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All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2025

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Replying To slayer:  "Viking66,

No Leinster bashing here and I genuinely like watching Leinster hurling games. However the statistics don't lie - since the round robin format came in, back in 2018, I think it has sees Leinster hurling take a back seat to Munster in terms of all Ireland wins:

- 0 Leinster winners in that time
- 4 all Munster all Ireland titles in 8 seasons
- 8 Munster teams in a row winning the all Ireland

Physicality is mentioned, but I think the cutthroat nature of the Munster Championship is what has caused the gap to emerge. With 5 teams, nobody can afford to take their foot off the gas until at least round 4 in Munster. Then when it comes to the all Ireland series, yes Leinster sides have beaten Munster teams in one off games, but winning more than that has proven difficult. In 2025, Tipperary's record in Munster was P4 W2 D1 L1. When they got out of Munster it was P4 W4, D0 L0. This is exactly the same record as Limerick in 2018.

Even in the Covid years of 2020 and 2021, both finals were all Munster affairs. I suspect that the league formats of 2018 and 2019 had woken the Munster sides up to preparation levels and how to peak in an increasingly shortened chapmionship window.

In Leinster the extra game allows that foot to be off the gas. 5 points will get you out of Munster in third, but it will more often than not get you out of Leinster too which means you don't have to be on your game every match. If I was involved in the Leinster council, the alarm would be sounding somewhat and as it is unlikely that the GAA will remove the provincial chapmionships, I'd be looking at changing the format to suit the Leinster teams and prepare them better for the all Ireland series."
Munster counties are well on top recently for sure. I'm not arguing that they aren't. That ebbs and flows through history.
5 points rarely gets you out of Leinster. We got 6 this year and didn't get out.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16738 - 24/07/2025 19:03:09    2627765

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Chin did...he could have won one in 2019
But are you really arguing that because Horgan was so close he is more entitled to one?
Well sorry but he isn't. Nonsensical argument."
It's not nonsensical. It's very logical and sensible actually. You wouldn't say a carlow or longford footballer were unlucky to win an all Ireland because they never had a hope of one anyway.
In contrast, the likes of Lee keegan, Keith Higgins, Paul Conroy etc played in finals and were within touching distance.

richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 26 - 24/07/2025 20:07:29    2627769

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Replying To Viking66:  "He played in 4 finals and lost them all. If Cork had of had Chin instead of Horgan maybe they wouldn't be waiting 20 years."
But sure that's like saying if Chin had 14 of those cork players around him he wouldn't be in relegation battles either

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2471 - 24/07/2025 22:03:05    2627791

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Replying To richiepmurphy:  "It's not nonsensical. It's very logical and sensible actually. You wouldn't say a carlow or longford footballer were unlucky to win an all Ireland because they never had a hope of one anyway.
In contrast, the likes of Lee keegan, Keith Higgins, Paul Conroy etc played in finals and were within touching distance."
Thank you, someone gets it.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2471 - 24/07/2025 22:03:47    2627792

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Watched back the game again this evening. Willie Connors had some feckin' game. He was in real hard luck not to be named RTE man of the match. and he didnt even make the 3 mentioned! And this is coming from a man who had £5 on Ronan Maher at 50/1 to be man of the match!

Also got lucky in 2017 with David Burke for man of the match at 30/1 on a day where Jamie Barron was the best player on the pitch and would have won it if Waterford had won the match.

mr305 (Galway) - Posts: 87 - 24/07/2025 22:45:03    2627800

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Replying To Bon:  "Well he played in four finals Chin played in none, so yes he would be more deserving. You're just looking at this through rose tinted glasses."
The fortunes of the county are absolutely zero reflection on the individual.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3863 - 24/07/2025 23:08:03    2627803

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Replying To richiepmurphy:  "It's not nonsensical. It's very logical and sensible actually. You wouldn't say a carlow or longford footballer were unlucky to win an all Ireland because they never had a hope of one anyway.
In contrast, the likes of Lee keegan, Keith Higgins, Paul Conroy etc played in finals and were within touching distance."
Sorry it is nonsense. There are bang average players with all Ireland medals. The fortunes of the county are zero reflection on the individual.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3863 - 24/07/2025 23:08:59    2627804

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No one could have thought of Cork losing by 15 points in the lead up to the final or indeed at half time. It really was an astonishing outcome. They struggled to cope with Tipperary's physicality, work rate , hunger and combined team work.
Half time score didn't reflect how well Tipperary had competed in the first half. Of Cork's 1.16 something like 1.04 resulted from unforced errors (mainly stray passing) and Tipp shot 9 wides as well. They seemed to use that tricky breeze advantage to greater effect . Hitting those 5 early points after half time gave them unstoppable momentum. Time after time a Cork forward got blocked down , possession turned over and a Tipp back side stepping opponents with ease before launching another attack.
A dream final for young McCarthy scoring 1.13 , great leadership from John McGrath with 2.02 winning numerous frees and the penalty … what coolness for his first goal , lesser forwards would have hit a ground shot and likely get blocked and the timing / bravery for his 2nd goal. It just kept getting better and better for the Premier county with Shelly saving a pen after landing a point and the great Noel McGrath hitting the last point and winning his 4th All Ireland medal a decade after his cancer diagnosis. Many of Tipperary lesser known players / unsung heroes made telling contributions throughout the 70+ mins.
A huge disappointment for Cork and their loyal army of supporters after a season that promised so much. They are blessed with many fine skilled and pacey players and will be hoping to strengthen with a few changes in personnel. One hopes that their likeable manager will get another opportunity to get the Rebels over the line. Congratulations to the blue and gold on a well deserved victory.

Curlew66 (Roscommon) - Posts: 632 - 25/07/2025 01:24:16    2627816

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I read this headline in the Cork Examiner today, and it sure reminded me of the Cork hurling team!

"Cork teenager charged after falling asleep mid-burglary in neighbour's home"

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2354 - 25/07/2025 03:38:05    2627820

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Replying To Bon:  "But sure that's like saying if Chin had 14 of those cork players around him he wouldn't be in relegation battles either"
Have a serious think about my post, Corks failings, Chins strengths, and come back to me.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16738 - 25/07/2025 10:26:33    2627847

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Replying To mr305:  "Watched back the game again this evening. Willie Connors had some feckin' game. He was in real hard luck not to be named RTE man of the match. and he didnt even make the 3 mentioned! And this is coming from a man who had £5 on Ronan Maher at 50/1 to be man of the match!

Also got lucky in 2017 with David Burke for man of the match at 30/1 on a day where Jamie Barron was the best player on the pitch and would have won it if Waterford had won the match."
Really really underrated player, and one of the main on-pitch reasons his club came from nowhere to win a SenIor Tipp title. Obviously Darragh Egan had a large part to play too.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16738 - 25/07/2025 10:28:01    2627850

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Replying To Bon:  "Thank you, someone gets it."
It's not that hard is it?! Some just argue for the sake of it when they know they're wrong

richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 26 - 25/07/2025 10:43:14    2627856

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Replying To richiepmurphy:  "It's not nonsensical. It's very logical and sensible actually. You wouldn't say a carlow or longford footballer were unlucky to win an all Ireland because they never had a hope of one anyway.
In contrast, the likes of Lee keegan, Keith Higgins, Paul Conroy etc played in finals and were within touching distance."
But you are saying the footballer who soldiered with Carlow or Longford are less entitled because of where they come from? Are you for real? Maybe if they were born in Mayo or Cork they would have been the difference rather than players who let their county down when the stakes were highest?
Similarly, there's lads in Kilkenny with All-Ireland medals who never hit a ball in the championship. There's a lot of luck involved in these things.
All any player can do is give everything he has for his jersey, be that a Cork or Kilkenny or a club hurling jersey. Nobody is entitled to anything.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1912 - 25/07/2025 11:53:13    2627873

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "The fortunes of the county are absolutely zero reflection on the individual."
Spot on. A few of my own have medals falling out of their pockets who would nt lace Ciaran Whelans boots. Lee Chin a much better hurler than alot of lads with a few medals.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 258 - 25/07/2025 12:23:42    2627887

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Replying To Viking66:  "Have a serious think about my post, Corks failings, Chins strengths, and come back to me."
Ah sure look this is like saying if my Aunty had liathroidi

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2471 - 25/07/2025 13:17:11    2627908

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Replying To Bon:  "Ah sure look this is like saying if my Aunty had liathroidi"
Of course. Bottom line is neither of them have won one, because they both played for counties who weren't good enough to win one while they were playing the game.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16738 - 25/07/2025 14:59:30    2627943

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Replying To Viking66:  "Of course. Bottom line is neither of them have won one, because they both played for counties who weren't good enough to win one while they were playing the game."
You are correct there, but what im saying is that Horgan was a hell of a lot closer than Chin to winning one, some might say unlucky not to have won way, Chin never even got to a final. That's the point Im trying to make.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2471 - 25/07/2025 15:33:35    2627949

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Replying To Bon:  "You are correct there, but what im saying is that Horgan was a hell of a lot closer than Chin to winning one, some might say unlucky not to have won way, Chin never even got to a final. That's the point Im trying to make."
Ah sure look this is like saying if my Aunty had liathroidi

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16738 - 25/07/2025 15:50:49    2627957

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Replying To Bon:  "You are correct there, but what im saying is that Horgan was a hell of a lot closer than Chin to winning one, some might say unlucky not to have won way, Chin never even got to a final. That's the point Im trying to make."
Joking apart I'm not sure you can nearly win anything in life. You either win something or you don't. And in Horgans case he hasn't so far. That's not to say he hasn't been a good player, he has for sure. And maybe most importantly he's the epitome of the saying "the best ability is availability ".

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16738 - 25/07/2025 15:59:28    2627959

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Replying To Viking66:  "Ah sure look this is like saying if my Aunty had liathroidi"
Congratulations, you can click and paste, life in the old dog yet ;)

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2471 - 25/07/2025 17:50:57    2627968

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