All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2026 (Munster & Leinster Championships, Liam McCarthy Cup)

Really looking forward to a big weekend of hurling. Forecast doesn't look great but hopefully it won't be too bad.

For me the leinster final is a massive game with kilkenny out of the way. Both counties desperate for a leinster title. A place in an all Ireland semi an extra motivation. Dublin have named their strongest team including rushe, o donnell and o sullivan but its possible one or all of those might not play. Confidence must very high after beating kilkenny, their defence hasn't conceded a goal in last 3 games and hetherton is a huge threat near the goal. They also have impactful subs like ronan Hayes and o doialing( apologies for the spelling!).

I fancy Galway though. They've been inconsistent since hammering kilkenny but a lot of their game's have been played in poor weather conditions, wind rain etc. I think this team especially rabbitte, niland, neary, are made for croke park, and they could cut loose. Their subs have been making a big contribution every game, with conor cooney rory Burke, molloy and concannon serious options . The experience of the mannions and Daithi Burke is key too.

Its another chapter of the cork Limerick story in munster. Getting straight passage to an all Ireland semi final is the big thing here. Although the losers should take care of offally. Fitzgibbon and Joyce are big losses for cork, especially Fitzgibbon. Its hard to see cork half forward line winning much high balls , so their movement and pace will be huge. Limerick younger lads like cathal o neill and o Connor are playing great stuff as is darragh o Donovan. Hegarty is still playing phenomenal hurling.

Very hard to back against cork in puc but Limerick might edge it

Ticketmaster don't do a ploy. The GAA and all sporting organisations only open what they need to because it costs money to open each area. It's most likely that they open lower Cusack and Hogan then upper then canal.

Lower Cusack was available for juvenile (actually 1 seat left) but I assume lower Hogan being considered the main stand isn't.

The Munster final obviously does matter.. a lot. But Sunday, of all finals both teams just want the one title above all others.

Even last year Cork were bridging a gap since their last Munster, a first for this team. It's unusual enough, when Clare were in consecutive finals a few years back they hadn't/ haven't a Munster since 1998.

I'm expecting a full blooded game, but at the same time wonder if somewhere in the back of teams minds something might hold them back 1%. Cork's Munster win got totally overshadowed by the All Ireland final last year.

I'd agree, a dangerous game to play. The Munster final winners haven't won the All Ireland for the last 2 years either. If a third place team from Munster wins the All Ireland this year that would be interesting, for the third year in a row. It would have everyone scratching their heads.

I think Donegal, having won the previous 2 Ulsters, definitely were strategic in their approach to the USFC championship this year. But of course it's a different format and much earlier in it when they exited.

Agree too much rubbish about holding back all year. Ben has one thing in mind win every game and anyone holding back will be a spectator for the rest of the Summer. It's a huge game, go and win it!@

I think in the current era players are so well conditioned that peaking for a game or two a year is a thing of the past. It's more the mindset that I think affects performance. How do teams recover mentally from a loss.

One thing that's evident with Limerick this year is their ability to absolutely savage teams for a period of time and then hit a flat patch. It's their only obstacle to going all the this year I think. Why it happens, Lord knows

Agreed to a certain extent, but still think big finals take a bit out of both teams, sometimes.

I don't think Limerick can do the flat out for a full game anymore. And sometimes they have started so unbelievably well in games this year that even in their peak years, no team could sustain the pace.

Limerick have left a few teams in games this year because when totally dominated for 20min they scored mostly points, and were maybe 9 points up. That's one difference with Kilkenny 2006-9, when on top they scored a lot of goals.

Limerick are well capable of scoring goals but tend to shoot for points by default.

Third place didn't win it in 2024 though.

The best performance from any team last year was Limerick against Cork in the round robin, when all that was on the line was 2 pts.

You can't decide when you're going to play your best and holding something back on any given day is the biggest myth in the GAA. That and "they had a hard training session" the morning of a defeat.

Do either / both Provincial finals go to extra-time and penalties if necessary? The Connacht football final had allowance made for e.t. but then a replay.

Probably because football has imbalanced provincial championships sizes. No such luxury here. Not sure if the rule has changed for Joe though now that they are not going into the championship after.

I think agree. Laois have lost last 2 so should be chomping at the bit to win today.

Galway Dublin is anyone's game. Lot depends on what teams line up. If Dublin have rushe and o donnell that will be a big psychological boost. But regardless I think this Galway team are made for croke park and will be under less pressure than if they were facing kilkenny.

I think playing Dublin puts them under way more pressure. Not winning in a year Kilkenny were weak will be seen as a lost opportunity for Galway.

Himself and Franz just happened to meet at the right place and at the right time.

I agree. I think Galway are disimproving a little as the campaign goes on. Giving away huge first half leads to Kildare and Wexford is worrying, wind or no wind.

Dublin have one Leinster title win in 65 years, since 1961, in 2013. A win for them will be huge. At a time when football is at a low point in the capital they have a chance of expanding the game there.