For some players, their team being knocked out of the hurling championship sours their interest in what comes after. They can't stomach watching the big games. That is not the case with Tony Kelly.
After his Clare side were heavily beaten by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final, he sat on the couch the following afternoon to watch Limerick defeat Galway in the weekend's other last-four game. He'll also be watching this weekend when Kilkenny face Limerick in the decider.
"I’ll be a keen observer in terms of what teams are doing and who comes on top," Kelly said after being named PwC GPA Player of the Month for June in hurling.
Kelly has got a close up view of both sides this year. Clare drew with Limerick in Ennis during the Munster Championship round robin, and lost the provincial decider to them after extra-time.
2 July 2022; Kilkenny manager Brian Cody speaks with his players Mikey Butler, centre, and Cian Kenny after their side's victory in the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Kilkenny and Clare at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
"They're similar," Kelly said.
"In terms of their physical conditioning, they're very similar. In terms of power, size, even speed, they're very similar.
"They're [both] able to mix up the way they play. They can play long ball, short ball as well, both can easily do it. They're easily able to adapt the game to cater for that.
"Limerick, they're obviously the standard bearer in the country the last four or five years. I do think Kilkenny are extremely dangerous this year. I think they've improved in every game. Especially having played them [in the semi-final], I know we were below par but they're still a very, very good outfit.
"I was very impressed with Kilkenny's used of the ball in terms of their efficiency. That's one thing Limerick are extremely good at as well, their efficiency. They don't have many days where they'd hit into the double digits in terms of wides.
"If you were to call the All-Ireland at the minute, I think it's literally 50/50. The last couple of All-Irelands, you probably wouldn't be able to say that. You probably would have favoured Limerick more."
3 July 2022; Cian Lynch of Limerick comes onto the pitch during a second half substitution during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Limerick and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Kelly feels that the return of Cian Lynch and Peter Casey could turn the game in Limerick's favour. Lynch, the 2021 Hurler of the Year, missed most of the championship due to a hamstring injury. He made his return as a substitute against Galway. However, there were reports on Wednesday that Lynch injured his ankle in training, and he is now a doubt for the final.
"We all know how good [Cian Lynch] is," Kelly said.
"He's one of the best hurlers in the country. Probably the strength of Limerick though is they have a lot of Cian Lynch-standard hurlers.
"We've seen how they've coped without the likes of him and Peter Casey, another one who's probably up there as one of the top forwards in the country as well.
"They've really good players, great players all over the field. They're not just reliant on one player, but obviously if they have Cian and Peter fit and ready to go for it for the All-Ireland final, it'd be a massive plus for Limerick.
"You're getting them on the field, and then you're strengthening the bench even more, being able to bring on lads that have replaced them in the last number of weeks who more than likely are going to make an impact for the last quarter of the game.
"Definitely, if Cian Lynch is performing like we know he can, obviously he'll be extremely difficult to stop and so will Limerick."
Hurling: Tony Kelly Struggling To Pinpoint Where It All Went Wrong For Clare
