Of the 5 teams left I quietly fancy Lougheil Shamrocks to defeat either Na Piarsaigh or Crusheen, and Coolderry to ambush Gort. Probably at this stage Coolderry to win it out.

fonejacker (Kildare) - Posts: 315 - 03/12/2011 18:14:55    1079488

I wouldnt want to pick a team.Very competitive.If only we could say the same for the Inter county championship.

TheRoad (Galway) - Posts: 1339 - 03/12/2011 18:55:47    1079504

I would pick Gort as they come from the most competitive championship.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1792 - 03/12/2011 20:25:13    1079545

exact same thread already exists.

i would fancy gort as well.

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 04/12/2011 11:48:54    1079626

Crusheen hopefully

LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2697 - 04/12/2011 12:11:10    1079634

realistically itll be a gort v na piarsaigh final and id fancy na piarsaigh to win that , downes , dowling , breen , dempsey , obrien , king and kieran breena re all good players , gort just have harte and cummins but itll def be those two teams

stekhli (Dublin) - Posts: 3121 - 04/12/2011 17:30:50    1079788

stekhli,gort are a well balanced team with many players who have won under age all irelands.
cummins is a great corner forward but he isnt someone that gort would rely on as they dont have to!
they did beat a very good clarinbridge team and i wudnt say na piarsaigh are world beaters.
dowling is a superb young hurler as is downes but it wud be a great game.

mickhiggins93 (Galway) - Posts: 38 - 04/12/2011 17:48:49    1079804

RE STEKHLI realistically it will be a gort v na pairsaigh final.what about a coolderry v loughgiel final...

turfcutter (Antrim) - Posts: 277 - 04/12/2011 20:24:53    1079903

i dont think thatll be the pairing tbh both are clubs from inferior hurling counties at this time and the other two teams have better individuals like dowling , downes , harte and cummins

stekhli (Dublin) - Posts: 3121 - 04/12/2011 20:31:42    1079908

It wasn't that long ago that Dublin was an 'inferior' hurling county but vast amounts of GAA resources and 1000's of countrymen piling into the city soon cured that.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9837 - 04/12/2011 20:38:02    1079916

ye they arent anymore whats your point?

stekhli (Dublin) - Posts: 3121 - 04/12/2011 20:44:19    1079920

My point? Many so called 'inferior' hurling counties will stay that way until they get the same Croke Park investment, coaching and player availability as Dublin. Antrim has a large urban population but gets nowhere near the same financial GAA backing as Dublin and by the way some of the so called traditional hurling counties still look down their nose at Dublin and barely tolerate the 'neauvou riche' hurling revival in Dublin though I think it's great for the game.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9837 - 04/12/2011 20:49:11    1079924

Gort will probably start as favourites because of Galway clubs great record in the club championship, i think seven of them have won it, but i think any of the four clubs left could win it , and of the four, Loughgiel Shamrocks from Antrim are the only club to have won the All Ireland club championship. The simi final paring is
Na Piarsaigh V Loughgiel probably in Parnell Park Dublin, and Gort V Coolderry maybe in Tullomore . If i was to hassard a guess of the final paring on St Patricks Day i would say Na Piarsaigh v Gort.

clonjon (Dublin) - Posts: 665 - 04/12/2011 21:08:19    1079941

Coolderry will win it out they have the best forward line thats left in it. oulart were world beaters after beating james stephens
yet Coolderry were way the better team again them and could have won by more than 4 points.

Coolderry and gort will be in thurles in the new year Coolderry to win it out.

Birrgreat (Offaly) - Posts: 111 - 04/12/2011 21:26:25    1079964

please god na piarsiagh.great year for limerick hurling so far but in fairness its wide open

hitmanhart (Limerick) - Posts: 496 - 05/12/2011 12:25:37    1080085

Its looi]king like a great championship! The game between Crusheen and Na Piarsaigh was reallly good hurling and a great finish from Na Piarsaigh puts them in a strong position. Coolderry did their homework on Oulart who many thought would do it this year after eventually beating Kilkenny clubs. Gort as has been said are there from one of the most competitive club scenes in Galway so they would look good also. You cannot write off loughgiel as they perform well at semi final and final level. At this stage I would go for Cooldderry, a very mobile team that if they get to Croke Park will be hard to stop. Looking forward to the 3 games left. If they are as good as the games so far this year... will be a great finale to the club championship.

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1882 - 05/12/2011 17:55:28    1080315

what relevance is dublin ulsterman to the all ireland club championship

stekhli (Dublin) - Posts: 3121 - 05/12/2011 19:10:18    1080385

Personally I think this is one of the weakest competitions in years. I travelled to Waterford to watch the Ballygunner v Na Piarsaigh game, and was really unimpressed with Na Piarsaigh. Ballygunner were in cruise control and completely capitulated. I also think that Oulart blew a great chance this year, but in fairness to Coolderry they were much better on the day.

So no team from either Leinster or Munster who would be an experienced top club (e.g. Ballyhale) or even one from a strong county. On top of all that the likes of Portumna and Clarinbridge didn't come out of Galway. I no idea what Gort are like, but as we've seen so many times before experience is crucial in this competition.

@ Ulsterman - what would the urban population of Antrim be like, and of course can you refine that down to possible GAA members if you catch my drift!? In fairness Antrim surely wouldn't have a catchment anywhere near Dublin's, so you can understand how they get more money.

ringo (Wexford) - Posts: 384 - 06/12/2011 10:12:57    1080556

should be two great semifinals,think coolderry will beat gort.loughgiel na p. is hard to call,na p. are a very big strong side where loughgiel are smaller and fast.going to stick my neck out and go for a coolderry v loughgiel shamrocks final on paddys day.any thoughts...

turfcutter (Antrim) - Posts: 277 - 06/12/2011 15:52:12    1080813

from whative seen and came up againist loughgiel i fancy them to make the final last year will stand to them and i think they are better then last year and the limerick lads arent as good as the kilkenny team last year the other semi gort have won a very compeditive series but coolderry will be no mugs either pity they cant be a double header

ianog (Down) - Posts: 416 - 06/12/2011 17:32:11    1080890