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A New Golden Age Of Hurling

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Let me just say I think we're entering into a new golden age of hurling. This years championship so far has been great who would have believed that neither Tipp Waterford or Kilkenny would not be in the last four. All 3 were in last couple of semi finals and now all have exit. Carlow getting a chance with the big boys in league and championship in 2019after phenomenal success with club teams and now progressing to inter county stage. Offaly a real powerhouse from 94 to 00 regualary in Leinster finals AI semi finals and finals now will play in hurlings secondary competition. The revelation of this year Limerick showing no fear and have beaten Tipp Waterford Kilkenny in the same year probably unheard of since the 70s!! Cork after some barren years in 2015 and 2016 now have won back to back Munster titles and look a formidable force in Munster. Who would have thought they would be back so soon after a trimming from Galway and a lame exit to Wexford. I remember a certain post here saying Cork hurling was finished not so long ago. Galway getting stronger with every game Wexford have risen again but still a work in progress and Dublin will be competitive again in 2019. Pity we only have 3 games left in the year and its only mid July. This has been the best championship in a long time and who ever wins Liam will have hard earned it. Tipp KK and Waterford will find it tough next year to break into the mix I feel again albeit Tipp and Waterford could be in real danger next year again of missing out.Munster is a mine field at the moment where as Kilkenny will probably fancy taking Dublin and Carlow after that anything is possible for them. Think the next few years will be like the mid 90s and we'll see teams like Limerick Clare Cork and probably Galway again win an all Ireland. Unlike football I think we're in for a few fantastic years of hurling. WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 17/07/2018 22:31:40 2123330 Link
Replying To WildPundit: "Let me just say I think we're entering into a new golden age of hurling. This years championship so far has been great who would have believed that neither Tipp Waterford or Kilkenny would not be in the last four. All 3 were in last couple of semi finals and now all have exit. Carlow getting a chance with the big boys in league and championship in 2019after phenomenal success with club teams and now progressing to inter county stage. Offaly a real powerhouse from 94 to 00 regualary in Leinster finals AI semi finals and finals now will play in hurlings secondary competition. The revelation of this year Limerick showing no fear and have beaten Tipp Waterford Kilkenny in the same year probably unheard of since the 70s!! Cork after some barren years in 2015 and 2016 now have won back to back Munster titles and look a formidable force in Munster. Who would have thought they would be back so soon after a trimming from Galway and a lame exit to Wexford. I remember a certain post here saying Cork hurling was finished not so long ago. Galway getting stronger with every game Wexford have risen again but still a work in progress and Dublin will be competitive again in 2019. Pity we only have 3 games left in the year and its only mid July. This has been the best championship in a long time and who ever wins Liam will have hard earned it. Tipp KK and Waterford will find it tough next year to break into the mix I feel again albeit Tipp and Waterford could be in real danger next year again of missing out.Munster is a mine field at the moment where as Kilkenny will probably fancy taking Dublin and Carlow after that anything is possible for them. Think the next few years will be like the mid 90s and we'll see teams like Limerick Clare Cork and probably Galway again win an all Ireland. Unlike football I think we're in for a few fantastic years of hurling." I agree it has been terrific so far, some truly great games and while Galway will probably win it there is so much to look forward to for rest of championship and into next year. I like the format which has helped, good crowds, exciting games and the more teams in the mix the better. I think the next few years will be ground breaking and very exciting. arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 17/07/2018 23:30:12 2123353 Link
Agree 100%. What a summer of hurling. Can't believe there's only 2 weekends left. Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 18/07/2018 08:54:18 2123376 Link
Absolutely, there have been some great matches. From a Limerick perspective I'm still slightly reeling from what I've seen so far. I genuinely hoped for promotion from 1b and maybe a good showing in Munster. To be in a semi final beating Kilkenny along the way is amazing. One game away from an All ireland is a great place for us Clare, Cork and Galway. Roll on the next few weeks.. skillet (Limerick) - Posts: 1057 - 18/07/2018 09:25:00 2123383 Link
I think Galway hurling fans have probably suffered more than most over the last 30 years, with probably only Mayo in the football coming even close. So I'm going to be greedy and hope that we get at least one if not two more All Irelands from what is easily the best Galway team that I've ever seen, but I would also love to see the likes of Limerick or Waterford also win an All Ireland. I think the days of hurling been dominated by one team such as we saw with Kilkenny over the last 15 or more years will not happen again, and hopefully we will see Liam been shared around a bit more. It is easily the greatest game on earth, and it's even better when you have counties outside of the big three winning the All Ireland. gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 18/07/2018 09:40:20 2123391 Link
Some are very quick to write us off. Nobody in Waterford are using it as an excuse which is great but in reality if any of the remaining teams lost as many players and had to play all away games would they be still in the shake up. Good luck to them all. We still have a young team and some to come on board. It amazes how there are so many who just love to put us down. Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2655 - 18/07/2018 18:51:21 2123579 Link
Replying To Canuck: "Some are very quick to write us off. Nobody in Waterford are using it as an excuse which is great but in reality if any of the remaining teams lost as many players and had to play all away games would they be still in the shake up. Good luck to them all. We still have a young team and some to come on board. It amazes how there are so many who just love to put us down." I haven't heard of anyone writing Waterford off. Get yourselves a home ground, another good manager, all the players back that were missing this year, and ye will be there or thereabouts next year. PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1902 - 18/07/2018 19:20:19 2123582 Link
Yes iys been great and looks likely to continue for a few years at least. If the 90's were regadred as the last golden age then this rivals it for sure. The standard of hurling is now top class, its not just a load of average teams being equal. ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 18/07/2018 20:46:53 2123604 Link
A golden age for me would include teams ranked 11 to 15 picking up wins against teams ranked 6 to 10. The narrow confines of the structures provide little opportunity for that. The preliminary quarter-finals probably reflected why though the McDonagh Cup teams were hardly helped by the 6 day turnaround. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7824 - 18/07/2018 21:41:35 2123616 Link
I don't fully subscribe to this notion of this being a new golden age of hurling. Don't think there's ever been a golden age of hurling -- not even in the 90's. For me a golden age would be if we had at least 12 counties that were competitive at McCarthy Cup level, and whatever about winning it, would entertain realistic hopes of reaching an All Ireland quarter final or semi final. We have only got 9 counties at that level and unfortunately we're stuck at 9. It will take a lot more than a McDonagh Cup competition to bring up the standard to the highest level. It cannot be a golden age of hurling when hurling is a peripheral sport in more than 2/3rds of the counties PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1902 - 18/07/2018 22:35:29 2123629 Link
Replying To PoolSturgeon: "I haven't heard of anyone writing Waterford off. Get yourselves a home ground, another good manager, all the players back that were missing this year, and ye will be there or thereabouts next year." I guess PoolSturgeon you have not read all the comments on here. We do not begrudge ye on the win last year or another this year or three in a row. We will win one when we are good enough. The suggestion that it will be hard for us to get back in the mix is premature. No more difficult than any of the other teams at the starting post in 2019. The same for Kilkenny, Tipp and Wexford. Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2655 - 18/07/2018 22:51:10 2123637 Link
Replying To Canuck: "Some are very quick to write us off. Nobody in Waterford are using it as an excuse which is great but in reality if any of the remaining teams lost as many players and had to play all away games would they be still in the shake up. Good luck to them all. We still have a young team and some to come on board. It amazes how there are so many who just love to put us down." Who's putting ye down? There just hasn't been much talk about Tipp Waterford Dublin because they have been out of the race for the last month or so. Westfester (Limerick) - Posts: 943 - 18/07/2018 23:33:15 2123651 Link
Clare's All Ireland win in 2013 was devalued by many who said it was a poor all Ireland because Tipp and Kilkenny didnt get to the semi finals. Is this statement applicable this year? LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2475 - 19/07/2018 02:10:55 2123663 Link
Replying To PoolSturgeon: "I don't fully subscribe to this notion of this being a new golden age of hurling. Don't think there's ever been a golden age of hurling -- not even in the 90's. For me a golden age would be if we had at least 12 counties that were competitive at McCarthy Cup level, and whatever about winning it, would entertain realistic hopes of reaching an All Ireland quarter final or semi final. We have only got 9 counties at that level and unfortunately we're stuck at 9. It will take a lot more than a McDonagh Cup competition to bring up the standard to the highest level. It cannot be a golden age of hurling when hurling is a peripheral sport in more than 2/3rds of the counties" Very well said. Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 19/07/2018 02:51:20 2123665 Link
Replying To PoolSturgeon: "I don't fully subscribe to this notion of this being a new golden age of hurling. Don't think there's ever been a golden age of hurling -- not even in the 90's. For me a golden age would be if we had at least 12 counties that were competitive at McCarthy Cup level, and whatever about winning it, would entertain realistic hopes of reaching an All Ireland quarter final or semi final. We have only got 9 counties at that level and unfortunately we're stuck at 9. It will take a lot more than a McDonagh Cup competition to bring up the standard to the highest level. It cannot be a golden age of hurling when hurling is a peripheral sport in more than 2/3rds of the counties" You need 12 counties before you consider it competitive? How long do you think you would wait before there are 12 football teams competitive at the highest level? Hurling has 8 counties with who can compete at the highest level. How many does football have? 4? Maybe 5? Even then it's really 1 ahead of the rest and 4 or 5 competing for a chance to shock the country. Hurling is miles and miles ahead of football in terms of parity despite the fact that so few compete for McCarthy vs Maguire. bronxirish (USA) - Posts: 17 - 19/07/2018 04:05:22 2123666 Link
Replying To Westfester: "Who's putting ye down? There just hasn't been much talk about Tipp Waterford Dublin because they have been out of the race for the last month or so." And Kilkenny ? How long are they out of the race? Ye just scraped by them. Poster here have wrote off certain teams before a ball is struck in 2019. You guys need to steady down a bit. Some of you are all ready beginning to smell yourselves and you have won nothing yet. Like Galway I would not begrudge you an All-Ireland. Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2655 - 19/07/2018 14:04:47 2123765 Link
The 90's were great. Kerry beat Waterford in the Munster hurling championship. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7824 - 19/07/2018 18:18:00 2123832 Link
Replying To bronxirish: "You need 12 counties before you consider it competitive? How long do you think you would wait before there are 12 football teams competitive at the highest level? Hurling has 8 counties with who can compete at the highest level. How many does football have? 4? Maybe 5? Even then it's really 1 ahead of the rest and 4 or 5 competing for a chance to shock the country. Hurling is miles and miles ahead of football in terms of parity despite the fact that so few compete for McCarthy vs Maguire." Dublin are an outlier. When they are discounted football is incredibly competitive. It is has been a great few years for hurling though. Long may it continue. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 19/07/2018 18:49:18 2123837 Link
Replying To bronxirish: "You need 12 counties before you consider it competitive? How long do you think you would wait before there are 12 football teams competitive at the highest level? Hurling has 8 counties with who can compete at the highest level. How many does football have? 4? Maybe 5? Even then it's really 1 ahead of the rest and 4 or 5 competing for a chance to shock the country. Hurling is miles and miles ahead of football in terms of parity despite the fact that so few compete for McCarthy vs Maguire." Some day they might have enough counties for an All-Ireland hurling competition - neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 19/07/2018 19:26:41 2123841 Link
Replying To neverright: "Some day they might have enough counties for an All-Ireland hurling competition -" Like football. One contender. One pretender and the rest would not kick their way out of a paper bag. Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2655 - 19/07/2018 20:42:50 2123864 Link