And just like that, the round-robin phase of the Championship will end on Sunday night.
Since the beginning of 2018, I have been a fan of this format and have really enjoyed playing it. There may be a certain bias towards that on my part, as we did win the All-Ireland at the end of that first season, but it was a hurling bonanza and it has picked up where it left off after the pandemic cut short the 2020 and ’21 seasons.
But, while I love the structure, the free-for-all phase goes by in a blur; it was over too fast. I think it should be extended a bit more.
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Last weekend was sensational and I have no doubt that we will have more of the same, but it will all be over in a jiffy.
And it will probably all be over for one of Limerick and Cork on Sunday night too.
I predicted from the start that Cork would not make it out of Munster and if they give Diarmuid Byrnes or Kyle Hayes the same freedom they gave Diarmuid Ryan at Ennis last Sunday, they can forget about it.
Again, back to the perennial question about Cork: can they get their work rate up to the required levels? I didn’t see that against Clare, they couldn’t force enough turnovers and why should we expect them to suddenly turn it on this weekend?
Despite all that, they came close to beating Clare in their own backyard and tied for the form team of the year in Tipperary, so can they come to Limerick and deliver the champions of Ireland?
If the game turns into a shootout, Cork will revel in it. They have quality launchers, ferocious pace, and if allowed to ignite the afterburner they could deal serious damage.
Having been at Thurles last Sunday, I couldn’t help but notice Tipp’s physique and work rate.
Perhaps Limerick and Cork are a bit off physically this weekend as a result of those high-octane encounters last Sunday and with Limerick trading more on their power, that would work in Cork’s favour.
John Kiely and Pat Ryan will have thought a lot about the team selection in particular this week.
Kiely is faced with a choice between sticking with his tried and trusted which is not performing well at the moment or freshening things up now with the Limerick season on the line.
Does Ryan pitch Shane Kingston and Tim O’Mahony early on or introduce them in the second half when the game is on the line?
The problem with this latest policy from Cork’s point of view is that their last two Championship meetings with Limerick ended at half time. So do you go full throttle from the start or take a chance? Both boys have been named to start, suggesting that he went with the former.
These decisions could make or break any team’s summer, and I wouldn’t want to be in either coach’s shoes this week.
Tipp must be careful with Waterford
He might look like a fool on Sunday night, but Waterford is a banana skin for Tipperary.
I have a feeling it won’t be easy for Tipp after playing such an important game last Sunday, having a full house in Thurles against the three Irish champions in a row, only to now face a team from Waterford. that’s already taken out in front of half the crowd, if at all.
Waterford have nothing to lose, Tipp has a Munster final at stake. Of course, Waterford could just turn up in match-fulfillment mode on Sunday.
Have they trained? What has happened behind the scenes? But there is no pressure on them, which means they can play without the shackles.
We got to see them play in a very different style than they’ve been doing this year. They’ve come in for some abuse in the last few weeks. Are you sure the players are going to want to put pride back in that jersey?
Then again, you would have said the same thing against Clare. It’s one Tipp needs to be wary of, and certainly Liam Cahill’s only job this week has been to strengthen his mind. Once the heads are right the rest should follow.
wexford on the brink
Surely Wexford won’t end up in the Joe McDonagh Cup next year?
Well, the thing is, it’s more likely to happen than not.
I’m not giving them a chance to finish off Kilkenny at Nowlan Park. I wouldn’t want them to have a full team. They’ve been so bad all year, why would they turn it on now?
Your confidence has to be in your boots at this stage. Kilkenny won’t take it easy either.
I have to say that I don’t want to see them relegated. We need Wexford, we need Waterford and we need a few more too. This would not be good for Wexford, it would not be good for the game, but if it happens they have to deal with it.
There’s no point in them looking over their shoulders in the hope that Westmeath beat Antrim to keep them alive. Now they have a chance to save, not only this season, but the next one as well.
The character of that group will be revealed on Sunday because if they are going to be beaten, they will want to be taken off the field after being emptied.
Offaly ready to return to the top level
There will be bigger crowds elsewhere, but tomorrow’s Joe McDonagh Cup final between Offaly and Carlow is a great game for both counties.
By all known evidence and forms, it’s hard to see anything but an Offaly win. They are a coming county, and while they would of course want to win the All-Ireland under-20s, this one is huge.
The winner will likely play Dublin in the preliminary quarter-final and the loser will likely play either Limerick or Cork, which would be a great learning experience for both and show them where the bar is.
Carlow doesn’t have the same profile as Offaly, but sometimes you have to create the narrative yourself and make sure people can’t stop talking about your county in a positive way.
And the only way to do that is to alter the odds tomorrow night.
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