We had a fascinating if somewhat predictable opening to the first round of the Allianz National Hurling League last weekend, the only real shock being Kerry’s remarkable away win over Laois in Division 1B.
What was also remarkable was that this was the only away victory in the top two divisions. Home advantage is crucial in the opening round of fixtures (as mentioned here last week) and that means pressure on the teams at home this week and it is not a stretch to see all three winning again in the top flight.
Ironically, the toughest fixture to confidently predict happens in Nowlan Park on Sunday, the mouthwatering renewal of the oldest of rivalries, Kilkenny and Tipp. The Cats, perennial All-Ireland champions, vulnerable at home? I’m afraid so.
Lining out with 12 of their September starters, they were held to just 10 points in Walsh Park on Sunday and that caught the eye. Swamped as they were by serial Waterford defensive systems, they appeared to be slow out of the gate.
One of two things will happen this Sunday. The first option is that the lethargy that was on show last Sunday will still be in evidence this weekend and the Cats will struggle. The other scenario is that Brian Cody gets sight of the Tipp jersey and all of a sudden those competitive juices start to flow, his team gets the message, the home crowd get involved and Kilkenny rouse themselves. I’m torn between options one and two.
Tipperary arrive with a win safely under their belts and that will lessen the pressure on them. However, if Michael Ryan was ever going to target a game for his squad to measure themselves physically for what’s ahead, then this is the game. This was always the game. TG4 feel the same because the live cameras will be there on Sunday. I expect the Cats to recover.
In Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night, Cork and Waterford clash and this too could be a very important contest, more so for the Rebels. They looked sprightly again while racking up 1-21 against Galway in Pearse Stadium last weekend but once again conceded more than they could put on the score board. This has been the Cork problem for a long time now. They are exceptionally entertaining to watch, very skilful, playing a fast brand of accurate hurling and they encourage high scoring face-offs, with stylish points picked off from all over the field. But it’s not tight enough, not physical enough and at times not hard enough. Strange as that sounds, the bite former stalwarts like Wayne Sherlock, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, John Gardiner, Sean Óg, Fergal McCormack and Timmy McCarthy brought to the Cork teams of the noughties has been severely missed. Indeed, apart from the All-Ireland semi-final win over Dublin in 2013, I struggle to recall a big championship game the Rebels have won in the past number of years.
That’s not a secret in Cork. Kieran Kingston knows that and we can only surmise that in his talks with members of the committee chosen to appoint JBM’s successor, this perceived physical deficit came up a lot. Remedying this won’t happen overnight, but I’d be expecting to see the totals run up against Cork, even in defeat, start to recede in the coming weeks.
They will see up close how this is done on Saturday night because the Déise defend better than any other team. They do this with extra men behind the ball and follow that with a policy of moving the ball by hand or on foot up the field. An ability to shoot long-range points helps but they are the leaders when it comes to strangling opposition. Lessons might be learned here by the home side, but having lost twice in a row to the Déise in a league final and championship last summer, surely Cork step up here and win.
Galway travel to Parnell Park and do so on the back of a very impressive opening-day win, one that bought them a bit of time before relegation and the wisdom of dumping Anthony Cunningham is raised again. But they now go to Dublin’s home fortress, a tight pitch that suits them down to the bare patches of ground. So it’s a Dublin win. And don’t be surprised if there’s a bit of skelping involved. After the Boston brawl, these two played on the same pitch a few weeks ago and positively stood back from each other. With higher stakes comes the odd slice of contempt and familiarity. Neither will shy away from that.
Division 1b
Already Division 1B has thrown up a major talking point and who would have guessed it would come from Laois and Kerry’s clash. Some were worried about the Kingdom’s ability to survive the rarefied air of Division 1B but that victory in Portlaoise was some performance on their first day out.
Most of us had Laois pencilled into the last of the four quarter-final slots available to this division but Kerry have thrown that up in the air. Having watched Offaly on Sunday, I suspect Kerry will fancy their chances in Round 5 in Birr. Win that and they are in the last eight. Fair play to Eamon Kelly. They have momentum straight away and they will be facing Limerick this Sunday in Killarney on a high. It would be a foolish man that takes Limerick in the handicap.
The biggest game of Division 1B is in Wexford Park where Clare are the visitors as the home side try to resurrect their promotion chances. I wandered into the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday night last and the Yellow Bellies could only be described as chronic in the first half. Off the pace considerably, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Wexford have other priorities. It will take an injection of enthusiasm to beat Clare but I’m not sure by how much because the Banner didn’t set the world on fire in Cusack Park on Sunday.
This match is important for both. Davy and Donal Óg have a mini injury crisis on their hands while Liam Dunne might have a confidence issue to deal with. Neither got off the ground last weekend; they have no choice but to fly this Sunday.
Five out of six home wins in the top two leagues last weekend, I think there’ll be a change this weekend. All of 1A to win and all of 1B to lose.
Fixtures Division 1A
Dublin v Galway
Sat 7pm Setanta
Cork v Waterford
Sat 7pm Setanta
Kilkenny v Tipperary
Sun 2pm TG4
Division 1B
Wexford v Clare
Sun 2pm TG4 (deferred)
Kerry v Limerick
Sun 2pm
Offaly v Laois
Sun 2pm
SHARING OPTIONS