Davy Fitzgerald is unique. Like him or not, he always has an interesting take on life or sport. Many moons ago his trademark run out of the Munster Championship tunnel, like a greyhound out of the traps, and making a beeline for the goal where he would bate the black spot for all he was worth, indicated this lad's passion couldn't be questioned. Management is different. Not only do you have to think about what to say to your team. You need to consider how your words will be interpreted. Even then you can be judged not by what's being said but your actions. It's clearly been a turbulent week in the Banner. Whatever the real story behind the conflicting statements this week, clearly there has been disquiet in the Clare camp and the question is what impact it has on the rest of their season. Sometimes such events have been proven to galvinise a panel. Bottom line is that apart from Brian Cody, a job as an intercounty manager has a short timeframe. Ironic though that hurling's greatest manager should, like Davy, find himself bidding to avoid a relegation battle this weekend. Richie Hogan is a class act and his first half performance against Tipp last weekend kept the cats in contention heading for the break. But Seamus Callinan showed up some serious defensive frailties in the Cats defence as you'll see here from 1.43
I've heard some say that the return of the Ballyhale crew is unlikely to revive Kilkenny fortunes this season. Come on.
The Fennelly and Reid brothers and Joey Holden would seriously enhance any squad and they will prove to be the spine of Kilkenny 2015.
With Cork and Tipperary through to the quarter-finals, the only issue to be decided from their clash in Pairc Ui Rinn is which of them finishes top of the group. Both have won three of four games. This will be their first clash since last year’s All-Ireland semi-final which Tipperary won by 2-18 to 1-11. They also beat Cork (3-25 to 4-19) in last year’s Allianz League quarter-final so a real acid test for JBM against Eamon O Shea's improving Tipperary.
Dublin and Galway are level on four points but irrespective of the result in Parnell Park, Galway will qualify for the semi-finals. That’s because they have beaten both Clare and Kilkenny (2 points each) whereas Dublin lost to Clare so the head-to-head rule could come into play.
It's not only the Six Nations finale that will be solved by calculators this weekend.
Allianz League playoffs - The Maths
If Dublin win or draw with Galway, they will join Cork, Tipperary and Galway in the quarter-finals. If they lose, the Kilkenny-Clare game will decide if Dublin will be involved in a relegation play-off for a second successive year. If Kilkenny win and Dublin lose, Ger Cunningham’s men will avoid the relegation tie as they have already beaten Kilkenny. In that case the relegation play-off would be between Clare and Kilkenny. However, it Clare win, Dublin will play Kilkenny in the relegation play-off as they lost to Davy Fitzgerald’s men last Saturday.
Irrespective of the result in the Kilkenny-Clare game, Kilkenny, who won the Allianz League title for a third successive year in 2014, will be involved in a relegation play-off against Dublin or Clare. Some turnaround.
The quarter-finals slots (Waterford, Wexford, Limerick and Offaly) and relegation play-off (Laois v Antrim) are already decided, leaving the promotion place to 1A as the only major issue to be settled in the final series of games.
The Wexford (6 points) v Waterford (7 points) game will decide who tops the group. A draw would be sufficient for Waterford. The counties did not meet in last year’s Allianz League as Waterford were in 1A but they served up a great contest in the All-Ireland qualifiers last July, with Wexford winning by 3-15 to 2-15.
Should be an interesting weekend.
