Mostly Hurling:With all the challengers either too early or too late in their evolution one must conclude . . .

WELL IT’S probably that time of the season to begin writing up Kilkenny again. The media seem to be too entertained with talk of the demise of Cork, Clare and Wexford over the last few weeks. The Cats are not generating enough column inches these days. This column threw in a sprat a month back, something along the lines of “Kilkenny might be surprised sooner than we think”. There hasn’t been too much evidence over the past fortnight that a surprise is nigh, so we’re withdrawing that same remark and replacing it with “Kilkenny are unbeatable”. More later.

The Banner County achieved as much as they were capable of last year. They showed very definite progress from the previous year. They didn’t maintain that level of progress this season and were unlikely to do so given the lack of top-quality players coming through their under-age structures.

From their lowly position they surely think that “Kilkenny are unbeatable”.

Wexford are in a similar bind. Their now, very impressive, under-age games development strategy is probably going to need 10 years to show returns. They won’t win an All-Ireland with the present squad and they too must think “Kilkenny are unbeatable”.

Cork’s lack of a proper development blueprint over the past 30 years is now beginning to show. Yes, of course, Cork should be among the top teams every year if the number of clubs and players is the gauge.

Unfortunately it isn’t, and now cracks are very evident. Not enough top-quality players are making it on to the senior team because the youth development system is too hit and miss. The results over the past 10 years bear testimony to this with one minor title garnered and no success at under-21 level.

As players from the 1999 winning team begin to lose the battle with Father Time, they aren’t being replaced with players of a similar quality.

However, I don’t see too many of the senior citizens retiring this winter so manager Walsh will be left with the task of finding the correct blend before the final championship of the decade is begun. The down side is Dr Con Murphy, with very able physio Declan O’Sullivan, will be expected to produce even more miracles (and he has worked many over the past thirtysomething years) to keep some of the older guys ticking properly.

The feeling of most of the hurling pundits in Cork presently, though, is that “Kilkenny are unbeatable”.

For Antrim, Offaly and Laois (quite impressive last Saturday) the gulf in standards between the top and the bottom sides is so wide they all have to be of the opinion that “Kilkenny are unbeatable”.

However, for now, the four teams playing at the weekend will be focusing on the games at hand and won’t be voicing the opinion that “Kilkenny are unbeatable” yet.

After Sunday two will. Which two?

Well the first game is probably the most difficult to call. Using their last games as the basis for a prediction could be dangerous. In that entertaining contest, Dublin, with a game plan, were very impressive and played with no small amount of heart. Limerick, on the other hand, were quite fortunate to have beaten Laois. Have Limerick shown any form so far in the championship to suggest they can win?

Their poor showing last weekend will help to kill off any suggestion they have the easy side of the draw and will progress. It’s obvious to see they are struggling more than usual in the forwards and with Niall Moran injured they are even further handicapped. Limerick will need to up the ante a good bit if they are to win.

Dublin find themselves on a whole new landscape. Their goals at the beginning of the year would have included staying in Division One as well as playing in a Leinster final. Well they achieved both and now they play in a quarter-final in Thurles, a relatively new venue to them.

The form and the confidence are with Anthony Daly’s side and they should progress, even though in the bookies shops the odds for the title are still very long for both teams and in reality for both, “Kilkenny are unbeatable”.

The second game on Sunday is easier to call using form as the guide. On form, Galway will win this game. They will play their third game in 15 days and, while they haven’t been overly impressive, they are playing with a lot of confidence.

This should be the better of the two games. Galway have all the momentum going with them at the moment. But one cannot ignore the fact they met a poor Clare team in Ennis and met a Cork side which is in decline. Defensively, they were solid in both games but they still rely far too much on Joe Canning.

Waterford’s defence has been suspect in all their games. While they undoubtedly have top individual forwards in the team they have not played well as a unit since last year’s semi-final against Tipperary. John Mullane should cause problems for Galway, but he can’t be expected to win the game on his own, even though his form is such that he could.

But the impetus is with the men from the west and they should win this one.

So by tea time on Sunday, Waterford will probably be admitting that “Kilkenny are unbeatable”.

It’s probably also time to crank up the manager roundabout again. The usual names will be bandied about as the vacancies occur and occur they will over the next while. Will the Waterford hot seat be vacant after Sunday? Has Mike Mac achieved as much as he can in Clare? Will Justin McCarthy stay or be asked to stay if Limerick lose against Dublin?

It’s all in the melting pot but come what may over the next few weeks, “Kilkenny are unbeatable”. Fact.