1. Tipperary’s resurgence
Moods can change quickly. Tipperary looked to be in a state of despair after their opening night capitulation by 11 points against Cork.
Yet all those bad vibes have now been washed away. Tipperary altered the course of their campaign to finish top of the Division 1A table.
Apart from the late slump which cost them against Waterford, they showed impressive signs in narrowly pipping Kilkenny and fashioning emphatic wins over Galway and Clare.
Gearoid Ryan and Seamus Hennessy are sidelined through injury but their panel is generally strong. While in their attack Seamus Callanan, Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett have all hinted that they are keen to thrive this season.
2. Fennelly and Hogan point the way
Speaking of revivals, Kilkenny launched their own league comeback this season. Yesterday’s 0-20 to 2-12 win over Cork in Nowlan Park saw them book their semi-final spot and claim their third successive victory.
Central to their qualification for the knockout stages, after suffering two opening defeats, was the input yesterday of Richie Hogan and Colin Fennelly. The attacking duo shone as they fired 0-4 apiece.
In a campaign where some of Kilkenny’s youngsters were handed gametime, it was Hogan and Fennelly who produced the goods when it mattered most. They are two players who have had to show patience during their inter-county careers and serve apprenticeships. Yesterday it was they who showed the way.
3. The impact of Davy Glennon
To the wider hurling world, Davy Glennon was best known in 2012 for his contribution as a sub in the drawn All-Ireland final when he won the free that Joe Canning arrowed over to force a replay.
But with the St Thomas contingent absent this spring, no one has capitalised more than Glennon.
The diminutive Mullagh player has been given an extended run of games in a half-forward role. He is a busy, energetic figure and brought those qualities to the fore yesterday in Walsh Park as he flighted over four points from play in Galway’s 0-15 to 0-12 win over Waterford.
4. Cork and Clare ponder the drop
For two sides that occupied places in the table that saw them bound for the league semi-finals at the start of the day, Cork and Clare found the campaign ended on a low note.
In Clare’s case, they could not have any complaints yesterday as they were emphatically defeated by Tipperary. Their narrow defeats previously at home to Waterford and Kilkenny hurt them. Cork put in a wonderfully committed effort against Kilkenny but being outscored by 0-9 to 1-1 in the final 23 minutes of the game proved costly.
For both teams – who contain young and emerging talents – the key now is to focus their minds on a crunch relegation decider.
5. Dublin and Limerick set for key showdown
As expected beforehand, it has come to pass that Dublin and Limerick will battle for the bragging rights in next Saturday’s Division 1B final. They were able to hold off resistance from Wexford and Offaly to secure the top two places in the table.
Dublin have performed strongly in the wake of their poor display in losing to Limerick in Croke Park. While John Allen’s side have come nicely to the boil in recent weeks after a slow start to the campaign.
It’s going to be a critical match with both looking for a pre-championship boost. Dublin want to prove that this sojourn in Division 1B is a brief one. Limerick want to prove they can finally clamber up to the top tier after three seasons in the second level. It should be an engaging showdown.
