GAA need to put more thought into scheduling
You have Laois, who have been making great progress, playing All-Ireland champions Clare. You have another coming team, Wexford, taking on the reigning league champions Kilkenny.
Why wasn’t that game played as a double-header, and in Portlaoise at that, bring out the supporters to allow them see these two really good games?
Then you have the other two games, Limerick facing Galway in the Gaelic Grounds, Tipperary welcoming Cork to Thurles. Again, same question: Why wasn’t this a double-header?
And of course the games should have been on two different days, one double-header today, the other on tomorrow, to make a real weekend of it for hurling supporters and allow an opportunity to show all games on television, if they so choose.
Instead we have what we have. Four games at the same time in four different locations. I don’t think the GAA put an awful lot of thinking into this.
Even worse, you have what is arguably the biggest game of all, the Division 1A relegation final, also taking place tomorrow, also at the same time, and also at a different venue. What the GAA did to both Waterford and Dublin here is very unfair. To give them just one week to prepare for what is a huge game for both counties.
Apart from the lost revenue when you play in Division 1B, there is also the lost competition, the better the teams you’re playing and the more you can improve. What was the rush with this game? Why not have it as a standalone game next week and give it a bit of a build-up? Again, a lost opportunity for the GAA.
Regardless, Limerick v Galway will be the best game of the day. Having again missed out on promotion from 1B, Limerick will go out now to win the league itself and this is the first great opportunity for them to advance. They’re facing a team they won’t fear. They’re at home and they’ll have great support. This is a great chance for them.
Galway will also be looking at this as their opportunity. They’ve been trying a few new players and what better place to test them out? I don’t think Joe Canning will be playing, which is why I go for Limerick here.
Tipperary v Cork is the next one. I was leaning towards Cork until I heard the team. Six changes from the side that beat Wexford with an entirely new full-back line? Thurles is a good place to forge your steel and Paul Haughney especially in midfield should benefit. Cork look a bit callow here, that inexperienced defence up against real class forwards.
Hopefully it will be a good game but I go for Tipperary.
Kilkenny v Wexford is next in line and I have no problem here in picking a winner. Kilkenny are back. !They have found a few new players in Mark Kelly up front and Brian Kennedy at the back, but something I’ve noticed also — the fitness and hunger of the old brigade. Wexford won’t be blown away though. Liam Dunne is building a young side.
I see young Conor McDonald is named at centre-forward. Remember, this lad was minor last year! Liam is right though, go with youth. Kilkenny to win, Wexford to give them a game.
Finally, of the four quarter-finals the one I’d have most confidence in calling, Clare v Laois in Portlaoise. Clare battled really well last Sunday to get a draw against Galway and came from behind with only 14 players for the entire second half. ! Clare have progressed from last year.
I’ve been impressed also with Laois under Cheddar Plunkett. Like Liam Dunne — like Davy Fitzgerald in fact with Clare — Cheddar has gone for youth blended in with experience and it’s been working. He’s trying to progress the team this year, not just setting up defensively and his side really put it up to the supposed big two in 1B, Cork and Limerick. They will challenge Clare but won’t win.
To Waterford and as I said, the most important game of the league for both games. Both managers will be fierce disappointed to find themselves in this position. Dublin beat the reigning league champions Kilkenny and the All-Ireland champions Clare but lost against all others. A point against Tipperary and they were in the quarter-final, instead they’re here which is really frustrating for them. Waterford had two wins from their first three games. It should have been two wins and a draw against Tipperary but they shipped two big losses against Clare and Kilkenny. They did beat Dublin, but then you look at those head-to-heads above. Walsh Park is a bit of a fortress but Dublin will be a different proposition here and won’t want to go back to 1B again. Dublin to win.
But oh, that missed opportunity. Nothing for the next three weeks, what were the GAA thinking?
