I think deep down everybody likes to see a winner beaten, especially when said winner has absolutely dominated hurling for the last decade and has done so providing great entertainment and skill but the best matches i can remember are those where Kilkenny were beaten. So it no different for me when it comes to the AI hurling final, i want Tipperary to win just to see the mold broken, hurling badly needs a new face at this stage because its become very predictable and boring watching the same team unbeaten since 2005 i think was.

So for a fairytale underdog story just like Offaly in 82, i think (well hope really) Tipperary can cause a serious shock in the final, they nearly did it last year only for a dodgy decision or two, this year Kilkenny are missing some marquee players and Tipp are 2/1 underdogs in a 2 horse race so we have all the ingredients, now we just have to wait for the result.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 16/08/2010 13:45:54    747058

Kilkenny to beat them by 4 or 5 pts and thurlesblue to go missing for 4 or 5 months.

ConnollyDub (Dublin) - Posts: 2007 - 16/08/2010 15:17:09    747170

Kilkenny will run amuck ..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 16/08/2010 15:25:08    747176

After reading what thurlesblues is spouting i seriously hope Kilkenny win!!

Rattler2010 (Kildare) - Posts: 117 - 16/08/2010 15:34:40    747198

What i cant understand is Tipp have contested 1 all ireland final since 2001. just 1..Kilkenny have contested all but 1. These Tipp folk livin in dreamland??
Yeah they ran Kilkenny close last year but thats all they have done...What makes any body think that they could keep the ball pucked out to Kilkenny on recent form is behond me...

richiej (UK) - Posts: 1430 - 16/08/2010 15:46:43    747222

Bennybunny I wonder are you one of the great Cork fans I met in Croke Park last week,I met great Cork men and women,and booboo you are not getting my point,even if football was promoted in KK this team of hurlers would STILL BE PLAYING HURLING,I only used the great JBM as I example of dual players,and you really made my point for me,6 dual players in 70 years,Cork being one of the counties having a chance of doing the double in the last decade would you like to see Ben and Gerry and JOE and all those men trying to play both codes,you would have won nothng,

mooncat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 543 - 16/08/2010 17:02:15    747325

Bennybunny your analysis is very good,Shane McGrath will have to be closely marked as will Lar Corbett,his speed and skill can cause problems,I hope we play well enough to win which I think we can

mooncat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 543 - 16/08/2010 17:06:47    747330

I was very impressed by Tipperary yesterday, they played some stuff. But at the end of the day, there coming up against the mighty Kilkenny in the final and there will only be one winner in that game imo, the cats, though it will be a lot tighter than their semi final vs cork. Kilkenny to win by 4-5 points.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 16/08/2010 17:09:49    747339

The strength of kilkenny's panel looks likely to be tested to its limit for this final. The definite loss of shefflin and possible loss of tommy walsh could prove critical. If they were to revise the team of the millennium to include the last 10 years i'd definately say those lads would be on there. Walsh's aerial ability and shefflin's strength and extraordinary scoring ability will be greatly missed allied to the inspiration they give to their teammates purely by being on the pitch.

mikeoc (Kerry) - Posts: 567 - 16/08/2010 17:11:27    747342

mooncat your not getting my point if cork/galway only played promoted one code and make no mistake if your a child in kk you only have ONE choice then the gaa landscape would be v different as for you suggesting the 7 duel allstars i mentioned are the only decent duel players over the last 70 years is ridiculous . as for your point suggesting ben jerry deane ect would play hurling anyway that maybe the case but if we were a one code county whos to say any of them would get a game ahead of canty lynch shields ect who like other footballers down the years could have been great hurlers if football was not an option. counties should be made field and promote both codes and give kids a choice.

booboo (Cork) - Posts: 1382 - 16/08/2010 17:29:33    747364

Hopefully Tipp will win. Their performance yesterday was dominant and was needed to give Kilkenny the frighteners. 5-in-a-row for the dirtiest team to win 4-in-a-row, is now a pipe-dream I hope.
A handy final in 2007. A handy final in 2008. A final handed to them in 2009. Now, Tipp need to drive on and take the dream away.

Cully (Laois) - Posts: 375 - 16/08/2010 17:55:44    747398

Think Tipp will win this one with Shefflin missing but i hope Kilkenny beat them

dubshurling7 (Dublin) - Posts: 1017 - 16/08/2010 17:57:41    747403

So thurlesblue where abouts in croke park had you tickets for.... Did you make a weekend of it staying in dublin??

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 16/08/2010 18:01:49    747413

Well if it goes anything like the football, where the only team capable of beating Kerry for a while was a team beginning 'T', then Tipp have to be the right team to be in there against the Cats. It does make me wonder about the chances of the last 'K' team left in the football too... will the dominance of 'K' and 'T' counties continue there?

Pericles (Mayo) - Posts: 2521 - 16/08/2010 18:03:37    747418

Tipp to win by 5 points

vincemcmahon (Limerick) - Posts: 8 - 16/08/2010 18:08:27    747430

yes Cully I agree with you I dont think Kilkenny are dirty though but we were robbed last year

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 16/08/2010 18:19:03    747450

Tipp's work rate will be a key factor. I don't expect Eoin Kelly to get anywhere near as much room as he got yesterday, so that could take out 2-0 from their average tally, but with 3-17 & 3-19 in their last 2 games in Croker, this Tipp team is scoring agerage scores that have a chance of taking the cats. Last year Kilkenny scored 2-19 V Galway, 2-18 V Dublin, 2-23 V Waterford & 2-22 V Tipp. That's an average of about 2-21 per game. With Tipp averaging 3-18 in their last 2 games this looks like being one competetive game.

I think based on work rate, Tipp could win this, but a defining event in sport lies in prospect .........

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6628 - 16/08/2010 18:35:19    747466

Slayer what was promising too is the vast majority of the tipp scores came from play and they didn't have to work as hard as waterford for scores...

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 16/08/2010 19:04:02    747505

yes Cully I agree with you I dont think Kilkenny are dirty though but we were robbed last year

Thurlesblue-you keep talking about being robbed last year. Thats a real losing mentality to have. Ye didnt take at least three clear cut goal chances. Benny Dunne got the line for a challenge that could have taken the head off Tommy Walsh's shoulders. KK would have got a free in earlier if the penalty was given and chances are Henry would have buried it anyway going on past exploits. Kilkenny pulled away and won at a canter in the last stage of the game. If you keep focusing on last year the chances are you will lose this one too by an even bigger margin. Kilkenny won last year and deserved to. End of story. The best team always wins. Kilkenny will win this year too because they have stepped up a notch since last year. Tipp dont look anywhere as good as last year. If Tipp keep focusing on addressing last year they will get a proper hiding by the Cats. Kilkenny by 5-6 points.

kingdomfan (Kerry) - Posts: 393 - 16/08/2010 19:26:17    747539

You still have to fancy Kilkenny to do it, with or without Sheflin and Walsh. As I said earlier I'll wait until 3:30pm on the 5th before believing the two of them are out of the final.

There is a huge difference between running Kilkenny to 5 points and beating them. Kilkenny are better this year than they were last year. So Tipp have to improve an awful lot to beat Kilkenny.

All said and done I think Tipp will do everything humanly possible to win this match and that's all you can ask of your team.

Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 16/08/2010 19:27:16    747543