Opinion- League final wounds may need stitches but are far from fatal!

Alas, it wasn’t to be: Clare are Allianz Hurling League Champions, and didn’t they deserve it. Kilkenny were perhaps marginally on top for periods of the first half but there’s no doubting Clare’s performance and clinical nature in front of goal was worthy enough to secure their first league title since 2016.

But, for all the beaming smiles heading back to the Mid-West on Saturday night, how much can we read into their defeat of Kilkenny? Is it a fatal life lost for a Liam MacCarthy hungry Cat and can the Banner go any higher for Clare?

First of all, before we smash open the pinata full of thoughts that have crossed our minds as Kilkenny supporters in recent days, a word on the fixture itself. A 7.15pm throw-in under the Semple Stadium lights on a Saturday night may be suitable for the couch potatoes and pub goers of this world watching on from a TV screen, but it certainly wasn’t for travelling supporters, especially those coming from the most remote areas of Kilkenny and Clare, who may not have seen their front doors until well into the early hours of Sunday morning.

A difficult journey made even harder when older people and young children are brought into the equation, who I assume (speaking as a 23 year old) face greater chellenges than us ‘young bucks’ when considering whether they’ll attend a match or not. Three Saturday night matches for Kilkenny in this league campaign may not be the sole reason for a section of local supporters not travelling to away matches, but it’s most certainly a significant one.

The needs of hurling supporters should outweigh those of the TV viewer in my humble opinion. Take note Croke Park!

In terms of the match itself, Of course, the overriding emotion is of course one of disappointment but as the hours turn to days and we take time to refelct more rationally, such a loss shouldn’t be a reason to despair. The Cats’ performance levels were far from 100% and yet we were fully in contention to win the match heading into the final straight.

Losing may not be acceptable in Kilkenny, but if the ultimate aim was to increase competition for a starting 15 jersey with the championship in mind, then the overall exercise was a success.

Taking the match in isolation, Kilkenny’s biggest regret leaving Semple Stadium I suspect would be their inability to take what would be considered ‘must-score’chances during the hot summer days of championship, with a glut of wides at the start of the second half a point of concern. These spurned chances were exploited by Clare, who with a dangerous Aidan McCarthy at corner-forward (2-10) and David Fitzgerald, who without question took liberties for his goal at the start of the second half, had the killer insinct to find the net when the game required.

However, in a game full of incident, it’s hard not to envisage a different outcome if Fitzgerald’s goal had been chalked off, Eoin Cody hadn’t miss-hit a penalty to put the smallest of margins between the sides and many more micro-incidents hadn’t taken place during the contest.

That’s sport... In an All-Ireland final, such mistakes, from a black and amber perspective at least, would have been fatal but in the context of the league, we need to and am confident we will, brush ourselves down and go again. Here down on Noreside, we hold the league in high regard with 19 titles in the trophy cabinet but there is no arguing the competition’s importance has diminished over the past number of years.

Kilkenny know that, Clare know that and nearly every manager in the country knows that, after all, what other competition so regularly has managers so openly stating ‘it’s only the league’ at every opportunity. And if you don’t believe me, just look at Conor Cleary’s facial expressions when receiving the cup on Saturday night for Clare.

So where are Kilkenny in the pack? The pessimist in me fears very little has changed. We’ve improved, but so have Clare and the goosegrass weed which will stand above us all remains Limerick.

Postively, Cian Kenny has been consistently impressive all league, with his dogged, hard working skills making him a regular in the league and in my eyes will be going forward. Shane Murphy’s progress has been monumental, and a fine performace and point last time out makes him a huge contender for a starting place.

Elsewhere, Martin ‘Mossy’ Keoghan can consider himself very unlucky not to be a starter as of yet, while David Blanchfield is as close to comfortable as any back can be in the cut and thrust of hurling. However, concerns still lie at centre-back.

Is it home to Paddy Deegan or Richie Reid, and as for goals, does it all come down to TJ or will the likes Eoin Cody and others need to hone in on finishing rather than setting up plays? What’s the answer? Time will tell...