Is the performance as important as the result for Dublin?
A 13-POINT defeat in Salthill is not the ideal way to start a league campaign and Anthony Daly’s charges will be looking to bounce back immediately this weekend. However, facing the reigning All-Ireland champions Clare, that will be anything but easy.
Their cause is not helped by the fact the influential Paul Ryan will miss the game with a groin injury while David and Cian O’Callaghan both battle the flu. However, with Daly suggesting this week that the Galway defeat was down to Dublin playing at challenge match level, it might as important for the Blues to put in a performance as secure the win.
Kilkenny’s lack of goals costing them games
Kilkenny scored just one goal from play — Walter Walsh against Dublin — in their ill-fated 2013 All-Ireland title bid. Of course, they countered that by piling on the points (an average of 20 per game) but their inability to raise the green flag surfaced again against Clare last weekend.
First Walter Walsh missed an open goal when he tried to kick the sliotar home and then Henry Shefflin missed a second half penalty. Of course, there’s no way of knowing for sure what would have happened had either of those chances gone in but, in a one point game, you’d have to expect Brian Cody’s men would have claimed the win.
Tipperary can’t afford to be as sluggish again
Workmanlike is probably the best description of Tipperary’s 2-13 to 0-16 defeat of Waterford under floodlights last Saturday night. While some will claim they were helped by a first half breeze, few can doubt the Déise were good value for their three point lead at the break.
However, while Séamus Callinan’s 1-4 did wonders for Tipp’s morale in the second half, they still had to rely on a bizarre goal from goalkeeper Darren Gleeson — not to mention 13 total wides from Waterford — to run out winners. If they start as poorly this weekend, the Cats surely won’t be as generous.
Cork must show some pop if they want promotion
At this stage, the Leesiders must be sick to death of 72nd minute equalisers after one cost them an All-Ireland title last September and yet another cost them a point last Saturday night.
The draw actually makes Division 1B incredibly exciting. Provided the rest of the games go to plan, it is now basically a shoot-out between Limerick and the Rebels with the side scoring the most over the remainder of the league campaign likely to be promoted.
Given that Cork put up 10-20 the last time they met Laois in a competitive fixture, tonight’s encounter might not be a bad place to start. However, Laois are unlikely to roll over lightly, buoyed as they are by last weekend’s historic win over Offaly in Tullamore.
Can Offaly bounce back from a shock defeat?
The Faithful County’s boss Brian Whelehan didn’t want to discuss Loughnane’s controversial comments about his players after they lost to Laois last weekend but something must account for their first defeat in Tullamore to their close neighbours in over 50 years.
A couple of late goals made the scoreline in that game much more respectable than it should have been and, while most in Offaly would have expected their team to go two for two in their opening pair of fixtures, the reality is that if they lose in New Ross this Sunday they’re likely to be in a relegation battle with Antrim to avoid the drop to Division 2A.
How they bounce back tomorrow will go a long way to determining the course of their season.
