With the Cats going for 3 in a row, Galway looking for revenge, Tipp licking wounds and lurking with all their young talent, Clare with their brilliant u-21s coming through ,Cork on an upward spiral , Limerick becoming a force, Dublin should be back to 2011 form and Waterford will always be competitive. Going on all this I can't wait for next year because we have the potential of having one of the best championships ever.

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 08/10/2012 19:52:35    1280208

In a word ..No!
The Hurling Championship is the most predictable and boring championship really needs a shake up.

lilywhitemagic (Kildare) - Posts: 1693 - 08/10/2012 21:05:41    1280253

I agree. I thought the hurling Championship was very competitive this year. A lot of great games with great excitment. Tipp V Cork, Clare V Luimneach, Gaillimh V Cill Chainnigh, Gaillimh V Corcaigh. I can definitely see the gap between the top and the also rans narrowing again next year. Cill Chainnigh are no longer untouchable. I expect Cill Chainnigh, Tip, Corcaigh agus Gaillimh to be there or there abouts and further imrpovement from An Clár agus Luimneach and hopefully a return to form from the Dubs. Na Déise will probably in the middle somewhere.

I am looking forward to see how Londain get on against the weeker teams in the race for Liam.

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 09/10/2012 08:31:32    1280305

I agree that the gap between KK and the rest is getting less and less.

I think both Galway and Tipp will go one of two ways.
Either O'Shea will be a hit with the players and none will retire and others rediscover some form then they'll be a force. The other scenario is that they're mediocre and get to a Semi again but no further. I would fancy limerick against them depending on how they fare in the league.
Galway will either push on or flop, the league will tell.
KK will not lose anyone to retirements I think but everyone will be a year older. I said this time last year that they wouldn't win it in 2012, I was wrong but I'm making the same prediction for 2013.
Cork are going backwards. Sweetnam is a terrible loss.
Limerick are improving, it's important that they beat the dubs to promotion.
It's equally important to dublin that they are promoted. I don't fancy them for next year. Too many passengers on that team.
Clare are my tip to win munster and will reach the AI final.
Waterford are going backwards.

Predictions:
League winners: Galway
Division 1 relegated: The blas
Promoted: Limerick
Munster: Clare
Rest of Ireland: Galway
AI winners: I'll punt for Galway as they seem furthest along in their development.

Could well be a decent championship. I thought this year was relatively interesting until KK annoyingly snatched it again. The only boredom of the championship is the KK winning it. Other matches are all toss ups.

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 09/10/2012 12:24:49    1280422

All hurling teams have deteriorated over the past 5 years apart from Galway who had a fine year and will get better. Cork, v disappointing and are no better than when Gerald Mac ran KK to 6 points. Tipp, definitely worse than last year and the year before. Clare are improving. Offaly and Wexford are non-entities. Dublin worse this year than last year. Waterford are getting no better and have very little talent coming through. Limerick have improved a bit but Justin Mac's overhaul of the squad was bout 3 years too late and they will need another year or two to hit their stride. Even KK worse this year than previous years.

Doesn't look good for next year.

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2581 - 09/10/2012 12:49:55    1280442

well I'd say that Tipp , Limerick , Clare and Dublin will all improve on last year , I think that Clare and Limerick weren't ready last year but this year they will be ready next year to challenge for major honours in my viewand become forces again , I think Cork will remain the same , Sweetnam is a big loss and I actually think Clare will emerge from that side of the draw in Munster , Waterford will go back , Tipp the team to beat in munster once again , Wexford and Offaly wont do anything , Galway could suffer from second season syndrome , a solid league is for important for Galway , I do agree with this thread though I think 2013 is set to be a fiercly competitive championship , I think a lot of teams will have learned a lot from 2012 championship and will be ready now to put it up to the big boys

stekhli (Dublin) - Posts: 3121 - 09/10/2012 13:11:34    1280462

I agree that Clare could be a force next year. Was in Thurles at the u21 all-Ireland a few weeks ago where Clare beat the Cats by 6 points. The score could have been a lot wider if not for the 2 soft goals the Cats got before half time. Now I know u-21 success doesn't automatically mean senior success . This is no ordinary young Clare side. When I went back to Kilkenny that night I heard people say that Cody won't have much to pick from the Cats u21 team. But then he picked big Walter"Wally"Walsh and Cillian Buckley to start in the senior replay. So what i'm saying is if Kilkenny can pick 2 players from an ordinary team I'm sure Clare will be picking 6 or 7 young lads to start from this super Clare team. Roll on next year..

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 09/10/2012 18:46:37    1280746

I like your optimism RichiesCats. Alas, I will have to go along with lilywhitemagic. The hurling championship is oh so predictable. If there is evidence that the gap is narrowing between KK and the rest, could somebody please tell me where it is. I see KK either staying the same or getting better. Clare and Limerick might be improving but are improving from a very low base. Cork are stagnant. The players we lost were not replaced to the same standard. waterford, Tipp and Dublin all went backwards this year. Wexford and Offaly might beat any of the aforementioned teams (except KK) on a given day but are not consistent enough. Division 2 hurling does not help them. The rest don't have a prayer. Well the rest except for Galway that is. They have improved but look at the replay?

As for good games this year in the championship? There were two good games that were of championship intensity in my opinion (between evenly matched teams), Clare v Limerick and first all-Ireland final. The rest were either one sided or lacked intensity. Galway v Cork was not good at all. No intensity. Cork not capable. Cork v Tipp somebody mentioned...it was tippy tappy awful Waterford Crytsal drivel...don't know anybody could have thought that was an enjoyable game of championship hurling...Tipp were toying with Cork (before they imploded themselves two games later)

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 09/10/2012 22:02:10    1280912

I think the championship is becoming far from predictable. Who predicted Galway hammering the Cats in the Leinster final or a draw in the AI final. I have to say I called a draw for the final because on the morning of the final after having breakfast with my mother , before heading out the door, the last song I heard on the radio was "walking talking living doll" by Cliff Richard. The dj said it was released in 1959, I said "that's it ma , it's going be a draw "and headed out the door. Who predicted Tipps collapse in the semi final after being a point up at the half.Who predicted the Dubs poor season , after getting some regulars back from injury and looked even better on paper than the year before. So another year of unpredictability to come for me ..

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 10/10/2012 19:56:18    1281352

richiescats
County: USA
Posts: 280

1281352
I think the championship is becoming far from predictable. Who predicted Galway hammering the Cats in the Leinster final or a draw in the AI final. I have to say I called a draw for the final because on the morning of the final after having breakfast with my mother , before heading out the door, the last song I heard on the radio was "walking talking living doll" by Cliff Richard. The dj said it was released in 1959, I said "that's it ma , it's going be a draw "and headed out the door. Who predicted Tipps collapse in the semi final after being a point up at the half.Who predicted the Dubs poor season , after getting some regulars back from injury and looked even better on paper than the year before. So another year of unpredictability to come for me ..


Unfortunately, mr cats, as much as you may be trying to cheer us up, and as honourable as your intentions may be, the end result is Cill Chainnigh being streets ahead of everyone yet again, winning the final with more ease than in 2011. One can have all the "who predicted" moments one wants, one can have the most thrilling back door games, but for all of us outside your native county, the year was even more depressingly predictable than the last. More so, because the temporary hope of the Leinster final (not anti-Cill Chainnigh, just wishing for some variety, it's human nature) was extinguished so ruthlessly in the last and most despair-inducing game of the whole year, for which I fervently wish I had not bothered to get a ticket. As foolish as I was when leaving in 2001 and 2005, I'm too old to fall for fickle Gaillimh again- they'll produce a one-off marvellous semi in c. 2018 and fall flat again.

The most excited I'll get about 2013 in hurling terms will be to see if this is the year someone might take 15 steps and not get blown for overcarrying. 10 is par for the course now, but the envelope gets pushed a bit further every year!

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 11/10/2012 16:09:02    1281759

Call me deluded/eternal optimist or whatever, but I think Wexford will improve next season. This year was a marked improvement (well we werent bet out the gate like the 3 years under Bonner) and we have a young team which will take time to develop. Liam Dunne got rid of the uncommitted indisciplined players this year and only for conceding 2-3 bad goals could have beaten Cork, who ended up in a semi final.
OK we wont beat Kilkenny or Galway but I would not be 1 bit afraid of playing anyone else in the championship. People say of course we havent won anything at underage (which is correct) but we've came agonisingly close in recent years to beating most of the top teams at underage. (Excluding this years U-21 team).

Maybe I'm deluded....but I wont be giving up on them yet!!

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 11/10/2012 17:35:54    1281800

Pinkie,

There is no shame in being optomistic for your counties fortunes.

Wexford, needed a massive rebuilding project that is probably still in it's infancy. I think improvement will be made but they are starting from a low base, effectively if improvement is not made would you be calling for Dunnes head and what constitutes improvement to you?

LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2697 - 12/10/2012 09:27:21    1281989

LohansRedHelmet, improvement would be to at least finish in the top 2-3 of the league, preferably making the final (which we can do). I have been to loads of club matches and seen and heard reports about other lads who will definitely be part of the plan next year. They are young and raw but Liam will give them a chance if they are good enough.
I wont be calling for Liam Dunne's head, a home-grown manager deserves to see out his term and be given a chance. If we were paying an outsider, I would have a different attitude.
I believe we can get to the league final, if we go into the final game v Limerick in with a shout of making the final that will be progress. We've Dublin at home which will be a big test of where we are. Then in the championship, if we can beat Dublin (which I think we will have in Wexford Park so am hopeful we could) and get 1 big scalp in the qualifiers (I'd put Clare, Limerick, Cork etc in that category) then that will be progress for us.
For what it's worth, I think Clare are coming strong again, how do you see next year going?

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 12/10/2012 10:26:39    1282018

An tseabhac-your right about the steps thing alright,refs seemed to very lax on it this year. TJ Reid took at least 10 before shooting for goal in the final replay and Wally scored on the rebound. But on the predictable front, I think the Cats ,Galway and Tipp are on a par . Galway got no breaks in the replay plus Joe's comments after the draw didn't help. Plus they had injured players going into the replay which were a huge concern. Tipp with new management will be out to set the record straight, their no way as bad as semi portrayed . The Cats have a lot of mileage and can c them resting on their laurels for a year or two, who can blame them...

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 12/10/2012 13:55:19    1282142

I'd always be more of an optimist & love to see the underdogs breaking through. Cork have won 7 of the last 8 ladies football All-Ireland titles & noone is sounding the death knell for ladies football so there's no need for pessimism with regards to the 2013 hurling championship.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 12/10/2012 14:22:36    1282172

To richiescats:

'Sfunny, it was TJ Reid's 11 steps before the 2nd goal that brought it to mind, but there are plenty of players from other counties who get away with it too! And on a day where nothing went right for them, didn't Andy Smith (someone in midfield anyway) get the puckout straight after and get blown for 7-8 steps?! I may have the count wrong because from the Canal End I couldn't really see his legs, but he definitely had possession for a far shorter time than Reid. (PS no way ye wouldn't have won, just to highlight the inconsistency of the refereeing of that rule, and that's the latest good example)

Though nobody has it to perfection like John Power and Setanta Ó h-Ailpín did- by continuously giving the impression from general awkwardness that they were in the process of falling over, the ref never seemed to blow them. If you ever get a chance watch the latter's goals from the 2003 campaign- as far as I can recall, besides maybe 2 in the Munster final, the least amount of steps was 8 (against yourselves), with up to 11 and 13 in the replay against Loch Garman! I still think he'd have been found out for that the following year had he stayed around.

I hope you're right about the Premier, and to be honest I hate to sound so cynical about 2013, but my fingers are very burnt from past optimism. They were so abject against ye though that I'd be inclined to think they should target the League (which should be winnable) for a morale boost.

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 12/10/2012 17:21:59    1282272

Pinkie,

I think next year is absolutely crucial this year for this Clare team. We need to really establish ourselves as a force. To be honest, I think we will stay up by the skin of our teeth in the league and I could see us getting to the Munster final. Whether or not we are good enough to win it yet is another matter however, I feel our time is coming soon

LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2697 - 12/10/2012 17:47:29    1282281

The Munster championship has the potential to be a cracking competition with all 5 teams very evenly matched. I'm not so sure about Leinster and the all-Ireland series however. Hopefully Galway can find some new talent in a few key positions and continue to improve, but the way Kilkenny dominated the replay does not bode well for everyone else for next season.

Gaillimh_Abu (Galway) - Posts: 1037 - 12/10/2012 19:58:41    1282347

Must Agree with my countyman above.The preliminary games will provide some cracking fare but ultimately I dont see anyone stopping the cats.The gap is getting wider if anything and I have a funny feeling that Kilkenny 4 in a rows and 5 in a rows are as much a part of hurlings future as the blanket defence is a part of footballs.
Lets hope Im wrong.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 13/10/2012 15:09:19    1282524

Let's call it the munster - Leinster plus Galway and Antrim championship instead.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 13/10/2012 16:51:06    1282568