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All Ireland Senior Hurling (Liam Mccarthy Cup) 2019

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24567…178

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    #32
    PlayByTheRules
    Registered Users Posts: 219 ✭✭PlayByTheRules


    conor05 wrote: »
    If Wexford can keep Lee Chin, Rory O Connor and Conor McDonald injury free I am going to put them down for the Leinster crown too, it’s **** or bust this year for Davy under them with no champ silverware so far he will go all out.

    I am going to go for a Tipp Munster win. Brendan Maher back will be a huge asset.


    Tipp will come last in Munster, less pace than a bale of turtles. Brendy will add a lot but it won't be enough. Too much dead weight on that team and players that have regressed every year since 2016.

    I do agree with you about Wexford though.


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    #33
    puzl
    Registered Users Posts: 578 ✭✭✭puzl


    People seem keen on Cork, but in order for them to even appear in a Munster final you really have to see them beating Limerick or Clare away and I honestly will be surprised if Cork can pull either of them off. So then you're down to seeing Cork beat both Tipp and Waterford at home to even progress out of Munster, never mind make the final. I'm not trying to belittle the Cork team - clearly they have the players and the form to win every single one of their games - but I wouldn't be betting on them.

    Anyway, it's not that relevant because Limerick get to host Clare and Cork at home this year so I think they're going to make the finals and win it too.

    Galway for Leinster. There'll be a whole "do it for Joe" mentality in the camp. If they can get to a semi final off of Leinster then they'll have everyone back for it and fighting fit.


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    #34
    threeball
    Registered Users Posts: 7,924 ✭✭✭threeball


    Cork have shown absolutely no form this year so I don't get the idea that they'll win munster. They'll do well to progress. Limerick, Clare and Waterford look the best teams in munster at the moment.

    Galway will reach the Leinster final but it's a toss up for the other 2 spots imo. They're all very capable of downing the other. At the moment Dublin and wexford look like the next best but I think kk will shunt one of them into 4th.


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    #35
    Bonniedog
    Registered Users Posts: 6,665 ✭✭✭Bonniedog


    I know the league is not a great guide to the championship, but it does provide some clues.

    Having seen Dublin playing Galway, Waterford, Limerick and Tipp, I would think that Limerick are a bit ahead of the pack, and with more to come. Galway and Waterford pretty close to one another, and hard to see where Tipp are going to improve enough to be there at end of Summer.

    Someone mentioned Canning's absence as being a motivation for Galway. Perhaps. We won't know until we see them. They are not as dependent as they were, as said above, but he is still a massive loss.


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    #36
    PTH2009
    Registered Users Posts: 37,770 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057973647

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    #37
    tipp_tipp_tipp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭tipp_tipp_tipp


    My predictions:

    I hate to say it, but this will be a bad year for Tipp, no pace in the time, full back role is still a weak point and too many players past there sell by date. Callanan as captain I fear will not go well. Beyond that, hard to tell. It will be very interesting to see how Waterford fair in Walsh Park. Clare are so tough to beat in Ennis, which gives them a great chance of qualifying. Given how Waterford were screwed with home advantage last year, I think the players will rise to the occasion and they will win both home games.

    So assuming Waterford and Clare both progress thanks to good home records, I put Limerick going joining them. I also think Limerick will win Munster. Winning Munster will be a big motivation for this Limerick team, and with the way they're playing I don't see anyone stopping them.

    In Leinster, I think it will another Galway Kilkenny final. Dublin will join them in progressing from Leinster. I think this will be a tough year for Wexford. There's pressure to achieve something in what must surely be Davey's last year in charge. I don't think they will handle this pressure well. Dublin looked good in the league, and they've the right man in charge and will build nicely over the coming years, but are ready to challenge the top teams yet. Carlow will struggle, and I think the annoying thing is they will not have a chance to improve next year as they will be straight back down to Joe Macdonagh.

    As for All-Ireland champions, I think Galway will do it again. They were dreadful in the final last year, I think that will motivate them back to the top this year. They have the hurlers, though whether Joe will be match fit for the latter parts of the year is a worry.

    So those are my thoughts, I will no doubt be wrong on most of it, but will be fun to look back at this in a few months and see how far off it was. Looking forward to it hugely now. Can't wait to be driving through the jack lynch tunnel in a few weeks on the way to Pairc Ui Chaoimh. H'on Tipp!


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    #38
    lim4ev
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭lim4ev


    I think the 3 teams from munster will be limerick cork and clare I think it'll be limerick v clare munster final with limerick winning it. I think tipp have too many questions with speed being the biggest one they've class forwards but think their backs are the weak point. Waterford will be close to progressing but think they're lacking at least one top class forward but with home advantage could surprise a lot.

    Leinster will be v competitive for me people talking of galway winning all Ireland's is crazy I might be wrong but galway have to go to Parnell pk and nowlan pk where they'll struggle they prob will get out of leinster but not guaranteed I'll go for kk Dublin and galway to progress but I think it'll be a Limerick v cork all ireland final which will be a toss up


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    #39
    iebamm2580
    Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭iebamm2580


    Reckon tipp are going to surprise a lot of people this year, a good game plan can make up for their lack of pace and i dont think there is a better set of forwards in the country, a win against cork however is vital for their chances.


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    #40
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    lim4ev wrote: »
    Leinster will be v competitive for me people talking of galway winning all Ireland's is crazy I might be wrong but galway have to go to Parnell pk and nowlan pk where they'll struggle they prob will get out of leinster but not guaranteed I'll go for kk Dublin and galway to progress but I think it'll be a Limerick v cork all ireland final which will be a toss up

    Its not too often you'd hear the term "crazy" in reference to the All Ireland chances of the bookies favourites and finalist for the previous 2 campaigns (won one of them)!


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    #41
    lim4ev
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭lim4ev


    jr86 wrote: »
    Its not too often you'd hear the term "crazy" in reference to the All Ireland chances of the bookies favourites and finalist for the previous 2 campaigns (won one of them)!

    Fair point

    Still don't think they'll win it out and reason they're favourites is the bookies think they'll win out leinster so they'll be in a semi straight off. I don't agree with this thinking I think leinster will be v competitive


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    #42
    Bonniedog
    Registered Users Posts: 6,665 ✭✭✭Bonniedog


    Galway will be there or thereabouts and ostensibly easier run explains where the money is going.

    Having said that, I reckon like yourself that Leinster will be close. Most games apart from Offaly and the final in fairness were close. A puck of the ball was the difference in three of our games. So, expecting it to be same way again with four teams, including Galway minus Joe, not too far apart,


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    #43
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    lim4ev wrote: »
    Fair point

    Still don't think they'll win it out and reason they're favourites is the bookies think they'll win out leinster so they'll be in a semi straight off. I don't agree with this thinking I think leinster will be v competitive

    Not necessarily, the bookies have them at odds against to win Leinster and very close with Kilkenny. Obviously the Canning factor plays a role in that, but they're certainly not expecting them to have a free run to the semi or anything.

    There's still a lot of quality in that Galway side overall, and very few weaknesses in their starting 15 if they play to form, so in my mind it makes sense to have them as neck and neck favourites with Limerick. The bench has been a slight issue but it only needs 1 or 2 lads to step up this season


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    #44
    puzl
    Registered Users Posts: 578 ✭✭✭puzl


    The important point there, jr86, is "if they play to form". Last year Galway didn't in fact play to form. Not to take away from Limerick's win, because you can only play what's in front of you, but Galway played maybe 80 minutes of top class hurling all year and the rest, though better than what most were fielding, was way below their potential. I think Limerick are ahead of everyone right now, but a Galway with their best 15 playing 70 minutes of 2017 standard hurling will surely be their equal, if not their better. This is why I still fancy Galway to win Leinster and Limerick to win Munster.

    Having said that.. just look at the last few years to see how predictions in April are extremely difficult.. everyone talking up the recent form, but in all honesty I wouldn't be shocked to see Kilkenny and Tipp win the provices too.


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    #45
    Nic_Col
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭Nic_Col


    Leinster;

    Wexford have the trickiest run of games and are the most vulnerable to a resurgent Dublin. In round 1 Galway will almost certainly beat Carlow and I'd expect Kilkenny to shade their game at home to Dublin.

    After that you're looking at Wexford facing away games against Dublin and Galway in successive weekends. They really need to hit the ground running and that in my opinion will be the deciding factor in Leinster. Whoever loses Dub v Wex in round 2 could have a mountain to climb.

    Genuinely four competitive teams here though, I'd tip Galway to make the final (what a brave prediction!) but after that I couldn't really confidently call second to fourth. I don't see any team getting more than 6 out of 8 points. As much as I'd love to see Carlow claim a scalp along the way it is very hard to see them avoiding relegation.


    Munster;

    No clue, anything could happen.
    One away win in the 8 (not counting Waterford's neutral) games, the three teams who claimed points away from home were the teams who went through. Waterford have home games and fingers crossed won't have a full blown injury crisis to deal with again.

    Limerick not streets ahead like some feel, the AI was won by getting over the line in tight games, they weren't blowing everyone away, they have their noses in front at the moment but there are around 6 teams capable of beating them, they won't be easily beaten but Waterford and Tipp would back themselves to beat them at home, Cork turned Limerick over at the Gaelic Grounds two months ago and Clare won't be fazed by their trip to Limerick, since Limerick defeated Clare in the 2015 Munster championship the last 5 competitive meetings have yielded four Clare wins and a draw.

    Potentially the biggest shock of the championship wouldn't really be a shock at all; Limerick not making it out of Munster.

    All five teams in Munster will rightly back themselves though.

    All-Ireland? I think Cork are very close, if they make it out of Munster I think this could be their year, forget the league when it comes to Cork; summer hurling suits them and particularly their forwards down to the ground.


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    #46
    lim4ev
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭lim4ev


    Nic_Col wrote: »
    Leinster;

    Wexford have the trickiest run of games and are the most vulnerable to a resurgent Dublin. In round 1 Galway will almost certainly beat Carlow and I'd expect Kilkenny to shade their game at home to Dublin.

    After that you're looking at Wexford facing away games against Dublin and Galway in successive weekends. They really need to hit the ground running and that in my opinion will be the deciding factor in Leinster. Whoever loses Dub v Wex in round 2 could have a mountain to climb.

    Genuinely four competitive teams here though, I'd tip Galway to make the final (what a brave prediction!) but after that I couldn't really confidently call second to fourth. I don't see any team getting more than 6 out of 8 points. As much as I'd love to see Carlow claim a scalp along the way it is very hard to see them avoiding relegation.


    Munster;

    No clue, anything could happen.
    One away win in the 8 (not counting Waterford's neutral) games, the three teams who claimed points away from home were the teams who went through. Waterford have home games and fingers crossed won't have a full blown injury crisis to deal with again.

    Limerick not streets ahead like some feel, the AI was won by getting over the line in tight games, they weren't blowing everyone away, they have their noses in front at the moment but there are around 6 teams capable of beating them, they won't be easily beaten but Waterford and Tipp would back themselves to beat them at home, Cork turned Limerick over at the Gaelic Grounds two months ago and Clare won't be fazed by their trip to Limerick, since Limerick defeated Clare in the 2015 Munster championship the last 5 competitive meetings have yielded four Clare wins and a draw.

    Potentially the biggest shock of the championship wouldn't really be a shock at all; Limerick not making it out of Munster.

    All five teams in Munster will rightly back themselves though.

    All-Ireland? I think Cork are very close, if they make it out of Munster I think this could be their year, forget the league when it comes to Cork; summer hurling suits them and particularly their forwards down to the ground.

    I'd agree with a lot of that I'd be surprised if we(Limerick) didn't get out of munster but it's so competitive you could play great for four matches do v little wrong and get beaten by a pint in all 4. For me personally I never thought I'd see us winning one as we'd had a lot of heartbreak down through the yrs so we're in bonus country. But I want it so much again and whats more important is the players do too.

    For me cork and clare are v strong too but my tip outside of limerick would be cork their only downfall (as with clare) might be their backs aren't as strong as their forwards of course they're a lot of other teams that are well capable of winning it out too.

    Time will tell I personally can't wait for the whole shebang to get going am I correct in saying its Dublin v kk in kk on 11/5? That'll be a cracker with no guaranteed winner


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    #47
    Bonniedog
    Registered Users Posts: 6,665 ✭✭✭Bonniedog


    Kilkenny May 11. And I have to go to a fkn Communion party. So any excuses welcome!

    That should be some game. No illusions about what is awaiting Dublin, but be one of rare occasions Dublin be going down with good expectation of beating them. Injury situation looks a bit better and Kenny knows how to prime teams for a big day out.

    Should be good. On TV …:-(

    Overall, looking at the fixtures and judging where teams are at, I would say it will be cracking Summer. Fancy Limerick but they will have to work for it. Great structure apart from a bit of a chasm for whoever bottoms out in Leinster, but might as well be playing at proper level than shipping hidings.


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    #48
    Realt Dearg Sec
    Registered Users Posts: 10,823 ✭✭✭✭Realt Dearg Sec


    lim4ev wrote: »
    we're in bonus country.
    Wouldn't agree there at all. A very young, very talented team, playing an intelligent brand of hurling, not just the team to beat but the style of game that you need to overcome to win out. If that core of players don't get at least two, maybe three all Irelands in the next five or six years, they haven't fulfilled their potential. The county's history has nothing to do with the possibilities for the current team.


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    #49
    puzl
    Registered Users Posts: 578 ✭✭✭puzl


    Yep, this Limerick team will win a few but they might just need to lose one to really get that obsession burning.


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    #50
    mountgomery burns
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭mountgomery burns


    Great to see so many contrasting opinions on this thread. Really highlights the competitiveness of the championship or at least the expectation that it will be.

    A far cry from people writing it off as only one foreseeable winner in years gone by.

    Personally think it's gonna be a bad year for Tipp again, not sure how far Galway will go but don't see any all Ireland in them and quite possibly not even Leinster. Too reliant on the same fellas and the format suits young blood. To that end, Kilkenny may well prevail in Leinster. Dublin will definitely throw a spanner in the works.

    Munster is a bear pit. Thinking Clare, Limerick and Waterford at the moment but Cork won't be far off. Tipp have the a great full forward line but a lot of problems elsewhere.


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    #51
    lim4ev
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭lim4ev


    Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »
    Wouldn't agree there at all. A very young, very talented team, playing an intelligent brand of hurling, not just the team to beat but the style of game that you need to overcome to win out. If that core of players don't get at least two, maybe three all Irelands in the next five or six years, they haven't fulfilled their potential. The county's history has nothing to do with the possibilities for the current team.

    Hope your right I didn't want to be cocky but would be v disappointed if we didn't get another at least one from this team but you just never take anything for granted, injuries etc etc


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    #52
    PTH2009
    Registered Users Posts: 37,770 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    Waterford, Tipp and Dublin need big showings this summer after there early exits last year

    This structure is so unbalanced as the strong Leinster teams are guaranteed 2 points against Carlow (imo think there not strong enough too win any games) and Munster is unbelievably competitive and theres no "guaranteed 2 points"

    The first games in Munster on May 12th are so important for all teams as a loss will put a lot of the pressure on the losing team as 1 more defeat could mean the end of your season.

    Obv in Leinster the first games are important but for the top 4 (KK, Gal, Wex and Dub) its about the games vs each other as they will all pick up 2pts vs Carlow

    Cant wait for 3 weeks time


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    #53
    Realt Dearg Sec
    Registered Users Posts: 10,823 ✭✭✭✭Realt Dearg Sec


    Yeah I agree, time to get rid of the pointless provincial championships and move to an open draw. But in the meantime I think Leinster outside of Carlow is very difficult to call. Only Galway failing to qualify would really shock me to be honest, the other three can all beat them on their day, but over the course of the series of games you'd expect them to at least get out of the province, even without Joe. But there's just no reason to favour kk over Wexford or Dublin on current form. I still think kk will lift it come summer and get to a Leinster final, but Dublin look dangerous and we're full of injuries with question marks in a lot of key positions and little to be inspired by during the league tactically. Wexford have looked good against us throughout Davy's reign as well so it's wide open to me.


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    #54
    Nic_Col
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭Nic_Col


    Last year's championship was a belter, round robin worked well but the provincial imbalance is the one remaining elephant in the room.

    The league was very poor this year, especially compared to the football league. This was a direct result of removing promotion and relegation between 1A and 1B, poorest league of the 2010's in the name of returning to the exact same format of the 2000's which was scrapped after 2008 (took ten years for collective amnesia to set in to reimplement a format it had been previously concluded wasn't working...)

    Before long, it will inevitably be concluded this "new" (league) format too isn't working.

    What I would like to think would happen at this stage is a merger of sorts between league and championship. Hold the provincial round robins in Feb and March, requiring 5 rounds with each team getting four games, the two teams finishing first play off the league final. This would free up two weekends.

    Then the championship would still be two groups of 5, groups determined by final position in provincial round robins.

    So based on last year; league final being Galway v Cork, and championship groups as follows;
    A; Galway, Clare, Wexford, Tipperary, Offaly.
    B; Cork, Kilkenny, Limerick, Dublin, Waterford.

    (i.e. 1st, 3rd and 5th from one province, 2nd and 4th from the other)


    Will never happen though! I think the provincial elephant in the room has a long and happy life ahead of it!


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    #55
    Bonniedog
    Registered Users Posts: 6,665 ✭✭✭Bonniedog


    Out of that you are still going to have one team who will not be at the races. Same applies to Carlow most likely this year. Just symptom of there being three decent Leinster teams, and Galway!, and five decent teams in Munster.

    No reason really to abandon the history and cut of the Munster championship just to have another unbalanced group.

    I think it is working well, so usually in GAA circles that is prod for some committee to doing something mad!

    Leinster is actually more competitive this year than it has been since the 1990s really. Very rare that it has not been dominated by one team, or at best two.


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    #56
    castletownman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,015 ✭✭✭✭castletownman


    As an aside, does anyone know when RTE/Sky are announcing their live championship games schedule?

    I may have to settle into a bar in NYC on the Sunday of Tipp/Waterford and Limerick/Cork in Munster and Dublin/Wexford in Leinster :D


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    #57
    robbiezero
    Registered Users Posts: 4,320 ✭✭✭robbiezero


    Bonniedog wrote: »
    I know the league is not a great guide to the championship, but it does provide some clues.

    Having seen Dublin playing Galway, Waterford, Limerick and Tipp, I would think that Limerick are a bit ahead of the pack, and with more to come. Galway and Waterford pretty close to one another, and hard to see where Tipp are going to improve enough to be there at end of Summer.

    Someone mentioned Canning's absence as being a motivation for Galway. Perhaps. We won't know until we see them. They are not as dependent as they were, as said above, but he is still a massive loss.

    Wouldn't agree. No evidence Waterford are at that level yet. I thought they were very poor in the league final and Limerick should have absolutely hosed but for wastefulness. They had a very unlucky year last year with all the injuries, but I would be surprised if they have enough to be in the top 3 in Munster this year.

    Tipp v Cork is a critical game for both counties. I think the loser of that will be out of the championship after the group stages. The loser will have to either beat Clare in Ennis or Limerick which will be a big ask as well as beating Waterford.


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    #58
    Stationmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    Bonniedog wrote: »
    Kilkenny May 11. And I have to go to a fkn Communion party. So any excuses welcome!

    No excuses needed - it's championship. That should suffice.


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    #59
    RMAOK
    Registered Users Posts: 11,199 ✭✭✭✭RMAOK


    Stationmaster wrote: »
    No excuses needed - it's championship. That should suffice.

    That'd be my thinking as well :D

    As regards the championship, Munster seems to be a minefield. At this juncture, I'd see limerick coming out of Munster (as champions tbh) with Clare and Waterford coming out as well.

    In Leinster, Galway would have won it imo if canning wasn't injured. The fact that he'll play no part beings Galway back a bit imo. That said, with the returners (Joe Cooney and Glynn) they should be still strong enough to make the final. I feel Kilkenny will be in the final with them and, if Kenny gets a tune out his forwards I'd pick Dublin to take the third spot. I have a hunch that the Davy factor might run aground in Wexford this year.

    As regards all-ireland winners, at this present moment in time, you'd have to plump for limerick. If Galway are injury free,and some of the forwards get back to 2017 heights, then they are the most likely to dethrone limerick imo.


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    #60
    PTH2009
    Registered Users Posts: 37,770 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    Bonniedog wrote: »
    Kilkenny May 11. And I have to go to a fkn Communion party. So any excuses welcome!

    .

    you have too attend work business in Kilkenny and the meet the siad person in Nowlan Park


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    #61
    Nic_Col
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭Nic_Col


    Bonniedog wrote: »
    Kilkenny May 11. And I have to go to a fkn Communion party. So any excuses welcome!

    Unless it's your own child's communion you surely can't be expected to to miss out on being there to witness your county being the first to beat Kilkenny at Nowlan Park in the championship since the 1940's?!

    I'd back KK myself but I've no doubt this Dublin team will fully believe they can go and win that one and it wouldn't surprise me if they did.


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