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National Hurling League 2025

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Replying To Ryanteam:  "Half forward line of Barrett, Fitz and Healy is certainly quick. Full forward line of Hoggy, Connolly and Hayes looks dangerous. However I think ball winners Dalton, Harnedy and Roche will be used during championship, especially against Limerick. It will be interesting how full back line copes with Darragh McCarthy, and how Cork adapt to Alan Tynan who had a field day last time they met!"
I'd actually describe you as a big team rather than a quick team these days! Looking forward to watching the League final, should be a good open game. I imagine Ryan and Cahill won't be showing eachother too much tactically.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15471 - 04/04/2025 18:38:29    2600573

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Replying To Ryanteam:  "I don't think Cork are overhyped, Ryan keeps them grounded, and competition for places has never been keener. Coleman, Harnedy and Dalton are substitutes on Sunday. Wayne Sherlock has organized the defense, and Noel O' Leary has blossomed this year. Cork have focus on championship, especially for Clare and Limerick, but the league final will give us a look at forwards Connolly and Healy for example. Darragh O' Donovan and Will Donoghue will face most likely Tim O' Mahony and Ethan Twomey (like versus like) and the game is in Gaelic grounds. No doubt Clare will target Eoin Downey with Peter Duggan, and it will be interesting how Downey performs on Sunday. Cracking Munster championship in store, Limerick are the team to beat, but Cork have definitely stepped up!"
Tim O mahoney has to be one of the most improved hurlers in Cork in recent years, he has been giving some outstanding displays.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2254 - 04/04/2025 18:54:10    2600574

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "How many Waterford fans would have travelled to Belfast now Canuck? Waterford are as poorly supported as Dublin hurlers to be frank.
You are right about Pairc Ui Chaoimh though, I remember the drive there for Wexford v Clare a few years ago and will never be back there. Bad location, bad access, terrible road from Wexford, even my enthusiastic children said not to do that drive again.
They should have played Waterford v Offaly in Nowlan Park."
There was good support from Waterford acknowledged by Peter Queally and the team. I could not put a number on it but seemed equal or better than the home team.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3023 - 05/04/2025 01:48:23    2600609

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Two disappointing games..Offaly looked out of their depth but in all fairness they kept plugging away and if they had been awarded a penalty then who knows how last few minutes would have gone..I still give Offaly a great chance of getting out of Leinster..Waterford seemed to go to sleep in 2nd half..however they have big players back and have some very good forwards..they have limerick and Clare at home and they could cause problems..I don't think they'll mind playing tipp either..
Don't know what to make of tipp,backs under pressure all day but a lot of that was down to lack of work rate at midfield and half forward..a hard day for young McCarthy and he,ll definitely have better days..cork look to have a very strong panel now and team isn't weak if someone missing..they also have an edge to them and don't mind giving away frees,one thing I did notice is no one player responsible,all the backs will do it..midfield very strong with o mahony flying..the forwards are mobile and fast and Barrett has to be stopped before he gets full steam going..fitzgibbon is a class hurler but think he will be midfield..inside line always head straight for goal which is a huge threat..hoggy always pops up with scores and is now getting other players more involved.they are the team I'd fear most and think I'd make them favs for Munster and all Ireland..great few weeks on the way..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2496 - 06/04/2025 19:22:25    2600816

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Replying To CTGAA10:  "Two disappointing games..Offaly looked out of their depth but in all fairness they kept plugging away and if they had been awarded a penalty then who knows how last few minutes would have gone..I still give Offaly a great chance of getting out of Leinster..Waterford seemed to go to sleep in 2nd half..however they have big players back and have some very good forwards..they have limerick and Clare at home and they could cause problems..I don't think they'll mind playing tipp either..
Don't know what to make of tipp,backs under pressure all day but a lot of that was down to lack of work rate at midfield and half forward..a hard day for young McCarthy and he,ll definitely have better days..cork look to have a very strong panel now and team isn't weak if someone missing..they also have an edge to them and don't mind giving away frees,one thing I did notice is no one player responsible,all the backs will do it..midfield very strong with o mahony flying..the forwards are mobile and fast and Barrett has to be stopped before he gets full steam going..fitzgibbon is a class hurler but think he will be midfield..inside line always head straight for goal which is a huge threat..hoggy always pops up with scores and is now getting other players more involved.they are the team I'd fear most and think I'd make them favs for Munster and all Ireland..great few weeks on the way.."
Agree Darragh McCarthy had a tough day, and didn't get enough support. When he was substituted I assumed it was because the game was gone from Tipp and he has important Under 20 matches coming up. For that reason I was surprised that O'Farrell was left on for the full game. He's also Under 20 and also found the going tough.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 600 - 06/04/2025 19:52:34    2600820

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Duignan should have had a penalty in that first game, how the ref and his umpires missed it is beyond me, and the umpire looking at him.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2254 - 06/04/2025 19:58:08    2600822

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Páirc Uí Chaoimh looked immaculate today.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8730 - 06/04/2025 21:18:07    2600842

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Hard to see beyond Cork for Liam now. But can they handle the favoritism now though? Can they sustain their intensity throughout the minefield of Munster? Are their marquee players peaking too early?

Time will tell. Bring on the Munster hurling championship!

And congratulations to Cork. It's good for them to have national silverware after 20 years without any in hurling.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2194 - 06/04/2025 23:58:25    2600874

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Replying To realdub:  "Páirc Uí Chaoimh looked immaculate today."
It really did. It's a proper modern GAA stadium of really high quality. The pitch was terrific after all the early trouble with the surface

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3515 - 07/04/2025 09:10:08    2600897

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Hard to see beyond Cork for Liam now. But can they handle the favoritism now though? Can they sustain their intensity throughout the minefield of Munster? Are their marquee players peaking too early?

Time will tell. Bring on the Munster hurling championship!

And congratulations to Cork. It's good for them to have national silverware after 20 years without any in hurling."
They do look very good at this stage but we've seen teams flying in the league only to fall flat on their faces once the real stuff starts.

Limerick and Clare have looked totally disinterested but they'll be a very different animal in a couple of weeks time.

Tipp and Waterford have both improved so will cause problems.

There'll be no easy games in Munster that's for sure.

Kilkenny obvious favourites in Leinster but Galway will be much better under o Donohue. Dublin seem to be fit and well organised. While Offaly will be under pressure over 5 games, they certainly have the tools to cause an upset or 2.

It's going to be a really interesting year.

A lot of talk about the disparity between the provinces but I still wouldn't write Kilkenny off against anyone.

We'll see about Wexford or Galway if we both make it.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3515 - 07/04/2025 09:15:25    2600899

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Hard to see beyond Cork for Liam now. But can they handle the favoritism now though? Can they sustain their intensity throughout the minefield of Munster? Are their marquee players peaking too early?

Time will tell. Bring on the Munster hurling championship!

And congratulations to Cork. It's good for them to have national silverware after 20 years without any in hurling."
They look very good. The opposition in their last two games were extremely poor though, but even still they look very good. Hopefully Limerick will be motivated looking at that and will look to get revenge in the Gaelic Grounds.

Downey at centre back for me is key. He dominates and is a colossus for them. His influence needs to be curtailed. Back in the day an out of form Limerick team would still beat or at least trouble an in form Tipp by sticking big David Breen in on top of Paudie Maher and his role would be to negate him and it often worked a treat. Not Limericks style currently an we probably don't have that type of player anyway, Conor Boylan if he was still on the panel maybe, but will be interesting to see if other teams do it. Hammer the hammer and cut out the oppositions primary enforcer and you are off to a good start.
Cork were very clever last year and curbed our biggest enforcer by keeping Kyle Hayes completely out of play. Will be interesting to see if any team goes after him.

Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 430 - 07/04/2025 10:13:23    2600915

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Replying To Fitzy01:  "They look very good. The opposition in their last two games were extremely poor though, but even still they look very good. Hopefully Limerick will be motivated looking at that and will look to get revenge in the Gaelic Grounds.

Downey at centre back for me is key. He dominates and is a colossus for them. His influence needs to be curtailed. Back in the day an out of form Limerick team would still beat or at least trouble an in form Tipp by sticking big David Breen in on top of Paudie Maher and his role would be to negate him and it often worked a treat. Not Limericks style currently an we probably don't have that type of player anyway, Conor Boylan if he was still on the panel maybe, but will be interesting to see if other teams do it. Hammer the hammer and cut out the oppositions primary enforcer and you are off to a good start.
Cork were very clever last year and curbed our biggest enforcer by keeping Kyle Hayes completely out of play. Will be interesting to see if any team goes after him."
Easier said that done, Downey is tall, fast, strong in the air and a very skilful hurler, he has it all and tough as nails too.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 907 - 07/04/2025 12:27:04    2600951

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "It really did. It's a proper modern GAA stadium of really high quality. The pitch was terrific after all the early trouble with the surface"
Yeah, it's a great stadium. It's just a pity about the location. I always try to use public transport for matches but for the older supporters it's a fair hike from Kent Station to Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 600 - 07/04/2025 12:34:31    2600953

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Congratulations to Cork, they are the form team of the league and deserved league champions. I feel like once Cork killed the game off with the three goals before half time both teams switched off with Easter Sunday on their minds.

Good to see some common sense returning regarding the refereeing decisions in respect of mistimed tackles (with no malice) or brushing the helmet etc. (Two weeks ago there could have been at least three reds in that match the refereeing had gone but yellow were sufficient in my opinion)

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 131 - 07/04/2025 13:11:06    2600961

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Replying To midlands:  "Yeah, it's a great stadium. It's just a pity about the location. I always try to use public transport for matches but for the older supporters it's a fair hike from Kent Station to Pairc Ui Chaoimh."
They need those rowing boats that they had decades ago, to ferry supporters across the river from Tivoli to the ground! A shuttle ferry would do!

Ryanteam (Cork) - Posts: 530 - 07/04/2025 13:13:28    2600962

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Replying To Ryanteam:  "They need those rowing boats that they had decades ago, to ferry supporters across the river from Tivoli to the ground! A shuttle ferry would do!"
I remember those boats well, Ryanteam. Of course, there was no such thing as health and safety back then.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 600 - 07/04/2025 14:31:03    2600974

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Replying To Ryanteam:  "They need those rowing boats that they had decades ago, to ferry supporters across the river from Tivoli to the ground! A shuttle ferry would do!"
Those were the days! Do you remember the amount of people they'd have wedged on the boats? Not one care about H&S!

bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 372 - 07/04/2025 14:42:42    2600977

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Replying To Past hurler:  "Easier said that done, Downey is tall, fast, strong in the air and a very skilful hurler, he has it all and tough as nails too."
Savage player, yes i agree he has it all. He was my motm yesterday. He is 25, why was he not starting in the last 6 years. I would love to see Kyle Hayes at centre forward and the two of them going at it but probably unlikely as he will be needed in the half back line.

Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 430 - 07/04/2025 15:56:34    2600987

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Replying To Fitzy01:  "Savage player, yes i agree he has it all. He was my motm yesterday. He is 25, why was he not starting in the last 6 years. I would love to see Kyle Hayes at centre forward and the two of them going at it but probably unlikely as he will be needed in the half back line."
Horses for courses! I think that Kyle Hayes at 11 versus Cork is a real runner, even though no. 7 is Hayes' best position.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2194 - 07/04/2025 23:26:53    2601038

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Horses for courses! I think that Kyle Hayes at 11 versus Cork is a real runner, even though no. 7 is Hayes' best position."
Only a possibility if Hannon gets back to fitness, if he does and if you have WOD and DOD in midfield its an option. Colin Coughlan, Nash or CON could all play the left half back role.
Personally i think Hayes will start at centre back vs Cork. They beat us straight down the middle twice last year.

Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 430 - 08/04/2025 11:03:25    2601067

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