2014 Hurling Championship

Just said I'd start this to see if there's any interest.

The story so far....

Waterford leave it behind the first day and get hammered in the replay by Cork.

Limerick beat Tipp again...what the hell is going on in Tipp!?

Galway limp past a spirited Laois and Wexford hammer a poor Antrim.

Kilkenny destroy Offaly and look really mean and up for righting the wrong of 2013.

Cork v Clare, Sunday 15th June, 4.00PM.

Even though the bookies have Clare as favorites for this given that Cork have played 2 matches in recent weeks I would make them clear favorites.

Clare by all accounts are going well and confident but those 2 extra matches could be critical as Clare haven't played in 8 weeks.

I know the Irish like to talk themselves down but Clare are clear favourites. Could see us taking it but it will be close. Cork's defence is still not great and they do not seem to be capable of scoring many goals. Should be a cracker probably the end to a nice sporting weekend, unless the slate of world cup games prove to be more exciting then they seem

Thomond wrote:I know the Irish like to talk themselves down but Clare are clear favourites. Could see us taking it but it will be close. Cork's defence is still not great and they do not seem to be capable of scoring many goals. Should be a cracker probably the end to a nice sporting weekend, unless the slate of world cup games prove to be more exciting then they seem

Hmm...bit of a stroll in the end. Good thing is there is plenty to work on for Cork. Backline looks a lot better with Ellis and Cahalane and Joyce and McLoughlin moved to the wings. What about Aiden Walsh....if he keeps fit he and Kearney will be the making of the team.

Davy Fitz watch - better than last year in terms of comments. Still someone should put him in a room and tie him to a chair and show him interviews by managers like JBM, Cody, Sheedy, Harte etc in terms of how to conduct himself.

Last Final in the Pairc on July 13th. Cant remember the last time Cork played a MHF in Cork . Should be a full house/

Well that was disappointing but not unexpected from my point of view.

The 2 extra games stood to Cork big time especially when you consider how badly they played in the first half against Waterford.

I think it allowed them to bed in their new players and sort out the kinks before they met Clare.

Even allowing for a very 'patchy' refereeing display Cork deserved it on the day and I'd expect them to go on and avenge last years defeat to Limerick in the final and by a good score.

I'll bet JBM is praying though that someone does him a favour and knocks Clare out in the qualifiers so Cork don't have to face them again later in the year!!

I think the 2005 final against Tipp was in the Pairc before that it would be the early 90s (when it wasn't a complete dump like it is now, just a regular dump).

Savage performance. It's trange how Aidan Walsh is an All-Ireland winning footballer and an All Star but he got more love from Cork last Sunday then he ever has! I suppose most Cork fans knew he was a very good hurler (this point grew to legendary status with my former Irish teacher providing the commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk4LajrTZW0) but he was simply outstanding on Sunday. Damo Cahalane I've known for a while through the brother and the school, gave a stellar performance and his younger brothers are also tremendous footballers as well as hurlers. The one man forward line seemed like a bit of a strange move for so long, McDonnell had some dodgy moments but did decent on McGrath overall. Collins and Kelly weren't involved that much.


Pa Horgan did what Pa Horgan does, Walsh and Kearney were the real match winners. We're unlikely to give away such bad goals again (unlikely to score a free like that either), but there's plenty of room for optimism. July 13th hopefully down in the Pairc. There's talks of the Munster Council being unhappy, but I'm sure it will be sorted. Would continue a great sporting summer.

(unlikely to score a free like that either)

It would seem the whole world knew exactly what Horgan was up to except the Clare team!!

Shape up for all the frees exactly the same but blast the first 2 over. Then on the third one ..................

Federer would have been proud of that top spin though, absolutely glorious. You don't have to just blast a free or a penalty.

I was at the 97 final against Tipp in the Pairc and Oh my God.

It was such a wonderful experience I think I've gone back all of one time since!

You're better off, it is one of those stadiums that went out of date pretty soon after it was built. The terrace has more room then the stand in terms of leg space!

The reason Walsh got more "love" last weekend is because as with about 80% of Cork people the footballers are seen as a waste of space....he is back where he should have been a couple of years ago. Just hope he doesnt get knackered playing football...

The Pairc is a dump...a testimony to the worst aspects of a certain Mr Murphys reign over the last 40 years....thankfully going to be torn down....

Never mind the legspace I played a few games there in the 80's and the dressing rooms were mank...and then the corridor under the stands..its a miracle noone was ever killed there.

ME-109 wrote:The reason Walsh got more "love" last weekend is because as with about 80% of Cork people the footballers are seen as a waste of space....he is back where he should have been a couple of years ago. Just hope he doesnt get knackered playing football...

Of course, I was merely pointing out how much we love our hurlers compared to our footballers, anywhere else Walsh would be held in great esteem! Can't remember being in the Pairc Dressing rooms, maybe for Sciath Na Scoil but the whole place is a dump really, I'm surprised the Boss and the King of Pop have played there to be honest.


I still question the logic of a 45,000 seater stadium, but I suppose it will probably be one of those "neutral venues" for the semi final of the new European cup and a concert venue. Of course if they want to decentralise the GAA it would also be a nice alternative. I'm merely surprised it's close to happening, they've been talking about it for 10 years like!

Cork could easily sustain a 50K seater stadium if (big if) we went down the municipal route as in France. Have it open to Rugby/GAA/Soccer and concerts. There is no reason that you couldnt get at least ten big games and concerts there a year.

Spot on ME.

It's ridiculous that in a tiny country like ours each big city has it's own rugby . soccer and GAA ground.

I sit in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick in summer and look across at an empty closed Thomond Park while in winter I sit in Thomond and look across at an empty closed Gaelic Grounds.

It dpends really DOD, if they follow the decentralising no problem. Have Ireland's soccer team (or an Irish XV or whatever bullshoite they have to call the team when they don't play in Lansdowne) play here the odd time. If Kerry are playing a QF and it is to be neutral play it in Cork. Munster Finals in football and hurling will be suited to it. I think it's too small for anything like Champions League finals, maybe the Europa League.

Concerts will obviously be a big part of it, should help attract some of the bigger acts. Frank will be committed to earning the cash back for redevelopment so he won't have an issue leasing it out to whoever.

So next up it's Galway v Kilkenny on Sunday at 4.00pm in the Leinster semi.

Given their last outings it's hard not to see a Kilkenny win and a convincing one at that.

However you just never know with Galway and a ray of hope for them might be that they had a tough match against a rapidly improving Laois whereas Kilkenny's match against Offaly was probably of no use to them.

Still I'll go for Kilkenny.

Hard to tell where Kilkenny are at the moment (or Galway for that matter). They won the league but then again against a Tipp team that lost to Limerick. Kilkenny are obvious favourites but Galway always have one good performance a year and on their day could easily win.

So we'll have round 2 on Saturday (although not on TV  ) and it seems everyone is writing off Galway.

I really don't think this Kilkenny team are of the same vintage as the 06 / 11 team and if Galway are intent on finally making their mark then this is their chance. 

Otherwise we have:

Waterford v  Laois - I'll go for Waterford but a Laois win wouldn't surprise me.

Antrim v Offaly - Hmmm. I'll go for Offaly on this one.