GAA Hurling 2017

Not a bad game at all, good fightback from St Thomas, probably left themselves with too much to do after 1st half. On that showing Ballyea will take some beating, it wasn't all the Tony Kelly show today either. 

1A will be very competitive once again with Clare, Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford in it. On paper Dublin and Cork seem to be the weaker teams in the division but will be both troublesome too face. Suggestions coming from the Clare camp is that there raring to go and will play with a new open style. Derek Mcgrath has stated he is not taking the league as importantly as previous years and will try out his squad. Cody has used some of his top players in there victoious Walsh Cup campaign signalling that they are going for this league. Tipp have not played in any pre season tournament but have been playing challenge matches and everything is going well in the camp

1A games this weekend

Dublin vs Tipp (Sat 11th Feb 5pm)

Cork vs Clare (Sat 11th Feb 7pm)

Kilkenny vs Waterford (Sun 12 Feb 2pm)

1B again will be very competitive with Galway, Limerick and Wexford all gunning for promotion to 1A. Wexford now under the management of Davy Fitz will be no pushovers and face both Limerick (H) and Galway (A) in there first 2 games. Limerick will want to finally gain promotion after years of failing to do so but Galway will want too go straight back up (all teams that were relagated from 1A the previous year have gone straight back up the next year). Kerry will want too improve on there impressive 2016 campaign. Laois and Offaly will want to avoid relagation

1B matches this weekend

Offaly vs Galway (Sun 12 Feb 1pm)

Wexford vs Limerick (Sun 12 Feb 2pm)

Kerry vs Laois (Sun 12 Feb 2pm)

other fixtures

Taking my cue from Derek McGrath & pretending to not be overly bothered by the early rounds of the league, at least til it gets a bit serious. Which, last year, was after week 1, when I ended up 2nd bottom after week 1. To be honest, I was fed up of the exotic foreign holidays anyway after winning 2 in a row, and I'm still surprised JSL made it back from Aleppo in one piece, or at least it seems he did, maybe they have wifi in whatever prison he is in over there. 

Tonight's games were grim enough viewing, particularly for Superdub & Bohsfan, Cuala lads & injuries aside, that does not look like a team equipped to stay out of the bottom 2, even at this early viewing. A bit like ourselves, Clare will be relying on their home form to stay out of that 2 as well, though it has to be said no matter how bad anyone thinks Cork are, they are always difficult to beat in Cork, not that tonight's Clare ever looked like doing so. 

Not overly optimistic for tomorrow, we haven't won in Nowlan Park since 2004, both teams ( have a feeling there will be changes on both starting line ups too) have named a maybe 2/3rds strength team, though on paper, our bench does look a bit stronger, it may prove the difference if the game is close at 50/60 minutes.

As for an overall winner, I would take a punt on Galway being the 3rd team in a row to win league from 1B, that is, as long as they don't meet Waterford (Kryptonite to Galway teams) in the QF's or later, though, unlike us, they are certainties to get that far. 

 

Scoring only 4 points in 2nd half, regardless of wind assistance, won't be anything near enough to take a game to Tipp next week, but hopefully the players will be up for partially amending last years horror show in Limerick. KK were well off form today, they didn't do a whole lot of hurling, more straight balls down the middle for the entire game, then contested by 4 or 6 lads, I dunno is this a new tactic from them or if it was simply a bad day, but you would have expected a bit more in terms of running & creating options from them. 

Other results, good win for Wexford (that's likely Limerick stuck in 1B for another year) , Offaly are simply gone to the dogs & a good win for Kerry V Laois, another team looking like they are going backwards.