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National Hurling League 2025

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Replying To legendzxix:  "All the top 7 will want to avoid 1B. Waterford and Dublin will of course be expected to make light work of securing promotion. The other 5 should be an interesting battle. They'll want to claim a high profile scalp. They'll also want to avoid Division 2."
I'm not sure it will be "light work".

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14233 - 13/01/2025 19:18:58    2585760

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Replying To Viking66:  "I'm not sure it will be "light work"."
Dublin have Antrim at home. Antrim are a big test in Belfast, rarely in Dublin. Well, Croke Park which may say something for ÓCeallacháin ambition but Parnell is the place to be winning league games. 90% + record over last 15 years.


Dublin v Waterford be cracker as always. Hopefully a win but winning rest would make that irrelevant for either of them. They'll both be well focused on getting back into top division.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 13/01/2025 19:42:49    2585767

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Dublin beat Limerick. Hand Liam over now I say!"
Dublin played with real pace and directness and looked sharp, they scored 4 goals of the softish variety in the 1st half. Kiely had Limerick in the dressing room for about 25 minutes at half time, obviously not happy with what he was watching and they improved in 2nd half. Early days as you say yet and different teams at different places in their preparation but good to see live matches again.

updwell (Limerick) - Posts: 857 - 13/01/2025 19:51:07    2585768

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Replying To updwell:  "Dublin played with real pace and directness and looked sharp, they scored 4 goals of the softish variety in the 1st half. Kiely had Limerick in the dressing room for about 25 minutes at half time, obviously not happy with what he was watching and they improved in 2nd half. Early days as you say yet and different teams at different places in their preparation but good to see live matches again."
At least you get chance to see! Its like Third Secret of Fatima with our ones!

Don't suppose you saw Dublin team sheet or who was playing?

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 13/01/2025 21:22:23    2585779

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Replying To Viking66:  "I'm not sure it will be "light work"."
Time will tell.
The composition of Division 1B is interesting for those outside the Top 9. Having Antrim, Offaly, Carlow, Laois and Westmeath all battling against each other to avoid Division 2 and possibly even push into bonus territory is an interesting mix.
Division 2 doesn't look like a good division to be mounting a McDonagh challenge but that's the jeopardy. Division 1B should be the level to be at.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8416 - 13/01/2025 21:47:34    2585782

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Dublin have Antrim at home. Antrim are a big test in Belfast, rarely in Dublin. Well, Croke Park which may say something for ÓCeallacháin ambition but Parnell is the place to be winning league games. 90% + record over last 15 years.


Dublin v Waterford be cracker as always. Hopefully a win but winning rest would make that irrelevant for either of them. They'll both be well focused on getting back into top division."
You're talking about "crackers" in the National Hurling League? Seriously. The National Hurling League amongst the top teams is the most anaemic, insipid, meaningless competition in team sports in this country. The attitude of the top teams in hurling to the league stinks to high heaven. Come back to me when the championship throws in. That's when hurling at the highest level kicks in to gear and not before . The league unfortunately is a glorified set of challenges. Hurling at the highest level puts all its eggs in the championship basket. Then of course we have the annual whinge fest about not being able to " get our games on the tv."

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6153 - 14/01/2025 09:54:29    2585810

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Replying To Greengrass:  "You're talking about "crackers" in the National Hurling League? Seriously. The National Hurling League amongst the top teams is the most anaemic, insipid, meaningless competition in team sports in this country. The attitude of the top teams in hurling to the league stinks to high heaven. Come back to me when the championship throws in. That's when hurling at the highest level kicks in to gear and not before . The league unfortunately is a glorified set of challenges. Hurling at the highest level puts all its eggs in the championship basket. Then of course we have the annual whinge fest about not being able to " get our games on the tv.""
The new format makes it a bit more than a series of glorified challenges.

Clare won both last year I seem to recall and beat Kilkenny in final, Cork were third in first division and Limerick won second.

The telescoped season means teams have to be close to championship level by end of league, and indeed it might be argued that Limerick were lacking that bit of an edge in the weaker division.. But, no doubt you know better than I do.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 14/01/2025 10:40:10    2585817

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Replying To Greengrass:  "You're talking about "crackers" in the National Hurling League? Seriously. The National Hurling League amongst the top teams is the most anaemic, insipid, meaningless competition in team sports in this country. The attitude of the top teams in hurling to the league stinks to high heaven. Come back to me when the championship throws in. That's when hurling at the highest level kicks in to gear and not before . The league unfortunately is a glorified set of challenges. Hurling at the highest level puts all its eggs in the championship basket. Then of course we have the annual whinge fest about not being able to " get our games on the tv.""
Last year our League games against Clare, Kilkenny and Offaly were all good competitive full blooded affairs, and the Waterford game was a cracker, 2 teams playing to get into 1a this year. Maybe you should get to more hurling games than just AI finals.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14233 - 14/01/2025 10:45:23    2585821

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Replying To Viking66:  "Last year our League games against Clare, Kilkenny and Offaly were all good competitive full blooded affairs, and the Waterford game was a cracker, 2 teams playing to get into 1a this year. Maybe you should get to more hurling games than just AI finals."
Cha ching!

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 14/01/2025 12:02:46    2585831

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The 2024 and 2025 hulling leagues will be chalk and cheese.

In Division 1 group B in 2024 once you beat Westmeath and Antrim there was no jeopardy, and how much you beat them by, probably decided who qualified for the Semi Finals.

In Division 1 this year there is real jeopardy, 2 to go down really means there is no room for messing. While teams will have to rotate and try to blood new players and or new tactics but if they aren't up to it, Managers will have to be ruthless and make changes quickly.

I'm just happy to have some home games this year

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 100 - 14/01/2025 14:01:15    2585857

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Replying To Viking66:  "Last year our League games against Clare, Kilkenny and Offaly were all good competitive full blooded affairs, and the Waterford game was a cracker, 2 teams playing to get into 1a this year. Maybe you should get to more hurling games than just AI finals."
TG4 did us all a favour and broadcast games from the National Hurling League last season. They were played at half pace and losing or winning meant very little to any if the teams. Shane O Donnell was part of the Clare team that won the National League Division One Final v Kilkenny in Thurles which was played in front of just 12,000 supporters despite the fact that two of the top four teams in the country played each other. The bandwagon supporters of course all piled in once the championship started. Shane's reaction to winning just his third national medal at senior intercounty level was, " it'll mean nothing if we don't win in two weeks time. " His comment was both brutally and refreshingly honest. He's said he is entirely happy with not playing national league hurling this year. People believe the National Hurling League Division One will be a better competition this year. Hopefully that will be borne out. It couldn't have been any worse.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6153 - 14/01/2025 15:53:41    2585888

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Replying To Greengrass:  "TG4 did us all a favour and broadcast games from the National Hurling League last season. They were played at half pace and losing or winning meant very little to any if the teams. Shane O Donnell was part of the Clare team that won the National League Division One Final v Kilkenny in Thurles which was played in front of just 12,000 supporters despite the fact that two of the top four teams in the country played each other. The bandwagon supporters of course all piled in once the championship started. Shane's reaction to winning just his third national medal at senior intercounty level was, " it'll mean nothing if we don't win in two weeks time. " His comment was both brutally and refreshingly honest. He's said he is entirely happy with not playing national league hurling this year. People believe the National Hurling League Division One will be a better competition this year. Hopefully that will be borne out. It couldn't have been any worse."
Noone is saying it's as good as Championship. It never was. It used to be played in the depths of winter on mudbaths. I still can't wait for the 25th though, really looking forward to seeing some intercounty hurling again!
This year noone is going to want to finish 6th or 7th in 1a. And Dublin and Waterford will be treading carefully, anxious not to finish 3rd in 1b. I agree that winning it out has lost alot of its shine since the Round Robin era started. And even more so since the Split Season was introduced and the intercounty calendar got a little more congested. Still doesn't make the games not enjoyable though.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14233 - 14/01/2025 16:40:28    2585901

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Replying To Viking66:  "Noone is saying it's as good as Championship. It never was. It used to be played in the depths of winter on mudbaths. I still can't wait for the 25th though, really looking forward to seeing some intercounty hurling again!
This year noone is going to want to finish 6th or 7th in 1a. And Dublin and Waterford will be treading carefully, anxious not to finish 3rd in 1b. I agree that winning it out has lost alot of its shine since the Round Robin era started. And even more so since the Split Season was introduced and the intercounty calendar got a little more congested. Still doesn't make the games not enjoyable though."
I'm looking forward to the 25th too. Hopefully the changes in format will see the required change in attitude. The games and the supporters deserve that. Fingers crossed.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6153 - 14/01/2025 16:47:15    2585903

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I know that supporters in limerick are definitely looking forward to the league..we are looking for 2/3 players to push on this year..Casey,Donovan being back is huge..with the change in captain it looks like there may be a new impetuous in limerick which I'm hoping for..a lot of limerick panel playing fitz this week so they'll have plenty matches leading into league..goalkeeping position is huge this year,Nicky has owned it for 10 years and with him out it might change things for limerick..for whoever gets it,will bring huge pressure and spotlight on them..bring on the new hurling year..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2413 - 14/01/2025 19:48:50    2585922

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Replying To CTGAA10:  "I know that supporters in limerick are definitely looking forward to the league..we are looking for 2/3 players to push on this year..Casey,Donovan being back is huge..with the change in captain it looks like there may be a new impetuous in limerick which I'm hoping for..a lot of limerick panel playing fitz this week so they'll have plenty matches leading into league..goalkeeping position is huge this year,Nicky has owned it for 10 years and with him out it might change things for limerick..for whoever gets it,will bring huge pressure and spotlight on them..bring on the new hurling year.."
Every team with ambition will be taking the league seriously. Ridiculous to believe otherwise. The compressed season makes it more difficult as games come thick and fast. Risk of injuries and managers need to know their panel for the championship by late March.

Little margin for error and none for taking it easy and hoping to get up to the required level by April.

Looking greatly forward to it. From Dublin perspective our ambitions be lower than Limerick but anything less than promotion and making top three in Leinster be disappointment.

Not long now!

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 14/01/2025 20:53:24    2585925

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