National Hurling League 2025 Discussion

The standard is top class. Intensity not far off championship levels. Some of the scores top drawer. The main event of hurlings weekend certainly living up to the billing.

Tis a physical contact sport.

They have some array of talent to be as strong as they are today minus Hegarty, Nash, Hannon, Finn, O Donogue, Donovan, Casey, Morrissey etc.

Some of what's out the today is the C team.

At least three of those mentioned may be struggling for a starting spot come championship.

Hayes is gone off and English never starts in championship

Four point swing just now. Kenneally poor enough strike for a goal. McCarthy cannot finish the rebound. Limerick disposses Tipp out the field and send it straight over.

Been very impressed with him. 1.3 got, should have been 2.3. Well able to win the hard ball which we struggle with in the full forward line.

Murphy has destroyed Stakelum who has been very disappointing.

Without minding when I turned it on, I was convinced he was Heggo. Looks very similar.

Another big defeat for Antrim. Wasn't expecting this level of regression.

What 3 ?

Slow to accelerate and turn. Very good player but not championship good.

the Tipp goal by keanNelly was fantastic.

Finn is definitely a starter. One of the best ever to play that position. Thinking Limerick look like they have "found" a replacement for Finn after 2 rounds of the league needs their head checked.

Mike Casey was never 100% a starter because he had Finn, Nash and Morrissey to contend with.

Peter Casey will definitely start and last year showed how much he was missed. He is also only 27 so doesn't need replacing just yet.

Can't remember the Tipp keeper having to make a save yesterday which is my only niggle - we butchered a couple of really good goal opportunities and if we had that Kilkenny nose for goals we could have scored 4. Looking to shoot 30 points is a bit too stats driven - goals can have such an emotional and momentum impact on the game as well as take the pressure of having to knock the ball over the bar 6-9 times more than your opposition. Great to hear the support for Kyle Hayes when he came off - will drive the keyboard warriors from every other county mental for sure.

They seemed to get too caught up in making that additional pass a few times which can be frustrating to watch - it's like they kept looking for a team mate in the better position when you'd like to see a more decisive approach at times.

Laois v Carlow a very big one in Div 1B this weekend as regards relegation. Laois can't afford to lose it.

Tipp v Cork on Saturday evening has the makings of a good game. Tipp looking to bounce back from defeat to Limerick. Cork desperate for national silverware hoping to inflict more misery on Tipp in Thurles. I find it a hard game to call. I dont like sitting on the fence so home win.

Kilkenny v Limerick on Sunday another game to look forward to. Limerick put Tipp to the sword with ruthless efficiancy. If they play anywhere as close to the intensity and standard they did last game they will beat the cats. Kilkenny will need to improve a lot after their poor second half showing v Wexford and wont want to lose two home games in a row in Nowlan Park so expecting a good game.

Cork look light on forwards for the moment. Dalton suspended plus harnedy, Lehane, Kingston injured and power gone for the season. Should be right good contest. Heavy conditions will suit tipp.

Hard to get really excited though as most teams down 5 or 6, and a lot of them meeting again in the round Robin.

I agree, I actually loved the six team format from a few years back but the top level managers despised it and as always they got their way and it went back to being a complete bore the last while (I remember Donal o Grady praising the system as an analyst, until as a manager his limerick team got relegated and he was in the press excoriating it). Every match matters now, it's no fun going to matches the players are treating as a warm up (and God knows they charge enough). Hope they stop fiddling with the format.

I'd imagine we're looking at postponements this weekend given the current weather.

Gonna bucket down Sunday morning in some counties but it's dry till then. Can't see any of the major pitches being in trouble but you might have the odd lower game moved to a centre of excellence or something.

Agree with all that. Nice cut to mullins, pacey as well. Niall ó Leary is a very tight defender, has improved a lot. Mellerick recovered well in the second half tbf. But think darragh o Sullivan could be better option there.

Tipp really dug in and dominated the close physical exchanges after looking in trouble early on. Jake Morris should be kept at 11 where he can run onto breaks and use his pace. Tipp qualified for league semis last 2 years iirc and we know how much they struggled after.

I enjoyed the game though, lovely calm evening and decent crowd. Good hurling with plenty mistakes too. Not too much of the short stuff which looks terrible when it breaks down.

Laois Carlow and Cavan Armagh also off

Yes and of course they have jumped at the chance to pivot to football so now Kerry are on instead.

Clare Vs Wexford would have been the obvious choice.

The commentator on Antrim v Waterford is unbelievably bad. Rambling on aimlessly and barely referring to what's happening on the pitch.