National Hurling League 2024 Discussion

With the Galway footballers and hurlers clashing I'll be using my football season ticket this weekend. Anybody wants my two hurling season tickets for the Antrim game pm me

If Dublin stay within 15 of Limerick would be doing well. Hope Limerick don’t dish out a right hiding.

It does not say much for the state of hurling that arguably the 8th best team is hoping to keep the score down. Wide pitch Croke Park favours Limerick as well.

If Dublin get a goal I will choke on me Ham Sambo. Because at the best of times a Dublin goal is an event in itself so rare.

Eoghan O’Donnell still out for Dublin. Might have helped if he was playing. But still Dublin have been very loose defensively. Game could be over as contest after 15-20 minutes.

Well Limerick can feel confident 🤣

But in truth the post above is pretty accurate.

Cork really need those 2 points to stay in touch now. Any less and their only hope is to stay in Div 1 through the best 4th position.

Downey might be worth a go up front after that point. Powerful runner.

Good instinct for the goal.

Why were Cork wearing pyjamas today ?

I hope we are not getting like the soccer where teams wear change kits even with no clash.

Why was Kyle Hayes playing yesterday for Limerick?

McGuinness talks about this in football but it's a huge problem in hurling too. Half backs/midfielders/half forwards fouling players in the half back line to prevent breaking the lines into midfield and allowing a backline to get shape while a free is being taken. There is also the fouling of anyone who breaks the halfback line to prevent the run toward the goal - always give the free up rather than the goal chance - refs don't punish this kind of persistent fouling enough. It has become a structure to the game. Stops any kind of open play/flow.

McGuinness speaking yesterday:

"It is challenging. We want to play transitional football. A lot of times it is not possible. There is a lot of tactical fouling going on, a lot of people slowing the game.

"I’m not sure if the officials are up to same level in terms of what the opposition teams are looking to do.

"If the game is to become faster in that way then things like that need to be nipped in the bud early on or else it continues on for the rest of the game.'

"It’s difficult to progress the ball quickly, probably because of possession football. In possession football, you are pushing 13, 14, 15 players on. The counter-balance to that is that if you lose it then you are in big, big trouble, so you cannot allow a transitional moment.

"Even now when you do get the turnover, you’re probably not going to get up the field the way you want to get up the field because of that dynamic.

"Possession football is then kind of dictating dynamics.

"You either make your case to the linesman or referee and remonstrate, or you accept it."

The kinda dirty consistent stuff that is always in your eyes.

Duignan and Canning are unbearable, jaysus a bit of new blood and people who know what they're talking about wouldn't be any harm.

Canning just said "pernamently" instead of "permanently". Micheal Duignan used to be very good.

Hegarty knows how to feed Gilane

One point hammering 🔨 there really. Same old script in these Tipperary v Limerick games. Tipperary have a good 35 mins..then fall off a cliff and the game is done and then they do a cameo at the end and tack on a few scores. I'm not sure they believe they can ever beat this Limerick team when it comes to the crunch. Cahill and Bevans have been beaten so many times by Limerick with Waterford and Tipperary. Is give em a very slim chance in the Championship in the Gaelic Grounds.

I genuinely feel like Tipp haven't come on one bit compared to last year.

All feels so flat.

Taught 5,600 was a decent crowd considering all circumstances.

Two straight for Galway not three.

Jaysus Cork really put Offaly back in their box!

men against boys , offaly look like a team that needs six months gym work , they are a mile off the required level of intercounty hurling in terms of conditioning , the lads form last years under 20 team look very light , they have no hope on progressing further then where they are until they change all that

The big worry is Michael Duignan came out last week and said Offaly had caught up with everyone for S&C.. Theres a lack of athletic ability in Offaly that no amount of benching or squatting will fix. And with the S&C size and strength are only half of it...what about the power ..all the 'clean and Jerk' lifts ect. Those Offaly fellas are 2 years off that

The old comparisons between Davy and Mourinho might be making a comeback but not in a flattering way for Davy. Yesterday's men and the aura long gone.

mark rodgers would be my example , at 19 or 20 went away in the off season and came back a tank , completely bulked up , look at the size of dan ravinhill for example he is not going to offer offaly anything at this level if he dont bulk up some bit , he was a quality underage hurler but thats all he will be along with a few more