Hurling final 2011

[sid]

So this one promises to be a cracker. Anyone got any opinions on it? I'm hoping that with Henry back and a fit Brian Hogan and Tommy Walsh KK will have enough. The thought of Tipp's intensity last year has me very worried though.

Of course everyone here will be up for KK. Right?

[Avenger]

Now that it's almost game time, I'll add my tuppence worth.

Happy enough with the build up this year. Certainly better than last years circus.

I have a feeling we'll do it but I'm expecting a great battle. Tipp are quality and with everyone fit we are every bit as good. A few of the lads have been written off but I think that's a bit premature. A few are close to the end and we can't be in finals every year (the last 13 years have been unbelievable in that sense) but this team is the best hurling team I've seen so I think they have a few more years in them. We also have a decent convayor belt of young lads coming through.

I'd say we'll come out with a couple of points to spare. The rain might keep the scores a bit lower than the last two finals.

[Avenger]

Nice one

Tommy Walsh, JJ, Murphy, Hickey, Brian Hogan and Michael Fennelly (my hurler of the year) all outstanding.
Thought Henry was huge today too and Larkin had his best game in a while. Richie Power was excellent too and Eddie Brennan (who I was slightly worried about) also had a fine game. Hard to pick a Cat who didn't turn up today. A great all round team performance.
We were the hungrier team and should have been further ahead at half time IMO but Tipp are the best opposition we have faced over the last 13 or 14 years and will be back. This could be the last we see of Henry, Brennan and Hickey and what a way to go. Great servants to Kilkenny.

[Donny B.]

Congrats Avenger and a pretty accurate prediction. Kilkenny were consistenly the better team on the day and the half-backs in particular were immense. Tipp couldn't cope with their speed and aggression and a lot of their big name forwards were simply eclipsed. Their halfbacks kept looking for extra tme on the ball that Kilkenny simply weren't allowing them. Hogan's goal was a thing of beauty as well.

[sid]

Jaysus, was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Thrilled with the result. Tommy Walsh was focking immense, just as the backs as a unit were. Fennelly and Rice got through some amount of ball.

And it does indeed seem that nobody gets the better of Noel Hickey twice

[nelly the elephant]

Now that it's almost game time, I'll add my tuppence worth.

Happy enough with the build up this year. Certainly better than last years circus.

I have a feeling we'll do it but I'm expecting a great battle. Tipp are quality and with everyone fit we are every bit as good. A few of the lads have been written off but I think that's a bit premature. A few are close to the end and we can't be in finals every year (the last 13 years have been unbelievable in that sense) but this team is the best hurling team I've seen so I think they have a few more years in them. We also have a decent convayor belt of young lads coming through.

I'd say we'll come out with a couple of points to spare. The rain might keep the scores a bit lower than the last two finals.

Jaysus.....eerily close to the outcome as it played out Avenger........................great game.....a great advert. The better team won in a keenly fought final. Posession of the ball has never been as hotly contested.

[nelly the elephant]

Jaysus, was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Thrilled with the result. Tommy Walsh was focking immense, just as the backs as a unit were. Fennelly and Rice got through some amount of ball.

And it does indeed seem that nobody gets the better of Noel Hickey twice

He was without question.....he also might have gotten a red card the way he was wielding the hurley in that set-to in the first half(when the ref got cut). A lucky(if superbly talented) boy!

[sid]

Ah it's grand, he was trying to get a Tipp lad.

Agree though. Awesome as he is, he really makes me worry sometimes. Very, very glad he didn't walk for that.

[jezzer]

Congrats Avenger and a pretty accurate prediction. Kilkenny were consistenly the better team on the day and the half-backs in particular were immense. Tipp couldn't cope with their speed and aggression and a lot of their big name forwards were simply eclipsed. Their halfbacks kept looking for extra tme on the ball that Kilkenny simply weren't allowing them. Hogan's goal was a thing of beauty as well.

Totally agree. I thought tactically Kilkenny took Tipp to school and their technical execution around the halfback line and the breaking ball was incredible. It was like a well-oiled machine there and it spat Tipp out every time they tried to move upfield.

I'm amazed they continued to pump long balls up to the forwards because the Cats lapped it up all day.

Great win for the country's greatest sporting team bar none.