Sat 9th July
Round 1 winner vs Round 1 Winner
Round 1 winner vs Round 1 Winner

Quarter Finals
Sun 23rd July
Munster Runner up vs Round 2 Winner
Leinster Runner up vs Round 2 Winner

Semi Finals
Sun 6th Aug- Leinster Champions vs QF Winner- Croke Park
Sun 13th Aug- Munster Champions vs QF Winner- Croke Park

Final- Sun 3rd Sep- Croke Park

Hammer Archer

I think we have a half decent chance of staying in the Liam McCarthy. We've Kerry at home which is massive and our only away game is in Mullingar.
We've lost both James Toher and Mickey Burke to the footballers. Burke is replaceable but Toher is a big loss (last year's captain).
My only worry is the possible bad habits the players got in to during the league. You won't get that extra second to control the sliothar against these teams like you would in division 2B.

redlead

Hard to see past Tipp to win it. They have the best 15 and the best squad by a country mile. They seem like they're on a mission this year so don't think they will suffer the usual second season syndrome. I'd probably put Waterford as the next strongest team just about so will go for them to meet Tipp in the final. Cork could be dark horses to do well this year too.

Leinster will be very interesting this year. Galway are Galway so you don't really know what to expect from them; they have been poor in the league but not sure what that means really. Kilkenny have gone back a lot but still have some serious players mixed in with a few average ones. The Davy factor seems to be working a treat in Wexford so there will be great expectation there. I'm not sure how well that will translate to championship though. They have Kilkenny in their first game after round robin which is a tough draw.

I'll go for Tipp, Galway, Cork and Waterford in the semis. Tipp to win

In saying that never write off Kilkenny haha

Django99

At this early stage, I'd pick Tipp to win Liam and Clare as runners up. I have huge doubts about my own Kilkenny, and in the wake of last weeks defeat I think Wexford will beat us again. But Galway to beat them in the Leinster final.

Kilkenny to come back through the qualifiers but ultimately lose to Clare in the Quarters. I reckon those will be the top 5 teams and make the quarter finals. Waterford favourites to join them but I don't predict a good year for them.

PTH2009

Tipp vs Clare All Ireland final i think with Tipp winning

Tipp for Munster and Wexford for Leinster

Laois and Kerry to come through the leinster round robin. Kilkenny and Cork to get through from the Qualifers. Waterford, Dublin and Limerick to have below par championship campaigns. Going by the league a few teams need to be different animals in the championship our they will fall behind

QFs
Galway (leinster runners up) vs Kilkenny
Clare (Munster runners up) vs Cork

SFs
Wexford vs Clare
Tipp vs Galway

iDave

Great to be back. Up Meath.

Bonniedog

It's Tipps to lose.

Leinster could be interesting. Dublin will be significantly better with Cuala players back and a month's preparation. Here's a prediction. Wexford/Dublin Leinster final!

Ball In Towards

Alot of people writing Kilkenny off here... Agree they're not the same team as a few years ago, but they cruised through Leinster last year & still got to an AI Final.

League form never counts for much with them either. They won the league in 2013 & then had their worst year under Cody in the Championship. 2015 almost got relegated...and won the AI at a canter.

Getting Michael Fennelly fit would be huge for them.

Agree though- Tipp the team to beat and they seem to have their arses in gear this year too, compared to post 2010.

Waterford could be their main challengers. They were probably the second best team in the country last year.

Fancy Wexford & Clare to have good years too. And Dublin will be all the better for bringing through youth in league and then bringing the Cuala guys back in.

PTH2009

Leinster SHC round 1
Meath v Kerry, Pairc Tailteann, 3pm
Laois v Westmeath, O'Moore Park, 3pm

the Leinster round robin hits off this sunday 23rd April. Id expect Kerry and Laois to qualify for the Leinster QFs. Westmeath are struggling this year so far and Meath may not have enough to compete in the top tier

feargale

The 2017 Hurling Championship Pools thread is now up and running. All are welcome.

PlayByTheRules

Bonniedog wrote: »

It's Tipps to lose.

Leinster could be interesting. Dublin will be significantly better with Cuala players back and a month's preparation. Here's a prediction. Wexford/Dublin Leinster final!

Apparently a few of the Cuala lads are reluctant to rejoin the squad. The Schutte brothers are one example. Dublin are all over the place under Cunningham, they have no hope of beating Galway.

Bonniedog

PlayByTheRules wrote: »

Apparently a few of the Cuala lads are reluctant to rejoin the squad. The Schutte brothers are one example. Dublin are all over the place under Cunningham, they have no hope of beating Galway.

No hope if this cr@p continues.

Disgrace that any man refuse to wear his county jersey.

Dezekota

Agh seriously like
Writing off kilkenny,you're having a laugh,they'll walk Leinster if they avoid galway
Tipp for Munster but not easy.
Clare and wexford getting big props but cmon,several false dawns there before,I'll believe it when I see it

Tombo2001

Galway Tipp final with Galway to win.

Can we make one thing 100% clear. Nobody is writing off Kilkenny. You'd be mad too. However I think its fair to say they are not favourites, or second favourites. I think Tipp and Galway have done enough to merit that.

Kerrydude1981

Disappointing league for us but last year was the opposite going into the round robin,thought we would be coming out of the group last year but we faded badly during the round robin games beat Carlow at home bu the team looked tired and Westmeath and Offaly fully deserved to beat us

Going into this year, the Meath game is going to be tough but if we have any expectations of progressing its a game we should be winning,

Rightwing

Hard to see past Tipp.

Clare have the easy side in Munster as Limerick under Kiely are little short of a disgrace. Clare-Tipp final.

Wexford's season is more or less over, making up the numbers from now on. Galway-KK final with KK winning it. Cork/Dublin/Offaly etc not up to much.

A poor championship with one sided matches await.

dubcat51

Dont care whether were favourites or written off.when it counts kk will be there.expect to see new faces step forward for kk.

Stevecw

PTH2009 wrote: »

Leinster SHC round 1
Meath v Kerry, Pairc Tailteann, 3pm
Laois v Westmeath, O'Moore Park, 3pm

the Leinster round robin hits off this sunday 23rd April. Id expect Kerry and Laois to qualify for the Leinster QFs. Westmeath are struggling this year so far and Meath may not have enough to compete in the top tier

Wouldn't write Westmeath off at all. They started league badly losing at home to Carlow in a close game, and then lost to Kildare in another close game. After that they won the next 3 games, including against Antrim. A good side and seem to be getting better.

I think Laois & Westmeath will be the top 2, with Meath being competitive but not having enough to stay at this level.

Bonniedog

Rightwing wrote: »

Hard to see past Tipp.

Clare have the easy side in Munster as Limerick under Kiely are little short of a disgrace. Clare-Tipp final.

Wexford's season is more or less over, making up the numbers from now on. Galway-KK final with KK winning it. Cork/Dublin/Offaly etc not up to much.

A poor championship with one sided matches await.

You are a bundle of joy

Tipp I can't see being beaten but not much between the rest. Wexford's race not run; Cork are better than they were last year, Clare and Waterford unpredicatable; if Dublin can get a handle on internal nonsense they might surpise; Gawlay.. god knows.!

Rightwing

Bonniedog wrote: »

You are a bundle of joy

Tipp I can't see being beaten but not much between the rest. Wexford's race not run; Cork are better than they were last year, Clare and Waterford unpredicatable; if Dublin can get a handle on internal nonsense they might surpise; Gawlay.. god knows.!

Look at last season, all the games were pathetic until semi finals.

Dublin/Limerick are rubbish.

Maybe Clare can be the surprise.

phkk

Bonniedog wrote: »

No hope if this cr@p continues.

Disgrace that any man refuse to wear his county jersey.

Why? You mightn't know the circumstances. Maybe it's not enjoyable, God forbid someone opts out

danganabu

Dezekota wrote: »

Agh seriously like
Writing off kilkenny,you're having a laugh,they'll walk Leinster if they avoid galway
Tipp for Munster but not easy.
Clare and wexford getting big props but cmon,several false dawns there before,I'll believe it when I see it

The only feasible way that KK can avoid Galway is if Wexford beat KK, can't see any possible scenario where Galway are not in the Leinster Final.

Bonniedog

phkk wrote: »

Why? You mightn't know the circumstances. Maybe it's not enjoyable, God forbid someone opts out

I'd be reasonably familiar with them. Quite clear that there has been organised campaign against Cunningham. Same chaps obviously think they will be able to swan back in if/when he leaves. Meanwhile some of them were sitting back sneering at younger fellas, some of whom played league games days before their mock leaving, who took their places. And who did not disgrace themselves.

IF Dublin sorted out all of this bollix then we'd have a chance of putting up a decent performance in championship. Unfortunately best hope is 21s who ironically will have benefitted hugely from having been thrown in deep end in extremis!

dubcat51

Written off or not im sure we will be there when its gets to august /sept.looking forward to injured players returning and new faces becoming hosehold names.

danganabu

dubcat51 wrote: »

Dont care whether were favourites or written off.when it counts kk will be there.expect to see new faces step forward for kk.

dubcat51 wrote: »

Written off or not im sure we will be there when its gets to august /sept.looking forward to injured players returning and new faces becoming hosehold names.

You seem to be the only one pedalling this written off lark!

You don't have to be either favourites or written off, there is a middle ground. KK are one of a number of challengers to Tipp's crown and most likely the main contenders. You seem to have a very insecure need to be lauded as favourites?? I'd say Cody is pure delighted with the way its panning out.

Realt Dearg Sec

I'm delighted with all the tipp talk, it's all very 2006. Nicely set up for a fall ye are. And ye have the absolute kiss of death, pth2009 has predicted an all Ireland for ye. I hope you enjoy watching football!

Mucky_Tackies

Waterford seem to be getting completely overlooked on here. Tipp definite favourites and rightly so but not that far ahead of the pack. Galway should have beaten them last year for example. Waterford were brilliant against KK last year and look stronger again this year from the experience. Tipp favourites with Waterford next and Galway 3rd in my reckoning.

Rightwing

Mucky_Tackies wrote: »

Waterford seem to be getting completely overlooked on here. Tipp definite favourites and rightly so but not that far ahead of the pack. Galway should have beaten them last year for example. Waterford were brilliant against KK last year and look stronger again this year from the experience. Tipp favourites with Waterford next and Galway 3rd in my reckoning.

I saw enough of them last year in the munster final to know that they are simply making up the numbers.

dastardly00

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

And ye have the absolute kiss of death, pth2009 has predicted an all Ireland for ye. I hope you enjoy watching football!

iDave

Got underway today. A good win for Meath over Kerry while Laois defeat Westmeath.
Buzzing see my county winning a Leinster championship match.

Bonniedog

Big win for Meath. Must their first senior championship win since God was a boy!


Laois in 2002 just been reminded, indeed they were unfortunate not to beat us in next game.

PTH2009

Good wins for Meath and Laois

With Tipp losing the league final by 16 points they will try too restore pride against Cork and could do a number on them

Galway have a very good chance of going all the way this year

Hammer Archer

Great performance from us. We're unbeaten competitively for over a year now. Should have won by more. Great chance for us to make the quarter final.
Though survival alone would be fantastic.

dubcat51

Galway showed to much today just like 12 leinster final.

dubcat51

dubcat51 wrote: »

Galway showed to much today just like 12 leinster final.

I've seen enough evidence, from enough sports, to know you're more likely to follow up a bad performance with another and likewise with a good one.

This GAA notion of "peaking too early" and "showing your hand" is utter nonsense.

Barcelona among many others are able to win week in, week out over a nine month period, playing two games a week.

Galway won today not because everything flew over the bar or the net was rattled a few more than usual.
The won because they hassled and harried and forced Tipp to clear balls out of their defence with their heads down or with half spins to the open side.

Galway were also able to win the breaking balls on puck outs and drive out of defence and pick out 60-40 balls.

2012 was 20 mins of everything going right for one, while nothing for the other.
Similar to Galway/Kerry in the U21 last week.

Today Galway were the better team for all 70mins.
There's nothing to suggest that effort and commitment will change during the summer because they produced it in April.

Galway have now hit 20 points+ in 5 games running against genuine teams this spring.
Wex/Wford/Tipp/Limerick x2.
When you're scoring 20 points, even without goals, you're going to be hard to beat.
Its nearly a winnable total without a single goal.

Kerrydude1981

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Great performance from us. We're unbeaten competitively for over a year now. Should have won by more. Great chance for us to make the quarter final.
Though survival alone would be fantastic.

I dont see it as a massive shock us losing today,as I said many a time before when we won the Christy Ring,the game in Tralee against Meath was the toughest game we had that year,

Now I know I said earlier in this thread if are progressing then we should be winning today,but at this level there is noting between each team,

All I can say is to Meath is to drive it on next week against Laois and dont fall into the trap we fell into last year and fade in the second and third rounds of the round robin,We beat Carlow in Tralee and then the bandwagon really started rolling but I think expectation took its toll of our lads last year,they couldnt handle it tbh

The biggest thing about it is RTE dont/wont show highlights of the round robin games.

But if there was a first round of the football provincial championships,they will show highlights no matter what level the teams are at.

dubcat51

Beat kk by 10 in leinster final of 12.lost replay of 12 all ireland by 11.

mountgomery burns

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I've seen enough evidence, from enough sports, to know you're more likely to follow up a bad performance with another and likewise with a good one.

This GAA notion of "peaking too early" and "showing your hand" is utter nonsense.

Barcelona among many others are able to win week in, week out over a nine month period, playing two games a week.

Galway won today not because everything flew over the bar like in or the net was rattled a few more than usual.
The won because they hassled and harried and forced Tipp to clear balls out of their defence with their heads down or with half spins to the open side.

Galway were also able to win the breaking balls on puck outs and drive out of defence and pick out 60-40 balls.

2012 was 20 mins of everything going right for one, while nothing for the other.
Similar to Galway/Kerry in the U21 last night.

Today Galway were the better team for all 70mins.
There's nothing to suggest that will change during the summer.

Galway have now hit 20 points+ in 5 games running against genuine teams this spring.
Wex/Wford/Tipp/Limerick x2.
When you're scoring 20 points without goals you're going to be hard to beat.
Its nearly a winnable total without a single goal.

While I do think Galway are lethal up front and a very good side all round that could win an all ireland, I'm not sure what you mean by there is nothing to suggest Galway won't dominate Tipp for 70 minutes in the championship. They'd done well to win the league, Waterford and Clare bet Tipp in the process of winning the last two year as well though. Clare also hammered the reigning all ireland champions in the process last year.

Just because neither of those teams won an all ireland doesn't mean Galway won't, but don't lose the run of yourself either.

mountgomery burns

mountgomery burns wrote: »

While I do think Galway are lethal up front and a very good side all round that could win an all ireland, I'm not sure what you mean by there is nothing to suggest Galway won't dominate Tipp for 70 minutes in the championship. They'd done well to win the league, Waterford and Clare bet Tipp in the process of winning the last two year as well though. Clare also hammered the reigning all ireland champions in the process last year.

Just because neither of those teams won an all ireland doesn't mean Galway won't, but don't lose the run of yourself either.

That's not what I meant and I had edited my post to reflect that since.
Was just busy when I initially wrote it.

I meant there was nothing to suggest that work rate, and hassling the man in possession will disappear.
Its more likely to happen again if it happened before... more likely than if it didn't happen in the last game.

2012 was nothing like today.

It was a 20 minute period where we scored something like 2-12 and KK only managed 2/3 and had a mini revival in the second half.
Today was a sustained effort of 70 mins of being the better team.

There's very few lads even remaining from that team.
It's not even relevant anymore, similarly for KK. They're a shadow of that year now.

Bonniedog

Just throw a set of stripy jerseys in front of them...

Hammer Archer

Just out of interest and not getting ahead of myself, anyone know which round robin team will play in which quarter final? Westmeath won the group last year and their reward was a meeting with Galway. Offaly came second and were rewarded with a much simpler tie against Laois.

dastardly00

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Just out of interest and not getting ahead of myself, anyone know which round robin team will play in which quarter final? Westmeath won the group last year and their reward was a meeting with Galway. Offaly came second and were rewarded with a much simpler tie against Laois.

I don't think it has been announced which of first/second plays Wexford/Offaly. Obviously you'd want Offaly.

I'm trying to remember back to last year... was the quarter-final draw permutations announced before the end of the round robin series? I think it was...

dr.kenneth noisewater

Hammer Archer wrote:

Just out of interest and not getting ahead of myself, anyone know which round robin team will play in which quarter final? Westmeath won the group last year and their reward was a meeting with Galway. Offaly came second and were rewarded with a much simpler tie against Laois.

They pre determined the QF before the round robin last year but they are doing a new draw when the top 2 are known this year

Hammer Archer

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

I dont see it as a massive shock us losing today,as I said many a time before when we won the Christy Ring,the game in Tralee against Meath was the toughest game we had that year,

Now I know I said earlier in this thread if are progressing then we should be winning today,but at this level there is noting between each team,

All I can say is to Meath is to drive it on next week against Laois and dont fall into the trap we fell into last year and fade in the second and third rounds of the round robin,We beat Carlow in Tralee and then the bandwagon really started rolling but I think expectation took its toll of our lads last year,they couldnt handle it tbh

The biggest thing about it is RTE dont/wont show highlights of the round robin games.

But if there was a first round of the football provincial championships,they will show highlights no matter what level the teams are at.

I am worried that our performance will drop. A Kerry win next week and us losing our last two games could still see us drop.


There have been absolutely huge strides made in Meath hurling over the last number of years, mostly at underage level. Here's an interesting article on the High Kings development programme on-going in Meath and run by Peter Durnin http://www.gaa.ie/features/feature/meath-hurling-royal-lineage/
I've noticed a marked increase in kids simply pucking a sliotar around which would have been a rarity even 10 years ago. We're beginning to see the rewards of these initiatives but it would be phenomenal if we could stay in the Leinster championship for a number of years so that these younger players could go straight into playing against higher quality teams. We've still got several players from last year's U21B winners to come through and it'll be interesting to see if Jack Fagan (who's now with Waterford) can possibly be enticed back to play for Meath.

Kerrydude1981

Hammer Archer wrote: »

I am worried that our performance will drop. A Kerry win next week and us losing our last two games could still see us drop.


There have been absolutely huge strides made in Meath hurling over the last number of years, mostly at underage level. Here's an interesting article on the High Kings development programme on-going in Meath and run by Peter Durnin http://www.gaa.ie/features/feature/meath-hurling-royal-lineage/
I've noticed a marked increase in kids simply pucking a sliotar around which would have been a rarity even 10 years ago. We're beginning to see the rewards of these initiatives but it would be phenomenal if we could stay in the Leinster championship for a number of years so that these younger players could go straight into playing against higher quality teams. We've still got several players from last year's U21B winners to come through and it'll be interesting to see if Jack Fagan (who's now with Waterford) can possibly be enticed back to play for Meath.

And it wasnt so long ago Gerry McEntee was telling people to burn the hurleys in Meath.

From that Christy Ring game in Tralee,Jack Regan was playing and he was outstanding that day,is he not on the panel anymore?

Hammer Archer

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

And it wasnt so long ago Gerry McEntee was telling people to burn the hurleys in Meath.

From that Christy Ring game in Tralee,Jack Regan was playing and he was outstanding that day,is he not on the panel anymore?

There is still a near hatred of hurling in some parts of Meath which I generally cannot understand. Seeing them relatively successful kills them.
I know he had injury troubles last year which kept him out of the Christy Ring team. He played in the U21B winning team but wasn't massively impressive that day. I'm not sure if he's injured at the moment or just isn't on the panel. In the forwards I think we're pretty much set. We've got Clynch who would be more prolific from set pieces and then we have the likes of Quigley, Gannon, McGowan, O'Sullivan from open play.
Defence is where we have problems that were exposed at times yesterday. Shane Nolan had a field day at times yesterday.

Tombo2001

Worth noting of course that Meath is a handball stronghold, and counties that do well in handball frequently are also good at hurling (Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Carlow, Antrim).

Django99

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Worth noting of course that Meath is a handball stronghold, and counties that do well in handball frequently are also good at hurling (Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Carlow, Antrim).

Few good hand ballers in Clare too. I had never though that of the link between the too, but it makes sense. Hand ball is a good compliment as a winter sport, for fitness and keeping the eye in.

Tombo2001

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Worth noting of course that Meath is a handball stronghold, and counties that do well in handball frequently are also good at hurling (Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Carlow, Antrim).

I lived in Mayo for a few years as a teen and Handball was popular enough there... didn't seem to do them much good.
Compared to living in Galway City it was day and night.
Never saw anyone play it here whereas in Mayo it was played at lunch time by a fair amount.

MfMan

Hammer Archer wrote: »

There is still a near hatred of hurling in some parts of Meath which I generally cannot understand. Seeing them relatively successful kills them.
I know he had injury troubles last year which kept him out of the Christy Ring team. He played in the U21B winning team but wasn't massively impressive that day. I'm not sure if he's injured at the moment or just isn't on the panel. In the forwards I think we're pretty much set. We've got Clynch who would be more prolific from set pieces and then we have the likes of Quigley, Gannon, McGowan, O'Sullivan from open play.
Defence is where we have problems that were exposed at times yesterday. Shane Nolan had a field day at times yesterday.

Is GAA in Meath clearly defined geographically? e.g. in Galway, south is hurling, north and west mainly football.

Hammer Archer

MfMan wrote: »

Is GAA in Meath clearly defined geographically? e.g. in Galway, south is hurling, north and west mainly football.

The hurling strongholds would all be in the south of the county. I can't remember a SHC champion that wouldn't be from the south. The most northerly club in this season's SHC would be Dunderry who are just to the north of Trim. Indeed the only clubs you could consider "North Meath" that have a hurling club of their own would be Kilskyre/Moylagh, Gaeil Colmcille (Kells) and Wolfe Tones (Kilberry, Gibbstown etc.).


If I'm not mistaken, south Meath, north Kildare and west Westmeath form a triangle of hurling. If this area was a county of its own, I'd say they'd form a pretty decent intercounty team.