GAA All Ireland Hurling Finals 2012, Páirc an Chrócaigh

Minors Final from 1:15pm:

DUBLIN - C Mac Gabhann; E Lowndes, C O'Callaghan, S Barrett; E O'Donnell, R Murphy, S McClelland; C Costello, C Cronin; C McHugh, C Boland, D Gormley; C Conway, O O'Rorke, P Winters.

REF: Alan Kelly - Galway

TIPPERARY - P Maher; R Maher, M Breen, J Peters; T Fox, T Hamill, B Heffernan; B Maher, S Cahill; J McGrath, D Fitzell, S Maher; T Gallagher, J Shelly, M McCarthy.

Seniors Final from 3:30pm

GALWAY - J Skehill; J Coen, K Hynes, F Moore; N Donoghue, T Regan, D Collins; I Tannian, A Smith, D Burke, N Burke, C Donnellan; D Hayes, J Canning, J Regan.

REF: James McGrath - Westmeath


KILKENNY - D Herity; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, J Tyrell; T Walsh, B Hogan, K Joyce; M Fennelly, R Hogan; C Buckley, R Power, E Larkin (capt); TJ Reid, W Walsh, H Shefflin.

Tomorrow will be more like Goundhog Day for the four teams playing. All teams will be hoping to make Sunday the definitive final, and take the cup back to their county. In the minors, the teams finished level at the end of a high quality contest three weeks ago, with two late Paul Winters frees for Dublin bringing them back into the game. Tipperary's last title at the grade came in 2007 when they defeated Galway, while Dublin have to go all the way back to 1965 for their last triumph - a gap of 47 years.

For the seniors, things get a bit more intense - could it be third time lucky for Galway, having defeated Kilkenny once already this season? Not if King Henry has anything to do with it. His county will be chasing a special place in history. If they win, Henry Shefflin will win his ninth All-Ireland medal, and would become the first man in either Gaelic football or hurling to do so on the field of play. Galway certainly won't make it easy for them if they can help it though. They'll be looking for their first win in a hurling final since 1988. Expect a tough and exciting encounter tomorrow. Hopefully it will end though...no more replays!

Speaking of the minors, the Dubs are losing Ciarán Kilkenny. He's off to Oz this winter to play for Hawthorn in the AFL

Forecast's not looking bad for this afternoon...the pitch may be slippery under foot though.

http://uk.weather.com/weather/today-Dublin-EIXX0014?fromSearch=true

0-01 after 50 seconds to Dublin, but now Tipp equalize. The Dubs have had a good start though.

1-03 for Tipp and 0-02 for the Dubs. Great goal for Tipp. Shame for the Dubs, they've been applying good pressure.

1-04 to 0-02 after eleven minutes.

2-04 to 0-04 now...the Dubs have to stop making mistakes...they almost let in a third there!

2-05 to 0-05 after 20 minutes. Not sure if the Dubs are going to catch up at this rate - they've had two wides in a row now.

HT 2-10 to 0-05. The Dubs have been totally outclassed...I'm hoping they can come back second half.

John McGrath and Ronan Maher are a replicas of big brothers Noel and Padraic. Both will soon be joining them on the senior panel.

Hi Blue - I thought they were related. Tipp must be breeding hurlers like Kilkenny!

I fear for the Dubs though....sounds like a tough second half coming...

The Dubs are good players, it's just that Tipp have a very good generation of minors, last year, this year and for another couple of years in both codes. Huge emphasis has been placed on the basic skills at underage level and you can see it today. Next few years going to be really interesting for Tipp. I might be something or nothing.

John McGrath is really highly rated in both codes.

2-11 to 0-07 now.

I keep hearing the same names on the commentary I'm listening to on the radio - McGrath, Maher, Winters...

Tipp just extended their lead as I typed that too.

Cari, you heard about the Dub football minors parting with Harry Potter last week. Last year the seniors partied with The Saturdays girl band. I worry about the company the seniors keep.

Only 2 wides for Tipp and the Dubs have made about 8.

There are a few Mahers on the Tipp team too, hard to tell if they are related to the seniors, Maher, along with Ryan being the most common surnames in Tipp.

bluemoda wrote:Cari, you heard about the Dub football minors parting with Harry Potter last week. Last year the seniors partied with The Saturdays girl band. I worry about the company the seniors keep.

Yeah I read about the Harry Potter meeting....very disappointed from the seniors - The Saturdays aren't even a cool band to hang out with. Thankfully, Bernie has dropped his "model" girlfriend, so hopefully his performances on the pitch will improve significantly!

Ha that's confusing Blue - I've heard about four different Maher's now!

Cari wrote:2-11 to 0-07 now.

I keep hearing the same names on the commentary I'm listening to on the radio - McGrath, Maher, Winters...

Tipp just extended their lead as I typed that too.

Can you not get a live stream. Is Irish TV not available on sky in the UK?

I don't have Sky only Freeview, and the links I use only show the seniors. I don't mind listening on the radio, it's still exciting. Sounds like the Dubs aren't giving up and are playing their little hearts out...it's just not converting to points.

Cari wrote:

bluemoda wrote:Cari, you heard about the Dub football minors parting with Harry Potter last week. Last year the seniors partied with The Saturdays girl band. I worry about the company the seniors keep.

Yeah I read about the Harry Potter meeting....very disappointed from the seniors - The Saturdays aren't even a cool band to hang out with. Thankfully, Bernie has dropped his "model" girlfriend, so hopefully his performances on the pitch will improve significantly!

Really enjoyed both championships this year, pity it's nearly over. I believe Donegal last week was a crazy, crazy on Monday night, spilled over into Derry, I believe.

Tipp are showing off now.

Yeah I've really enjoyed it too from over here. Can you imagine what Galway will be like when they win?

bluemoda wrote:Tipp are showing off now.

The commentator called it "show boating"

2-16 0-09.

GOAL DUBLIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cari wrote:

bluemoda wrote:Cari, you heard about the Dub football minors parting with Harry Potter last week. Last year the seniors partied with The Saturdays girl band. I worry about the company the seniors keep.

Yeah I read about the Harry Potter meeting....very disappointed from the seniors - The Saturdays aren't even a cool band to hang out with. Thankfully, Bernie has dropped his "model" girlfriend, so hopefully his performances on the pitch will improve significantly!

That's what I though, they most certainly are not cool. Bernard was looking rough all year. The motto of the story is don't date "models" if you are a serious inter-county player.

Goal for Dublin.

Aye you see it in rugby - Gavin Henson, Ben Foden (still playing but injured) and Danny Cipriani are all casualties of "celebrity" girlfriends.

Cari wrote:Yeah I've really enjoyed it too from over here. Can you imagine what Galway will be like when they win?

I think Galway will win this and win well. I seem to be alone on this though.

Not alone Blue - I'm going for them too...a lot of supporters are.

Still an eight point margin. Can't see the Dubs getting back now...

Cari wrote:Aye you see it in rugby - Gavin Henson, Ben Foden (still playing but injured) and Danny Cipriani are all casualties of "celebrity" girlfriends.

What did happen to Cipriani? He was a real talked about prospect, but where did he go?

Cari wrote:Not alone Blue - I'm going for them too...a lot of supporters are.

Still an eight point margin. Can't see the Dubs getting back now...

Not a chance. Tipp taken foot of the pedal.

He went to Australia, but then they sent him back. He's at Sale now.

I see Noel McGrath is acting as waterboy for the minors. That's nice.

FT 2-18 1-11

Well done Tipp. Frustrating for the Dubs again...they're becoming the perpetual bridesmaids for the minor hurling...

Cari wrote:He went to Australia, but then they sent him back. He's at Sale now.

What a waste of talent. He must be in his late 20s now or thereabouts.

He's only 24. Ruined his international career. I doubt he'll be seen in an England shirt again unless he can really turn things around.

Cari wrote:FT 2-18 1-11

Well done Tipp. Frustrating for the Dubs again...they're becoming the perpetual bridesmaids for the minor hurling...

In fairness hurling in Dublin had sunk very low and they have done brilliantly to build it back up but nobody is entitled to an All-Ireland.

No you're right, it's who's good enough not the most deserving. It must be annoying for them though to get to two AI finals in a row and not win anything. Makes last week even more frustrating for them.

Cari wrote:He's only 24. Ruined his international career. I doubt he'll be seen in an England shirt again unless he can really turn things around.

What was her name and isn't she famous for well, nothing at all? Hasn't she landed another rugby player or something?

bluemoda wrote:

Cari wrote:He went to Australia, but then they sent him back. He's at Sale now.

What a waste of talent. He must be in his late 20s now or thereabouts.

No sympathy whatsoever.

Yeah Kelly Brook...she's with Tom Evans now who used to play for Scotland, but he'd had his serious injury before she came along.

Back later for the biggy...

Cody has dropped Fennelly, that's a shocker.

Cari wrote:Yeah Kelly Brook...she's with Tom Evans now who used to play for Scotland, but he'd had his serious injury before she came along.

Back later for the biggy...

Oh,

Come on Galway!!!!

It's all square after 8 minutes.

Two great Galway goals within a minute!!!!!!!!!

Suddenly this game's gone crazy and Kilkenny get a goal.

2-02 to 1-05

Kilkenny well ahead now after half an hour

1-11 to 2-03.

HT 1-11 to 2-04

Galway need to up their game a bit second half.

Galway have lost this. 42 minutes in.

They're fighting back - disallowed goal and the post saved Kilkenny's backsides. They've given away a lot of frees.