A mate of mine said to me today that based on Limerick's win last Sunday this Limerick team is a better team than 94 & 96 when we won the Munster final both years. I agree. What's that down to? Better coaching, better players, better desire to win. The standard Kilkenny have taken the game to is the reason for that. In 94 & 96 most counties could carry 2-3 forwards who would score little & just work hard. Those days are gone.
To say that Cork lads are bashing any other team here though is wide of the mark. Most of the Cork hurling fans on HS are very knowledgeable & honest. I find their views on Cork hurling excellent as they cut away the fat that muddies the waters and leave you with the bones - usually an honest assessment.
In my opinion the standard of hurling probably peaked in 2008-2010, the only downside were the Cork & Limerick hurling 'strikes'. Since then I haven't seen any team put to the pin of their collar to win the All-Ireland. What I have seen though is a higher standard in Limerick, Cork, Clare, Galway, Dublin (on a consistent basis under Daly) Wexford. The so called weaker counties are doing a lot of coaching at under age & I think this is down to the standard they know they have to reach to even compete in the Liam McCarthy.
Kilkenny have been great for the game, hats off to them. Now we all need to match that standard & you know something, I think 4-5 counties are really getting there.
Slayer,I think that in terms of physical strength and fitness hurling is at its peak,but any old eejit can get fit. However the skills that make the game beautiful are at quite a low standard these days I would say. Kilkenny have raised the intensity of hurling but I find that a lot of the magic that the likes of DJ Carey and Brian Whelehan etc brought to the game is missing these days.
Everyone here would generally agree that it was a good idea to bring Galway into the Leinster championship because it was becoming too predictable. The all Ireland is becoming almost as predictable these days, yet ye are all saying that ye are enjoying it. I see a contradiction there.
Hopefully people don't think I have some vendetta against this great kilkenny team. Quite the opposite. I admire them, and if anything, its counties like offaly and wexford who have let their standards slip so far over the last generation that we should be complaining about. My own county has a lot to answer for too. Underage titles and club titles coming out of our ears yet you could count the number of all Irelands we have won with one hand. Crazy stuff. I just want to be brutally honest about the effect (if any) that their dominance is having on the game. I also want to know what people mean by "standards". Does this refer to physical fitness, the standard of which is at its highest ever, or does it refer to the beautiful skills of the game, the standard of which I don't think are that good at the moment.
Of course KK are good for hurling. They've brought the game to a new level in the same way Tipp did in 60s, Clare in 90s and Cork in mid noughties. Progression is always good!
The one key point I'd add tho is GAA headquarters need to look at the massive funding they're providing KK county board despite them only playing one sport. This I feel is one of the key advantages KK have over the others. Thia is becoming increasingly important when the levels of professionalism and preparation are getting higher and higher. Even non-traditional football counties ike Clare & Limerick make at least an effort to field respectable teams at underage and adult levels. Of course KK lads get very defensive and upset everytime this point is made but it's becoming the elephant in the room in my view. I'd like to see the funding supplied by the GAA headquarters cut by 50% to recognise the above. Otherwise it's not a level playing field. You'd be amazed what difference it makes in the current economic environment.
Plus, as happens all great teams, their powers are slowly starting to fade. I believe with the retirement of Shefflin and JJ that they will lose their dominance. Galway and Tipp have shown in last 3 years that they're not invincible. The.Cody factor is critical too and he's not gonna be around beyond another 5 years max in my view.
Hurling is still alive and well and KK have contributed healthily to that