Division 1A Hurling League report card: Grading every team ahead of final round
Tommy O'Connell of Cork is tackled by Adam English of Limerick during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A match between Limerick and Cork at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Picture: Tom Beary/Sportsfile
One more round of league action to see which two teams will contest the NHL Division 1A final. So before tomorrow’s action, here are the report card gradings for each team:
Hard for Cork not to be very pleased with how the league campaign has panned out. Won well against Waterford and Tipperary, showed great resolve to get over the line against Galway, and have really bolstered selection options ahead of championship. An ideal scenario looking for a team trying to win their first All-Ireland in over two decades.
Limerick defeat is the only blip so far, and it came from a very experimental team that contended well for large parts of the game.
Started off with a shock defeat to a Waterford side that had been thumped by Cork, but have been very impressive since. Decimated Tipperary in Thurles with what was arguably the best performance any team have posted so far.
Shane O’Brien and Aidan O’Connor have been very impressive, Caroline Currid is back and they’ll be serious contenders for the All-Ireland. Plenty to be pleased with so far.
Limerick defeat was worrying and they should have been better against Cork, but Tipperary have played some great hurling in this campaign, and the focus was always going to be on Munster. The league campaign has been used to its desired effect, and they should have no trouble beating Kilkenny.
That Kilkenny win certainly raised a few eyebrows. And why wouldn’t it? Followed significant victories over Waterford and Offaly and Aaron Niland has been in incredible form. He’s not the only youngster to make a notable impression, either. If they can beat Limerick, they’re almost certain to reach the league final.
A troubling campaign. Saved only by that last minute free Cian Kenny slotted over against Waterford.
Barely beat Offaly. Lost by seven against Limerick. Lucked their way over the line against Waterford. Bested by a youthful Cork. Torn to shreds by Galway.
Kilkenny are very, very fortunate not to be hovering one place above Offaly with two points and praying for a result against the All-Ireland champions to save themselves from Division 1B. The chatter about Leinster being wide open is more than merited; Kilkenny are under serious pressure heading into the championship.
The way that the Déise have found themselves relegated for 2027 will sting. They performed once in six games, and against Limerick of all teams. They collapsed against Kilkenny and collapsed again against Tipperary. They laboured over the line against a struggling Offaly.
Not the most favourable of ways to head into a Munster Championship, when they still remain the only team to still not have even once escaped the provincial stage in the round-robin format.
A league campaign to forget for the Faithful. Luck has not been on their side, that much is fair. Injuries have been rampant, but they’ve been completely uncompetitive, and desperately unconvincing.
Johnny Kelly is in his fourth season in charge of Offaly, but if they can’t turn things around for the Leinster Championship, his future at the helm will be questioned.
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