Saturday
Leinster SHC, Round Two
Dublin v Kildare, Parnell Park, 3pm
If Dublin are actual contenders for Leinster, they can’t be scaring the life out of themselves like they did last weekend. For all the fizz and skill that Offaly brought to their opener, nothing Dublin faced should have surprised them. Kildare ultimately ran out of steam against Wexford and got a lesson in taking their chances. Could be the same here. Verdict: Dublin
Galway v Offaly, Pearse Stadium, 3.30pm
RM Block
Micheál Donoghue has changed the players and changed the style of play – now to change the generations-old charge of flakiness. This is the sort of game Galway teams would reliably make a mess of in the past, failing to follow up a signature win when fancied. They take on an Offaly side whose young bucks are more seasoned than theirs and who are on a mission. The bookies have the spread at Galway -11, which seems like an over-reaction. Expect Offaly to be in this down the stretch. Verdict: Galway
Kilkenny v Wexford, Nowlan Park, 6.30pm – Live on GAA+
There are no certainties with Kilkenny now. The kind of livid aggression that came as standard for as long as anybody can remember was absent in Salthill last weekend and once again they looked like a team caught in a culture war. Kilkenny’s ingrained way of playing, with a heavy accent on directness, is no longer as effective as it used to be against elite teams. That has been true since the final years of Brian Cody’s time.
Whether Wexford have the wherewithal to exploit Kilkenny’s current vulnerability is all that matters. Without Lee Chin and others they were extremely poor in the early rounds of the league and were well beaten by a mid-strength Clare team too. That form won’t be good enough here. Verdict: Kilkenny
Sunday
Munster SHC, Round Two
Cork v Limerick, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 2pm – Live on RTÉ2
Limerick have beaten Cork three times already this year, twice in the league and once in preseason. In two of those games Cork gave themselves no chance with their team selection. Even in the league final they held a couple of players back and weren’t nearly as tactically savvy as they were last Sunday.
So, this is the test of Cork’s progress under Ben O’Connor. Limerick are not going to throw any curve balls. Their structure and modus operandi are common knowledge. In the league final they dominated the middle third where a handful of Cork’s pillar players couldn’t get on the ball.
The challenge for Cork is to create the kind of running lanes that have discommoded Limerick in three of their last four championship meetings. Compressing space has been one of Limerick’s superpowers and that will be the pressure point here.
Outside of Croke Park, Páirc Uí Chaoimh is the fastest track in the country. With the weather set fair, Cork’s front eight will have optimal conditions for their explosiveness – if they can somehow wangle Limerick’s permission.
Match-ups will be critical again. Ciarán Joyce will surely pick up Shane O’Neill, as he did successfully in the League final, now that Aaron Gillane is injured and absent. With David Reidy’s licence to roam Niall O’Leary is likely to be his policeman with Seán O’Donoghue on Peter Casey. But that still leaves huge questions about who will tag Cian Lynch and a resurgent Gearóid Hegarty.
The decline in Cork’s goal threat has been a theme of their performances this year – just one gifted goal in four games against Limerick and Tipp. Nobody expects to beat Limerick with points alone. But Cork have scope for improvement and Gillane’s absence might tip the scales in their favour. Verdict: Cork
Waterford v Tipperary, Walsh Park, 4pm – Live on GAA+
In the short history of the round-robin system there are plenty of precedents for teams exploding from a flat performance with something completely different, even a week later. Tipperary never got off the ground against Cork, losing the battle in a host of key metrics: matchups, breaking ball, number of shots.
Waterford brought terrific energy and aggression to Ennis and must take huge encouragement from that performance. Though they were relegated in the league, Waterford were the only team to beat Limerick and they should have beaten Kilkenny in Nowlan Park too. Their over-reliance on Stephen Bennett for scores is a concern, but his output in big games is extraordinarily consistent. Tipp are vulnerable, Waterford will have no fear. Verdict: Waterford
