Martin Breheny: County-by-county hurling power rankings
Galway, Kilkenny and Cork lead the chasing pack as we face into another intriguing season
THE most competitive hurling championship in history electrified the summer, widening the fascination net as it went.
By All-Ireland final day, it was attracting interest across the county’s entire sporting landscape and the big day delivered yet another memorable occasion as Limerick ended their 45-year wait for All-Ireland glory with a one-point win over Galway.
The triumph took John Kiely’s men to the top of the pile for the first time since Eamonn Grimes led them to the title in 1973, but where stands the rest?
Here are my end-of-year rankings.
1. LIMERICK Played 14, Won 11, Drew 1, Lost 2 (league & championship)
Add in the Munster League and Limerick’s win rate was 14 from 17 games in a season where their only defeats came against Tipperary (extra-time in the league semi-final) and Clare (Munster round-robin).
There was something about them right from the start of the Munster League in January that suggested they would be genuine contenders for the various titles, which indeed proved to be the case.
The biggest doubts arose after they lost to Clare by 11 points in the final series of the Munster round-robin games, but it was a one-off as they recovered to beat Carlow, Kilkenny, Cork and Galway to land the great prize.
They enjoyed some lucky breaks against the latter three but after all the misery Limerick teams endured over many years, it was appropriate that the gods got behind them this time. Unusually for All-Ireland champions, they are not favourites for league, All-Ireland or provincial glory next year.
Galway, Tipperary and Cork are ahead of them in the league betting; Galway and Tipp head them on the All-Ireland odds while Tipp are favourites to win Munster. All of which will provide Limerick with added motivation.
2. GALWAY P15, W10, D2, L3
They started the season as triple title holders – league, Leinster and All-Ireland and ended it as provincial champions only. Winning two successive Leinster titles would have been seen as very satisfactory some years ago, but not when the All-Ireland double was the prime target.
It was a strange year for Galway, who missed their league target when defeat by Limerick ended their ambitions of escaping from 1B, after which Wexford beat them in the quarter-final.
There were times later on when they played with sensational pace, power and poise – as in the first halves against Kilkenny and Clare (twice) – but that was undone later on, leaving them under enormous pressure.
They reacted well on all three occasions and again in the All-Ireland final when they had come from a long way back to give themselves a great chance of forcing a replay against Limerick but the mystery still remains of why Galway performed so unevenly for so long.
It has been a problem for a long time and while they overcame it this year until the All-Ireland final, there was no escape on the biggest day of all.
3. KILKENNY P15, W9, D1, L5
Some ridiculously ill-judged assessments of their prospects sloshed around after they lost the opening two league games to Cork and Clare, but by the end of the campaign the title was back in Nowlan Park.
Their three championship defeats were against All-Ireland finalists, Galway (twice) and Limerick so a thirdplaced rating is justified.
Indeed, if Walter Walsh hadn’t missed the quarter-final clash with Limerick the championship might well have taken a very different direction for both counties.
4. CORK P12, W5, D2, L5
Their 50pc success rate is well behind the top three, due largely to a fourmatch losing streak in the league. It left them needing to win a relegation play-off with Waterford to survive in 1A.
They were a much different outfit in the championship, remaining the only unbeaten side in the Munster round-robin stage before beating Clare in the final.
They had every opportunity to beat Limerick in the All-Ireland semi-final but failed to protect a six-point lead in the final quarter before losing in extra-time.
Watching Limerick win the final added to their deep frustration but they only had themselves to blame.
5. CLARE P14, W7, D1, L6
Like all the other top contenders with the exception of Limerick, they were left with a frustrating sense of what might have been.
For example, If Aron Shanagher’s flicked effort had nestled in the Galway net, rather than bouncing back off the post, in the 68th minute of the All-Ireland semi-final replay, Clare might well have booked a place in the final against Limerick, whom they had beaten by 11 points in the Munster Championship.
Thoughts like that make the winter long. Still, Clare could take a lot of encouragement from the overall season.
6. TIPPERARY P12, W5, D2, L5
Five wins from their first seven league games saw them reach the league final in what looked like a season that was building impressive momentum.
It was no more than a mirage, however, as the win over Limerick (extra-time) in the league semi-final on March 31 was their last success of the season.
Three defeats and two draws followed, leaving the county in deep shock after failing to make the top three in Munster.
Margins were tight (they came very close to beating Clare, which would have kept them in the championship) but overall it was a very disappointing season that was followed by a change of management, with Liam Sheedy replacing Michael Ryan.
7. WEXFORD P13, W7, L6
With expectations rising after a very encouraging 2017, it was always going to be a tough season for Wexford. And while they were disappointed with their championship campaign, it has to be acknowledged that the games they lost were against high-quality opposition (Galway, Kilkenny, Clare).
Significantly, they had earlier retained 1A status quite comfortably and beat Galway in the quarter-final before losing to Kilkenny.
They are still a work in progress and need some reinforcements if they are to advance next year.
8. WATERFORD P10, W2, L8
League wins against Clare and Cork were their only successes in a year where fate conspired to mock them.
Having been relegated to 1B (worse things can happen), they faced into the busiest Munster Championship campaign in history with a long injury list. And if that weren’t bad enough, they had no home games, whereas their four rivals had two each.
Coming after the excitement of reaching the All-Ireland final in 2017, it was a year to forget and move on.
9. DUBLIN P10, W3, L7
What would have happened if they held on and beat Kilkenny in the first round of the Leinster roundrobin?
Would they have made the top three and reached the All-Ireland quarter-finals? It was that sort of frustrating season for them. They lost to Kilkenny, Wexford and Galway by a total of five points, results which offered no short-term gain but which will have provided a solid platform for new manager Mattie Kenny (pictured)
to work from.
10. OFFALY P10, W2, L8
When they beat Dublin by 13 points in the opening 1B league game, it looked as if something was really stirring. It turned out to be a false dawn as they won only one other game (Laois) for the rest of the season. There’s no easy way back to the top table.
11. CARLOW P13, W10, L3
Winning the 2A and Joe McDonagh Cup titles ticked both target boxes for the year and brings them up among the big boys in league and championship this year. They will find both difficult but it’s still a very exciting prospect for them.
12. WESTMEATH P12, W9, L3
Joy for Carlow who won 2A and the Joe McDonagh Cup... misery for Westmeath, who lost both finals. It was 3-1 to Carlow in their four games with Westmeath, which settles the ranking order.
13. KERRY P10, W6, L4
Third behind Carlow and Westmeath in 2A and in the Joe McDonagh Cup, they had a solid season and will fancy their chances of getting into both finals next year.
14. LAOIS P11, W4, L7
They were in 1B – and remained there thanks to a relegation play-off win over Antrim – but lost to Carlow, Westmeath and Kerry (all 2A) in the Joe McDonagh Cup so they can have no complaints at being ranked lower than that trio.
15. ANTRIM P12, W4, L8
Dropped out of 1B after losing a relegation play-off to Laois but avoided a similar fate in the Joe McDonagh Cup by beating Kildare in a playoff. Disappointing times for Antrim hurling when they find themselves in relegation battles well outside the top 12.
16. MEATH P11, W2, L9
They won their first two games in 1B but lost the remaining nine in the league and Joe McDonagh Cup, from where they were relegated.
17. KILDARE P11, W5, L6
Relegated from 2A after losing all five games, but turned their season around in the Christy Ring Cup, which they won. Their attempt to win promotion to the Joe McDonagh Cup ended in defeat in a play-off with Antrim.
18. LONDON P10, W4, L6
Second last in 2A, they later reached the Christy Ring Cup final where they lost to Kildare.
19. MAYO P9, W5, L4
Relegated from the Christy Ring Cup, the high point of their year came earlier when they won the 2B title after winning five of six games.
20. DOWN P9, W6, L3
Finished level on points with Mayo at the top of 2B, but lost the final to the westerners and later failed to make the semi-finals in the eight-team Christy Ring Cup.
21. WICKLOW P9, W5, L4
Finished third in 2B and reached the semi-final of the Christy Ring Cup where they lost to London.
22. DONEGAL P9, W7, L2
Fourth in 2B, they really prospered in the Nicky Rackard Cup, winning all five games to take the title.
23. DERRY P10, W3, L7
Lost all five games in 2B but avoided relegation after winning a play-off with Armagh, who had beaten them in the group game. Lost to Kildare in the Christy Ring Cup semi-final.
24. ARMAGH P9, W1, L8
They won only one game all season, but were operating at a higher league level (2B) than all those ranked beneath them.
25. ROSCOMMON P8, W3, D1, L4
Beat Mayo, who had won the 2B league title, in the Christy Ring Cup but failed to make the last four, having earlier finished fourth of six in 3A. Were unbeaten as they powered their way to the 3A title and later reached the Nicky Rackard Cup final, losing to Donegal.
27. LOUTH P10, W4, D3, L3
Ran Warwickshire close for the 3A title, but struggled in the Nicky Rackard Cup, eventually having to beat Leitrim in a play-off to avoid relegation to the Lory Meagher tier.
28. TYRONE P8, W4, L4
Just behind Louth on scoring difference in 3A, they were later beaten by Warwickshire in the Nicky Rackard Cup semi-final.
29. MONAGHAN P9, W2, D3, L4
Second last in 3A, they reached the Nicky Cup semi-finals, losing to Donegal.
30. LONGFORD P8, W1, L7
Relegated from 3A, they made little impression there or in the Nicky Rackard Cup.
31. SLIGO P8, W5, L3
Third in 3B behind Lancashire and Leitrim, the beaten Lory Meagher Cup finalists of 2015 and 2016 finally came good, landing the trophy when beating Lancashire in the final.
32. LANCASHIRE P9, W7, L2
Division 3 winners, they also reached the Lory Meagher Cup final losing to Sligo by a point.
33. LEITRIM P8, W3, L5
Beaten by Lancashire in the 3B final, they made no impression in the Lory Meagher Cup.
34. CAVAN P7, W2, D1, L4
Without a team for a long time up to a few years ago, their results in 2018 point to good progress.
35. FERMANAGH P7, W0, D1, L6
The only team without a win, they prop up the rankings table.