Dubs can win on their trip to Tipp
But there are two critical differences. Daly’s job in trying to pick his team up isn’t as difficult as Davy’s, and he’s had more time to do so.
We’ll start with Dublin and Limerick, the opening game of a very good card in Thurles and credit to the GAA for the pricing structure which offers real value for money.
Limerick will have a huge crowd; Galway people are starting to get behind this team while Waterford always travel in big numbers. The one question mark is over the Dubs: will they come in their thousands?
The last time they went to Thurles, it wasn’t a great day for them, against Limerick at the same stage of the championship in 2009.
They’re coming with expectation this time however. They’re Allianz Hurling League champions, they’ve beaten Galway in Leinster and they’re a far more experienced side.
They’ve also strengthened the team from two years ago with the addition of Ryan Dwyer and Paul Ryan, a big plus but against that you have the loss of Conal Keaney which is a huge blow.
Still, this is a very settled Dublin team. Full-back Tomás Brady is injured but Peter Kelly has already played a few games back there and has made the position his own while through the field players are comfortable in their positions.
The major pressure in this game is on Dublin — can they finally deliver on the promise of the last few years?
They’ve done so in the league but this is championship and already this year they’ve failed one big test, against Kilkenny in the Leinster final. This is even more critical, however — lose here, and your season is over.
People are saying there’s no pressure on Limerick. I disagree. Limerick are in exactly the same position they were in two years ago, under Justin McCarthy. They lost to Waterford after a replay, beat Laois and Wexford in the qualifiers, to then meet Dublin in the quarter-final. So, they’re no further advanced now than they were then. This is a test for Limerick and their management. And remember, Limerick got past this game in 2009. That’s the challenge facing this team, and that’s the pressure they’re under.
Since 2009 Limerick have added a lot of new players with the likes of Graeme Mulcahy, Kevin Downes, Declan Hannon and Seán Tobin bolstering their attack. In that respect then Niall Moran’s presence is hugely important, he’s the most experienced player up front for Limerick, the elder statesman — he has got to lead that line tomorrow, he has got to take responsibility.
As I write, there’s a major doubt about one of Limerick’s best players this season, midfielder Donal O’Grady, the engine of the team, and if he doesn’t make it, the Shannonsiders could be in trouble. Will he take the field at all? If he does, how long will he last?
If O’Grady and Keaney are both missing they will cancel each other out, so you look to the rest, and with the confidence Dublin have got from winning the league, the higher level they’ve been playing at all year (and winning!), I go for Dublin.
To Galway and Waterford. This is a huge game for both teams, but more so for Waterford and this will tell us where they stand. Galway, well we’ll have an idea too of whether it was the way they were very good against Clare and Cork, or whether those two were just very bad. But after a seven-goal loss to Tipperary in a Munster final, we wonder how Waterford can recover from that? More significantly, how are they going to rearrange their team?
Will Liam Lawlor be at full-back? Will Eoin Kelly, Seamus Prendergast, Declan Prendergast be starting? Will Davy go back to the old lads or will he stick with the new? They’re in a very sticky situation, and these decisions could define his tenure.
I’d be looking for a good strong defence, so I’d have Declan Prendergast in there.
Remember too, these two teams met in the All-Ireland quarter-final two years ago and Declan was outstanding on a day when Waterford came from behind to win thanks to a tremendous late John Mullane point.
And I’d be backing John to come back from his own personal nightmare against Tipperary in the Munster final — everyone has their bad day but he will be back.
They’re going to need more than John Mullane however, and up front too I think Waterford are going to need physicality against this Galway defence, guys who can win dirty ball in the air and on the ground. Again I’d go for another Prendergast, Seamus, and for Eoin Kelly. These are big strong guys, and they have experience. Throw them in alongside good young fellas like Pauric Mahony and Shane O’Sullivan and I think Waterford will be improved.
One thing for certain, if these Waterford players have any blood in their veins at all they’ll tear into Galway from the start. They looked stale in the Munster final — hopefully that will have changed, and they’ll be fresh and hungry.
Can you trust Galway? If Waterford were meeting Tipp or Kilkenny this weekend you’d say they were on a hiding to nothing, but if the Galway team that played Dublin turns up again, what happens? I don’t think that’s going to be the case, however. Galway are settled now, and I particularly like the look of their backs. They’ve got those two big wins over Clare and Cork under the belt, they have a strong midfield, powerful forwards (Joe Gantley is probably their best ball-winner now). They’ll try to put doubt into Waterford early — don’t be surprised to see Joe Canning going for goals from the start.
Verdict — I fancy Galway, if the real team turns up, but I also expect Waterford to be a lot better than against Tipp.
