Kilkenny defeat ‘was good for the league’

SCORING difference in the second phase only will determine the finalists in the Allianz National Hurling League, in the event of three or more teams finishing with the same number of points.

And, regardless of whether that situation arises, members of the Hurling Development Committee are delighted that earlier fears about the outcome being inevitable after the preliminary rounds proved unfounded. Cork’s win in Thurles a fortnight ago and Tipperary’s victory over Kilkenny at the weekend achieved that.

Wearing his Committee Chairman hat, former Kilkenny manager Nicky Brennan was delighted with the result in Nowlan Park. “With no disrespect to Kilkenny, it was good for hurling, it was good for the League and it was probably good for them as well,’’ he commented.

“They got a timely warning that no one is invincible. And it still allows them plenty of time to stay in the League and get organised for the championship. It was a good game and a good crowd, what you’d love to see in more and more league matches.’’

Brennan felt that some of the things written and said about the All-Ireland champions in recent weeks were ‘crazy’.

“Kilkenny were good, but they were never that far ahead of some of the other teams. Bear in mind they were saying similar things about them before the 2001 All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Galway.

“Teams go through patches, and Kilkenny are still a very good team. They may very well be the team to beat yet,” said Brennan.

“It was always going to happen that the two top teams were going to meet each other in the first game of the second phase. That was pre-ordained from day one. What wasn’t pre-ordained was that Kilkenny and Tipperary might run away with their particular section. It could have been better if some of the teams had to perform a bit better. Limerick were a bit disappointing, so were Waterford, but on the other hand Laois and Offaly probably performed beyond their expectations. We knew that Wexford would probably labour for a bit.’’

He expects that the finalists won’t be known until after the third series of games (Kilkenny v Wexford, Cork v Galway, Tipperary v Clare).

“If you were a betting man you’d be inclined to say that the winners of the Cork/Kilkenny game will play Tipperary in the final. Yet, nobody would rule out Clare, Galway and Wexford having a say in who goes through,’’ he added.

The Limerick v Laois Division 1B NHL game scheduled for Portlaoise on Saturday has now been switched to Monday, to form part of a double bill, with Limerick playing Wexford in their NFL Division 2 semi-final on the same programme.

The hurling game will throw-in at 1.45, followed by the football at 3.30.