Under discussion: The weekend’s hurling action.
Chatting are: Diarmuid O’Flynn, Brendan O’Brien, Enda McEvoy and Terry Reilly.
TERRY REILLY (Irish Examiner assistant sports editor): Let’s start with the big one, Kilkenny and Dublin in Croker. Fair enough to say Kilkenny are the team to beat again?
DIARMUID O’FLYNN (Irish Examiner writer): Maybe we should reserve judgement until after next Sunday on that one, but definitely still the best team in Leinster and proved they are still top-two. Vintage performance from some vintage players.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN (Irish Examiner writer): They are in the sense that they have given the most complete performance of this year’s championship. If it was a poker game they have just raised the stakes massively for Tipp. Long way to go yet though.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Not for the first time, Henry showed his importance to this team — up front, and though Richie Power was hugely effective as a centre-forward, Henry was still the killer. Fine analogy Brendan, in fact I had a former All-Ireland winner on to me this morning, said if he had a blind bet offered now of €100, he’d put it on the Cats.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: A mention too for guys like Paul Murphy at the back and Colin Fennelly up front. The next generation. The break won’t bother Kilkenny one bit.
TERRY REILLY: That was really the key wasn’t it, big games by the big names. Fennelly was superb in the middle and the way they reacted to Paul Ryan’s goal was ruthless. Will the break to the semi-final suit them or do they need another game?
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: The break to the semi-final is exactly what Kilkenny needed — they don’t do back-door, don’t like back-door. This has been their preferred route and their effective route for most of their great successes.
ENDA McEVOY (Irish Examiner columnist): Yes, the break will make no difference. They’ve been doing this for years — Leinster final to All-Ireland semi-final. They’re able to mind the gap, as it were. Let the intensity down for a couple of weeks, then bring it back up. And let’s face it, a lot of their guys have mileage on the clock and don’t want to be hurling in late July.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: What impressed yesterday also, apart from the vintage display and vintage players was how the youngsters gelled in — Paul Murphy, offering real pace now at the back to cover Hickey, Paddy Hogan impressed when he came on, Rice now a perfect partner for Fennelly in midfield, and the two in the corners, Fennelly and Hogan — will we ever see Eddie Brennan in action again?
ENDA McEVOY: Eddie will at least be a decent sub. Kilkenny don’t have the strength on the bench of a few years ago, don’t have the strength Tipp have (or appear to have), but Brennan would certainly be a fine impact sub.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: Eddie Who? Seriously though, the fact is that Kilkenny won without using guys like Brennan, Michael Kavanagh or John Dalton yesterday. Scary or what?
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: I agree and what about Cha? Really buzzing when he came on, and I’ve always liked that young Mulhall.
TERRY REILLY: Were ye impressed with the way Dublin played? It would have been easy to lie down but, if they got a few breaks, they could have made the game a lot tighter?
ENDA McEVOY: Yeah, it would’ve been very interesting had they got that goal just before half-time. I think one of the lessons they learned yesterday was that when you’re on your game the breaks will go for you, or you’ll make them go for you. And when you’re not they won’t.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Actually no, not impressed with Dublin’s display at all. Don’t think they were ever going to beat Kilkenny on the Cats’ performance yesterday but Dublin are better than this — I think they showed them too much respect. Dublin — as Brian Cody said afterwards — will still have a say this year, but this was a hard lesson.
ENDA McEVOY: Chalk it down as another important lesson for Dublin. And really, it was never going to be any other way. We often think of Clare as emerging overnight in 1995 whereas of course they’d copped a hiding in the two previous Munster finals.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: And lest we forget — Maguire’s miracle save off Larkin, the ‘whiff’ by Ruth — could have been six Kilkenny goals.
ENDA McEVOY: Agree that Dublin will have a say this year. The All-Ireland quarter-final is now a big test for them and a very winnable game at the same time. This is where Daly really earns his corn: picking the team up. And where they must show their character.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Dwyer will make a difference too to the Dubs, as would a fit Boland. And their minors — they are a coming force, no exaggerated expectations there.
ENDA McEVOY: Quite. Expecting Dublin to win the All-Ireland this year was naive. Expecting them to win it in two or three years is not.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: Quiet day for a lot of Dublin’s big guns — Conal Keaney, Liam Rushe, Dotsie. Guys like Maurice O’Brien and Peter Kelly showed more, I thought. Maybe that’s a positive, some of the lesser names standing up.
ENDA McEVOY: Peter Kelly was very good in the circumstances, given that Larkin was the point of the Kilkenny attack and everything was being flung at him — real target-man stuff. And I’m still not sure how Maguire made that save! Again, that’s all part of the learning curve for Dublin.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: 47 minutes in, first ball down to Dotsy’s corner! And I think it was a mistake to take him out of full-forward. Ryan and Carton pull two corner-backs to corner-flag, leave Dotsy alone on Noel Hickey — would have been interesting.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: The quarter-final is huge for Dublin now. Enda was right in his match programme piece on Sunday in saying the Leinster final wasn’t a must-win game but their next one is. Progress and momentum demands a place in the semi-final.
TERRY REILLY: Moving west of the Shannon, Galway looked to have bounced back — who would you tip for the game against Cork?
ENDA McEVOY: Galway.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Galway on that form, but will they produce that form again? Cork, if the right team is picked and tactics adopted could match anyone below the top two, but the faith of a lot of fans in those chosen teams and tactics is diminishing.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: The Dr Jekyll Galway, not the Mr Hyde version. Huge game for Denis Walsh and John McIntyre.
TERRY REILLY: Canning scored one of the goals of the year, will the Cork full-back line be able to hold threats like him and Farragher?
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: When Canning is on fire he’s unstoppable, would fear for Cadogan; Farragher very underrated I think, again a threat. Would like to see Johnny G at centre-back for Cork, Ronan Curran tried at full-back (great opportunity missed in second-half against Laois, on Willie Hyland, a good opponent).
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: Eoin Cadogan had an uncomfortable time on Willie Hyland in the Laois match and Galway possess far more ammo than Laois did. Hard to see Cork coping with Joe, Hayes et al.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: And for God’s sake leave the two goal-threats, Horgan and O’Sullivan, up front! I know Joe Dooley was one relieved man when he saw Paudie being pulled out to the wing.
ENDA McEVOY: The momentum is with Galway, no question of that. And I think the seven-day turnaround is ideal. But agreed, which Galway will we see?
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Venue could be important...
ENDA McEVOY: “The great imponderables of hurling.” Can I copyright that? I’m sure it’s never been said before. I assume Thurles?
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: Talk of a double-header in Portlaoise last night.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Limerick?
ENDA McEVOY: With Limerick v Antrim? Hardly.
TERRY REILLY: Speaking of Limerick great win for them and with the draw against Antrim they could be in an All-Ireland quarter-final. Is it down to Donal O’Grady or what?
ENDA McEVOY: We’re now looking at Limerick not only reaching an All-Ireland quarter-final — but possibly a semi-final. That would be something, eh? Would speak volumes for An t-Uasal O Gradaigh.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: O’Grady, without question, his mark all over the team, but credit the players too — this is one hell of a talented bunch, make no mistake about it and the addition of Hannon to the attack reinforces them. I’d fancy them to beat Antrim, advance, and be a threat to anyone — will probably be Dublin.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: The only way was up for Limerick when O’Grady arrived so he was on a win-win ticket there but I think it’s fair to say that he and the team have exceeded expectations so far. Great buzz about them and fantastic to see so much green at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday.
ENDA McEVOY: And Dublin would not fancy another All-Ireland quarter-final versus Limerick in Thurles.
TERRY REILLY: Diarmuid you know him well, what does he bring to a team?
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: A brain; hugely analytical, very cool, utterly unflappable, will know more about you than you know about yourself — bitter personal experience county senior hurling final 1984! And, for all his analysis, doesn’t make the critical error of over-complicating the game — one from the Cody school of management.
ENDA McEVOY: I’d imagine it’s probably a help too that everyone in Limerick behind the scenes is on board. No political agendas or anything this time around. Not with Donal O’Grady there. And also because he’s an outsider.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Everyone on board and pulling together cannot be overestimated.
TERRY REILLY: From what we’ve seen so far lads, I’m going to put ye out on a limb, who’s going to join Kilkenny in the semi-finals and why?
ENDA McEVOY: Tipp cos they’ll win Munster. That’s the easy bit. Joined by Waterford, Galway and Dublin,
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: From this distance you’d say Tipp, then Galway and Dublin to pip Waterford and Limerick.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: Tipp, Galway and Dublin.
DIARMUID O’FLYNN: Cork, very dark horses. So much depending on the trainer.
ENDA McEVOY: Also depends how well Waterford perform next Sunday and what sort of shape they’re in afterwards. God, yeah — Cork.
BRENDAN O’BRIEN: That has to be the last word Enda!
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/tJU3hRlS2EE/post.aspx
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