Two rounds of games into Leinster SHC and we have learned a couple of things. Kilkenny will be advancing deep into the championship and Carlow have found life tricky with the Leinster Hurling elite. Hawkeye Sidekick reflects on the action so far and points to areas where each side will focus on in the closing rounds of the provincial championship.
Kilkenny impressive early
Kilkenny have started this championship in good form. They were given a scare from Dublin in the opening round but thanks to some shrewd managerial half time switches and the attacking threat of the Ballyhale Shamrocks contingent, the game was secured and was followed up with a routine victory over near neighbors Carlow on the road.
Two games left on the schedule with a home game against Galway and a road trip fixture to Wexford; two games which should provide plenty of evidence on how deep Brian Cody’s side will go in the championship this summer.
Looking Forward:
TJ Reid has been in sparkling form for Kilkenny this season. He has continued his club form with the county and coupled with the likes of Colin Fennelly and rookie Adrian Mullen, they have lit up the championship.
The potential issue from Kilkenny is who else can fill the void for TJ Reid if the talisman threat is restricted from the forty. The panel contains plenty of promising prospects but can the likes of Richie Leahy assume the leadership role in the scoring department?
The injury list for Kilkenny has allowed Brian Cody to run the rule over his goalkeeping and full back positions. The schedule has been kind to Kilkenny but tougher tests lie ahead. Kilkenny defensive middle will be peppered in the next few weeks and whether Kilkenny have a backup plan if the defensive middle is exposed is a different story.
Galway: Life without Joe
The injury to Joe Canning saw plenty of Galway locals question how the squad would cope without the talisman. We are going to find out now as Galway’s key tests begin in this championship with a crunch fixture against Wexford.
The win over Carlow was an interesting affair. Carlow provided stiff resistance for long periods and it was a good test for the Galway players looking for game time to impress management. Niall Burke took his chance and should be a key player for Galway in Canning’s absence.
A win over Wexford will see Galway within touching distance of securing a top three berth and with Dublin already under massive pressure, Galway could be in prime position to qualify before this fixture takes place.
Looking Forward:
Has Galway built up the squad depth in the off season to offset any further injury blows? Canning is out and what happens if someone like Daithi Burke were to go down with injury. The full back options look limited. This series of games will test squad depth and rotation. The squad depth verdict is still open for many Galway hurling supporters particularly the spine of the side so it will be interesting to see how the panel fare.
The scoring impetus will be duly noted. The absence of Joe Canning should mean more added responsibility to others in the forward line to express themselves. The hope is that Niall Burke, Jason Flynn, Joseph Cooney, Jonathan Glynn, Cathal Mannion provide the scoring nous required. Leadership is required from the forward line.
Dublin: Under pressure, backs against the wall!
This championship season saw optimism aplenty for Dublin. New management, a promising NHL campaign suggested that Dublin would be competitive but only one point from their first two championship games has exposed issues at both ends of the park.
The road trip to Kilkenny on the opening championship weekend was seen by many as an opportunity for Dublin to expose the injury crisis of the hosts. It all started so well but once Liam Rushe threat was snuffed out in attack, Dublin were unable to score at the rate required to secure the win. The defense also struggled to contain the threat of the Kilkenny forward line.
The home fixture against Wexford was a mixed bag. The exhilaration of a last gasp goal to salvage a draw but for long periods, Wexford controlled the middle third exchanges and Dublin’s attacking threat was inconsistent. There are issues to ponder for Mattie Kenny and backroom staff ahead of the final championship fixtures which sees a do or die fixture against Galway and a road trip to Carlow.
Looking Forward:
The key indicator for Dublin is how the likes of Danny Sutcliffe and Liam Rushe are involved in proceedings. If these two star players are on the ball influencing events, good things will happen for Dublin.
Both have had good cameos but they need to come more into these games. They will only achieve this influence if the side are on the front foot and look to attack with the sliothar and not look to clog up the middle third from a defensive sense.
The Galway fixture is the key game for Mattie Kenny’s side. They need to win this fixture, a home game and one where the side must deliver a performance. The thinking would be that they account for Carlow and five points is the magic number. All to play for but attacking potency needs to improve.
Wexford tactical switch required
Wexford were a puck of a sliothar away from securing a massive road trip to Dublin last weekend; thought they deserved the win on the balance of play as their key men delivered.
The goal conceded at the death was a mysterious concession with so many players on the line. Once the goalkeeper made the decision to come out and save the free, the responsibility is on the net minder and once he missed the sliothar, the ball evaded several others players in the goal. Disappointing concession.
The first game out and Wexford have hit the ground running. Impressive conditioning and work rate last weekend from the side when you compare Limerick’s performance. The opening championship game can be a tricky one to get right from a performance. Davy Fitzgerald got the team prep spot on.
Looking Forward:
Another road trip game, this time to Galway. Wexford should be looking to deliver a performance against a side who embarrassed them badly last season at Innovate Park. The work rate and tempo will be key for Wexford to unsettle a Galway side without the leadership of Joe Canning. Do not be surprised if Wexford get a result in Galway!
The tactical game plan may require a tweak. This Wexford side can express themselves more in attack but they are setup too defensively personally. There are times when Wexford will need to be defensive but would like the side to take a game by the scruff of the neck. They have the players to do so. O’Connor, McDonald, Chin are attacking threats. The running game should be a key weapon for Wexford considering their middle third pace and power. A key season for Davy Fitzgerald and team. Wexford expects!
Carlow look to take a notable scalp!
Carlow have drawn a tricky opening first two rounds of the Leinster SHC. A road trip to All Ireland finalists Galway and then a home game against near neighbors and hurling aristocrats Kilkenny has provided Colm Bonnar’s side with first hand knowledge of the level required to compete in Tier I hurling.
Carlow impressed me when they played Galway in round one. They were well conditioned and several players caught the eye. Kavanagh and Doyle in forward line hit some lovely scores. Carlow were unlucky with some officiating decisions against them which thwarted any momentum to reduce the deficit to less than three points in the third quarter of the second half.
The home fixture against Kilkenny was a tough ask; they competed well but Kilkenny were typical Kilkenny. They went for the throat early and secured the game winning margin early. I am sure Carlow will dust themselves down and look with optimism for the rest of the championship.
Looking Forward:
Carlow are looking for a scalp in this championship. Dublin at home could be their opportunity provided that their discipline defensively improves. They have conceded far too many needless frees in the opening two rounds. The attacking threat is good and with Dublin under pressure, it is an opportunity for an upset. The Wexford road trip; another local derby game. The shackles should be off Carlow and they should go out and play their best hurling. No regrets!