Niall Kelly
2013 was the greatest hurling summer – what are you most looking forward to about the 2014 season?
There’s no shortage of storylines. Clare’s rise last summer was genuinely exciting and it will be great to see if they can build on that or if they’re one-hit wonders. Kilkenny, Tipp and Galway will be desperate to bite back while the Dubs and Cork will be anxious to make amends for last year’s missed opportunities.
Call it: name your Munster and Leinster champions, and why?
Leinster – Kilkenny: Dublin’s league form has been underwhelming at best while Kilkenny managed to drop some of their biggest names, shuffle the pack and still win another league title. They’re back, baby.
Munster – Cork: But for Domhnall O’Donovan’s late heroics, they had the All-Ireland wrapped up last year. Clare and a rejuvenated Tipp are formidable foes but I think JBM’s Rebels are capable of accounting for both on any given Sunday.
Who’ll be Hurler of the Year?
Cork’s Conor Lehane. Some really good performances went unrewarded last summer as he was squeezed out of a competitive All-Star full forward line. If he steps up again, he’ll be magic.
Tell us a young gun to keep an eye on?
Dublin’s Colm Cronin, although picking him will hardly surprise anyone who has followed his progress to this point. Anthony Daly gave him plenty of league time this spring so I’d expect him to get his chance — and impress — in the Championship.
Who’ll lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September?
The Dubs. If I don’t say it, nobody else will.
This summer I expect to see…
More interview gold from Davy Fitz. His first appearance on Sky will be unmissable.
Fintan O’Toole
2013 was the greatest hurling summer – what are you most looking forward to about the 2014 season?
All of it. It’s the first hurling season in quite a while where there’s a group of highly-rated contenders bunched together at the start of the season. How Clare go about their title defence and how Kilkenny recover will be fascinating.
Call it: name your Munster and Leinster champions, and why?
Munster – Tipperary to build on their league progress, gain revenge for last year’s loss to Limerick and finish the job off in the provincial decider.
Leinster – Kilkenny to make a familiar return to the top of the Leinster hurling tree.
Who’ll be Hurler of the Year?
I’ll narrow it down to Richie Hogan, Brendan Maher and the reigning award winner Tony Kelly. Hogan and Maher have excelled in the league.
Tell us a young gun to keep an eye on?
Kelly is still U21 and the front-runner for this award. New faces to keep a particular eye on are Cork’s Alan Cadogan, Galway’s Padraig Brehony and Dublin’s Colm Cronin.
Who’ll lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September?
Excuse the fence-sitting but calling it right now is difficult given the tightness of the field. Clare, Kilkenny and Tipperary are the pace-setters but Cork are a good outside bet with a stronger squad this year. I’ll go for the outsiders then.
This summer I expect to see…
Hurling live up to the tag that Sky will bestow upon it ‘as the greatest sport in the world.’
Steven O’Rourke
2013 was the greatest hurling summer – what are you most looking forward to about the 2014 season?
It would be hard to top the excitement of last season and I’m not sure we will but I’m really interested to see what the Leinster Qualifying Group has done for Antrim and Laois. In theory, playing more games should see them take momentum into the Leinster quarter-finals. However if you’re labouring to a three-point win over London, it doesn’t point to an early summer of upsets.
Call it: name your Munster and Leinster champions, and why?
Munster – Cork were one person’s interpretation of injury time away from winning the All-Ireland last year and I think they’ll build from Munster for another visit to Croke Park this September.
Leinster – Brian Cody did more tinkering than Rafa Benitez during the league and Kilkenny still easily won it. If they can find the goals that deserted them last season, they’ll be a force to reckon with again.
Who’ll be Hurler of the Year?
I’m going for 20/1 long-shot TJ Reid. I think he’ll be key to any Kilkenny success this year.
Tell us a young gun to keep an eye on?
Such a tough call when there hasn’t been so much as an angry fist-pump-after-scoring-a-point yet but I’m going for Cork’s Alan Cadogan.
Who’ll lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September?
Kilkenny. They haven’t gone away you know.
This summer I expect to see…
Like Ulster in peil, I think Munster may be too competitive for its own good and Kilkenny will breeze through Leinster and win it all. It’s science.
Paul Fennessy
2013 was the greatest hurling summer – what are you most looking forward to about the 2014 season?
The sheer unpredictability of it all. For many years, it seemed as if Kilkenny ultimately triumphing was a mere formality and it got a little boring after a while. I expect this year to be similarly exciting to last year, with four or five teams having a genuine chance of winning the All-Ireland.
And of course, the baffling sight of Sky screening some of the games, with the SSN crew struggling manfully to pronounce various names of counties and players.
Call it: name your Munster and Leinster champions, and why?
I’m going with Clare in Munster — they have the best team on paper and have a seemingly endless supply of talented young players coming through the ranks. Unless they suffer an almighty hangover from their All-Ireland win last year, they should prove too strong for the rest of the pack.
In Leinster, Kilkenny looked very strong in the league this year and will be desperate to recover from last year’s disappointing campaign, so I’m backing them, despite my heart telling me it’ll be Dublin.
Who’ll be Hurler of the Year?
Kikenny’s TJ Reid has looked in imposing form in recent times, so he’s a strong candidate, while I expect Tony Kelly, Podge Collins and a fair few of their Clare teammates to continue where they left off in last year’s competition.
Tell us a young gun to keep an eye on?
Clare obviously have several that could step up (as many did last year), but Dublin’s Cian O’Callaghan has looked impressive whenever I’ve seen him play, and could make a big difference to the senior side this year.
Who’ll lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September?
Clare, Tipperary, Cork, Galway and Dublin should all strongly challenge, but I fancy Kilkenny, provided their top players stay fit, to make up for last year’s anomaly and add yet another win to their collection.
This summer I expect to see…
Kilkenny back to their best, Sky Sports News presenters looking baffled and impressed in equal measure, and more than a few controversies.
Eamon Donoghue
2013 was the greatest hurling summer – what are you most looking forward to about the 2014 season?
For me I can’t wait to see how Aidan Walsh gets on this year for Cork. He certainly has the talent to make it work but you’d imagine something will have to give. Cork hurling fans will hope that it’ll be the footballers who lose out. Let’s see.
Call it: name your Munster and Leinster champions, and why?
Munster – I think Clare or Tipp. And I’ll put my heart over my head and say Clare.
Leinster – The Galway team seem to have hit a wall. Dublin will push hard, but I expect Kilkenny to do enough.
Who’ll be Hurler of the Year?
If I’m going for Cork for the All-Ireland, I’ll have to pick Patrick Horgan or Seamus Harnedy.
Tell us a young gun to keep an eye on?
Colm Cronin will play a key role for Dublin. Kilkenny’s Padraig Walsh is another whose progress this year will be worth keeping an eye on.
Who’ll lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September?
I’m going to go with Cork. They weren’t far off last summer and they’ve improved this year. Clare, Tipp and of course Kilkenny will all have something to say about that though.
This summer I expect to see…
Munster being insanely competitive and whoever does come out, like last year, I expect to be turned over by another Munster team to win the All-Ireland.
Patrick McCarry
2013 was the greatest hurling summer – what are you most looking forward to about the 2014 season?
It will be fascinating to see if Clare’s young bucks can live up to the favourites’ tag in big matches while Kilkenny will be working up a froth to get their trophy back. Dublin were unlucky with some reffing decisions last year but hopefully they can push on again.
Call it: name your Munster and Leinster champions, and why?
Munster – I’ll go for Tipperary here, beating Cork in the final.
Leinster – The Cats will romp to the Leinster title and thrash some unfortunate team in the SF or final.
Who’ll be Hurler of the Year?
If I’m backing Kilkenny, and I am, I will go with TJ Reid.
Tell us a young gun to keep an eye on?
Everyone knows about Clare’s Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell. I will go for 22-year-old Cats player Padraig Walsh, younger brother of the excellent Tommy.
Who’ll lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September?
Kilkenny, if they can get a settled 15 with the squad members (including Sheff, if and when he is fit) buying into impact roles off the bench. Two ifs and a when in there!
This summer I expect to see…
Masses of teenage girls descending on wherever Clare’s young Beatles are in action.
Paul Hosford
2013 was the greatest hurling summer – what are you most looking forward to about the 2014 season?
So many storylines. Clare and Cork putting down the difficult second album, Kilkenny resurgent and Dublin and Tipp playing with something to prove. Personally can’t wait to see how Cork’s new additions bed in and if it’s enough to bring Liam home.
Call it: name your Munster and Leinster champions, and why?
Munster – Cork. I think we’ll catch Clare off-guard, but I think they’ll get stronger as the year goes on.
Leinster – Kilkenny. This is a huge year for the Cats and I expect them to come out firing.
Who’ll be Hurler of the Year?
TJ Reid or Pat Horgan.
Tell us a young gun to keep an eye on?
Padraig Walsh in Kilkenny and Alan Cadogan in Cork. Both younger brothers of well-established stars, both could light it up.
Who’ll lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September?
Cork will beat Kilkenny 1-16 to 0-15.
This summer I expect to see…
Sky attempt to bill an early-round game from Wexford as a legitimate alternative to the World Cup.
