Cork may be out of the championship but

Why do you make that statement about Waterford ? Look at all the trubbl Cork have had and Frank still in charge bit unfair really....and they may well put up to Tipp 2moro.....1/1 with 6pts lad

Jay, you are missing the point. Read the heading, it's nothing to do with the match tomorrow. Even if Waterford were to win this match they still have too many hurdles to overcome and the line is'nt the greatest assistance to the team on the field so please read what's written before replying.
Slabster, read my post

Well they should want to be winning All Irelands again before the likes of Antrim, Laois and Carlow. Dublin is on the way up, such a population could accommodate good sides in both codes and they have an awful lot of positives to take from the Underage teams coming through.

Slabster, read my post and for Ch***t's sake get a grip, be realistic. I forgot more about Wexford hurling than you will ever know.
Squigs, just dealing with the counties that are on the ball park or even periphery of the hurling championship and while in Dublin there may have been positives believe my post.
And finally Jay you made a bit of a pig's ear of it with your sower grapes, you see nothing to do with taking a beating. Where I am and have been for years we have been taking a beating every year. I am not a Corkman, whether you or any of ye believe that is immaterial fact is I am stating.....listen to it.... "Cork may be out of the champioship"...etc.You know this to be an irrefutable fact, it would be as easy for me to put Tipperary or Kilkenny in place of Cork. You will notice I don't mention Galway just there as they are capable of doing the business they can b4lls up but this year will prove if finally they got it right, suspect it may be as in the past too many prima donna's. Incidentally the Kilkenny team were not great on some occasions when they won the All-Ireland nor indeed were Tipperary impressive at all times in 2010 (30th May 2010) but structure and management saw them through, particularly management so until the other counties mentioned get the structure etc., correct my post remains and I stand ready to be corrected.

I wouldn't be so sure about Limerick or Waterford, they both have much classier young players coming through imo, especially in the forward division. Cork are extremely ordinary up front, actually scratch that, they are ordinary almost everywhere, Ben O'Conner is the only truly class hurler they have now imo.

Again everybody missing the point, Cork will sort out their problems on and off the field, they are shrewd enough to do that. It is taking time but it will happen. Meanwhile whatever hurlers Waterford or Limerick or indeed any of the other counties have is immaterial, structure will always be a problem. As to Waterford in particular just watch the match today BUT keep an eye on the line. The behaviour on the line in the Limerick game was a disgrace to say the least. You have to know your options and get the proper structure and management in place. Cork will, I feel, do it, it is taking longer than I expected but yesterdays game is most probably the catalyst required.And I sincerely hope Waterford win today ....but whether or which the assertion remains "Cork may be ....." watch this space.

Davy is a good manager.Clare will be a danger in a cpl of years when he takes over..!

I know a Cork fella who approached a woman one night and said..."Your a lovely looking girl...boy"...

Basically  we all know who will contest the All-Ireland this year, don't we?

Yes indeed we do.
Galway and Tipp

Cork better then:

1) Wexford..
(2) Offaly....
(3) Limerick
(4)Dublin...
(5)Clare...
(6)Antrim, Laois and Carlow..
(7)Waterford...

So what, bar Dublin none of the above can even dream of an All-Ireland this decade. Is being one of the least average team in a bunch of average teams something to be proud of?

Prove you wrong, you actually can't prove you are right, not to be to pedantic about it. Cork are buried in the pack at the minute with no young players of note coming through, that much would seem apparent.

Why will it prove to be true though?, just because its a big County like Cork, if its weight of numbers you use to support your theory Dublin will do you for that.

If it is tradition you are using to support your argument, then these things are cyclical, the GAA is only about 150 odd years old, limerick won a stack in the 30's barely won anything since, tradition doesn't entitle you to anything, BUT, what it can do is let you put in place the structures..........

which brings me on to the underage academies of which Tipp and Kilkenny were the forerunners, Limerick only got theirs going 5 odd years ago and they are reaping the benefits now, I'm not sure what the story is in Cork, but  Limerick and waterford definitely have good young players coming through these intensive coaching system.

There are likely to be more ructions at County Board level as well with himself still in charge.

I can see why you think Cork will be Cork and will be back soon or at least before the rest of the pack, but I don't see where their edge is, and while ye have history on yer side, these things have to come to end, its simple variance really.

Put it this way, in a matchbet, Cork v the rest of the chasing pack, who'll win an All Ireland first, 10/11 the pair, I'd probably be with the pack.

!

So, another championship is upon us, is underway in fact. Didn't the ref delight the crowd at Thurles on Sunday last? Question is was he under some type of instruction or was it fear of the Davy factor. Waterford were 4 points up at half time and should have been further ahead but the ref saw to it in the second half with three quick frees to Clare which were dubious enough, also why did he not take the name of the  Clare player who hit Moran on the hand, he booked Waterford players for less. He also penalised the Waterford players for dissent on a few occasions by moving the ball but each free to Waterford was greeted by dissent of Man Utd proportions and no action taken. Why did he not play the advantage to Fives when he was through on goal and had a chance of burying the ball to bring Waterford into the game? And I realise there is no advantage in hurling but THERE IS! The commentary even grated with Canning willing Clare on, but before anyone should come and say I am a sour Waterford person truth is as I have said before I am a neutral, one of the majority who wants to see fair play and I would be the first to say that Clare were technically better than Waterford on the day and have a strong panel I feel the ref took a hand at ensuring victory. As for Davy having a lunatic on the line, whether he's the media darling or not, is sometimes not the best option and as the championship progresses we will see whether his style will carry Clare through. No, Clare need the management team that had charge of the under 21 team last year but thank God for Davy as far as the other county teams are concerned as this Clare team could be in contention in a year or two for All Ireland honours. Why I brought this up it would be in the interest of other teams to ensure that they don't fall foul of a plot to ensure that the championship is to be peopled by teams beloved of the powers that be! It will be interesting when Cork meet Clare on the 23rd June whether the ref is as busy as he was last Sunday. I have a feeling Cork wouldn't tolerate the sh1t from the ref that Waterford put up with on Sunday last.
As for the rest of the championship I'll be talking as the weeks go on and musing to myself but my initial prediction holds true as far as I'm concerned.
PS The standard of hurling was terrible on Sunday last.

Davy Fitz is always was and always will be a pr1 ck and that is a fact,not even up for debate.

Well done Limerick, ye are sticking at it with John Allen and it's paying dividends, I'm delighted ye did that today and ye may even get a Munster final out of it, but.....................

Neill I agree that its good to have a few more counties improving, and getting involved, I am not getting carried away, as the standard is not very good.The Waterford/Clare game was poor and imho the better of two poor teams won. I'd say Waterford are on the slide. While accepting that the Limerick/Tipperary game was better, imho Tipp have slipped back and Limerick under the very shrewd John Allen are hurling to their maximum, and playing cute Cork style hurling. IMHO John Allen should have been encouraged by the Cork County Board to stay on as Manager, and in fact he should have been told 'the jobs yours for as long as you want it'. But any hurling enthusiast knows the 'ills' of this Cork County Bord, which is in fact the exact opposite to Kilkenny's County Board. Good to see Limerick in a Munster final and it will be a very winnable chance for them, regardless of whether its Cork or Clare. If the weather is similar to today in 2wks time (warm, dry, pitch lightning fast), I think Cork will be too quick for Clare, and with a decent referee  will be  bet in 2wks.

I think both Clare and Limerick have better players than Cork at this minute Jay. Where Clare look weak is in the full back line, but I think the Cork inside forward line is to quote Jack O'Shea 'markable' especially if they keep Pat horgan quiet.

Cork County Board have again got the opportunity to tell this manager, JBM  "the jobs yours for as long as you want it", but unlikely to happen. In the case of the footballers I think its time to go outside the County, for a proper tactical and astute manager. So for me I would be enticing Kieran McGeeney to Leeside as he has accomplished so much with Kildare. That would help get rid of the old pals act, clichés etc., in Cork football circles. Bring in a guy with no agenda only just wanting success. Unlikely to happen.

Should be a great final in two weeks with this surprise pairing, and its anyone's game. Al the Cork senior squad came through last weekends club games, with out any serios mishaps, and the County hurlers were all impressive, with a couple of the forwards lighting up the scoreboard. Lets hope for a good dry day on next Sunday week.