Five things we’ve learned from the league
I’ve lost count of the number of changes in the format for the Allianz hurling league in the past 20 years. The format is continually tweaked once any opposition is raised, but this has been the most interesting and exciting Division 1A for years.
Whether by accident or design, the decision to limit the top tier to six teams has been a winner.
Hurling fans and television audiences have endorsed this system. William Congreve, the 17th century English philosopher and playwright, stated that “uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life”, and all of the games in the top division have been loaded with uncertainty and expectation.
In previous league formats, with more teams in the first division, top outfits regularly came up against teams of vastly inferior ability throwing up meaningless lopsided fixtures.
This season we were treated to real contests with many going to the wire. This is what fans want; matches with good commitment, high intensity and results in doubt to the finish.
The six-team format worked for Division 1B also. There were no games where traditional stronger opponents simply brushed aside perceived inferior opposition, running up huge scorelines.
It’s difficult to design a structure that satisfies everyone but this seems the best available. It provided good competitive experience for Antrim and Carlow as the variation in ability levels in this division are not what they were.
Limerick manager John Allen said on TG4’s Seó Spóirt last Friday that they had very tough games against Antrim and Carlow (both beaten by a goal) — evidence that the gaps in ability are closing in this division.
Dublin, Limerick, Offaly and Wexford were near enough to each other to provide meaningful competition and at least these are guaranteed top tier championship action later in the summer.
I would have one change. I would have games between the team at the bottom of 1A and the winners of 1B to determine promotion and relegation and so on down to 2A and 2B. Simple and fair leaving no arguments. But further changes next year, if it isn’t broken...
Galway manager Anthony Cunningham received deserved plaudits for their escape from relegation and fine championship run last year — and he has also shown shrewd judgement in this year’s league with his handling of his marquee star Joe Canning. Since his late teens Canning has been burdened with the weight of expectation on every team he graced from club to third level to inter-county.
He was always expected to carry the team to victory.
Canning will be expected to carry Galway to success again this year by bagging the necessary goals. For this he will have to operate in the inside line of attack remaining patient for favourable chances.
This may be alien to his nature as he likes to be on the ball as much as possible.
So far Cunningham has played him in the half-forward line, giving him freedom to move and indulge his talents. It’s a clever move on the manager’s part. Forwards need enthusiasm and freshness. By playing Canning out the field it conserves his freshness and enthusiasm for tougher days ahead on the fringe of the square.
We know now that Clare will remain in Division 1A after yesterday’s win over Cork in the relegation play-off. Considering their performance throughout the league generally, and particularly yesterday, they thoroughly deserve their position in the top flight.
If they converted even one-quarter of their massive wides tally it would have been an embarrassing defeat for Cork. Their workrate, commitment, combination play and refusal to give up when Cork hit two goals which seemed like hammer-blows in the context of the game was the hallmark of their success.
They drove on in extra time with their half-back line and midfield in total control – as they had been for most of the game. They still lack goalscorers but with the return of Conor McGrath and Darach Honan they may also solve that problem soon.
Apart from the first 20 minutes, when their workrate mirrored that of Clare, Cork played second fiddle in the fitness and physical stakes.
In the crucial last 20 minutes of normal time they lost too many 50-50 tussles for possession. Cork are still over-reliant on Pa Cronin to win possession and are simply not physical enough throughout the field.
There was no variation in their puck-outs, and they lost five in a row in extra time as Cronin was forced to do the donkey work in this area.
Two points up in normal time, they brought no real pressure to bear on Clare and there was no concerted effort throughout the field to close the game out for a victory. Cork’s half-back line, midfield and half-forward line, as a unit, lack the force necessary to impose themselves.
