Cats shrug off the retirements to do what they do best
VERY little went to script in the opening round of the Allianz National Hurling League – one of the things that makes the competition so interesting. Since the format was rejigged a couple of years ago to six-team divisions in 1A and 1B, anything can happy on any given weekend.
In fairness to Croke Park, they’ve got the format right. Lose the first two games and a county can still bounce back to reach the quarterfinals.
For all the talk of transition, Kilkenny had 10 players who featured in an All-Ireland final last September in the starting line-up against Cork. Guys with the medals to show for their talent. It is no great surprise that they have hit the ground running.
So much is down to Brian Cody. At times I’m confused looking at what coaches in the modern game are trying to do.
The secret to Kilkenny’s success is the simple way they approach the game: win the ball, win the battle, work ferociously hard.
Players who don’t stand out at club level seem to grow when they wear that county jersey. Even after being on holidays and coming back to action cold, they bullied Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn last weekend. They were fitter, stronger, and they outfought and out-hurled the Munster champions. Cork have a huge weakness under a high ball and they exploited it.
And they won’t drop the tempo against Dublin at Nowlan Park. Guys such as Mark Kelly and Jonjo Farrell won’t want to give up the jersey.
Liam Rushe got a goal for Dublin from full-forward last weekend but he looked very ring-rusty up front. They may depend on him winning ball out of the air but that’s an area where Kilkenny are masters.
I expected a kick under Ger Cunningham and Dublin certainly delivered that against Tipperary. The new manager has more or less the same players as Anthony Daly, but has just juggled around the starting positions.
I don’t see Kilkenny going eight points up like they did against Cork but they won’t have to.
Kilkenny should win this one at home, even with Henry Shefflin refusing to be drawn on whether he’ll be back involved after the All-Ireland club final. If I was a betting man, I’d think he’ll retire from county action. He was only a bit player last year. He’s a year older and it’s not going to get any easier.
With the structure of the club championship, he’ll be on the go the whole 12 months around if he decides to give it one more year.
Tipperary were very, very lethargic first time out. Maybe they went to Dublin thinking they were going to win the game, that they could just press a button and it would happen again. A 12-point defeat looks like a hangover from last year’s All-Ireland final.
This a huge game for Tipperary. Two defeats and they’re staring at relegation in a big way.
The core of the All-Ireland final team lines out again so they have no excuses. In a league that is so competitive, only one county can afford to have half a team missing and still keep winning as usual.
It was a bit surprising to see Paul Curran and Conor O’Mahony back in the central spine of the defence. Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher is so influential that the forward unit just didn’t function without him. This is a guy you’d want to go to war with.
‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer is another player really coming into his own. I saw him again for Cork IT in the Fitzgibbon Cup on Wednesday and he was superb. It’s clear he loves playing hurling.
O’Dwyer’s striking is so pure that he is sure to be a key player for Tipperary.
I half fancy Galway to steal the points though at Semple Stadium.
Jonathan Glynn made a big impact against Clare but I’d like to see him play deeper, stay inside in the full-forward line. He is a huge option there.
Anthony Cunningham said he wants to be the new Kilkenny and win every competition. Galway started with the Walsh Cup and the National League is next on the list. Beating Clare last time out − especially in a tight game – means that they travel with confidence and momentum.
Division 1B is also going to be tightly contested with Offaly’s victory over Laois a big win for Brian Whelahan and the county after all the recent doom and gloom.
There is huge pressure on Offaly, on and off the field with talk of a financial bail-out for the county board. That can filter down to the players. Offaly had to go outside the county at times to train last year which can be a bit soul destroying. If they turn over Wexford, it could very well define their spring.
But I have a sneaking fancy that Wexford can continue their own push for a quarter-final spot.