IT’S great to see that spring has truly arrived. The cows are out and the calves as well. My starlings are nesting; they have me well targeted at this stage.
And they have been joined this year by a male blackbird, who the statistics on Birdwatch Ireland tell me is becoming a bit scarce. So if it’s not people coming to see me, I have a beautiful bird coming to pitch up.
Also, I had good reason to freshen myself up this week. Went for a haircut to Sheila McCormack in Patrickswell. She’s my chief hairdresser – at least for the bit I have left.
We had great banter in the shop. Part of my farm is in Patrickswell and I thought of my father who was a founding member of the Patrickswell club.
And of all the great hurlers who played with my own club Ballybrown and Patrickswell. The rivalry between the two.
Of the last time Patrickswell won and the homecoming. How the MC of the night, who’ll remain nameless, declared it a great day for the parish to have 22 titles – that’s Patrickswell 20, Ballybrown two.
Now you can imagine what way that was interpreted.
Anyway, the reason for the haircut was because of an invite from Mary Fitzgerald, whose family are the proprietors of the Woodlands House Hotel.
An invite to gather together and honour the members of Limerick’s 1973 All-Ireland-winning team.
It was such a treat to be wined and dined and treated like royalty. All of the team still living were there – four of the original crew are deceased.
They say never meet your heroes – well I was with my heroes.
And we had a tremendous day. All supported by Mary.
She’s retired now but she gave a speech that John Kiely would be proud of in Páirc Uí Chaoimh tomorrow.
It was one of the best outpourings ever put on. I have to give her great credit for the family’s long support and association with Limerick.
She didn’t forget the boys of ’73. They all turned up and enjoyed the day and interacted.
Cork will be booming after defeat of Tipperary
In that bunch, you had the Bennises and the Cregans and management, coaches, substitutes – what they have done for Limerick. This was hurling heartland.
These people are to be admired.
Then we have the current bunch coming down the road and the three current Patrickswell Musketeers – Diarmaid Byrnes, Cian Lynch and Aaron Gillane – carrying on the tradition of Patrickswell and the parish.
Such a pity Gillane has been ruled out with injury when he was the star of the show in the league final win over Cork.
Limerick are going to Cork and there will be no fear of travelling.
They were at full strength and firing on all cylinders – until that news late in the week about Gillane.
Even in front of a sell-out crowd and another huge show from the Cork fans.
Cork will be booming after defeat of Tipperary. They have a game under their belt and this looks set to be the game of the weekend.
Tipp will have to go back to the drawing board for their trip to Walsh Park.
I wasn’t that far off in my predictions. I thought it was a very sub-standard performance.
They malfunctioned in so many aspects. And same goes for management.
Cork can’t read too much into it. Limerick will have to hit them with everything, including the kitchen sink.
Tactically, what will they do?
If I was playing against Limerick, Cork’s tactics in the first half with the short puckout was disastrous. Limerick will do a job on them if they repeat that.
Tipperary’s collapse in the second half reminded of Cork’s collapse in the second half of the All-Ireland final.
And yet Cork still only won by four points which hints at a weakness. They have to go man to man.
Limerick are going to tighten up on any long puckouts and if Cork go long, Limerick have the aerial supremacy. We saw that in the league final.
If I was Cork, I’d keep the ball on the turf.
If Cork bring back a sweeper, though there is less reason to with Gillane out, that won’t work. Limerick will relish having an man extra at the back driving forward.
Waterford should have come away from Ennis with a win
Cork have to show a blood and bandage approach. Go man to man – and win their individual battles.
I don’t believe in the holding back department and that Cork were keeping a good bit in reserve in the league final.
Limerick to win.
Waterford should have come away from Ennis with a win in their opening game. At home in Walsh Park, I have a fancy for them.
Tipp don’t know what they’re at – that’s looking at their team selection, their tactical approach. Last Sunday was a total malfunction in the second half. I’m at a loss to make a case for them.
They’re All-Ireland champions. The Tipp support deserve better than what they served up. So much for waiting in the long grass.
Will they travel? Waterford will have huge support in their redeveloped ground.
And I think Waterford will beat them. That would open up the Munster group and the championship for them.
Tipp then, as champions, have it all left to do.
Things could get worse for Kilkenny
Kilkenny were overrun in Pearse Stadium last weekend while Wexford got over Kildare – that’s about all they did.
Galway manager Micheal Donoghue
Tradition would suggest Kilkenny hosting Wexford is an entity in itself.
Always has been. Unfortunately, the way we’re looking at it now, this is like hurling in a lower division.
Are Kilkenny going to throw in the towel?
I don’t think they will – but I still expect Wexford to shade it.
Galway are the team in Leinster that’s full of confidence now following the demolition of Kilkenny.
Offaly won’t want to be on the receiving end of another big Galway win.
The county has some very good talent coming through – but it might take a year or two to come together. Unfortunately, there is no waiting game at this level.
You’d have to favour Galway but it will be most interesting to see what level of performance Offaly can produce on back-to-back weekends.
Kildare weren’t beaten by that much against Wexford so I think they’ll trouble Dublin who are still in their winter wonderland.
I’m a great advocate of Dublin but in the league final, they only got going in the second half.
They’ll need far more than that to think of winning a provincial title.
