League has whetted the appetite for championship
This was a game played at almost championship intensity and skill, and credit to Kilkenny and Cork for that.
Overall, I’d say people got real value for money from this year’s league, from every round. All the county team managements also got value from it, several new players emerging on almost every team, players I expect we’ll be seeing a lot more of come championship.
The biggest downer? I’d love to see more teams in the top division, but the way things have panned out, the spectacle we had on the final day especially but also what went on in every round, I don’t think we’re going to see that now.
The GAA will probably point to the fact that there were no dead games in any round, that every team went out to win every game, as justification for keeping this format. At least we have semi-finals, which gives us a few more games, but it’s still the GAA selling hurling short; there’s room for a lot more exposure and you’d get that with more teams in the top division.
I think we’ve got the top three teams in the country in the league semi-finals, for the second year in-a-row, with either Limerick or Dublin to join them. That too exposes the weakness of this format — that was predicted from nearly a year ago! All managers can be happy then, even in relegation-threatened Cork and Clare. They can only blame themselves for the position they are in; they had chances to win games they lost so now they must face each other again, the second time in a few weeks but this time with a lot more at stake.
Here, a suggestion; the GAA should play that game as a double-header with the division 1B final between Dublin and Limerick. It would be a great day out, give people an opportunity to contrast the standard between Division 1A and division 1B. And I’d play it in Thurles.
What this league has done, however, and in this I think it has served its greatest purpose, it has whetted the appetite for championship. Just look ahead a few weeks now, think of how competitive it’s going to be in Munster, how competitive it’s going to be in Leinster.
Isn’t that what it’s all about, the league teeing things up for the championship? Even before that, in the first league semi-final we have a repeat of last year’s Leinster final, of last year’s All-Ireland final and replay, with Galway taking on Kilkenny. They’ve built up a great rivalry since Galway went into Leinster, this is only going to add that.
In the other semi-final Tipperary await the winners of Limerick and Dublin, and if Limerick come through we’ll get a full dress rehearsal for the Munster championship semi-final in June. What a prospect that would be, but I’m sure Anthony Daly’s Dublin will have something to say about that!
A question — will the refereeing change now, come championship, or will it be allowed develop as we saw it yesterday, plenty of physicality allowed by the men in the middle? I sincerely hope the referees are allowed express themselves just as we like to see the players express themselves, that they’ll be allowed — and even encouraged — to call games as they see them without having to look over their shoulder all the time.
What teams most impressed from the league? Well, Kilkenny reached the semi-final by the skin of their teeth, as did Galway, but there are positives for them in that. Tipperary had a big win yesterday but they too have had a few reality checks so there won’t be any arrogance there now either.
Cork and Clare have looked good at times and I’m sure they too will have learned, will learn again in their relegation final. Funnily enough I think that game will be more intense than either of the semi-finals, quite simply because neither of these teams will want to go back to division 1B.
Likewise, the division 1B final will be hotly contested, promotion dependent on that result. Again I say, would make a fantastic double-header.
Whatever else though, the cobwebs are well and truly blown away now!
