Shane Dowling column: There is not a single person who could say that these double headers are working
Here’s hoping for a different approach in 2025. One quarter-final on Saturday evening, the other on a Sunday afternoon. The atmosphere at either would be a far cry from what we had last Saturday.
Last Saturday was a shining example of how not to stage big knockout hurling games.
A Saturday lunchtime double header simply doesn’t work. But we knew that already after the last couple of years. Can we not be back here again in 12 months’ time please?
We had club training on Saturday at 8.30am. I got home for 9.45am and by the time I was out of the shower all I could hear was ‘beep beep’. Anthony Daly was outside.
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The breakfast was squashed into a lunchbox as I was racing around the house. Dalo was lucky I only left him waiting 10 minutes.
The point is, it was all such a rush and I’m sure it was the same in households across the four counties and beyond. Quite frankly, it suited nobody.
Liam Sheedy described it as non-contact hurling. I would have to say, having been at the games, the standard mirrored the atmosphere - lethargic.
There is not a single person who could say that these double headers are working.
So here’s hoping for a different approach in 2025. One quarter-final on Saturday evening, the other on a Sunday afternoon. The atmosphere at either would be a far cry from what we had last Saturday.
Having said that, I was starting to enjoy the second game after 25 minutes and thought it was going to be a cliffhanger.
But Rory O’Connor was silly in his second offence. For the first, Johnny Murphy will tell you that he applied the rules correctly but, if I was in his position, I would have said something like, ‘Rory, just be careful, I don’t want to be dishing out cards this early’ and on we go.
But having been booked, O’Connor shouldn’t have been going in so aggressively in the challenge that resulted in his second yellow.
Once Keith Rossiter reflects on the season, he will be as proud as he is sickened.
Sickened in the sense that they were in control of their first two games against Dublin and Antrim and only took a point from them. Not to mention the bizarre penalty that Kilkenny were awarded against them.
They really ought to have been in a Leinster final but for his first year, Rossiter has done a top job.
A concern, however, is that several of his main players are pushing on. The likes of Lee Chin, Conor McDonald, Matt O’Hanlon and Mark Fanning to name a few. Not old enough to retire, but he needs a fresh injection of youth.
And there are lessons to be learned - each game counts, whether it’s round one or five.
Dublin, meanwhile, improved from their Leinster final showing but, being brutally honest, that wouldn’t have been hard.
I believe it’s important that Micheal Donoghue stays with the project, because that’s exactly what it is.
They blew hot and cold this year. Eoghan O’Donnell, for example, was sensational last Saturday but it looked like he wanted to be anywhere but Croke Park in the Leinster final.
Sean Brennan was very good too but had a meltdown the previous day.
Danny Sutcliffe and Chris Crummey have a lot of hurling done and, like Wexford, they could do with another influx of young talent.
It’s important that these counties get their houses in order in the close season so that they can attack 2025.
What a legacy Micheál leaves behind
Anyone of a GAA background with a media platform has had their say on the late, great Micheal Ó Muircheartaigh this week.
Although his legend is enormous, I was still struck by a particular detail on his death notice. He will repose from 11am-8pm today. I have never known a wake to last for nine hours or anything like it.
And yet it’s entirely understandable given the breadth of people that will want to attend because of the man he was.
It’s fairly safe to say that we will never, ever see his likes again.
I grew up in an era where all the big games were live on TV. Tuning into the wireless as a 12-year-old in the mid-2000s wasn’t the done thing, so for that reason he resonates with older generations more than mine.
And yet, people my age and younger truly appreciate his greatness and that’s saying something.
I met him just once, when Na Piarsaigh staged a competition, part of which was a quiz for which Micheál was putting the questions. Needless to say, it sold out in no time.
He is not just a GAA icon but a national icon, respected by all rather than some.
Rest in peace, Micheál. As you said so often, the final whistle has blown, but what a legacy you’ve left behind.
Semi-final weekend shouldn't play second fiddle to Euros
Next weekend is, I believe, the greatest weekend in the hurling calendar.
It is my favourite couple of days of the year and I always ensure to make the most of it.
I’ll hit for Dublin on Saturday and enjoy both games - they should be a pair of crackers.
Similar to the quarter-finals, however, we will have just finished lunch and the ball will be thrown-in as all as to be done and dusted in time for a Euro 2024 quarter-final, which grates a little.
Rather than 3pm on Saturday on 4pm on Sunday, 5pm and 3pm would have been more suitable throw-in times for the respective games. You’d wonder why we have to play second fiddle to other codes for our biggest games.
There may be a perception of the hurling fraternity always moaning about something, but it’s important to keep highlighting own goals like this in the hope that better decisions are made in future.
Next weekend should be all about hurling and the games milked for all their worth from a promotional point of view. The floating hurling follower should be given every chance to take in all of the action.
Instead, a tournament with no Irish interest will be locking down the main TV slots and the talk will be of Gareth Southgate and Ronaldo rather than the cream of our hurlers.
Next weekend is the best of what hurling has got and we should be trying to draw people into what could be games for the ages, as semi-finals have been so often over the years.
As Eddie Keher said this week, hurling is the best game in the world and we should be proud of it and promote it far better than has been the case of late.
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