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Replying To CTGAA10: "Yes limerick can be caught.2 away matches first up against cork and Clare.Waterford not being mentioned but are well capable of getting a few results..roll on Munster championship.
Leinster is expected to be Galway,kk and Dublin..I wouldn't write off Wexford especially when they have the dubs at home.." Any of four could realistically win and/or qualify from both.
Sure to be shocks with Offaly and Kildare there and Waterford will surely beat someone!
Looking forward to it.
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4168 - 09/04/2026 22:09:31
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Replying To Doylerwex: "It's not silly. It's the history of Galway hurling.
No irony either. We're exceptionally inconsistent in that for about 30 years now we've survived on one big performance a year.
Galway and Wexford are very alike. We're just a little more successful." It must be more than two or three generations since Wexford were 'just a little more successful'. You'd certainly have to be approaching pension age to have any recollection of such an era. There can't be many nonWexford fans out there, under the age of 60, who'd agree with the assessment that Wexford are 'just a little more successful'. Senior, u21, minor, club, such a notion just doesn't stack up for nigh on 50 years or more.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4650 - 09/04/2026 23:03:27
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Cork are the team to beat, and when in full flight, the best team in the country. The final last year was an anomaly, and a psychological block, but in terms of actually hurling, the best team.
Cork are generally slower off the mark, as they play a more fluid game. So the more the season wears on, gel more, and it starts to come together. I'd fully expect them to burn Limerick later in the season, or any other team for that matter!
32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4211 - 10/04/2026 01:24:39
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Replying To 32_4_1: "Cork are the team to beat, and when in full flight, the best team in the country. The final last year was an anomaly, and a psychological block, but in terms of actually hurling, the best team.
Cork are generally slower off the mark, as they play a more fluid game. So the more the season wears on, gel more, and it starts to come together. I'd fully expect them to burn Limerick later in the season, or any other team for that matter!" They have been great to watch but have they abandoned that under Ben to adopt a more 'robust' style?
I thought they looked listless last Sunday and wondered whether they might be trying this out but with intention of reverting to the style they refer to in championship?
We shall know next weekend. I do think that there is an attitude within the 'officer class' of Cork hurling that they have had enough of the Fancy Dan stuff and will win By Any Means Necessary!
Which they may not as there are a few teams only too happy to go into the trenches and beat them there.
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4168 - 10/04/2026 09:50:36
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Replying To BarneyGrant: "They have been great to watch but have they abandoned that under Ben to adopt a more 'robust' style?
I thought they looked listless last Sunday and wondered whether they might be trying this out but with intention of reverting to the style they refer to in championship?
We shall know next weekend. I do think that there is an attitude within the 'officer class' of Cork hurling that they have had enough of the Fancy Dan stuff and will win By Any Means Necessary!
Which they may not as there are a few teams only too happy to go into the trenches and beat them there." All i heard coming out of the Gaelic Grounds last Sunday from the Cork crowd was " we have to go long, go long and cut out the middle third" Avoid the battle was their thought.
The stats dont back up that philosophy. Ball retention rates drop to below 20% when delivered into full forward line from inside your own 65m line. It is stating the obvious, somewhat, but it goes up to over 80% when delivered from inside theirs. Thats why teams are playing the way they are.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 181 - 10/04/2026 10:19:56
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Replying To Overdahill: "I don't see Limerick as being far ahead of the crowd at all tbh. They only won 2 games in Championship last year and the defeat to Dublin shouldnt be swept under the carpet.
They can still be awesome in spurts but I'm not convinced they can keep it up for a full 70 minutes, or for back to back big games. of the newer fellas, O' Brien and O' Connor were poor against cork. O'neill was anonymous as well int he first half, and English similarly was snuffed out int he second half against Galway and Cork imo. Not to be too harsh on them, I'm just not sure they are at the level of seamlessly slotting in to the once all conquering team. I'd be shocked if O' Donovan doesn't start.
All that said, if I was rankign teamas atm they'd be no.1. I don't think anyone else has players as dominant as Hegarty and Gillane in the form they were in the last day. Atm I'd go
1. Limerick 2. Tipp 3. Cork 4. Clare 5. KK 6. Galway 7. Dublin 8. Wexford
But any combination of the top 6 would be a close game at the moment I think. I don't think any of KK, Galway or Dublin have it in them to beat multiple Munster teams if they were to lose the Leinster final but you'd have to give the Leinster winners a shout at winning it all.
i think we're in for a very exciting championship in both provinces tbh and plenty of ups and downs. One of Kildare or offaly will upset the applecart of one of the above teams at least once as well imo, but as the Wexford contingent here often point out, they are more than capable of losing in newbridge in 2 weeks time and then turning around and beating anyone" I'd have Waterford in there ahead of Dublin and Wexford.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1603 - 10/04/2026 10:23:15
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Replying To Pope_Benedict: "It must be more than two or three generations since Wexford were 'just a little more successful'. You'd certainly have to be approaching pension age to have any recollection of such an era. There can't be many nonWexford fans out there, under the age of 60, who'd agree with the assessment that Wexford are 'just a little more successful'. Senior, u21, minor, club, such a notion just doesn't stack up for nigh on 50 years or more." Neutral but living in Wexford I would put both Galway and Wexford in the category of "perennial underachievers" relative to the status of the game in both counties!
I'd have had Limerick in that category until this unbelievable team came through.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1603 - 10/04/2026 10:26:47
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Replying To 32_4_1: "Cork are the team to beat, and when in full flight, the best team in the country. The final last year was an anomaly, and a psychological block, but in terms of actually hurling, the best team.
Cork are generally slower off the mark, as they play a more fluid game. So the more the season wears on, gel more, and it starts to come together. I'd fully expect them to burn Limerick later in the season, or any other team for that matter!" Cork have a greater aggregate of running power than other teams, but I've no idea how you are making the assessment that 'in terms of actually hurling', they are the best team. Do you have any idea why this didn't manifest itself clearly at the last two allireland finals? Will you please point out some concrete specifics to back up your assessment that Cork are 'in terms of actually hurling, the best team'?
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4650 - 10/04/2026 11:03:17
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Replying To Pope_Benedict: "It must be more than two or three generations since Wexford were 'just a little more successful'. You'd certainly have to be approaching pension age to have any recollection of such an era. There can't be many nonWexford fans out there, under the age of 60, who'd agree with the assessment that Wexford are 'just a little more successful'. Senior, u21, minor, club, such a notion just doesn't stack up for nigh on 50 years or more." Cringed when I saw that post alright about Wexford being a little more successful!!!
Last 50 years as you mentioned.
Minor All Irelands
Galway - 14
Wexford - 0
Under 21/20 All Irelands
Galway - 9
Wexford - 0
Senior All Irelands
Galway - 4
Wexford - 1
Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 24 - 10/04/2026 11:31:23
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Replying To Pope_Benedict: "It must be more than two or three generations since Wexford were 'just a little more successful'. You'd certainly have to be approaching pension age to have any recollection of such an era. There can't be many nonWexford fans out there, under the age of 60, who'd agree with the assessment that Wexford are 'just a little more successful'. Senior, u21, minor, club, such a notion just doesn't stack up for nigh on 50 years or more." I am specifically referring to senior inter county.
We all know Galway are among the goal standard for club and underage.
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4409 - 10/04/2026 11:39:24
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Replying To Doylerwex: "It's not silly. It's the history of Galway hurling.
No irony either. We're exceptionally inconsistent in that for about 30 years now we've survived on one big performance a year.
Galway and Wexford are very alike. We're just a little more successful." " we're just a little more successful " please tell me you're joking. Wexford have 1 senior all Ireland in the the last 50 years, 0 u21 or 0 minor.
Galway have 4 senior in last 50 years, plus have multiple u21 and minor all Irelands. Must have won 9 or 10 minor since 2000 alone. Add in being the top of the roll of honour at all Ireland club titles
richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 65 - 10/04/2026 11:49:58
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Replying To BarneyGrant: "Any of four could realistically win and/or qualify from both.
Sure to be shocks with Offaly and Kildare there and Waterford will surely beat someone!
Looking forward to it." Shocks indeed. I'd imagine Kildare have been targeting the Wexford game next week and I'm intrigued to see how that one goes.
bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 493 - 10/04/2026 11:53:56
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Replying To Pope_Benedict: "It must be more than two or three generations since Wexford were 'just a little more successful'. You'd certainly have to be approaching pension age to have any recollection of such an era. There can't be many nonWexford fans out there, under the age of 60, who'd agree with the assessment that Wexford are 'just a little more successful'. Senior, u21, minor, club, such a notion just doesn't stack up for nigh on 50 years or more." In my time around we have been around the same. 1 Senior AI each in my adult lifetime. Not sure the rest of it means anything really, minor and u20 are development grades, and club success is only really meaningful to me if its my club being successful.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19150 - 10/04/2026 12:21:43
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Replying To BarneyGrant: "They have been great to watch but have they abandoned that under Ben to adopt a more 'robust' style?
I thought they looked listless last Sunday and wondered whether they might be trying this out but with intention of reverting to the style they refer to in championship?
We shall know next weekend. I do think that there is an attitude within the 'officer class' of Cork hurling that they have had enough of the Fancy Dan stuff and will win By Any Means Necessary!
Which they may not as there are a few teams only too happy to go into the trenches and beat them there." All i heard coming out of the Gaelic Grounds last Sunday from the Cork crowd was " we have to go long, go long and cut out the middle third" Avoid the battle was their thought.
The stats dont back up that philosophy. Ball retention rates drop to below 20% when delivered into full forward line from inside your own 65m line. It is stating the obvious, somewhat, but it goes up to over 80% when delivered from inside theirs. Thats why teams are playing the way they are.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 181 - 10/04/2026 12:23:04
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Replying To Tadhg2020: "All i heard coming out of the Gaelic Grounds last Sunday from the Cork crowd was " we have to go long, go long and cut out the middle third" Avoid the battle was their thought.
The stats dont back up that philosophy. Ball retention rates drop to below 20% when delivered into full forward line from inside your own 65m line. It is stating the obvious, somewhat, but it goes up to over 80% when delivered from inside theirs. Thats why teams are playing the way they are." I know the percentages but I'm not sure - as was partly shown last Sunday - that Cork will prosper from going head to head with Limerick, and others, rather than stick with a more unpredictable approach. Or mix them up. Second game was quite dull I thought but maybe that was just me coming down off the frenzy of the end to ours.
Cork have drawn massive crowds as much for their style of play as the manic levels of expectation. Be a pity if they were to revert to type,
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4168 - 10/04/2026 12:48:51
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Replying To bloodandbandage: "Shocks indeed. I'd imagine Kildare have been targeting the Wexford game next week and I'm intrigued to see how that one goes." Id say thats a definite. Up to us to bring our A game.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19150 - 10/04/2026 12:58:30
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Replying To Goreylad1985: "Cringed when I saw that post alright about Wexford being a little more successful!!!
Last 50 years as you mentioned.
Minor All Irelands
Galway - 14
Wexford - 0
Under 21/20 All Irelands
Galway - 9
Wexford - 0
Senior All Irelands
Galway - 4
Wexford - 1" If you are going back to the 80s, then why not go back to the 50s?
And at the end of the day who really cares about minor or u21 AIs?
Most of our most successful players in history never won a Leinster minor title, never mind an AI minor one. And we have dozens of lads who won minor AIs who never won a Senior AI.
And Galway are the same. They had 4 AI winning minor teams in a row in the last decade that never won an u20 AI, and most of whom never even played Senior intercounty, never mind won a Senior AI.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19150 - 10/04/2026 13:07:07
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Replying To 32_4_1: "Cork are the team to beat, and when in full flight, the best team in the country. The final last year was an anomaly, and a psychological block, but in terms of actually hurling, the best team.
Cork are generally slower off the mark, as they play a more fluid game. So the more the season wears on, gel more, and it starts to come together. I'd fully expect them to burn Limerick later in the season, or any other team for that matter!" Fluid game? As in watery hurlers ;-)
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19150 - 10/04/2026 13:09:28
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Replying To BarneyGrant: "I know the percentages but I'm not sure - as was partly shown last Sunday - that Cork will prosper from going head to head with Limerick, and others, rather than stick with a more unpredictable approach. Or mix them up. Second game was quite dull I thought but maybe that was just me coming down off the frenzy of the end to ours.
Cork have drawn massive crowds as much for their style of play as the manic levels of expectation. Be a pity if they were to revert to type," Agreed. Cork are an exciting team to watch.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19150 - 10/04/2026 13:10:33
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Replying To ExiledInWex: "I'd have Waterford in there ahead of Dublin and Wexford." Id have them between us right now.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19150 - 10/04/2026 13:13:45
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