It’s time for Premier to show steel
For the second year in a row, the top division goes right down to the wire, with something for everybody in every game this weekend.
As a result, public interest is huge, with more than 8,000 for a league game in Ennis last week. It’s a long time since I saw that level of interest this early in the year.
It does make it all very entertaining though and I’m looking forward to the weekend.
The game I’m going to is Tipperary and Dublin, in Thurles and this is probably the game most talked about, certainly in the host county.
Manager Eamon O’Shea is being questioned, his attitude to the league and to the league losses especially. But a question I have is this — are the players actually good enough?
Tipperary won the All-Ireland U21 and senior titles in 2010 and everyone expected them to drive on but they’ve gone backwards, and under different managers.
Tipperary fans were giving out about Declan Ryan and Tommy Dunne but I believe those were two quality hurling men who knew what they were doing.
And remember, they did win a Munster title and did get to an All-Ireland final.
The questions Tipperary hurling people should be asking now are of the players. Are they good enough? At the moment the answer is a definite no.
Tipp lost the league final last year, lost both their championship games; this year they’ve lost three of their four league games, were lucky to win the one they did, and are bottom of the league.
Are they putting in the same effort as every other team? Maybe they are good enough but maybe too, they’re doing the wrong things.
They could win this game, they could go on to win the league but that doesn’t change a word of what I’ve said.
This game will be a good test, against Dublin, flying after beating Kilkenny in Parnell Park last week. Tipp did the sensible thing and moved it from Nenagh to Thurles — Nenagh would really have suited the more powerful Dubs. Inconsistency has been Dublin’s problem this year and I don’t fancy them here either. Time for Tipp to stand up.
Next for me is Kilkenny/Waterford, in Nowlan Park. We’re due a draw in this division; don’t be surprised if it happens here. Not by design, though a draw will see both qualify, but because they are so well matched.
Waterford were poor in the first half against Clare in Ennis but if they played like they played in the second half, they’ll match Kilkenny.
To Ennis, and I think Clare — even though they’re already through — will want to put down another marker. They’ll earn it, Galway have the Portumna boys back, had a good win over Tipperary last week. I’m going for Clare but only barely.
In Division 1B, Limerick really stumbled last week against Offaly with that late draw. Cork are in control; if they don’t slip up against Wexford, they’ll be promoted. Liam Dunne is going with youth — the right policy — and those youngsters are impressing, and will attack Cork. The Rebels though have timed their run well. With the likes of Anthony Nash, Shane O’Neill, Aidan Walsh all selected, I go for a Cork win.
Limerick go to Laois, a tough, must-win game, but as with Wexford, so it is with Cheddar Plunkett and Laois, a well-coached young side with loads of hurling.
Offaly meet Antrim in what is really a dead game. Neither can advance, they’ll meet again in the relegation play-off.
