Yes cue twill be very interesting to see how cork go in the early part of the season i'll see them first hand myself on sat night in the crystal final they have a lot of new players and it'll be interesting to see how they go for me in Munster any of the 5 teams can win it with cork and wat in a better position thanks to the draw,its very early yet but at this point in time my fancy is tipp for munster but any of the 5 can win it.I've said it before its a big ask for Limerick to win the munster or all irl but we do have a chance.

someday (Limerick) - Posts: 1104 - 26/01/2015 12:42:18    1686470

Hold the horses there buddy. How is it a discredit to say that ye should have driven on and beaten Kilkenny last year. I admire Limerick hurling and where they have come especially in the City. I just don't think Limerick are at the level of genuine AI contenders YET as ye are short big game players.



disillusiondfan
County: Limerick
Posts: 3377

1686440
If I could interject it is obvious that fans from other counties have little or no respect for limerick. As hurtful as that is for us I suppose we do have to accept people's right to have that point of view. The only way to have respect is to earn it. We have had 2 victories over tipp ( one unfairly discredited) a win over cork also discredited a good performance against Kilkenny not discredited until faithful and corner back did so on here. We simply have to go out and win it and then hopefully we won't be so easily dismissed. It is fair to say though that we do need to earn respect and as yet we obviously haven't done enough. I think 2013 semi did untold damage to our rep.

As for wexford I think they have been a little overrated on here but it is fair to say that it is not wexford fans by and large who have done the over rating. As for the Laois cheap shot it comes from a poster who is known for cheap shots even against his own county. I would ask wexford lads not to paint us all with the one brush and am sure that most limerick ppl wish both Laois and wexford the best for 2015.

Cornerback1977 (Cork) - Posts: 67 - 26/01/2015 12:57:02    1686477

Wildpundit
And nobody discredited Cork victories over Dublin and KK when they each had fourteen men. I t is just that a few, and I stress a few, Cork supporters kept going on ad naseum about it.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4331 - 26/01/2015 13:17:17    1686490

DF
This is potentially a very good team but one that has yet to achieve its potential. Only then can it even hope to be considered as one of the great Limerick teams. As yet it is no where near the teams of long ago that won All Irelands in the thirties and early forties, and 5 National Leagues and four Munsters in a row, or the only team to contest 8 Munster Finals in a row (17-24) and that won out in 18 and 21. Or even the seventies side that won an All Ireland and National League and Four Munster titles. These boys had the statistics to back up their greatness. These are the records the present young men must aspire to.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4331 - 26/01/2015 13:29:26    1686500

Best team in 50 years so old tourman. In fairness v v few cork fans discredited our win in 2013. Most of that on here anyway came from our neighbours to the north

disillusiondfan (Limerick) - Posts: 4279 - 26/01/2015 13:43:21    1686509

therealtmo
County: Tipperary
Posts: 920

1686397 Limerick need to get out of 1B looking forward long term this is the most important thing. No point Limerick reaching semi finals and thinking they have reached the top table. Will hurling in 1B do anything for any of them young minors, I think not. Real progress will be getting out of 1B for a start. This year is massive for Limerick and need to reach a all Ireland final now, let's hope they don't become the Waterford of 2002-2009

Excellent post and fair points made Realtmo as usual

someday (Limerick) - Posts: 1104 - 26/01/2015 13:59:58    1686514

I don't know if we can compare this any team to the Waterford of 02-09.

In that period only Cork & Kilkenny won AIs and both were at the top of their game.

In my view that Waterford team fell down in 2007 after the AI Semi Final loss to Limerick.

It was a pity their team of 2004/2005/2006 didn't reach an AI they would have had more in them than they did in 2008.

its very much wide open and if Limerick are to make a breakthrough it has to be in the next 2-3 years because the longer they don't win it perhaps KK , Cork & Tipp will strengthen again.

However basing on the last 2-3 years Minor & U.21 results that does not appear to be norm so someone is bound to make the breakthrough.

When Limerick won the 3 AIs U.21 in a row we are all sure only a matter of time but these group of players seem to be keeping feet on the ground.

Plus with Limerick schools doing so well in the Harty Cup & Club teams winning Munster titles that just shows the work being done in the county and it cannot be ignored or discredited.

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 26/01/2015 14:22:24    1686529

Am I the only one who thinks Limerick are being a bit too hyped up for this season? They gave an unbelievable display vs Kilkenny in the semi and still lost by 2 points. As a Kilkenny man, I thought we played fairly poor that day. Its a bit like the Ireland vs New Zealand game last year. Limerick threw the kitchen sink and still fell short. Besides that Limerick only notable win was the opening game vs Tipperary. Tipp were in a crisis at the time and that game could of gone either way. Cork outplayed Limerick for much of the Munster final. Just think Limerick are being a bit too overhyped at this stage.Any one feel the same?

As for my predictions;

AI winner- Kilkenny -Impossible to ever write them off. As it stands favorties but that could change

Cork- My favorites for Munster. Wouldnt fancy thier chances vs Kilkenny

Galway- Another poor year. Didint see anything last year that says contenders

Clare- Obviously a better team since pre-2013 but I expect maybe one or two decent wins, nothing major

Tipp- I expect them to fall short this year, maybe reach the semis. If Callanan continues his scoring (which I would be surprised if he does at the level he was at) Tipp could go all the way.

Limerick- Dont see them making any big shakes. On par with Clare IMO

Waterford- Similar season to 2014. Thought they were dreadful

Wexford - Better performances but I dont see any big wins like last year

Dublin- Dont see them making much of an impact. Will fall against one of the big boys.

deadybai (Kilkenny) - Posts: 63 - 26/01/2015 16:38:37    1686607

Cork certainly didnt 'outplay' Limerick in the munster final.. limerick had plenty spells of dominance just got caught for the goals. was always gonna be hard in cork and after beating them year before. as for kk match.. kk were throwing the kitchen sink at limerick just as much as limerick were and if you think they were poor the conditions may have had something to do with that! And i dont know how you can discredit the tipp game by throwing out a ' tipp were in crisis' BS statement.

Anyway all limerick people are saying we've as good a chance as the rest of the chasing pack and were more optimistic than before because it appears a better limerick team than in the past with some exciting young talent coming through. Sorry for not coming on saying no we've no chance.. not gonna even bother to go support em.. waste of time. I just cant wait till it gets going. think it will be a very interesting year with 5 or 6 teams in with a great shout!

blackspot91 (Limerick) - Posts: 1055 - 26/01/2015 18:43:43    1686658

Corner back you said that any one of 5 teams would have beaten KK in this years semi and that KK were poor that day. Think that is v dismmissive of that performance.

Dont think anyone can get carried away with Limericks chances this year. I certainly dont know any Limerick hurling men who are. Sure we just cant be based on out track record. we are however in a better place than we have been for a very long time and that is reason for us to be hopeful Cautious optimism is about as far as it gets down here.

disillusiondfan (Limerick) - Posts: 4279 - 26/01/2015 19:27:59    1686678

Limerick were great that rain sodden day v Kilkenny,but i always had the feeling,by hook or by crook,that the cats would find a way to win.They just had that extra bit of nous and street smarts to fall over the line.Thats why they are the team they are.
Regards last years Munster Final,limerick had Cork on the run for the first 15-20 minutes of the game but due to some wasteful finishing and a spurned goal chance they never got the lead there play deserved.Cork were being well beaten all over the field,but after this frantic opening Corks got a few handy frees and together with

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 26/01/2015 20:31:12    1686712

together with Limericks inaccuracy,it gave Cork a real lift going in at the break.The winning and losing of the game was in that opening 20 minutes.Limerick dismantled Wexford and looked every inch a potential All Ireland winner.But the cats had other ideas like they always do.I would give Limerick a decent chance this year.They have a tough draw in Munster but a back door route to an All Ire final is not beyond them.I think they may be 1 or 2 forwards short though-Hannon,Breen,Mulcahy,Dowling all very capable,but if a couple are having an off day are the replacements of sufficient quality so as not to weaken the team?Kilkenny can change at will,and if anything improve their lot.Tipp have good options too.Not sure Limerick have the strenght in depth and this could be their undoing.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 26/01/2015 20:38:42    1686721

Good point cuederocket.. Our lack of bench certainly was a problem. Tj is certainly working on that this year and cian Lynch and Tom morrissey, two talented forwards from last year's minor team have been added to the squad this year and been given game time and have done well so far. Whether it will take another year or two.. Only time will tell. There's a few more coming through that may join the panel after the leaving cert.. But again.. We may have to wait a couple of years before they fully step up. Conor Allis is finished study which hampered his commitment last year so he could be another option.. A good hurler with bags of pace. The squad strength is definitely improving though.

blackspot91 (Limerick) - Posts: 1055 - 26/01/2015 22:03:14    1686769

Disillusioned, I don't see where you are getting the notion that people don't like Limerick. I would say very few outside of Kilkenny were not rooting for you last August against the Cats.

I have nice memory of when we beat you down in Ennis Road in 2007 (?) in league, for first time in something like 40 years. Of course it was huge thing to us and when it was over an elderly man who was sitting behind us congratulated us and wanted to know who 'Smiley' and Hiney and McCrabber and all the rest were and seemed genuinely pleased despite Limerick being beaten that Dublin had the makings of a team. He was from Garryspillane and I actually thought of him while watching that great game last year and hoped he was there to see his team doing him proud and going down with their boots on. Which is all any of us can ask or do.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 27/01/2015 08:29:12    1686773

Hurlingdub I think he just meant no one rates us rather than likes us..

blackspot91 (Limerick) - Posts: 1055 - 27/01/2015 10:04:01    1686799

Good post cuederocket and accurate on last year's performances.
Limerick were not too far away and should be slightly better this year with the additions to the squad.
Oldtourman is right about the potential of this team but Limerick and other counties have had unrealised potential before.
Off the wall comments about the best Limerick team in 50 years are either an attempt to wind up posters from other counties or evidence of a lack of knowledge of hurling.

Westfester (Limerick) - Posts: 944 - 27/01/2015 11:12:04    1686815

DF
I did not say this is the best LK team in 50 years. In the 70s 80s and 90s LK won National Leagues and 2 Munster Championships in each decade. These were the days when you ended other Munster teams interest in the All Ireland seri by knocking them out in that competition. They also won Minor and Under 21 All Irelands in the eighties so many of these men retired from the with every honour except an All Ireland Senior medal. Only when the present lads have improved on these records by going the whole way, and not until then, will they be entitled to be compared to just some of the fine teams we produced in the last 50 years.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4331 - 27/01/2015 11:56:32    1686825

So Limerick has now taken over as the topic of conversation!!!!!!!great!!!

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 27/01/2015 12:05:12    1686830

I second that Wild Pundit!!!!

Maroonforever (Galway) - Posts: 414 - 27/01/2015 12:39:12    1686850

I third it

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 27/01/2015 13:30:42    1686872