Senior Hurling Championship 2014

Roquentin · 23-05-2014 08:14PM

citykat wrote: »

I would select all of the following before Canning in a one on one: TJ Reid, Richie Hogan, Michael Fennelly, Colin Fennelly, Tony Kelly, Conor McGrath, Seamus Harnedy, Pat Horgan. For me Canning is very skilful, good at frees, sidelines and has an eye for goal or point. However, when he goes out of games you'd hardly know he was even there. If it were me, I'd leave Cooney on the frees. I think Canning has hidden behind his Points from frees tally too much in the past.

TJ Reid: Maybe
Richie Hogan: No
Michale Fennally: No, not in this universe
Colin Fennally: Categorical No
Tony Kelly: Close
Conor McGrath: Closer
Seamus Harnedy: Dont even know who he is and cant be bothered to google him
Pat Horgan: Only his nose is bigger and thats it

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 08:25PM

Roquentin wrote: »

TJ Reid: Maybe
Richie Hogan: No
Michale Fennally: No, not in this universe
Colin Fennally: Categorical No
Tony Kelly: Close
Conor McGrath: Closer
Seamus Harnedy: Dont even know who he is and cant be bothered to google him
Pat Horgan: Only his nose is bigger and thats it

You definitely don't think much of Cork :pac:

Harnedy got on the Cork team last year for the Clare match in Munster, and as far as I'm aware he wasn't even part of any underage Cork teams before that. He plays for St. Ita's, a Junior A team. I just can't believe that he hadn't been talked about before last year seeing as he's so good...

citykat · 23-05-2014 08:27PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

You definitely don't think much of Cork :pac:

Harnedy got on the Cork team last year for the Clare match in Munster, and as far as I'm aware he wasn't even part of any underage Cork teams before that. He plays for St. Ita's, a Junior A team. I just can't believe that he hadn't been talked about before last year seeing as he's so good...

I was flicking through a program recently and thought I saw Harnedy listed as a sub on an U21 team?

Roquentin · 23-05-2014 08:30PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

You definitely don't think much of Cork :pac:

Harnedy got on the Cork team last year for the Clare match in Munster, and as far as I'm aware he wasn't even part of any underage Cork teams before that. He plays for St. Ita's, a Junior A team. I just can't believe that he hadn't been talked about before last year seeing as he's so good...

That cork team were punching above their weight. Very poor hurlers in comparison to kilkenny and clare and tipp.

Kind of similar to the galway forwards last year bar canning and hayes.

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 08:36PM

citykat wrote: »

I was flicking through a program recently and thought I saw Harnedy listed as a sub on an U21 team?

Maybe you did, I've heard it mentioned that he wasn't in any underage teams, could be wrong.

Mountainlad · 23-05-2014 08:42PM

Roquentin wrote: »

TJ Reid: Maybe
Richie Hogan: No
Michale Fennally: No, not in this universe
Colin Fennally: Categorical No
Tony Kelly: Close
Conor McGrath: Closer
Seamus Harnedy: Dont even know who he is and cant be bothered to google him
Pat Horgan: Only his nose is bigger and thats it

You don't know who an all star is and you think Michael Fennelly, who barring injury would probably be the best all round hurler playing at present, is not in the same universe. I don't like that there is an awful lot of sniping already in this thread, but that was a pretty clueless post.

Canning is vastly over rated, you could count on 1 hand his good performances since 2008. And those that make the annual argument of look at who he has around him must think Mullane and Eoin Kelly of Tipp were the two best players of all time at that rate.

Funnily enough the same people would have been the ones that were saying year in year out that Galway were dark horses or their tip for the all Ireland, and there's still a few who make the two conflicting arguments in tandem. People are never wrong, but will slightly change their arguments to show just how right they are.

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 08:46PM

Roquentin wrote: »

That cork team were punching above their weight. Very poor hurlers in comparison to kilkenny and clare and tipp.

Kind of similar to the galway forwards last year bar canning and hayes.

This year we'll find out if last year was a flash in the pan or if Cork actually have a serious team.

They do have some serious forwards; Lehane, Harnedy, Horgan, and Cronin. Luke O'Farrell isn't up to scratch in my opinion.

Roquentin · 23-05-2014 08:55PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

This year we'll find out if last year was a flash in the pan or if Cork actually have a serious team.

They do have some serious forwards; Lehane, Harnedy, Horgan, and Cronin. Luke O'Farrell isn't up to scratch in my opinion.

Horgan is worth his salt. Harnedy i didnt notice last year (seriously. will watch out for him now). Pa cronin was very poor. Hed go up to catch a sliótar and fall over. Lehane is like the GAA version of forest gump. He gets the sliótar and takes off running. very quick i must say but doesnt have the hurling. Reminds me of donie ryan i think it who used play for limerick.

Like you say, we will see how good they are. They may have a good team, but speculating, they lack in comparison to older cork teams.

I dont know, maybe i just dont like the style of hurling. They start hand passing from their own 21 up to the oppositions 21. Im more of the kilkenny, "get the ball and drive it as far as you can" style.

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 09:00PM

Roquentin wrote: »

Lehane is like the GAA version of forest gump. He gets the sliótar and takes off running. very quick i must say but doesnt have the hurling. Reminds me of donie ryan i think it who used play for limerick.

If Lehane could replicate his club form at inter-county level he'd be up there with the best. He scored 2-07 from play in the county final, 2-10 overall. Couldn't believe what I was witnessing, absolutely unbelievable performance.

Reaching the heights of some older Cork teams is a very tall order, I'd love to see a team like their 2004ish team again.

Roquentin · 23-05-2014 09:03PM

Mountainlad wrote: »

You don't know who an all star is and you think Michael Fennelly, who barring injury would probably be the best all round hurler playing at present, is not in the same universe. I don't like that there is an awful lot of sniping already in this thread, but that was a pretty clueless post.

Canning is vastly over rated, you could count on 1 hand his good performances since 2008. And those that make the annual argument of look at who he has around him must think Mullane and Eoin Kelly of Tipp were the two best players of all time at that rate.

Cha fitz was a much better hurler than michael fennelly, as is tommy walsh.

Canning is in a poor galway team. Time after time he has to pull them out of trouble or keep them in games. His skill and vision are unbelievable. What lets him down is his speed off the mark.

We are looking at the individuals not the team. Cork have a better team, but galway have a better individual.

Eoin Kelly was a terrific hurler as well. Had he played with kilkenny hed be up there with shefflin

Roquentin · 23-05-2014 09:07PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

If Lehane could replicate his club form at inter-county level he'd be up there with the best. He scored 2-07 from play in the county final, 2-10 overall. Couldn't believe what I was witnessing, absolutely unbelievable performance.

Reaching the heights of some older Cork teams is a very tall order, I'd love to see a team like their 2004ish team again.

He is quick. The clare boys couldnt catch him last year when he took off. His hurling needs to be polished a bit though.

23-05-2014 09:50PM

The way i see it there is six teams in with a great chance of winning the All Ireland this year.
I think poor Waterford will struggle, Limerick wont win it but could cause an upset or two.

The winners will come from one of these six, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Clare, Dublin, Cork and i wouldn't rule Galway out either. The real dark horses are Dublin. In terms of physicality they more than match Kilkenny and have some fine hurlers like Sutcliffe and Keaney. The annus horribulus of 2012 greatly helped Dublin to refocus in a way.

I think that either ourselves or Cork will take Munster while Kilkenny or Dublin will take Leinster. I fancy a Tipp v Kilkenny final but a Dublin v Clare final or any other combo wouldnt surprise me either. Only a poc of the ball between the six teams

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 09:53PM

Deleted User wrote: »

The way i see it there is six teams in with a great chance of winning the All Ireland this year.
I think poor Waterford will struggle, Limerick wont win it but could cause an upset or two.

The winners will come from one of these six, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Clare, Dublin, Cork and i wouldn't rule Galway out either. The real dark horses are Dublin. In terms of physicality they more than match Kilkenny and have some fine hurlers like Sutcliffe and Keaney. The annus horribulus of 2012 greatly helped Dublin to refocus in a way.

I think that either ourselves or Cork will take Munster while Kilkenny or Dublin will take Leinster. I fancy a Tipp v Kilkenny final but a Dublin v Clare final or any other combo wouldnt surprise me either. Only a poc of the ball between the six teams

Where would a Tipp vs. Cork Munster final be held?

citykat · 23-05-2014 09:56PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

Where would a Tipp vs. Cork Munster final be held?

Ye'd be more than welcome to Nowlan Park if ye couldn't agree on a venue. We might even do something about the roof.

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 10:01PM

Now I'll be disappointed if some other team is in the final after the thought of a Tipp/Cork Munster final being put in my head

23-05-2014 10:21PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

Where would a Tipp vs. Cork Munster final be held?

Killarney or Limerick?? ala 87/88

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 10:25PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Killarney or Limerick?? ala 87/88

Would it definitely not be Thurles/The Pairc? There'd be some atmosphere!

23-05-2014 10:28PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

Would it definitely not be Thurles/The Pairc? There'd be some atmosphere!

Actually sorry its Tipps turn as we played Cork in PUC in 2012 so Thurles. PUC currently out of action at present AFAIK. Even in such a case where PUC is out of action and it was Corks go id say they could also be happy enough to play it in Thurles.

Hotale.com · 23-05-2014 10:31PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Actually sorry its Tipps turn as we played Cork in PUC in 2012 so Thurles. PUC currently out of action at present AFAIK. Even in such a case where PUC is out of action and it was Corks go id say they could also be happy enough to play it in Thurles.

I think PUC is still in action, heard nothing to the contrary although building work is meant to start this summer. Thurles is a grand spot anyway, Cork play there quite often.

23-05-2014 10:46PM

Hotale.com wrote: »

I think PUC is still in action, heard nothing to the contrary although building work is meant to start this summer. Thurles is a grand spot anyway, Cork play there quite often.

Back in 2004 Cork were more than happy to play Tipp in Thurles in the qualifiers. Tipp county board thought it a better idea to drag the match down to Killarney.

Sooner PUC is done up the better. In desperate need of an upgrade.

MfMan · 24-05-2014 12:17AM

citykat wrote: »

I would select all of the following before Canning in a one on one: TJ Reid, Richie Hogan, Michael Fennelly, Colin Fennelly, Tony Kelly, Conor McGrath, Seamus Harnedy, Pat Horgan. For me Canning is very skilful, good at frees, sidelines and has an eye for goal or point. However, when he goes out of games you'd hardly know he was even there. If it were me, I'd leave Cooney on the frees. I think Canning has hidden behind his Points from frees tally too much in the past.

So, if you were a county manager, say Cody, would you sign any of the quoted instead of Canning? Seriously? Absolutely seriously? I mean, TJ Reid? Colin Fennelly? Horgan? Are you serious? Are you quite on the level?

citykat · 24-05-2014 12:31AM

MfMan wrote: »

So, if you were a county manager, say Cody, would you sign any of the quoted instead of Canning? Seriously? Absolutely seriously? I mean, TJ Reid? Colin Fennelly? Horgan? Are you serious? Are you quite on the level?

Well when I said that I would select all of the above in a one to one, I don't know how I can make it more clear to you. Haven't seen a decent performance from Canning since drawn AI 2012. That's a long time for the so-called best hurler in Ireland.

Dien · 24-05-2014 01:04AM

Hotale.com wrote: »

Wouldn't think any of them are currently better than Joe, definitely not "a mile" better. Do I detect a hint of hyperbolism?

Shefflin definitely was better but he's well past his best at this stage. I wouldn't even have Horgan down as the best player for Cork after Harnedy's displays last year.

This is not a question directed at you Hotale.com, but your post got me thinking...

Coming from a different angle, when Portumna beat Ballyhale in the club All-Ireland both Canning and Shefflin had a similar supporting cast on their respective teams. Who was the better hurler that day? If Canning was from Kilkenny how many All-Irelands would he have? If Shefflin was from Galway how many All-Irelands would he have?

The greatest compliments are paid to Canning by his critics, "Shur he only scored 1-2 from play agin Kilkenny, where was he that day?".

Canning is the best hurler in Ireland, bar none.

citykat · 24-05-2014 01:10AM

Dien wrote: »

This is not a question directed at you Hotale.com, but your post got me thinking...

Coming from a different angle, when Portumna beat Ballyhale in the club All-Ireland both Canning and Shefflin had a similar supporting cast on their respective teams. Who was the better hurler that day? If Canning was from Kilkenny how many All-Irelands would he have? If Shefflin was from Galway how many All-Irelands would he have?

The greatest compliments are paid to Canning by his critics, "Shur he only scored 1-2 from play agin Kilkenny, where was he that day?".

Canning is the best club hurler in Ireland, bar none.

Fixed that there for you...

Dien · 24-05-2014 01:17AM

citykat wrote: »

Fixed that there for you...

Very original. No, you just candidly avoided the point I was making.

citykat · 24-05-2014 01:33AM

Dien wrote: »

Very original. No, you just candidly avoided the point I was making.

Ok. His last outing agin KK wasn't very fruitful. I think he scored 0-1. He wasn't the worst Galway forward on show that day but he wasn't much better than him. He was held by a player (who incidentally plays intermediate club in KK) who was playing his first season at senior intercounty level. The most remarkable thing he did that day was try to start a row with him. IMO he hasn't performed for Galway since the drawn AI 2012.
As a teenager he had unreal talent and held out great promise for Galway. He's yet to deliver on that promise all these years later.

Grats · 24-05-2014 10:22AM

The Final last year was contested by the two teams who had also contested the league relegation final. The Munster Final was won by Limerick who had lost the league promotion final to Dublin who in turn won the Leinster Final. It was suggested that there was little difference between 1A and 1B hurling, that some teams conserved energies during the league while others flogged themselves, etc.

If we're to have a repeat of the exceptional year we had last year then we should expect Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Dublin to take honours this year! If it were to follow a similar pattern to 2013, Waterford and Dublin should contest the All Ireland Final and Cork or Limerick should win Munster!

The question is, was 2013 a once off?

Roquentin · 24-05-2014 12:00PM

citykat wrote: »

Ok. His last outing agin KK wasn't very fruitful. I think he scored 0-1. He wasn't the worst Galway forward on show that day but he wasn't much better than him. He was held by a player (who incidentally plays intermediate club in KK) who was playing his first season at senior intercounty level. The most remarkable thing he did that day was try to start a row with him. IMO he hasn't performed for Galway since the drawn AI 2012.
As a teenager he had unreal talent and held out great promise for Galway. He's yet to deliver on that promise all these years later.

Think of it like this, Barcelona have won feck all this year, but messi is still the best player in the world (not ronaldo!). Galway the team are poor, but canning is the star man, but he cant do it all on his own.

If hurling were an individual sport, canning would win everything.

Shefflin is still the best ive seen. Tommy walsh pound for pound the best ive seen. But at the moment Canning is the best hurler in the country. And the chances are high that he wont win an all ireland.

Grats · 24-05-2014 12:25PM

Of all the years to pick Canning as the best player around I think so far this year you couldn't stand over that choice.

During his career to date he mirrors Galway's success at minor and under 21 but conversely he also mirrors their failure at senior level. He was a brilliant underage player, as is Galway at that level, but he didn't exactly convert that at senior just like his county team. There is no doubting his tremendous skill but he does lack the work rate and leadership required to put him up there with the best. Free taking and line balls are not enough anymore as there are great free takers on most senior county teams now. In fact Galway don't need him as a free taker anymore which may not be a bad thing as he can concentrate on other aspects of his game. It's 1988 since Galway won a senior title, players are peaking at a much earlier age now, Canning is going on 26 - time is running out for him.

Hotale.com · 24-05-2014 12:35PM

Maybe I was wrong to call Canning the best player at the moment, but I certainly don't think that there's any players "miles ahead" of him, and I think this is probably the most difficult year to pick the best player currently because the championship's so open.

We simply don't have a clue who's the best. Nearly all of last year's all stars had their first good season last year, and most of the all stars from previous years (Shefflin etc.) either had a poor season last year or are getting too old to be up there with the best.

Senior Hurling Championship 2014

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